GoPro HERO12 Black vs GoPro HERO13 Black
Every published spec side by side, with today's lowest prices for the market you've chosen.
Key differences
- Announced: Sep 2024 on the HERO13 Black, against Sep 2023 on the HERO12 Black.
- Weight (with battery): 154 g on the HERO12 Black, against 159 g on the HERO13 Black.
HERO12 Black or HERO13 Black: which should you buy?
Choose the HERO12 Black for its weight (with battery).
On published specs the HERO13 Black leads the HERO12 Black nowhere; buy it for its price, its handling or the lenses you already own.
On paper the HERO12 Black wins more rows (1 to 0); if the HERO13 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 | $599.99 new $110 used | $429 new |
| Overview | ||
| Type | Action camera | Action camera |
| Announced | Sep 2023 | Sep 2024 (best) |
| US launch priceUS list price when announced, body only. Today's prices are in the offers table. | $399.99 | $399.99 |
| Lens | 12–39mm (35mm eq.) f/2.5 | 12–39mm (35mm eq.) f/2.5 |
| Sensor & image | ||
| Sensor size | 1/1.9" | 1/1.9" |
| Sensor type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.1 MP | 27.1 MP |
| Native ISO | — | — |
| In-body stabilisation | No | No |
| Speed & autofocus | ||
| Burst (mechanical) | — | — |
| Burst (electronic) | 30 fps | 30 fps |
| Fastest shutter (mech.) | — | — |
| Fastest shutter (elec.) | — | — |
| 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 | 5.3K | 5.3K |
| 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 | 2.27" | 2.27" |
| Screen articulation | Fixed | Fixed |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Body & battery | ||
| Weight (with battery) | 154 g (best) | 159 g |
| Dimensions (W×H×D) | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6 mm | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6 mm |
| Weather sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Battery (CIPA shots) | — | — |
| Waterproof | 10 m | 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
HERO12 Black
1.2 µm pixels
27.1 MP on a 1/1.9" sensor
HERO13 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)