If you ask people what comes to mind when they think of an action camera, most people will say GoPro. The term action camera has become synonymous with GoPro, with the company building a similar reputation. Yes, their cameras aren’t perfect and there are some other brands that can do some things better, but when given a choice, most people will still get the GoPro.
latest gopro hero 12 black Maintains the standards set by its predecessor, while offering many new features. If you’re considering buying one but can’t decide, here’s our review to make things easier.
GoPro Hero 12 Black price in India
Let’s start with the price, I think GoPro has done a good job this time. Last year, hero 11 black ,Review) is priced at Rs. Rs 51,500 for basic kit. Meanwhile, the new Hero 12 Black will cost you Rs. 45,000. This is instantly a better deal, especially if you’re still using a GoPro Hero 10 or older. If you have the Hero 11 Black, I suggest you keep it a little longer.
There is also a GoPro Hero 12 Black Creator Edition available for Rs. 65,000 which is once again cheaper than the Hero 11 Black Creator Edition, which is priced at Rs. 71,500. The Creator Edition is for vloggers as it comes with Media Mod, Light Mod, and Volta Battery Grip.
Compared to the competition, which is mostly the DJI Osmo Action 4, the Hero 12 Black is priced quite well.
gopro hero 12 black design
GoPro sticks to similar design since major revamp hero 9 black brought about. The GoPro Hero 12 Black features a removable camera lens protector, a large 2.27-inch touchscreen display on the back, and a 1.4-inch color display on the front. The display is quite bright even in direct sunlight and you can also adjust the brightness. The Hero 12 Black is available only in black with a rubberized body like the older models, but GoPro has now added blue speckles all over the body. However, you can easily distinguish it from older models thanks to the large HERO 12 black letters on the side.
GoPro Hero 12 Black has blue spots on its body
The only new design change with the Hero 12 Black is the addition of a 1/4-20 tripod thread on the bottom between the mounting fingers. The new GoPro feels as sturdy as it looks and I can attest to its sturdiness as I’ve dropped it several times before while tossing it in the air and it hasn’t suffered any damage. The lenses have a hydrophobic coating to keep water away and it works well. If there are water droplets on your lenses, a simple wipe or flick will remove all the water.
GoPro continues to use the same battery flap design that was introduced with the Hero 9 Black, and access to the battery and memory card is still a hassle.
Along with the Hero 12 Black, GoPro has also brought the Max Lens Mod 2.0, which offers an even wider field of view than before. Now you get 177 degrees FoV, which is plenty. The attachment is easy to use, simply remove the standard lens cover and use the Max Lens Mod 2.0 cover. It feels secure once you attach it, but it does stretch out a bit more than a standard cover. Once it’s attached, you’ll need to turn on the Max Lens Mod 2.0 option on the camera to fully utilize the lens.
gopro hero 12 black features
The GoPro Hero 12 Black has several new features. Apart from the different resolutions, frame rates and FOV that GoPro offers, there are things like HDR video recording, night effects in 8:7 ratio and vertical capture mode for all those who want to shoot for social media.
You can connect up to four Bluetooth devices simultaneously to the Hero 12 Black
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 earphones to GoPro and record audio from the earphones. This is such a useful feature as you can not only record audio from Bluetooth earphones, but you can also use it to go hands-free with voice commands. As a biker, I like to record video and talk sometimes, but this will usually require a GoPro Media Mod and a microphone. Now, I can simply connect my helmet intercom to the Hero 12 Black and record my voice and tell it to take a photo or start or stop video recording.
GoPro Hero 12 Black can now record HDR video in 4K or 5.3K
The HDR video recording feature brings GoPro’s excellent HDR software capabilities 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 aspect ratio. When shooting in 16:9, you can choose 4K or 5.3K resolution in available framerates of 24, 30, or 60. In 8:7, you can only shoot at 4K resolution in 24 or 30fps. Go down and the HDR toggle will disappear. There is a noticeable difference between non-HDR and HDR video, colors are more vibrant and shadows and blacks are deeper.
If you love night effects on the Hero 11 Black, you’ll be happy to know that you can now capture timewarp in 8:7 and 5.3K resolution with the new Hero 12 Black. Also, when recording a video using night effects like light painting, star trails, and vehicle light trails, you will also get a still image taken from the last few seconds of the video. There are lots of settings to play with and you get great night shots if you take the time to set things up.
Vertical mode on GoPro Hero 12 Black does not support HDR
For all those who want to record specifically for Instagram or TikTok, the GoPro Hero 12 Black now has a new vertical capture mode. The 9:16 ratio vertical mode is only available in 4K and 1080p resolutions and does not support HDR. When using vertical mode you can only record in 30 or 60 fps wide.
However, I would still prefer to record in 8:7 and then cut it down to 9:16, because you can record in HDR and get the extra pop of colors and deeper blacks. However, if you don’t particularly care about HDR and want to record vertical video from the start, just use the GoPro in vertical capture mode. This is especially great because you no longer need to mount the GoPro vertically to record vertical video.
Now, if you are a professional videographer, you will be happy to know that the Hero 12 Black now offers GP-Log with LUT for better post editing. You can even combine it with 10-bit color to get even better control in post. Then there’s the new Timecode Sync feature, which provides unlimited syncing and makes editing easier when you’re playing with multiple cameras. It will work with editing tools like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, and others. However, I couldn’t test it because it hasn’t come out yet.
There’s also a new feature called Interval Photo, which can be turned on in photo mode. It essentially takes photos at fixed intervals which can be set for 5, 10, 30, 60, and 120 seconds. I tested it and it works great. This feature can come in handy when you are doing some activity and want to take some shots hands-free.
Finally, the GoPro Hero 12 Black comes with better stabilization. The Hero 11 Black already offered incredible stabilization, and the new model makes things even better. All I can say is that the stabilization of the GoPro Hero 12 Black is the best on any action camera. GoPro also introduced the AutoBoost feature last year that automatically improves stabilization based on motion and motion in footage. According to GoPro, it’s now four times better than before.
gopro hero 12 black battery life
With the Hero 12 Black, GoPro is claiming that they have managed to double the battery life. Obviously, the data they showed were achieved under specific conditions and would not be possible to replicate all the time.
When I tested the Hero 12 Black, I managed to get about 25 minutes of recording at 5.3k and 60fps. It had HyperSmooth 6.0 on and voice control off. 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 had 44 percent charge left.
So, under better conditions (I tried testing indoors with no wind and an ambient temperature of 32°C) the GoPro Hero 12 Black should be able to last at least 40-50 minutes before shutting down. I expect that with 100 percent charge, in ideal conditions where there is no wind and the ambient temperature is 25 degrees Celsius or less, it will last for 50-60 minutes.
GoPro Hero 12 Black Sample Video
Decision
If you have a GoPro Hero 11 Black, I would say you don’t need to get the Hero 12 Black. However, if HDR video, Bluetooth wireless audio recording and better battery life are what tempt you, I would recommend going for it. The Bluetooth wireless audio capability is an excellent feature and many people will find it useful. The new GoPro offers many new features compared to the Hero 11 Black in terms of software, and the battery life is also better. GoPro has also launched the Hero 12 Black at a lower price, so if you’re planning to upgrade to the Hero 10 Black or lower, you should definitely pick up the new model.