Hero 12 Blackvs Z7 II
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
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.
Landscape & Studio / High-Resolution — Z7 II (2020): The Z7 II is a landscape and studio camera first, everything else second. 45.7MP with weather sealing and dual card slots is a compelling package. If you need resolution, it delivers. If you don't, the Z6 II is the smarter buy.
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
Z7 II (2020)
- Landscape photographers who print large or need to crop significantly
- Studio and commercial photographers requiring maximum resolution
- Architecture photographers where detail is non-negotiable
- Fine-art photographers who shoot primarily from a tripod
Quick take: The z7 ii has the highest resolution at 46mp; the hero 12 black is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Hero 12 Black (2023) | Z7 II (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £2,699 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 45.7MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/60p, 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Phase-detect, 493 points, Eye AF, subject tracking |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops (up to 6 stops with VR lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~420 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 705g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Dual card: 1× CFexpress Type B / XQD + 1× SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Z7 II |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Video | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history