Hero 12 Blackvs A7S III
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
Sony
A7S III (2020)
Starting from £2999 new
Best for Professional video & low-light filmmaking
View A7S III
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.
Professional Video & Low-Light Filmmaking — A7S III (2020): If video is your primary discipline, the A7S III is the camera. 4K/120p at 10-bit in a weather-sealed body with a 9.44M dot EVF is an extraordinary package. The 12MP sensor isn't limiting for video — and it's usable at ISO 409,600 in a pinch.
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 III (2020)
- Filmmakers and videographers who need 4K/120p at 10-bit
- Event videographers who shoot in dark venues regularly
- Documentary filmmakers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Hybrid shooters where video is primary and stills are secondary
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 III (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £2,999 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 5.5-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording |
| Weight | 154g | 699g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | A7S III |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history