Hero 12 Blackvs A1 II
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
VS
Sony
A1 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 II
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.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & High-Resolution Studio Work — A1 II (2025): The most complete camera ever made — 50MP, 30fps, 8K, and the world's best EVF in a single flagship body.
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
A1 II (2025)
- Professional sports and wildlife photographers who need 30fps, 50MP, and the best AF available
- Commercial and advertising photographers who demand 50MP resolution alongside pro video specs
- Photojournalists who need a single body capable of handling every assignment
- Sony system shooters ready to invest in the absolute best
Quick take: The a1 ii has the highest resolution at 50mp; the hero 12 black is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Hero 12 Black (2023) | A1 II (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £6,500 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 743g body only |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Sony E-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | A1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history