If you ask people what comes to mind when they think of an action camera, most will say GoPro. The word action camera has become synonymous with GoPro, this is the reputation the company has built for itself. Yes, their cameras aren’t perfect, and there are a few other brands that can do certain things better, but when given the choice, most people still just buy a GoPro.

The latest GoPro Hero 12 Black lives up to the standards set by its predecessor while offering several new features. If you’re considering buying one but can’t decide, here’s our review to make it easier.

GoPro Hero 12 Black price in India

Let’s start with the price, which I think GoPro has done well this time around. Last year, the Hero 11 Black ( review ) was priced at Rs. 51,500 for the base kit. Meanwhile, the new Hero 12 Black will cost you Rs. 45,000. It’s an instant bargain, especially if you’re still using a GoPro Hero 10 or older. If you have a Hero 11 Black, then I recommend you hold on to it a little longer.

There is also the GoPro Hero 12 Black Creator Edition which is available for Rs. 65,000, which is again cheaper than the Hero 11 Black Creator Edition which was priced at Rs. 71,500.The Creator version is for vloggers as it comes with Media Mod, Light Mod and Volta Battery grip.

Compared to the competition, which is mainly the DJI Osmo Action 4, the Hero 12 Black is quite good value.

GoPro Hero 12 black design

GoPro follows a similar design after a major overhaul with the Hero 9 Black. GoPro Hero 12 Black has a removable protection for the camera lens, a large 2.27-inch touchscreen display on the back and a 1.4-inch color display on the front. The displays are bright enough even in direct sunlight and you can adjust the brightness as well. The Hero 12 Black is only available in black with a rubberized body like the older models, but now GoPro has added blue speckles all over the body. You can easily distinguish it from the older models thanks to the big Hero 12 Black lettering on the side.

GoPro Hero 12 Black has blue spots on the body

The only new design change to the Hero 12 Black is the addition of a 1/4-20 tripod thread at the bottom between the mounting fingers. The new GoPro seems to be as sturdy as it looks, and I can attest to its durability as I’ve dropped it a few times while tossing it in the air and it hasn’t had any damage. The lens has a hydrophobic coating that keeps water out and it works well. If there are water droplets on your lens, a simple wipe or tap will get rid of all the water.

GoPro continues to use the same battery cover design that was introduced in the Hero 9 Black, and access to the battery and memory card is still a challenge.

With the Hero 12 Black, GoPro also introduced the Max Lens Mod 2.0, which offers an even wider field of view than before. Now you get 177 degrees of viewing angle, which is a lot. The attachment is easy to use, just remove the standard lens cap and use the Max Lens Mod 2.0 cap. Once attached, it looks secure, but it sticks out a bit more than a standard cover. Once connected, you will need to enable the Max Lens Mod 2.0 option on your camera to fully utilize the lens.

Features of GoPro Hero 12 Black

The GoPro Hero 12 Black has several new features. In addition to the different resolutions, frame rates and viewing angles that GoPro offers, there are things like HDR video recording, night effects in 8:7 format and a vertical shooting mode for all those who want to shoot for social media.

Up to four Bluetooth devices can be connected to the Hero 12 Black at the same time

I’ll start with one of my favorite new features on the Hero 12 Black, Bluetooth audio recording. You can now connect any Bluetooth enabled headphones to your GoPro and record audio from the headphones. This is such a useful feature, as you can not only record audio from Bluetooth headphones, but also use them for hands-free operation with voice commands. As a biker, I sometimes like to record videos and talk, but that usually requires a GoPro Media Mod and a microphone. Now I can simply connect my helmet intercom to the Hero 12 Black, record my voice and ask it to take a photo or start or pause a video.

GoPro Hero 12 Black can now record HDR video in 4K or 5.3K

The HDR video recording feature brings the excellent GoPro HDR software to video. However, this feature is only available in 5.3K and 4K resolutions. You can record HDR video in 16:9 or 8:7 format. When shooting in 16:9, you can choose between 4K or 5.3K with available frame rates of 24, 30 or 60. In 8:7, you can only shoot in 4K at 24 or 30fps. Go below that and the HDR toggle will disappear. There is a noticeable difference between non-HDR and HDR videos: colors are brighter and shadows and blacks are deeper.

If you enjoyed the night effects on the Hero 11 Black, then you’ll be happy to know that you can now shoot TimeWarp in 8:7 aspect ratio and 5.3K resolution with the new Hero 12 Black. Additionally, when recording a video using night effects such as light painting, star trails, and vehicle light trails, you’ll also get a still image captured from the last few seconds of the video. There are a lot of settings to play with and you’ll get some great night shots if you take the time to adjust.

Vertical mode on the GoPro Hero 12 Black does not support HDR

For all those who want to record exclusively for Instagram or TikTok, the GoPro Hero 12 Black now has a new vertical shooting mode. The 9:16 portrait mode is only available in 4K and 1080p resolution and does not support HDR. Vertical mode can also only record at 30 or 60 frames per second.

However, I still prefer recording in 8:7 and then cropping it down to 9:16, as you can record in HDR and get extra vivid colors and deeper blacks. However, if you don’t really care about HDR and want to record vertical video from the get-go, just use the GoPro in vertical shooting mode. This is especially great because you no longer need to mount your GoPro vertically to record vertical video.

Now, if you’re a professional videographer, you’ll be pleased to know that the Hero 12 Black now offers GP-Log with LUTs for better post editing. You can also combine this with 10-bit color for even more control in post. Additionally, there’s a new Timecode Sync feature that offers unlimited synchronization and makes editing easier when you’re playing with multiple cameras. This will work with editing tools like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premier, and more. However, I haven’t been able to test it since it’s not out yet.

There’s also a new feature called Interval Photo that can be enabled in Photo mode. Basically, it takes photos at fixed intervals that can be set to 5, 10, 30, 60, and 120 seconds. I tested it and it works great. This feature can come in handy when you’re running errands and want to take some hands-free shots.

Finally, the GoPro Hero 12 Black has improved stabilization. The Hero 11 Black already offers incredible stabilization, and the new model makes things even better. I can only say that the stabilization on the GoPro Hero 12 Black is the best among all action cameras. Last year, GoPro also introduced AutoBoost, which automatically improves stabilization based on speed and movement in video. According to GoPro, it’s now four times better than before.

GoPro Hero 12 Black battery life

With the Hero 12 Black, GoPro claims to have doubled battery life. Obviously, the numbers they demonstrated were achieved under certain conditions and cannot always be replicated.

When I tested the Hero 12 Black, I managed to get around 25 minutes of recording at 5.3k and 60fps. This was with HyperSmooth 6.0 enabled and voice control disabled. The GoPro had about 85 percent battery when I started recording, so it would have lasted longer. However, the camera shut down after 25 minutes due to overheating. When I turned it on, the battery remained at 44 percent.

So under the best conditions (I tried testing indoors with no wind and an ambient temperature of 32 degrees Celsius), the GoPro Hero 12 Black should last at least 40-50 minutes before shutting down. On a 100 percent charge, I expect it to last 50-60 minutes in ideal conditions with wind and an ambient temperature of 25 degrees Celsius or below.

GoPro Hero 12 Black video samples

Verdict

If you have a GoPro Hero 11 Black, I’d say you don’t need to buy the Hero 12 Black. However, if HDR video, wireless Bluetooth audio recording, and extended battery life are what you’re after, then I’d recommend getting this. The Bluetooth wireless audio capability is a great feature and many people will find it useful. The new GoPro offers several new features compared to the Hero 11 Black in terms of software, and the battery life has also improved. GoPro also released the Hero 12 Black at a lower price, so if you’re looking to upgrade to the Hero 10 Black or lower, you should definitely get the new model.