Hero 12 Blackvs A5100
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.
Casual & Travel — A5100 (2014): The A5100 is one of the smallest APS-C mirrorless cameras ever made. Its 24MP sensor, phase-detect AF, and selfie-friendly flip screen pack remarkable capability into a shirt-pocket-sized body. No EVF or hot shoe limits it for serious use, but as a compact travel camera or beginner's first mirrorless, it punches well above its price on the used market.
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
A5100 (2014)
- Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
- Compact travel photographers
- Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
Quick take: The hero 12 black has the highest resolution at 27mp; the a5100 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) | A5100 (2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £200 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | None |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 6fps |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 224g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | None |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | A5100 |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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