Hero 12 Blackvs Sony RX100 VII
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
VS
Sony
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
Starting from £1099 new
Best for Travel & versatility
View Sony RX100 VII
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.
Travel & Versatility — Sony RX100 VII (2019): The most versatile compact camera ever made — 24-200mm zoom, 20fps burst, and 960fps slow-motion in a jacket pocket.
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
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
- Travel photographers who want the most capable 1-inch compact available
- Vloggers who need fast AF and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket body
- Photographers who want a high-quality compact backup to a mirrorless system
- Anyone who wants professional AF performance without carrying a large camera
Quick take: The hero 12 black has the highest resolution at 27mp; 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) | Sony RX100 VII (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £1,099 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS BSI CMOS (stacked) |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/30p HLG, FHD/960fps super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | 357-point phase-detect + 425 contrast, Eye AF, tracking |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 3-stop Optical SteadyShot |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 20fps AF/AE tracking (90fps short burst) |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 302g with battery and card |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 101.6 × 58.1 × 42.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | Pop-up EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Sony RX100 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — |
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