GoPro HERO12 Black vs GoPro HERO11 Black
In short: The GoPro HERO11 Black costs $20 less; the GoPro HERO12 Black claims 1 h 10 min at 5.3K60 continuous, Enduro battery.
| Spec | GoPro HERO12 Black | GoPro HERO11 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$269 | ~$249 |
| Year-one cost | ~$319 with the plan | ~$299 with the plan |
| Type | Flagship action | Flagship action |
| Sensor size | 1/1.9-inch | 1/1.9-inch |
| Sensor area | 34 mm² | 34 mm² |
| Max resolution | 5.3K @ 60fps | 5.3K @ 60fps |
| 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 | None |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 | HyperSmooth 5.0 |
| Horizon lock | 360° (full) | 360° (full) |
| Aperture | Not published | Not published |
| Waterproof | 10 m bare, 60 m cased | 10 m bare, 60 m cased |
| Claimed runtime | 1 h 10 min at 5.3K60 continuous, Enduro battery | 1 h at 5.3K60 continuous, Enduro battery |
| Tested runtime | No third-party test collected | No third-party test collected |
| Battery | 1720 mAh | 1720 mAh |
| Cold rating | 14°F | 14°F |
| Weight | 154 g | 154 g |
| Screens | 1.4-inch front + 2.27-inch rear touch | 1.4-inch front + 2.27-inch rear touch |
| Mount | GoPro folding fingers | GoPro folding fingers |
| Replaceable lenses | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | No | Yes |
| Voice control | Yes | Yes |
| Storage | microSD | microSD |
| Subscription | GoPro Premium, ~$49.99/yr | GoPro Premium, ~$49.99/yr |
| Released | 2023 | 2022 |
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
GoPro HERO11 Black
- +8:7 capture means one recording feeds both a widescreen edit and a vertical cut
- +Keeps GPS, which the newer Hero 12 does not have
- +Under $250 for the same 5.3K60 the current flagship shoots
- +360° horizon lock in-camera, not a phone-app afterthought
- −No GP-Log, so grading headroom is limited to the 10-bit HLG profile
- −No 1/4-20 thread in the body
- −HyperSmooth 5.0 trails the current version on hard vibration
- −GoPro no longer promotes it, so accessory bundles and firmware attention go elsewhere