GoPro Hero 12 Black

Verdict

The GoPro Hero 12 Black offers sharp HDR video, impressive image stabilisation, and plenty of creative features and shooting modes in a rugged, waterproof package. However, the action camera still suffers from many of the same drawbacks as its predecessors.

Introduction

Every autumn like clockwork, GoPro updates its flagship action camera line with the latest GoPro Hero model. 

This time around, it’s the GoPro Hero 12 Black that’s come to join us on our outdoor adventures and capture all the action. 

Compared to 2022’s GoPro Hero 11 Black, the Hero 12 Black brings HDR, upgraded HyperSmooth 6.0 image stabilisation, a more versatile mount, and even Apple AirPod support to the tiny action camera. But is all of this enough to justify an upgrade? Here are my thoughts after weeks of testing.

Design

• Familiar, rugged design 
• Two displays make taking selfies and recording vlogs easier 
• The 1/4-20 mounting threads are compatible with more accessories 

The GoPro Hero 12 Black looks almost identical to its predecessor. The camera shares the same pocket-sized 71.8 x 50.8 x 33.6mm dimensions, lightweight 154g design, and dual-display layout. 

The body is adorned with a new blue-speckled pattern that, at first glance, made me wonder if recycled plastics had been used in the construction of the camera (think the Acer Aspire Vero or the Fairbuds XL). However, GoPro has said nothing to indicate that the Hero 12 Black is built from any new or more sustainable materials which is a shame. 

Of course, the Hero 12 Black benefits from GoPro’s trademark ruggedness and this camera is waterproof up to 10m (33ft) alone or 60m (196ft) when paired with the brand’s own Protective Housing case. 

The camera features two displays – one 2.27-inch touchscreen on the rear of the camera, and a second smaller 1.4-inch screen on the front of the camera. I found the displays to be sharp and easy to navigate, though I do wish that the front screen had touch support like the DJI Osmo Action 4 and even the Osmo Action 3. Suffice to say the GoPro’s front screen feels a little dated in this respect. 

I also didn’t find the touch controls on the rear screen to be responsive to lighter touches. I don’t think this is a bad thing as it helps to prevent any non-deliberate presses in the middle of action but it is something to note. 

The camera includes a single MicroSD card slot for media storage, along with one USB-C port for charging and uploading footage to your PC. You’ll need to pick up GoPro’s Media Mod if you require an HDMI port. 

Speaking of Mods, GoPro has updated its mounting fingers with 1/4-20 mounting threads to make the Hero 12 Black compatible with standard camera mounts and accessories. The company has also released the Max Lens Mode 2.0, enabling the camera to capture an ultra-wide 177-degree field of view in 4K/60p as well as a 48% wider FOV when capturing vertical video for social media. 

Features 

• Supports HyperSmooth 6.0 and Horizon Lock 
• AirPods are now supported 
• Upload and edit videos with the GoPro Quik app

The GoPro Hero 12 Black takes advantage of a wide range of (mostly familiar) features. 

As with every major GoPro update, the Hero 12 Black beckons in a new version of the brand’s HyperSmooth stabilisation feature. HyperSmooth 6.0 includes AutoBoost to ensure you get the widest shots possible, while Horizon Lock is built in to ensure the horizon remains level even when the camera turns 360 degrees. 

Hindsight ensures you never miss a moment of action by capturing footage up to 30 seconds before you press record, while Scheduled Capture lets you walk away or go to bed knowing that your GoPro will start recording when you need it to. 

When it’s time to slow it down, the camera offers up to 8x slow-mo in 2.7K. There are also three creative Night Effects to experiment with when the sun goes down, including Star Trails to capture light trails in the sky, Light Painting to draw shapes and pictures using light sources, and Vehicle Light Trails to take eye-catching footage of late-night traffic. 

There’s a new Interval Photo feature designed to automatically snap photos at fixed intervals, as well as a New Timecode Sync feature which makes it possible to wirelessly sync multiple Hero 12 Black cameras to record at once. We’d expect the latter to be especially handy for those working on more complex shoots with more than one GoPro on hand. 

If you’re an AirPod user, you’ll be excited to hear that the Hero 12 Black also now allows you to record audio and issue remote voice commands through the Bluetooth earbuds, including the ever-popular Apple pair. 

I tested the voice commands myself and found the camera to be snappy and responsive when asked to complete actions, such as starting to record a video. 

Many of these features can be found in the GoPro Quik app, along with the option to import footage and edit it. However, certain features – including unlimited cloud storage, automatic highlight videos, synced edits, and live streaming – are locked behind GoPro’s Premium/Premium+ paywall and require a yearly subscription to gain access. 

Image and video quality  

• Powered by the GP2 processor and 1/1.9-inch CMOS image sensor 
• Can capture 5.3K video at up to 60p, along with 27-megapixel stills 
• Image quality is sharp and vibrant in daylight, but loses detail in low light.

The Hero 12 Black is powered by GoPro’s own GP2 processor. The processor arrived with the Hero 10 Black in 2021, bringing faster performance, improved resolutions, and higher frame rates compared to GoPro’s previous processor. 

The GP2 is paired with a 1/1.9-inch CMOS image sensor, enabling the camera to capture sharp 5.3K/60p video, 27-megapixel images, and 24.7-megapixel stills from video. Along with 5.3K/60p at an aspect ratio of 16:9, the Hero 12 Black can record 5.3K at 30p (8:7), 4K at 60p, and 2.7K at 240p. 

The image and video resolutions are the same as those found on last year’s GoPro Hero 11 Black. However, the action cam now supports an 8:7 aspect ratio when using more modes, including TimeWarp, Time Lapse, and Night Lapse features. 

Another major upgrade is HDR support for video, meaning the camera is capable of retaining more detail in the brighter and darker parts of a scene for greater dynamic range. 

I found the image quality to be sharp and vibrant in good lighting, with saturated skies, good contrast, and no shortage of detail in the subject. The smaller sensor means that the quality can’t match that of most modern mirrorless cameras, but that’s a compromise you make for the pocket-sized design and higher durability.

Like the Hero 11 Black, the Hero 12 Black’s small sensor can struggle with low-light performance, causing details to be lost and lights to appear blown out. This is another drawback of the small sensor. If you’re looking for the best low-light action cam, consider opting for the DJI Osmo Action 4 instead. 

Battery life 

• packs the same battery as its predecessor 
• Improved power management offers increased battery life 
• Longer shoots will require you to carry extra batteries 

The GoPro Hero 12 Black is equipped with the same 1720 mAh Enduro battery as the Hero 11 Black that came before it. However, that doesn’t stop the latest GoPro from delivering 2x longer continuous recording at 5.3K/60p compared to its predecessor. 

The Hero 12 Black’s improved power management means that the camera can last up to 70 minutes when recording 5.3K/60p video, 1.5 hours when capturing 5.3K/30p video, and more than 2.5 hours when continuously recording 1080p/30p video. 

I found that the camera lasted around two hours when I took it out to shoot 5.3K/60p video and capture stills on and off, which was more than enough time to capture a good amount of content. However, I’d recommend picking up an extra battery or two if you intend to be out all day. 

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