Hero 12 Blackvs A7S II
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
Sony
A7S II (2015)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Low-light video, documentary & available-light filmmaking
View A7S II
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.
Low-Light Video, Documentary & Available-Light Filmmaking — A7S II (2015): A landmark in mirrorless history — the first Sony with IBIS and internal 4K, its low-light video capability still impresses today at a used-market price.
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
A7S II (2015)
- Filmmakers and videographers who want legendary low-light performance at a used-price discount
- Documentary shooters working in unpredictable available light conditions
- A7S III shooters who want a second Sony FE body for backup or B-camera use
- Budget-conscious video producers who want full-frame 4K with S-Log at an accessible price
Quick take: The hero 12 black has the highest resolution at 27mp; the hero 12 black is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Hero 12 Black (2023) | A7S II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £799 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | 169 phase-detect + 25 contrast AF — limited by modern standards |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 5fps continuous |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~370 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 584g body only |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Dual SD UHS-I slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB Micro-B, Bluetooth (via app), Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | A7S II |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Sports | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history