Hero 12 Blackvs A7R 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.
Landscape, Studio, Commercial — A7R IV (2019): 61MP in a mirrorless body — the resolution benchmark.
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
A7R IV (2019)
- Landscape photographers who print large
- Studio shooters needing maximum detail
Quick take: The a7r iv has the highest resolution at 61mp; the hero 12 black is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Hero 12 Black (2023) | A7R IV (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £2,199 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS 35mm |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 61.0MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K 30fps |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | 567-point phase-detect, real-time tracking |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 10fps |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | 670 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 665g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 128.9 × 96.4 × 77.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.44M-dot |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Sony E-Mount |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | 2× SD UHS-II / CFexpress Type A |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 4.1, USB-C 3.2 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | A7R IV |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history