Hero 12 Blackvs Go Gen 2
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
VS
Polaroid
Go Gen 2 (2022)
Starting from £85 new
Best for On-the-go shooting & Polaroid fans who want compact
View Go Gen 2
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.
On-The-Go Shooting & Polaroid Fans Who Want Compact — Go Gen 2 (2022): The most pocketable Polaroid ever — genuinely fits in a jacket pocket and produces beautiful prints with that classic white border.
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
Go Gen 2 (2022)
- Polaroid fans who want classic square prints in the most pocketable body
- Travellers who want an instant camera that genuinely fits in a jacket pocket
- Anyone who finds standard Polaroid cameras too large to carry daily
- A great gift for someone who loves Polaroid but wants something compact
Quick take: The go gen 2 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) | Go Gen 2 (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £85 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | Polaroid Go film (66.6 × 53.9mm / image area 46.4 × 34.7mm) |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | — |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | N/A — instant film camera |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Fixed focus (0.55m–∞) |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | N/A |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | N/A |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | Rechargeable internal battery (USB-C, ~20 double packs) |
| Weight | 154g | ~211g |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 104.9 × 83.9 × 56.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | Real-image optical viewfinder |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | N/A |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Polaroid Go film (16 shots per double pack) |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | N/A — instant film only |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C (charging) |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Go Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | ||
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | — |
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