San Mateo, CA—GoPro unveiled the company’s new flagship action camera: the GoPro Hero12 Black. With the GoPro performance and portability, it offers an enhanced feature set.
“Hero12 Black resets the bar for immersive life-capture,” said Nicholas Woodman, GoPro CEO and founder. “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.”
The new action camera enables up to 2x longer runtimes thanks to a redesigned power management system. It also offers high dynamic range (HDR) video in 5.3K and 4K resolution. Further, it adds support for Bluetooth audio devices, including Apple AirPods.
Also adding to its capabilities is the new Max Lens Mod 2.0 accessory. It enables a wide 177° field of view at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second. Moreover, the Max Lens Mod 2.0 can capture video and photos in three field-of-view settings. They comprise Max Wide, Max SuperView and the all-new, hyper-immersive Max HyperView. As a result, it fully leverages the 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 (compared to the Hero12 Black’s standard lens).
The Max Lens Mod 2.0 also features two times more scratch-resistant glass than its predecessor, along with a durable hydrophobic lens coating that wicks droplets away.
GoPro Hero12 Black Features
The Hero12 Black features new, pro-minded capabilities that will also benefit more casual users. For instance, it offers wireless audio support for Apple AirPods and other Bluetooth audio devices like earbuds, headphones and microphones. This makes the camera a solution for vlogging and scene narration. It’s also an option for issuing voice commands to control the camera from a distance.
Foremost in its upgrades is an improved power management system that delivers 70 minutes of continuous recording at 5.3K/60p; more than 95 minutes at 5.3K/30p; and 155 minutes of continuous recording at 1080p/30. And all record with HyperSmooth 6.0 video stabilization.
Notably, its 5.3K video delivers 91% more resolution than 4K and 665% more than 1080p. You can also slow down to 8x slo-mo in up to 2.7K resolution. Or grab up to 24.7-megapixel frame grabs as well as 27MP photos. And the camera will capture 4K video at up to 120 fps for 4x slo-mo.
Also new is GP-Log with available LUTs for more control and color grading in postproduction. Plus, it now provides wireless timecode sync with an unlimited number of Hero12 Black cameras for easier multi-camera editing with Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premier and other editing apps. Further, optimized encoding delivers smaller file sizes with no compromise to image quality.
In addition, more casual users looking for a blend of convenience and control will appreciate the Hero12 Black’s updated user interface. It includes simplified controls. There are now updated “easy controls” for users looking for maximum convenience as well as streamlined “pro controls” for advanced users wanting maximum control.
Plus, the Hero12 Black’s new vertical capture mode captures vertical 9:16 aspect ratio 4K video while the camera is mounted horizontally. This allows you to share straight to vertically oriented social channels.
Additional Features
The new action camera offers video stabilization with 360° horizon lock. That’s because HyperSmooth 6.0 features next-gen AutoBoost that automatically boosts video stabilization as needed. It does so while maintaining the smallest cropping margin possible with smooth transitions between crop levels. HyperSmooth 6.0 also enables horizon-leveling even with full 360° camera rotation in the Linear + Horizon Lock digital lens.
In addition, its 1/1.9-inch image sensor achieves an extra-large 8:7 aspect ratio that can crop into vertical 9:16, widescreen 16:9, traditional 4:3, or full-frame 8:7 aspect ratios. Plus, it is now available across all video resolutions as well as TimeWarp, Time Lapse, Night Lapse and all Night Effects modes.
Furthermore, Interval Photo joins a suite of GoPro Power Tools that help you capture video and photos in unique ways. Interval Photo enables capture at fixed intervals, from every 0.5 second all the way up to every 120 seconds.
Finally, the Hero12 Black’s mounting fingers now feature 1/4-20″ mounting threads, making it compatible with standard camera mounts and accessories. Of course, the camera is still “GoPro tough.” It is waterproof to 33 feet with no additional housing required.
New Extension Pole + Waterproof Shutter Remote
GoPro will also launch a 48-inch extension pole that collapses to 10 inches and works with the Hero12 Black’s new 1/4-20″ mounting threads. Mounting fingers are also provided to ensure compatibility with all GoPro cameras.
Included with the new extension pole is a detachable, wearable and waterproof Bluetooth shutter remote. It makes it easier to control the camera’s shutter even when the pole is fully extended. The new remote is also compatible with the Hero11 Black, Hero11 Black Mini and Hero10 Black. The new extension pole + waterproof shutter remote will ship in October 2023.
Quik Desktop App
GoPro also expanded its software experience and GoPro subscriber benefits with the launch of its Quik desktop app. The Quik desktop is available exclusively to GoPro subscribers at no additional charge. The Quik desktop brings the convenience of the Quik mobile app to desktop users. However, it has an expanded list of features and capabilities that take advantage of a desktop computer’s processing power and screen size.
Moreover, the Quik desktop and Quik mobile apps will sync with one another so you can start an editing project on one app and transition to the other. The Quik desktop will launch for Mac on November 1 and Windows in summer 2024.
The GoPro Hero12 Black is available today for preorder on GoPro.com for $399.99. The Max Lens Mod 2.0 is also available for preorder at $99.99, or $79.99 for GoPro subscribers. Both products will reach retail stores worldwide on September 13.
Furthermore, GoPro will also release the Hero12 Black Creator Edition for $599.99 on September 13.
