By Brady Betzel
The updated GoPro Hero12 Black introduces a few features that make it a must-buy for very specific professional-level users. I love it when GoPro releases updates to its cameras and software. It’s always a step forward in quality and features while keeping the familiar form factor that has made GoPro the go-to action camera for years. The GoPro Hero12 Black is no exception, with features like the new GP-Log color profile and wireless audio recording. It’s even better when you bundle it with the Max Lens Mod 2.0.
Whether you are mounting dozens of GoPros on loaders and excavators with an eye toward syncing Avid Media Composer later, or you need to closely match color between the Hero12 and a Blackmagic RAW clip, the Hero12 Black is an upgrade you’ll want to consider if you are a pro looking to streamline your workflow. And if you haven’t already subscribed to the GoPro Premiere subscription service, grab yourself a year subscription for the sale price of $24.99.
GoPro Hero12 Black Edition Upgraded Specifications
- Mounting – Built-in mounting with folding fingers¼-20 mount
- Image sensor – 1/1.9″ CMOS – 27.6 MP active pixels(5599×4927)
- Lens Aperture – F2.5
- FOV – 156° in 8:7 aspect ratio (35mm Equivalent Focal Length)
- Min = 12mm
- Max = 39mm
- Video Resolutions and Frame Rates
- 3K (8:7) 30/25/24 fps5.3K (16:9) 60/50/30/25/24 fps4K (8:7) 60/50/30/25/24 fps4K (9:16) 60/50/30/254K (16:9) 120/100/60/50/30/25/24 fps2.7K (4:3) 120/100/60/50 fps2.7K (16:9) 240/200 fps1080 (9:16) 60/50/30/251080p (16:9) 240/200/120/100/60/50/30/25/24 fps
- Video stabilization – HyperSmooth 6.0
- Aspect ratio – 16:9 9:16 4:3 8:7
- HDR video – 5.3K (16:9) 30/25/24 fps4K (8:7) 30/25/24 fps4K (16:9) 60/50/30/25/24 fps
- Video compression standard – H.265 (HEVC)
- Color video bit depth – 8-bit/10-bit (4K and higher)
- Maximum video bit-rate – 120Mbps
- Zoom (Video) – Up to 2x
- Slo-Mo – 8x – 2.7K; 1080p4x – 4K2x – 5.3K
- Live streaming – 1080p60 with HyperSmooth 4.0 + 1080p60 recording
- Webcam mode – up to 1080p30
- Timecode synchronization – Yes
- Wireless Audio – Support for AirPods and other Bluetooth headsets
- GP-Log encoding with LUTs
There are a lot of specs in this tiny little GoPro hardware. But as I mentioned earlier, the Hero 12 Black has a few very specific features that pros and semi-pros should really love.
Let’s dig in…
GP-Log Color Profile
First up is the highly sought after (at least by me) GP-Log color profile. I am an online editor, so I deal with video finishing and color correction. From painting out camera crews to stabilizing to noise reduction, I try to make the end product as flawless as possible before it goes to air. So cameras with low noise floors, low moiré and natural-looking stabilization go a long way in my book.
GoPros have been a staple in docuseries and unscripted television shows for years. They can be easily hidden in cars for OTF interviews or discussions between cast members or even buried in the snow to catch a wild animal walking by. If the camera breaks, it’s not the end of the world because they are reasonably priced. The hard part has always been matching the look of an action-cam like a GoPro to that of a higher-end camera system that uses full-frame sensors and multi-thousand-dollar lenses. GoPro has attempted to make that a little easier with the newly added GP-Log color profile.
A Log color profile is a way for the camera to record more steps in dynamic range (think highlights that don’t blow out or shadows that retain details). Log profiles are not meant to be used by everyday filmmakers because, at times, it can be tricky to color-correct Log profiles correctly versus recording in standard Rec. 709 color space or even in the GoPro HDR color profile. Pros use Log profiles to aid in camera color and aesthetic-matching with the hope of giving the audience a more filmic feel, with more details in shots with high contrast. This helps the audience not to notice a change from an ARRI Alexa Amira to a GoPro Hero12 Black, for example.
As I was working with the GoPro Hero12 Black footage in Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve 18.6.5, I was monitoring the footage on a large OLED monitor through a Blackmagic DeckLink 4K Extreme over HDMI. Looking at GoPro footage on a phone or a small tablet does not give the entire story. It is essential to view your footage through proper I/O hardware on a professional monitor — preferably color-calibrated. Otherwise, you might miss crucial issues, like noise in the shadows.
In addition, on the same computer but with a separate screen, I monitored the video signal using Nobe’s OmniScope 1.10.117. OmniScope is an amazing software-based scope that can be used in conjunction with your nonlinear editor or color-correcting software like Resolve. It is giving hardware scopes a huge run for their money these days, and I wouldn’t be surprised if these types of scopes took over. My base computer system includes an AMD Ryzen 9 5950X processor, an Asus ProArt motherboard, 64GB RAM and an Nvidia RTX 4090 Founder’s Edition GPU.
How well does the new GoPro Hero12 Black Edition’s GP-Log color profile work? When looking at footage shot in GP-Log through color scopes, there is more detail retained in the shadows and highlights, but it really isn’t enough to warrant the extra work to get there. Instead, if you turn down the sharpness in GoPro’s HDR mode, you can get to a similar starting point as something shot in GP-Log. Aside from that, one of the benefits of using GP-Log and applying the GoPro LUT is the ability to color “behind the LUT” to expand the highlights or dial in the shadows. But again, I didn’t see as much value as I had hoped, and I tested color in both DaVinci Wide Gamut and Rec. 709 color spaces. The biggest letdown for me was that the GP-Log footage appeared less detailed than HDR or a standard color profile. And it wasn’t as simple as just increasing the sharpness to match. There is something odd about it; the colors seemed “dense,” but the footage felt soft. I just don’t think the GoPro GP-Log color profile is the panacea I was hoping it would be. Maybe future updates will prove me wrong. For now, the HDR mode with low sharpness seems to be a sweet spot for my work.
Syncing Cameras Via Timecode
Another update to the GoPro Hero12 Black that I was excited to see is the ability to sync cameras via timecode. Maybe 10 or 12 years ago, one of the banes of my existence as an assistant editor was transcoding footage from MP4 to a more edit-friendly codec, like ProRes or DNxHD. This would not only help slower editing systems work with the hundreds of hours of footage we received, but it would also insert actual timecode and tape names/IDs into the clips.
This is a crucial step when working in a traditional offline-to-online workflow process. If you skip this step, it can quickly become a mess. The GoPro Hero12 Black inserts timecode into the file to help with syncing and auto-syncing cameras in your favorite NLE, like Adobe Premiere Pro, Media Composer, Apple FCPX or Resolve. You’ll still need to force a proper tape name/camera name/tape ID to clearly distinguish clips from differing dates/times, but with faster computers, the addition of actual timecode could help eliminate a lot of transcoding.
What’s really smart about GoPro’s timecode sync is the workflow. Jump into the Quik app, find a Hero12 that you want to sync, click the three-dot drop-down menu, click “Sync Timecode” and, while turned on, it will show the QR code to the GoPro Hero12 Black. Once recognized, you will get a verification on the GoPro that it has been synced. And that’s it! While this feature is a long time coming, it is a welcome addition that will save tons of time for professional creators who run dozens of cameras simultaneously.
Other Updates
Finally, there are a couple of minor updates that also caught my eye. The addition of the ¼-20 mount between the GoPro folding finger mounts is a huge structural change. It’s something that should have been there from the beginning, and it’s nice not to have to purchase GoPro-specific mounts all the time.
Another great update is the ability to pair AirPods or other Bluetooth audio devices for wireless sound recording and voice control. Keep in mind that when using Bluetooth earbuds with built-in microphones, any noise reduction built into the headphones will be hard-coded into the recorded audio file. But hand it to GoPro to record two channels of audio when using a Bluetooth earbud mic. This way, if your wireless mic signal drops out, you won’t be out of luck. The GoPro’s built-in mic will still be recording.
On the accessory front, if you purchase the newest Max Lens Mod 2.0 with the GoPro Hero12 Black, you’ll be able to take advantage of a few new features. Besides the larger 177-degree field of view when shooting 4k at 60fps, GoPro recently released a software update that allows for using the Max Lens Mod 2.0 in Linear lens mode. This means no fish-eye look! So in addition to the HyperView and SuperView recording modes, you can get an even larger field of view than the standard GoPro Hero12 Black lens in Linear mode.
Something to keep in mind: You cannot record in the GP-Log color profile when using the Max Lens Mod 2.0. Hopefully GoPro will continue to lean into the GP-Log color profile, improve the quality and dynamic range, and add it to the recording ability with the Max Lens Mod 2.0. But for now, the Max Lens Mod 2.0 is a great accessory to put on your wish list.
If the GoPro Hero12 Black is above your price range, or you aren’t sure that you want to give it to your 6-year-old to throw around on the water slide like I did, then there are a few lower-priced options that get you pretty close. The Akaso Brave 7 is waterproof for up to 30 minutes and has up to 4K/30fps video, time lapse, hyperlapse and photo-taking abilities. The Akaso Brave 7 retails for $169.99 and not only comes packed with tons of GoPro-like accessories, but also a wireless shutter remote.
While the video recording quality isn’t at the same level as the Hero12 Black, if you’re looking for a well-rounded but not quite pro-level camera, the Brave 7 might be for you. In fact, I might actually prefer the color of the Brave 7, which feels a little more accurate as opposed to the heavily saturated GoPro. Keep in mind that with lower-priced cameras like the Brave 7, the physical quality can be a little lower, and options like frame rates can be minimal. For instance, the Brave 7 does not record in 24p, lacks 10-bit and does not have the GoPro style fingers or ¼-inch 20 connection.
Summing Up
In the end, the GoPro Hero12 Black is a great update if you have an older-model GoPro… think Hero10 or earlier. And while the battery appears to last longer when recording in cold or imperfect conditions, in my tests I found that heat is still the enemy of the Hero12. Anything above 80 degrees in direct sunlight will limit your recording time. Running it for a couple of my son’s baseball games left me guessing whether I would actually be able to record full games because of the heat.
If you have a GoPro Hero11 Black, then I suggest you skip the Hero12 and grab the Media Mod accessory for your Hero11, which will add a higher-quality mic and external inputs. You could also add some sort of shade to keep your camera cool — there are a lot of interesting 3D-printed products on Etsy. The Hero12 Black no longer has a GPS, so if the graphic overlays or metadata were helpful to you, the Hero11 might be where you should stay for now.
However, if you need the new timecode sync, grab the Hero12 Black. That’s a solid feature for those of us who need to sync multiple GoPros at once. I love the Hero12 Black’s Quik QR code syncing feature. The wireless audio recording is a welcome addition as well, but in my testing, the audio didn’t come out as clean as I had wished for. I think using the built-in or a hard-wired mic is still best.
The GoPro Hero12 Black edition currently retails for $349.99, and the Hero12 Black with Max Lens Mod 2.0 currently retails for $429.98.
Brady Betzel is an Emmy-nominated online editor at Margarita Mix in Hollywood, working on shows like Life Below Zero and Uninterrupted: The Shop. He is also a member of the PGA. You can email Brady at bradybetzel@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @allbetzroff.