Hero 12 Blackvs A7 IV
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
VS
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.
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid 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
A7 IV (2021)
- Working photographers who want a reliable full-frame all-rounder
- Portrait, wedding, and event photographers needing 33MP and fast AF
- A7 III owners ready for a major upgrade in resolution, AF, and video
- Hybrid shooters who want 4K/60p and 33MP stills in one dependable body
Quick take: The a7 iv has the highest resolution at 33mp; the hero 12 black is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Hero 12 Black (2023) | A7 IV (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £2,299 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 33.0MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~580 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 659g body only |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | A7 IV |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Outdoor Portraits | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history