GoPro HERO12 Black vs DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro
In short: The GoPro HERO12 Black costs $30 less; the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro collects light over 72 mm² against 34, which is 2.1× the area; the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro goes 20 m deep with no housing against 10 m; the GoPro HERO12 Black puts features behind a ~$49.99/yr plan, which makes its first year ~$319; the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro claims 4 h at 1080p24 with RockSteady on.
| Spec | GoPro HERO12 Black | DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$269 | ~$299 |
| Year-one cost | ~$319 with the plan | ~$299 |
| Type | Flagship action | Flagship action |
| Sensor size | 1/1.9-inch | 1/1.3-inch |
| Sensor area | 34 mm² | 72 mm² |
| Max resolution | 5.3K @ 60fps | 4K @ 120fps |
| Reframed resolution | n/a — already flat | n/a — already flat |
| Max fps at 4K | 120 | 120 |
| Max fps at 1080p | 240 | 240 |
| Max bitrate | 120 Mbps | 120 Mbps |
| Colour depth | 10-bit | 10-bit |
| Log profile | GP-Log | D-Log M |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 | RockSteady 3.0+ |
| Horizon lock | 360° (full) | 360° (full) |
| Aperture | Not published | f/2.8 |
| Waterproof | 10 m bare, 60 m cased | 20 m bare, 60 m cased |
| Claimed runtime | 1 h 10 min at 5.3K60 continuous, Enduro battery | 4 h at 1080p24 with RockSteady on |
| Tested runtime | No third-party test collected | 2 h 14 min (road.cc action camera group test) |
| Battery | 1720 mAh | 1950 mAh |
| Cold rating | 14°F | -4°F |
| Weight | 154 g | 146 g |
| Screens | 1.4-inch front + 2.27-inch rear touch | 1.46-inch front + 2.5-inch rear OLED touch |
| Mount | GoPro folding fingers | Magnetic quick-release |
| Replaceable lenses | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | No | No |
| Voice control | Yes | Yes |
| Storage | microSD | microSD + 47 GB internal |
| Subscription | GoPro Premium, ~$49.99/yr | None |
| Released | 2023 | 2024 |
A highlighted cell is the outright better figure in that row, and only where one direction is unambiguously better. Weight, field of view and battery capacity are left neutral because the better direction depends entirely on what you are shooting.
Strengths and drawbacks
GoPro HERO12 Black
- +Matches the Hero 13 on sensor, resolution, frame rates, log and stabilisation
- +Eighty dollars cheaper than the current flagship and often discounted further
- +1/4-20 thread moulded into the body, so it mounts to normal tripod gear without an adapter
- +Takes the same batteries and mounts as the rest of the modern Hero line
- −No GPS at all — this is the one generation GoPro left it out of
- −No magnetic latch, so mounting is the older fold-and-thumbscrew routine
- −Cannot use the HB-series lens mods the Hero 13 auto-detects
- −Same small 1/1.9-inch sensor, with the same low-light ceiling
- −Seventy minutes at 5.3K60 means a spare battery is part of the kit, not an option
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro
- +Double the sensor area of a Hero 13 for less money than one
- +Beat the Ace Pro 2 by half an hour in a same-conditions drain test
- +Internal storage means the camera still records when the card is in the other jacket
- +Twice the bare waterproof depth of any GoPro Hero
- +Rear OLED is the best screen on any action camera at this price
- −Tops out at 4K — no 5.3K or 8K mode
- −No GPS overlays
- −Magnetic-only mount needs an adapter for GoPro-fingered accessories
- −Real-world runtime is closer to two hours than the four DJI quotes at 1080p24
- −Fixed f/2.8 aperture, so bright snow and water still need an ND filter the Action 6 does not