DJI Osmo Action 4 vs GoPro HERO12 Black
Every published spec side by side, with today's lowest prices for the market you've chosen.
Key differences
- Announced: Sep 2023 on the HERO12 Black, against Aug 2023 on the Osmo Action 4.
- Sensor size: 1/1.3" on the Osmo Action 4, against 1/1.9" on the HERO12 Black.
- Resolution: 27.1 MP on the HERO12 Black, against 10 MP on the Osmo Action 4.
- Max resolution: 5.3K on the HERO12 Black, against 4K on the Osmo Action 4.
- Weight (with battery): 145 g on the Osmo Action 4, against 154 g on the HERO12 Black.
- Waterproof: 18 m on the Osmo Action 4, against 10 m on the HERO12 Black.
Osmo Action 4 or HERO12 Black: which should you buy?
Choose the Osmo Action 4 for its sensor size, weight (with battery) and waterproof.
Choose the HERO12 Black for its resolution and max resolution.
On paper the Osmo Action 4 wins more rows (3 to 2); if the HERO12 Black's strengths are the ones you shoot with, and its price is lower where you buy, it can still be the better buy.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price today | $229 new | $599.99 new $110 used |
| Overview | ||
| Type | Action camera | Action camera |
| Announced | Aug 2023 | Sep 2023 (best) |
| US launch priceUS list price when announced, body only. Today's prices are in the offers table. | $399 | $399.99 |
| Lens | f/2.8 | 12–39mm (35mm eq.) f/2.5 |
| Sensor & image | ||
| Sensor size | 1/1.3" (best) | 1/1.9" |
| Sensor type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Resolution | 10 MP | 27.1 MP (best) |
| Native ISO | 100–12,800 | — |
| In-body stabilisation | No | No |
| Speed & autofocus | ||
| Burst (mechanical) | — | — |
| Burst (electronic) | — | 30 fps |
| Fastest shutter (mech.) | — | — |
| Fastest shutter (elec.) | 1/8,000s | — |
| AF pointsMakers count points differently, so this is not ranked. | — | — |
| Subject detectionMakers group subjects differently (Canon's "animal" includes birds), so only having it is ranked. | None | None |
| Video | ||
| Max resolution | 4K | 5.3K (best) |
| 4K frame rate | 120p | 120p |
| 10-bit internal | Yes | Yes |
| Internal raw video | No | No |
| Mic input | No | No |
| Headphone jack | No | No |
| Viewfinder & screen | ||
| Viewfinder | None | None |
| Rear screen | 2.25" | 2.27" |
| Screen articulation | Fixed | Fixed |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Body & battery | ||
| Weight (with battery) | 145 g (best) | 154 g |
| Dimensions (W×H×D) | 70.5 × 44.2 × 32.8 mm | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6 mm |
| Weather sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Battery (CIPA shots) | — | — |
| Waterproof | 18 m (best) | 10 m |
| Card slots | 1 · microSD | 1 · microSD |
| USB-C | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in flash | No | No |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Wi-Fi + Bluetooth | Wi-Fi + Bluetooth |
Green marks the better figure where “better” is unambiguous. A dash means the maker doesn't publish it or we haven't verified it yet.
Price history: is the newer one cheaper?
Low light & noise
Osmo Action 4
2.6 µm pixels
10 MP on a 1/1.3" sensor, ISO up to 12,800
HERO12 Black
1.2 µm pixels
27.1 MP on a 1/1.9" sensor
Bigger pixels gather more light each, so they tend to show less noise at high ISO, but sensor design matters as much. For real noise at ISO 6400, these sites measure it:
- Photons to Photos: dynamic range vs ISO ↗Photographic dynamic range measured at every ISO, bodies on one chart
- Photons to Photos: noise vs ISO ↗Read noise at every ISO from lab tests: lower is cleaner in the shadows
- DPReview studio scene ↗The same scene shot by each camera at the ISO you pick, side by side
- DPReview reviews ↗Full reviews with high-ISO samples
- Low-light video tests ↗Real-world high-ISO footage on YouTube
Size, to scale
Front (width × height)
Top (width × depth)