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The GoPro Hero12 Black uses a similar design to last year’s Hero11 Black yet offers better power efficiency, more powerful image stabilization, wireless audio connectivity, vertical video and more. Photo: William Brawley |
GoPro’s latest action camera, the Hero12 Black, takes over the reins from last year’s Hero11 and builds upon the numerous new features and improvements the former flagship model introduced. From a design standpoint, the Hero12 is largely unchanged from the Hero11, sticking with the same, refreshed GoPro Hero design introduced several versions ago with the Hero9.
The primary improvements lie under the hood, with the Hero12 offering double the recording runtime of the Hero11, better image stabilization, new vertical video support at up to 4K resolution, 10-bit GP-LOG encoding, HDR video, and wireless microphone support – including the ability to narrate videos wirelessly (and control the GoPro via voice) with Apple Airpods or other Bluetooth-based wireless headphones.
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| Photo: William Brawley |
Taking advantage of the taller 8:7 image sensor: native vertical video support
The GoPro Hero12 Black sticks with the same Type 1/1.9 (6.3 x 5.5mm) CMOS sensor with a nearly square 8:7 aspect ratio that was introduced with the Hero11. This appears to be a taller, more square variant of the Type 1/2.3 sensors used in smartphones. This unique sensor shape allows for multi-aspect ratio video and stills simply by cropping to the respective aspect ratio. In addition to widescreen 16:9, taller 4:3 and ‘full-frame’ 8:7 aspect ratio capture, the Hero12 now adds vertical aspect ratio support at 9:16 – which is ideal for publishing to Instagram Reels or TikTok. You can capture up to 4K video in vertical 9:16 aspect directly in-camera without physically orienting the camera vertically.
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The GoPro Hero12 Black’s nearly square 8:7 aspect ratio sensor allows for capturing video with a variety of aspect ratios, including full-frame 8:7 in 5.3K, widescreen 16:9 up to 5.3K, 4:3 at up to 2.7K, and now vertical 9:16 format at up to 4K. Photo: William Brawley |
The Hero12 Black offers many of the same video recording options as the previous model, with 5.3K video at up to 60p and 4K at up to 120p in most aspect ratios. When using the full-frame 8:7 aspect ratio, 5.3K video is capped at 30p and 4K at 60p. Other options include 16:9 and 4:3 2.7K video at up to 240p and Full HD at up to 240p.
More customization and additional video modes: HDR video and GP-Log
One of the notable new features is HDR video and photos, in both 5.3K and 4K resolutions for video and 2.7K for photos. For advanced and professional creators who want maximum image quality control over their footage, the GoPro Hero12 Black now features GP-Log encoding. The new 10-bit GP-Log option gives advanced users greater dynamic range, and allows greater control of tonal adjustments and color grading during post-production.
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The Hero12 Black offers the same array of Night Effect modes, such as ‘Vehicle Light Trails,’ (shown above). However, the camera includes a final composite still photo alongside the video clip. Photo: William Brawley |
Super wide HyperView digital lens and updated Max Lens Mod 2.0 accessory
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The Max Lens Mod 2.0 mounts onto the front of the GoPro, replacing the flat lens covering. The new 2.0 version offers an ultra-wide 177º field of view and is said to be twice as scratch-resistant as the original. Photo: William Brawley |
The GoPro Hero12 Black ships with an all-new Max Mod Lens 2.0 that you can screw onto the camera. This new lens is 36% wider for widescreen video and 48% taller for vertical video than the original Max Lens Mod 1.0. The Max Lens Mod 2.0 offers a whopping 177º field of view with 4K 60p footage. The lens is also said to be twice as scratch-resistant as the original model and features a hydrophobic optical coating to help shed water droplets.
Up to 2x the runtime of the Hero11 Black
Despite using the same sensor, GP2 image processing unit and battery pack as the Hero11, GoPro states that the Hero12 offers significantly better runtime durations thanks to power management and processing efficiency improvements. GoPro claims up to two times longer runtimes than the previous model, with the Hero12 capable of recording up to 70 minutes of 5.3K 60p video and up to 58 minutes of 4K 120p video. If you have the card capacity, you can even record over 90 minutes of 5.3K 30p video. It should be noted that all of these runtime ratings also include the use of HyperSmooth 6.0 image stabilization.
More powerful image stabilization
Image stabilization is another area of improvement compared to the Hero11, with the introduction of GoPro’s ‘HyperSmooth 6.0’ stabilization system. AutoBoost, GoPro’s digital image stabilization, is said to analyze four times more data than HyperSmooth 5.0 and will dynamically adjust the amount of cropping and keep it to the minimal amount needed to maintain smooth footage. Further, HyperSmooth 6.0 features Linear and Horizon-locking stabilization that steadies and maintains a level horizon even if you rotate the camera 360 degrees during recording.
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| Photo: William Brawley |
Wireless audio connectivity
Audio recording features also get some handy upgrades in the Hero12, with the camera now supporting timecode sync for unlimited multi-camera shooting and Bluetooth wireless audio connectivity. You can connect up to four wireless Bluetooth devices and record multiple audio sources simultaneously. The Hero12 Black supports Apple Airpods and other Bluetooth headphones with built-in mics, allowing for wireless audio input and remote voice control of the GoPro.
Pricing & Availability
The GoPro Hero12 Black will be available in stores on September 13th with a retail price of $399.99. The Max Lens Mod 2.0 will retail for $99.99, or $79.99 for GoPro subscribers. GoPro will also sell a Hero12 Black Creators Edition kit for $599.99, which includes several additional pieces of equipment, such as the Media Mod audio accessory with front and rear directional mic recording, LED Light Mod for on-camera lighting, and the Volta battery grip and desktop tripod that offers over five additional hours of 4K recording capabilities.
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| The GoPro Hero12 Black Creators Edition kit. |
GoPro is also expanding the features of its GoPro Subscription service. The Hero12 Black supports auto-uploads for your footage while the camera is charging and connected to a Wi-Fi network. Subscribers get unlimited cloud storage, cloud-based automatic highlight video, and cloud-based video editing using the GoPro Quik app. This lets users avoid filling up their phone storage with tons of footage.
GoPro’s Quik app will also be coming to desktop in the near future, with a Mac version coming later this Fall and for Windows in 2024. Using GoPro’s cloud service, users can work seamlessly to edit their footage back and forth between their mobile device and desktop computer.
GoPro Launches $399 HERO12 Black with Up to 2x Longer Runtimes, 5.3K and 4K HDR Video, Wireless Audio Support for Apple AirPods + Other Bluetooth Devices, Plus Powerful New Camera Features for Both Professional + Casual Enthusiasts
San Mateo, Calif., Sept. 6, 2023 – Today, GoPro (NASDAQ: GPRO) announced its new HERO12
Black camera, raising the bar yet again for the small, rugged, ultra-versatile cameras the
company is famous for.
GoPro’s newest flagship camera has an MSRP of $399.99 and builds on the groundbreaking
performance of its predecessor, enabling up to 2x longer runtimes thanks to a redesigned
power management system, stunning high dynamic range (HDR) video in market leading 5.3K and 4K resolution video, support for Bluetooth audio devices, including Apple AirPods and improved HyperSmooth 6.0 video stabilization, along with a host of powerful new camera features designed to serve new users and professionals alike.
An exciting part of HERO12 Black’s new capabilities is its new Max Lens Mod 2.0 accessory, which enables the market’s widest 177° field of view at 4K resolution at 60 frames per second. Max Lens Mod 2.0 can capture video and photos in three field-of-view settings—Max Wide, Max SuperView and the all-new, hyper-immersive Max HyperView—fully exploiting HERO12 Black’s extra-large 8:7 sensor to enable perspectives that are 36% wider when capturing widescreen video and 48% taller when capturing vertical video, when compared to HER012 Black’s standard lens. These market leading wide-angle perspectives are ideal for capturing everything from “feels like you’re there” first-person perspectives of your favorite sports and activities to dream-like immersion in natural settings when traveling or adventuring with friends and family outdoors. Max Lens Mod 2.0 features 2x more scratch resistant glass than its predecessor along with a durable hydrophobic lens coating that wicks water drops away.
“HERO12 Black resets the bar for immersive life-capture,” says GoPro CEO and Founder Nicholas Woodman. “Our new flagship camera is the culmination of GoPro’s 21 years of experience and our passion for helping you capture and share your life in an immersive, dream-like way that makes you and your audience feel like you’re right there again, reliving your favorite experiences in vivid detail.”
HERO12 Black features many new, powerful pro-minded capabilities that will also benefit more casual users thanks to their intuitive and convenient design:
- Wireless audio support for Apple AirPods and other Bluetooth audio devices such as earbuds, headphones and microphones—great for vlogging, scene narration and issuing voice commands to control your HERO12 Black from a distance
- GP-Log with available LUTs for more control and color grading in post-production
- Wireless timecode sync an unlimited number of HERO12 Black cameras for easy multi- camera editing with Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premier and other leading editing apps
- Optimized encoding that delivers smaller file sizes with no compromise to image quality
More casual users who may be looking for the perfect blend of convenience and control will love HERO12 Black’s updated user interface, which includes simplified controls plus a new Vertical Capture Mode that captures vertical 9:16 aspect ratio video while the camera is mounted horizontally—perfect for sharing straight to vertically-oriented social channels.
GoPro is also expanding its software experience and GoPro subscriber benefits with the launch of its new Quik desktop app. Quik desktop will be available exclusively to GoPro subscribers at no additional charge. Quik desktop brings the speed and convenience of the Quik mobile app to desktop users, but with an expanded list of features and capabilities that take advantage of a desktop computer’s processing power and screen size. Quik desktop and Quik mobile apps will sync with one another so that you can start an editing project on one app and seamlessly transition to the other for maximum convenience and flexibility. Quik desktop will be available for Mac on November 1 and Windows in Summer 2024.
HERO12 Black is available today for preorder on GoPro.com for $399.99 as well as Max Lens Mod 2.0 for $99.99, or $79.99 for GoPro subscribers. Both products will be available in stores worldwide on September 13.
Author:
This article comes from DP Review and can be read on the original site.
