Hero 12 Blackvs Nikon D7500
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
VS
Nikon
Nikon D7500 (2017)
Starting from £899 new
Best for Sports, travel & DSLR shooters
View Nikon D7500
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Adventure, Sports & Travel Video — Hero 12 Black (2023): GoPro's best all-round action camera — better battery, 10-bit colour, and HyperSmooth 6.0 make it a genuine step forward.
Sports, Travel & Dslr Shooters — Nikon D7500 (2017): The D500's BSI sensor in a compact, weather-sealed body — excellent high-ISO performance and DSLR reliability at a great price.
Who should buy what
Hero 12 Black (2023)
- Action and sports photographers who want the best stabilisation available
- Travellers who need a rugged waterproof camera for any conditions
- Cyclists, surfers, and skiers wanting helmet or handlebar footage
- Hero 11 owners considering an upgrade — notably better battery life
Nikon D7500 (2017)
- Enthusiast DSLR photographers who want APS-C performance in a lighter body
- D7200 or D7100 owners upgrading to better AF and 4K video
- Wildlife and sports shooters who prefer optical viewfinder AF
- Nikon DSLR users who want a capable body before committing to mirrorless
Quick take: The hero 12 black has the highest resolution at 27mp; the hero 12 black is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Hero 12 Black (2023) | Nikon D7500 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £899 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 20.9MP APS-C BSI CMOS (D500 sensor) |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 20.9MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/30p (slight crop), FHD/60p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Multi-CAM 3500FX II, 51 points (15 cross-type) |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | None (no IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 8fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~950 shots (CIPA with OVF) |
| Weight | 154g | 640g body only |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 135.5 × 104.0 × 72.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.94× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Nikon F-mount (DX) |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Single SD UHS-II slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB Micro-B, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Nikon D7500 |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | — |
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