Hero 12 Blackvs A7R
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.
Studio, Tripod Landscape & Camera History — A7R (2013): The world's first 36MP full-frame mirrorless — a landmark camera that launched the A7R series, despite contrast-detect AF and significant shutter shock limitations.
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 (2013)
- Collectors and photographers interested in the camera that started the A7R lineage
- Studio photographers who work on a tripod and can manage contrast-detect AF
- Landscape photographers who prioritise resolution over autofocus performance
- Sony FE system users who want a historical body at a very low used price
Quick take: The a7r has the highest resolution at 36mp; 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) | A7R (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £349 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 36.4MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | None |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 4fps |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~340 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 465g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | A7R |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Architecture | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history