Decision tools · Compare
HERO12 Black vs A1
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 50MP; the HERO12 Black is the most affordable.
16 specs side by side·16 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
Sony
A1 2021
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
£4199
new today at Wex Photo Video
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Verdictwhich should you buy?
HERO12 Black — Adventure, Sports & Travel Video: GoPro's best all-round action camera — better battery, 10-bit colour, and HyperSmooth 6.0 make it a genuine step forward.
A1 — Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting: 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
HERO12 Black (2023)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | HERO12 BlackGoPro · 2023 | A1Sony · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £349Best | £4,199 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9" CMOS | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 50.1MPBest |
| Video | 5.3K 60fps, 4K 120fps, 10-bit GP-Log | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (EIS) | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 30fps electronic with full AF/AEBest |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~430 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 154g (with battery)Best | 737g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Fixed lens (12–39 mm-eq f/2.5) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | 1× microSD (A2 V30) | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
HERO12 Black
A1
Sports & Action
9.0/10
8.8/10
Vlogging & Video
9.0/10
—
Travel
9.0/10
6.0/10
Underwater
9.0/10
—
Casual
9.0/10
4.8/10
Portrait
—
8.2/10
Street
—
6.1/10
Wedding & Events
—
7.9/10
Filmmaking
—
7.8/10
Documentary
—
7.6/10
Landscape
—
7.6/10
Wildlife
—
8.7/10
Food
—
7.4/10
Macro
—
7.3/10
Architecture
—
7.9/10
Astrophotography
—
6.8/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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