GoPro
HERO12 Black
1/1.9-inch action camera with HDR 5.3K60, 4K120, 2.7K240 slow-mo, HyperSmooth 6.0, and 10m waterproof body.
$349
Released Sep 2023
OM System
OM-1 II
Flagship MFT with stacked sensor, 120fps, and pro wildlife features.
$2,399
Released Feb 2024
OM-1 II is 5 months newer.
Wins
HERO12 Black
Wins
OM-1 II
1 categories tied
TL;DR — Key differences
- BOM-1 II has higher AF points / zones (1053 vs 0)
- BOM-1 II has higher ISO max (native) (102,400 vs 6,400)
- BOM-1 II has higher Burst (electronic) (120 fps vs 15 fps)
- AHERO12 Black has lower Weight (154 g vs 599 g)
- AHERO12 Black has higher 4K max frame rate (120 fps vs 60 fps)
Key specs at a glance
Size and weight, to scale
HERO12 Black
72 × 51 × 34 mm
154 g (0.34 lb / 5.43 oz)
OM-1 II
135 × 92 × 73 mm
599 g (1.32 lb / 21.13 oz)
HERO12 Black is 63mm narrower, 41mm shorter, and 39mm thinner than OM-1 II.
HERO12 Black is 445 g lighter than OM-1 II.
Depth (front-to-back): 34mm HERO12 Black · 73mm OM-1 II
Sensor size, to scale
OM-1 II
17.4 × 13 mm · Compact / large-type
226 mm² area
Lens ecosystem
Native lens selection
HERO12 Black: mount data unavailable
OM-1 II
✓ more lensesMicro Four Thirds
130+
native lenses available
Counts include current first-party and major third-party native autofocus lenses.
Use-case scoring
Which one for what?
Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class
Why pick one over the other
Reasons to choose
HERO12 Black
Codecs
Adds H.265 (HEVC)
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 71.8, 50.8, 33.6
Card types
Adds microSD
Weight
154 g vs 599 g — lower is better
4K max frame rate
120 fps vs 60 fps — higher is better
Resolution
27.6 MP vs 20.4 MP — higher is better
Max video bit rate
200 Mbps vs 150 Mbps — higher is better
Battery life (CIPA)
640 shots vs 520 shots — higher is better
Reasons to choose
OM-1 II
AF points / zones
1053 vs 0 — higher is better
Subject recognition
Adds People, Birds, Animals…
Codecs
Adds H.264, H.265, MOV
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 134.8, 91.6, 72.7
Card types
Adds SD UHS-II, SD UHS-I
ISO max (native)
102,400 vs 6,400 — higher is better
Burst (electronic)
120 fps vs 15 fps — higher is better
Eye AF
Only OM-1 II supports it
Both cameras share
- ✓Pre-Capture / Pre-Release — Both support pre-capture / pre-release
- ✓Weather sealing — Both support weather sealing
- ✓Card slots — Both 1
- ✓Touchscreen — Both support touchscreen
- ✓Wi-Fi — Both support wi-fi
- ✓Bluetooth — Both support bluetooth
Pros & cons at a glance
Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.
HERO12 Black
Pros
- ✓HDR 5.3K and 4K120
- ✓HyperSmooth 6.0
- ✓10m waterproof
- ✓Strong used value
Cons
- –Superseded by HERO13
- –Fixed lens
- –Smaller battery than HERO13
OM-1 II
Pros
- ✓120fps stills
- ✓Stacked MFT
- ✓IP53 weather sealing
- ✓Computational features
Cons
- –MFT sensor size
- –Smaller ecosystem
- –Menu complexity
Full specifications
✓ = category winner
Frequently asked
Quick answers generated from verified specs.
Which is better for sports, HERO12 Black or OM-1 II?
OM-1 II scores 8.5/10 versus 5.0/10 for HERO12 Black — 120fps burst — pro-level action capture.
What's the resolution difference between the HERO12 Black and OM-1 II?
HERO12 Black is 27.6 MP and OM-1 II is 20.4 MP, so the HERO12 Black captures more detail for cropping and large prints.
Do the HERO12 Black and OM-1 II have in-body image stabilization?
HERO12 Black does not have IBIS, while oM-1 II has 8.5-stop in-body image stabilization.
Which shoots faster bursts — the HERO12 Black or the OM-1 II?
HERO12 Black reaches 15 fps electronic. OM-1 II reaches 120 fps electronic.
What's the weight difference between the HERO12 Black and OM-1 II?
HERO12 Black weighs 154 g and OM-1 II weighs 599 g, so the HERO12 Black is 445 g lighter.
Do the HERO12 Black and OM-1 II record 4K video?
HERO12 Black: 4K up to 120p. OM-1 II: 4K up to 60p.
Are the HERO12 Black and OM-1 II weather sealed?
HERO12 Black: Yes. OM-1 II: Yes.
Which has better battery life?
Rated battery life is 640 shots (CIPA) for the HERO12 Black and 520 shots for the OM-1 II, giving the HERO12 Black the edge.
How much does each cost?
HERO12 Black launched at $349 and OM-1 II at $2,399. The HERO12 Black is $2,050 less.
Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.