Hero 12 Blackvs A6400
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.
Content Creation & Vlogging — A6400 (2019): The best value APS-C Sony you can buy — especially used. Real-time Eye AF at this price point was transformative when it launched and still makes it one of the most reliable autofocus systems in the lineup.
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
A6400 (2019)
- Vloggers and content creators who need a flip screen and reliable AF
- Photographers upgrading from a compact or smartphone
- Beginners who want room to grow into a full E-mount lens ecosystem
- Anyone prioritising autofocus performance at an accessible price
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) | A6400 (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £899 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS BSI |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/30p (6K oversampled, no crop), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Phase-detect, 425 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | None (no IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 11fps mechanical, 8fps with AF tracking |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~410 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 403g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 180° flip for selfie/vlog, 921k dots |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Single SD UHS-I |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | Micro-USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | A6400 |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history