Hero 12 Blackvs Z6
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.
Travel, Portrait, Video — Z6 (2018): Nikon's proof of concept — and a genuinely excellent camera.
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
Z6 (2018)
- Nikon DSLR users making their first move to mirrorless
- Photographers who want full-frame Nikon glass on a budget
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) | Z6 (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £749 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | Full-frame BSI CMOS 35mm |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 24.5MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K 30fps (full-width), 1080p 120fps |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | 273-point phase-detect hybrid AF |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 12fps |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | 310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 585g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 134.0 × 100.5 × 67.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF 0.80× 3.69M-dot |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M-dot |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Nikon Z-Mount |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Single XQD / CFexpress Type B |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C 3.1, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Z6 |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history