GoPro Hero12 Black E-Commerce Package – Waterproof Action Camera with 5.3K60 Ultra HD Video, 27MP Photos, HDR, 1/1.9″ Image Sensor, Live Streaming, Webcam, Stabilization

The packaging is not standard GoPro packaging and does not include standard quick reference materials or instructions like other GoPro products include. There are parts on the camera that do not appear to be the same as what other GoPros have which makes me concerned. I am returning this product.

Muy buena cámara

If you can avoid having to have the latest, greatest new toy, then getting the Hero 12 Black after the 13 has come out, makes the most sense. This is an exceptional action camera with the GoPro name and quality behind it. We have both he DJI Action and this and use them both frequently – often editing images together seamlessly. If we’re driving, I may have the Action mounted on the hood, while this camera is taking rearview footage from atop the trunk of the car. When edited into a single story, the footage from both is indistinguishable and fabulous.

You’re sacrificing GoPro packaging, but that shouldn’t stop you from reaping the savings rewards. Everything else about this camera is GoPro legit.

I’ve owned, and do own, a couple of action cameras, but this is my first Go Pro. As a new owner, my first impression, in a word: Impressive. Image quality, features, support, available information, accessories; the Go Pro Hero 12 is the result of a long lineage and a highly evolved eco-system. And it shows.

The Go Pro Hero 12 Black is not Go Pro’s most recent iteration in the evolution of Go Pros, it’s last year’s model; Go Pro just recently released the Hero 13 Black. The physical dimensions between the two are exactly the same, with the main difference that the 13 accepts a line of interchangeable lenses, including an anamorphic lens. If that’s of interest, the reader may want to make a comparison between the two models.

That said, there probably isn’t to much I can review about a year old Go Pro model that hasn’t already been said; that is a benefit of being a Go Pro owner, there’s plenty of information, support and third-party accessories available, notwithstanding, from Go Pro themselves. The camera, via its settings and preferences, is also highly customizable. There are also innumerable third-party accessories available, including ND and CPL filters.

As delivered, the controls are set to “Easy” mode. This is for the inexperienced user of video cameras generally, and is basically a point and shoot setting; the camera determines exposure, white balance, shutter, iso, etc., all automatically. To unlock manual user control of all settings, the camera can be set to “Pro” mode, a mode for experienced users. There is a copious number of explanations and recommended best settings based on circumstances, all available on the internet. The preferred settings, each based on a specific use scenario, can be saved as presets, a very handy feature of the Hero 12. This allows presets for any scenario; daytime, nighttime, action, underwater, any group of settings can be saved as a preset, then instantly enabled with a screen tap.

The Hero 12 has touch screen control. Preferences and settings are accessed with familiar screen swipes. One useful feature is that exposure can be locked to a specific area of the scene by holding a finger on the screen, a box will appear, then drag it to the area of interest, similar to some mobile phones, and exposure will be automatically based on the enclosed area of the scene. Besides what I would consider outstanding image quality, especially in 5.3K, the Hero 12’s Hyper Smooth feature practically does the job of a gimbal. That said, I noticed that leaving Hyper Smooth on while the camera is held still, on a tripod for example, causes it to get hot; I turn Hyper Smooth off in that case. There are also other scenarios in which Hyper Smooth is not appropriate; again, these can be managed with presets.

There are five selectable FoV’s from super wide down to Linear+ (L+). Selecting L+ will remove barrel distortion and hold the horizon level regardless of changes in the cameras orientation; there is also Linear (L) that only removes distortion, but does not affect the horizon as the camera moves.

For those that have post production editing skills, setting the mode to “Pro” allows access to HDR, Log profile and 10-bit recording. Recording in 10-bit requires plenty of memory and a fast card. If you do not have a card installed that the Hero 12 approves of, it’ll let you know. It’ll also overheat or just stop recording with a card installed that’s too slow. I found this out from experience. I finally installed a Sandisk Extreme Pro Micro sd card that it loves. If the Hero 12 doesn’t like the card you install, you’ll get a message stating as much on the screen. In addition, Go Pro has specific recommendations of cards based on Go Pro model. It’s a good idea to get one of those.

An optional feature that’s less well known, and is free, is offered by Go Pro Labs. It’s the “Go Pro Labs Firmware” update; this special firmware unlocks additional advanced features that you wouldn’t even know were there. These include on-screen display of a histogram, ISO and shutter speed. Other settings allow for higher bit rates, audio gain controls, static shutter angles and a whole lot more. The list is long; it and the firmware can be found by searching Go Pro Labs. The firmware is easy to install and step by step instructions are provided by Go Pro. The firmware does not replace, but is in addition to the standard firmware; it doesn’t make any changes to current firmware or camera settings. However, the most powerful feature of the Go Pro Labs firmware is the creation custom QR codes as presets; bring up a custom QR code on your phone, show it to the Hero 12, and the coded settings are instantly adopted. This is an advanced feature for “Pro” setting users. Once the Go Pro Labs firmware is installed, a second app, QRControl, will need to be installed on the user’s mobile phone to take advantage of its features.

The Go Pro incorporates an internal gyroscope that bakes its data right into created video files. This data allows stabilization to be added during post editing, for example by GyroFlow, a free, gyro-based video stabilization software tool. For example, Hyper Smooth doesn’t work well for night scenes. In that case, it can be turned off and the video stabilized in post using Gyroflow. Other scenarios might be when capturing with a slow shutter speed or an FPV setting. GryoFlow supports many other cameras besides Go Pros. It’s a powerful tool, and like I said, it’s free. If interested, find it on the web. Go Pro also has their own media player, Go Pro Player. For an additional fee, one can subscribe to their Premium+ plan, that includes Hyper Smooth Pro, another gyro-based image stabilization tool.

Go Pro Quik is the app associated with the Hero 12. Camera settings can be accessed from the app as well as Live preview, along with video and camera operations. A fee-based cloud storage service, Premium or Premium+, is available for uploading media and auto editing of video highlights. A subscription also includes substantial discounts on Go Pro accessories and even on future Go Pro camera purchases. If you plan on purchasing accessories, it will likely pay for itself.

As a new Go Pro owner, like I said at the beginning, I’m impressed with the imaging capabilities of this tiny device. And I’m still learning more about it as I use it. It’s obvious that Go Pro has gone to great lengths to make the Hero 12s’ powerful features accessible to the unsophisticated user, along with additional controls and advanced attributes for the experienced image maker. And of course, that includes access to a vast eco-system of information, tools and accessories. Moreover, it’s plain fun as a documentary tool.

The Hero 12 is supplied with a battery, charging cable, and adhesive backed mounting hardware. The one I received arrived in “e-commerce” packaging, which I’m all for; it’s just going to get thrown away.