Hero 12 Blackvs Nikon Zfc
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
Nikon
Nikon Zfc (2021)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Lifestyle, street & casual shooters
View Nikon Zfc
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.
Lifestyle, Street & Casual Shooters — Nikon Zfc (2021): Nikon's most beautiful camera — FM2-inspired dials and styling wrapped around a capable modern sensor with Z-mount access.
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 Zfc (2021)
- Photographers who want APS-C Z quality in a retro film-camera aesthetic
- Beginners and enthusiasts attracted to tactile dial controls
- Street and travel photographers who want a compact, stylish Z body
- Anyone who wants the Nikon Z system entry point with a distinctive look
Quick take: The hero 12 black has the highest resolution at 27mp; the hero 12 black is the most affordable; only the hero 12 black is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Hero 12 Black (2023) | Nikon Zfc (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £799 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 20.9MP APS-C CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 20.9MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/30p (slight crop), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Hybrid phase/contrast AF with subject detection |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | None (lens-based only) |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 11fps |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | 300 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 445g body only |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 134.5 × 93.5 × 43.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | 0.39" OLED EVF, 2.36M dots |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Single UHS-I SD |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Nikon Zfc |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history