Hero 12 Blackvs Z5
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
VS
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.
Entry-Level Full-Frame & Dslr Switchers — Z5 (2020): The most affordable route into full-frame Z — dual card slots, IBIS, and a capable sensor at an accessible 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
Z5 (2020)
- DSLR photographers switching to full-frame mirrorless for the first time
- Enthusiasts who want full-frame image quality on a tighter budget
- Photographers stepping up from APS-C who don't need fast burst or 4K
- Z5 II shoppers on a budget — the original Z5 is now excellent value used
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) | Z5 (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £999 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 24.3MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/30p (with crop), 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Hybrid AF — 273 phase-detect points, eye/subject detection |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | IBIS — up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 4.5fps |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~470 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 590g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 134 × 100.5 × 69.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.8× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Nikon Z mount |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Z5 |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | ||
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history