Hero 12 Black
In the absence of offers discover
The links shown above may not work in the presence of an ad blocker.
With horological precision, the American GoPro announces at the beginning of September the new iteration of its flagship product, the GoPro action camera stamped this year Hero 12 Black. Contrary to rumors in recent weeks, GoPro has not succumbed to the (marketing?) charm of the 1-inch sensor. In fact, GoPro has kept the fundamentals of the previous generation 11: same sensor in 8/7th format, same GP2 image processor (introduced with the Hero 10 Black). Technical revolution hunters may be disappointed, but GoPro has focused on the details.
Far from being anecdotal, this electronic and software tweaking could appeal to users who preferred to skip one or two generations of cameras. Because the list of improvements is very long and focuses on uses. With in the first place a rather impressive increase in autonomy considering the constant electronic perimeter. Judge for yourself: in 5.3K60p, the camera now lasts up to 70 minutes — “with all technologies like Bluetooth and HyperSmooth enabled!”, we were told – against 35 minutes in the past, or 100% improvement. This leap, also noticeable in 4K120p (+107%!), was made possible by means of new video compression algorithms with equivalent image quality, we were assured. The gains at lower speed and definition are more modest, around 15% in 1080p60 as in 4K60p.
Image quality: the same… but better and with more choices
If the sensor/processor/optics trio is similar with maximum definitions maintained at 5.3K60 or 4K120, GoPro has worked on signal processing to offer features that will make the eyes of the most seasoned editors shine: the arrival of automatic HDR photo and video as well as the introduction of a GP-LOG with LUT management. A LOG mode will allow fine tuning, which is extremely important, especially for editing heterogeneous sequences from different cameras. Coupled with the 10-bit color sampling inherited from the previous generation, videographers should enjoy significantly more editing latitude.
On the choice side, GoPro matures its 8/7th in-house sensor by offering, in addition to the classic modes, a native vertical mode even with the camera installed horizontally – privilege of this exclusive sensor with a unique ratio. An orientation now essential at the time of TikTok and other Instagram Reels.
Hypersmooth 6.0, more stable than stable (and new optical complement)
Entering its 6th generation, Hypersmooth stabilization, introduced with the Hero 7 Black, benefits from greater control of the GP2 image processor. The GoPro teams have pushed the chip further and it now grinds five times more data than the previous generation, offering stabilization identical to that of a gimball. This allows the Hero 12 Black to do the expected job while remaining compact.
For sequences in airplanes or any other practice/vehicle likely to turn, do loops and the like, GoPro has taken advantage of this additional power to develop a new optical complement Max Lens Mod 2.0. An ultra-wide-angle converter with an ultra-wide diagonal field of view (177° compared to 155° in the past) makes it possible to gain up to +36% (width) and +48% (height) depending on the video modes. Enough to allow GoPro to promise a maintenance of the horizon (horizon lock) even when the vehicle/subject/support rotates in all directions at 360°! Add to that a new optical complement that is more compact, lighter, stronger (twice as scratch resistant) and which benefits from a new hydrophobic treatment.
Hardware, electronics and software fine-tuning
For the first time, the GoPro mounting system incorporates a screw thread. © GoPro
At least constant or increasing image quality in the case of HDR or GP-LOG uses, the Hero 12 Black could also attract new users thanks to adjustments and other improvements that may seem minor, but turn out to be fundamental for certain uses. From a physical point of view, while it is almost similar to its ancestor, the Hero 12 Black now incorporates a 1/4”-20 mounting thread, the famous standard screw thread in the photo. This allows the device to be directly attached to a Gorilla Pod or any other tripod mount.
On the electronics side, another “small” feature could prove essential for some: the arrival of Bluetooth direct pairing, allowing the connection of up to four microphones, headsets and other BT headphones, AirPods included. Enough to place a camera outside (car, plane), while controlling the external sound and adding a commentary with a microphone protected from the wind. Again, a huge potential time saver for fitters.
An electronic gain coupled with a software gain, since an unlimited number of GoPro Hero 12 Black can now share a temporal video code (timecode) to speed up production. Also in the software field, we will note new features such as a configurable photo intervalometer from half a second to 120 s, the automatic capture of a “summary” photo of night video modes (Light Painting, etc.).
The apparent physical and electronic similarity of the Hero 12 Black with its ancestor therefore hides an enormous amount of polishing work on the details, functions and uses. A job that should especially appeal to an audience of experts, the average person surfing once a year can undoubtedly be satisfied with the previous generation.
The arrival of this camera is also an opportunity for GoPro to communicate about its ecosystem, with two major announcements: the return of its video editing application for computers — by the end of 2023 for macOS, in 2024 for PC — as well as the development of a new Maxx 360° camera.
The GoPro Hero 12 Black will be available from September 13 in different kits:
- €449.99 for the camera alone.
- €679.99 for the Creator pack including the Hero 12 Black, the Volta grip (which includes a battery), the media module and the lighting module.
The Max Lens Mod 2.0 will be available for €109.99 (€87.99 for GoPro subscribers)