GoPro Hero 12 Black

Full details of GoPro Hero 12 Black Underwater Housings available

The GoPro Hero 12 is the latest flagship action camera from GoPro, designed to capture your most thrilling adventures with stunning clarity and precision. Packed with powerful features and advancements, the Hero 12 takes action photography and videography to new heights. Whether you're an adventure seeker, content creator, or simply want to document your everyday life, the Hero 12 is the ultimate companion.

KEY FEATURES:

• 27MP with Improved Performance
• 5.3K60/4K120/2.7K240 Video, 27MP Photos
• HyperSmooth 6.0 Image Stabilization with 360° Horizon Lock
• Front and Rear LCD Screens
• Bluetooth Audio Connectivity and Control
• 33' Waterproof without Housing
• 8x Slow-Motion Video
• 1720mAh Capacity Rechargeable Battery
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) Video + Photo for more vivid images
• Longer runtimes, including 1.5 hours at 5.3K30 and over 2.5 hours at 1080p30²
• Large image sensor captures ultra wide 156° field of view in 8:7
• 27 megapixel photos with 24.7 megapixel stills from video
• New Timecode Sync to wirelessly synchronize multiple HERO12 Black cameras at once
• GP-Log and LUT support
• A microSD card is required, but not included

Unveiling the Hero 12: A Closer Look at the Design

At first glance, the GoPro Hero 12 may appear similar to its predecessor, the Hero 11 Black. However, upon closer inspection, you'll notice some noteworthy changes. The Hero 12 retains the compact and lightweight form factor that GoPro is known for, making it easy to mount on helmets or any part of your body without feeling cumbersome. One notable addition is the 1.4-inch color display at the front, serving as a convenient viewfinder for vlogging and taking selfies. The top of the camera features a shutter button for effortless photo and video capture.

The left side of the camera houses a small camera door for the microSD card, battery, and a Type-C port for charging and data transfer. On the right side, you'll find the Mode button, allowing you to switch between different shooting modes with ease. Additionally, GoPro has introduced a standard ¼-inch tripod mount at the bottom of the camera, eliminating the need for a special mount and offering more flexibility in mounting options.

Enhanced Battery Life: Powering Your Adventures

Battery life has always been a concern for action cameras, but GoPro has made significant improvements with the Hero 12. The camera offers 2x runtime, allowing for extended recording time in demanding modes. While the battery performance varies depending on settings and shooting conditions, the Hero 12 excels in delivering longer runtimes, especially in high-power drain modes.

To achieve this, GoPro made several optimizations, including the removal of GPS support, which was not heavily utilized by users. By dropping GPS, the Hero 12 can conserve battery power and extend runtime. Additionally, GoPro includes the Enduro battery with the Hero 12, which offers improved performance and better cold weather performance.

Enhanced User Experience with a Bigger Touchscreen

The GoPro Hero 12 boasts a larger 2.27-inch touchscreen at the rear, providing a more immersive and user-friendly experience. The increased screen size makes framing shots and accessing camera controls a breeze. To cater to both novice users and professional creators, GoPro has simplified the user interface, allowing beginners to capture impressive images and videos without getting overwhelmed by numerous settings. For advanced users, the camera offers Advanced Controls settings accessible through the camera menu, providing access to additional camera settings and shooting modes.

Versatility with 8:7 Aspect Ratio

GoPro understands the need for versatility in content creation, which is why they have introduced the 8:7 aspect ratio across all shooting modes in the Hero 12. This aspect ratio offers flexibility in cropping videos for different platforms, such as Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and long-format videos. Whether you prefer shooting in 9:16 or 16:9 aspect ratios, the Hero 12 allows you to capture footage in full resolution, providing you with more creative freedom in post-production. Additionally, the Hero 12 supports HDR recording in 4K and 5.3K resolution, enhancing colors and details for visually stunning results.

Unmatched Performance and Stabilization

When it comes to performance, the GoPro Hero 12 leaves no room for compromise. The camera can record videos in impressive resolutions, including 5.3K at 30fps and 4K at up to 120fps, ensuring every detail is captured with breathtaking clarity. With a photo resolution of 27.5MP and the ability to extract 24.7MP frame grabs from videos, the Hero 12 delivers stunningly sharp and vibrant images.

To further enhance the quality of your footage, GoPro has equipped the Hero 12 with HyperSmooth 6.0, their latest image stabilization technology. Whether you're skiing down a mountain or participating in high-action sports, HyperSmooth 6.0 ensures your videos come out smooth and professional-looking. The camera also features Horizon Lock, which keeps the frame level even when the camera rotates 360 degrees, maintaining a consistent and visually pleasing perspective.

Expanded Field of View with Max Lens Mod 2.0

For those seeking an even more immersive experience, GoPro offers the Max Lens Mod 2.0 for the Hero 12. This accessory expands the camera's field of view up to an impressive 177 degrees at 4K 60fps. With the Max Lens Mod, you can capture wide-angle shots that encompass everything from your surroundings to the sky, adding a new dimension to your content. The Max Lens Mod introduces three additional shooting modes: Max Wide, Max Super Wide, and Max HyperView, allowing you to experiment with different perspectives and create truly captivating footage.

Unleashing the Power of HDR: Capturing Stunning Visuals

GoPro has continuously improved its auto-exposure performance, ensuring that videos adjust seamlessly to changes in scene brightness. With the Hero 12, GoPro takes it a step further by introducing HDR video capabilities to enhance shadow detail and control blown-out highlights. HDR is available in both 4K/60 and 5.3K/30 resolutions, providing breathtaking visuals with improved color reproduction.

During testing, the Hero 12 demonstrated impressive HDR results, although some footage had a slightly unnatural look, which is typical of HDR. However, HDR proves especially valuable when transitioning between different lighting conditions, such as moving from open areas to tree cover, as it helps maintain consistent exposure levels and prevents sudden shifts in brightness.

Vertical Video Made Easy: Embracing Social Media Trends

Shooting vertical videos with the Hero 12 is now effortless and convenient. GoPro introduces a 9:16 framing setting for 1080p and 4K videos at up to 60 frames per second, allowing you to capture content perfectly suited for social platforms like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. The Hero 12 offers the flexibility to choose between horizontal (16:9), vertical (9:16), or full-screen (8:7) framing, catering to a wide range of creative preferences.

With the new $100 Max Lens Mod, you can expand your camera's field of view up to 177 degrees at 4K 60FPS, capturing immersive shots that include everything from your surroundings to the sky. This mod opens up new possibilities and adds a unique perspective to your content.

Seamless Audio Experience: Wireless Connectivity and Voice Commands

GoPro's integration of Bluetooth technology takes the audio experience to the next level. With the Hero 12, you can connect your Apple AirPods or any other wireless earbuds, providing a wireless microphone option for recording audio during vlogs, interviews, or any other scenario where capturing high-quality sound is essential. The setup process is simple and quick, allowing you to focus on your content creation without any hassle.

In addition to wireless audio capabilities, the Hero 12 also supports voice commands, enabling you to control the camera and access various features hands-free. Whether you're too far from the camera or need to capture a spontaneous moment, voice commands offer convenience and efficiency. With the Hero 12, you can hear camera notification beeps through your wireless earbuds, ensuring you never miss a shot.

Wireless Audio and Voice Control

GoPro understands the importance of capturing high-quality audio to complement your videos. With the Hero 12, they have introduced Bluetooth audio support, allowing you to connect your TWS earbuds or AirPods for wireless audio recording. This feature is especially useful when you're too far away from the camera or need to capture audio in challenging environments. You can even utilize voice commands through your wireless earbuds, enabling hands-free control and ensuring you never miss a shot. With GoPro's reliable voice commands and the ability to hear camera notification beeps, you can stay focused on the action while capturing exceptional footage.

Enhanced Color Control with GP-Log Encoding

For professional creators seeking more control over color grading and dynamic range, the GoPro Hero 12 offers GP-Log encoding with available lookup tables (LUTs). The camera's 10-bit color support allows for enhanced color depth and smoother gradations, reducing color banding and ensuring more accurate representation of your footage. By enabling the Log profile through the Preferences menu, you can maximize the dynamic range of your videos, giving you greater flexibility during post-production. GoPro provides LUTs to assist with color correction, but be prepared to fine-tune the settings to achieve your desired results.

Dive into Underwater Adventures

The GoPro Hero 12 is not only a companion for land-based adventures but also excels in capturing the beauty of the underwater world. With the appropriate underwater housing or dive housing, you can take the Hero 12 to depths that will leave you in awe. GoPro offers a range of underwater housings specifically designed for the Hero 12, ensuring reliable waterproofing and protection for your camera while diving. Explore vibrant coral reefs, swim alongside marine life, and document your underwater escapades with stunning clarity and color.

The GoPro Advantage: Durability and Compatibility

The Hero 12 inherits the durability and compatibility that GoPro cameras are renowned for. Designed to withstand the elements, the Hero 12 is waterproof without the need for additional housing, allowing you to capture stunning underwater footage up to 33 feet. Whether you're diving, snorkeling, or simply enjoying water sports, the Hero 12 is ready to capture your adventures without compromising on image quality or performance.

Moreover, GoPro continues its commitment to backward compatibility, ensuring that your existing GoPro accessories, lens filters, mods, and add-ons are compatible with the Hero 12. This seamless integration allows you to enhance your Hero 12 experience effortlessly, leveraging the wide range of accessories available in the GoPro ecosystem.