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HERO13 Black

GoPro

HERO13 Black

Flagship GoPro with 1/1.9-inch sensor, 5.3K60 video, 4K120, HyperSmooth 6.0, HB-Series lens auto-detect, and 10m waterproofing.

$399

Launch price

Released Sep 2024

vs
Z9

Nikon

Z9

Flagship stacked mirrorless with 45MP, 8K video, and no mechanical shutter.

$5,499

Launch price

Released Oct 2021

HERO13 Black is 2.8 years newer.

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Wins

4categories

HERO13 Black

Sports & ActionTravel

Wins

7categories

Z9

Sports & ActionVideo & Hybrid

1 categories tied

Which would you choose?

TL;DR — Key differences

HERO13 Black wins 2 categories·Z9 wins 3 categories
  • BZ9 has higher AF points / zones (493 vs 0)
  • AHERO13 Black has higher Burst (mechanical) (8 fps vs 0 fps)
  • AHERO13 Black has lower Weight (121 g vs 1160 g)
  • BZ9 has higher RAW buffer depth (1000 frames vs 120 frames)
  • BZ9 has higher Burst (electronic) (120 fps vs 20 fps)

Key specs at a glance

HERO13 BlackZ9
Resolution27.6 MP45.7 MP
Sensor1/1.9"Full Frame
ISO max6,40025,600
Burst20 fps120 fps
4K120 fps120 fps
IBISNo6-stop
Weight121 g1160 g
Battery740 shots

Size and weight, to scale

HERO13 Black front view

HERO13 Black

72 × 51 × 34 mm

121 g (0.27 lb / 4.27 oz)

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

for scale

Z9 front view

Z9

149 × 150 × 91 mm

1160 g (2.56 lb / 40.92 oz)

HERO13 Black is 77mm narrower, 99mm shorter, and 57mm thinner than Z9.

HERO13 Black is 1039 g lighter than Z9.

Depth (front-to-back): 34mm HERO13 Black · 91mm Z9

Back view, to scale

Width × Height — same proportions as the front of the body.

HERO13 Black back view

HERO13 Black

72 × 51 mm

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

Z9 back view

Z9

149 × 150 mm

Top view, to scale

Width × Depth (front-to-back) — see which body is chunkier on the table.

HERO13 Black top view

HERO13 Black

72 × 34 mm

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

Z9 top view

Z9

149 × 91 mm

Sensor size, to scale

Z9

35.9 × 23.9 mm · Full Frame

858 mm² area

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

HERO13 Black: mount data unavailable

Z9

✓ more lenses

Nikon Z

90+

native lenses available

40 first-party50 third-party

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

Use caseHERO13 BlackZ9
Portrait
2.0Limited
8.5Excellent✓ wins
Sports & Action
10.0Excellent
10.0Excellent
Video & Hybrid
3.0Limited
9.5Excellent✓ wins
Landscape
3.0Limited
9.5Excellent✓ wins
Travel
6.0Good✓ wins
5.5Fair
Wildlife
5.5Fair
5.5Fair
Vlogging
4.0Fair
5.5Fair✓ wins

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose

HERO13 Black

  • Burst (mechanical)

    8 fps vs 0 fps — higher is better

  • Stabilization modes

    Adds HyperSmooth 6.0, 360° Horizon Lock, AutoBoost

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 71.8, 50.8, 33.6

  • Card types

    Adds microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC

  • Weight

    121 g vs 1160 g — lower is better

  • 1080p max frame rate

    240 fps vs 120 fps — higher is better

  • IBIS effectiveness

    7 stops vs 6 stops — higher is better

Reasons to choose

Z9

  • AF points / zones

    493 vs 0 — higher is better

  • Subject recognition

    Adds People, Birds, Dogs…

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 149, 149.5, 90.5

  • Card types

    Adds CFexpress Type B / XQD, CFexpress Type B / XQD

  • RAW buffer depth

    1000 frames vs 120 frames — higher is better

  • Burst (electronic)

    120 fps vs 20 fps — higher is better

  • Codecs

    Adds N-RAW, ProRes RAW HQ, ProRes 422 HQ…

  • ISO max (native)

    25,600 vs 6,400 — higher is better

Both cameras share

  • Pre-Capture / Pre-ReleaseBoth support pre-capture / pre-release
  • 4K max frame rateBoth 120 fps
  • Weather sealingBoth support weather sealing
  • TouchscreenBoth support touchscreen
  • Wi-FiBoth support wi-fi
  • BluetoothBoth support bluetooth

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

HERO13 Black

Pros

  • 5.3K60 and 4K120 video
  • 1/1.9-inch sensor
  • HyperSmooth 6.0 + Burst Slo-Mo
  • 10m waterproof

Cons

  • Small sensor vs Action 5 Pro
  • Fixed lens
  • Enduro battery not backward compatible

Z9

Pros

  • 45MP stacked
  • 8K 60p internal
  • 120fps stills
  • Pro build

Cons

  • Heavy body
  • Expensive
  • Large files

Decided which one is right for you?

Compare live prices for the HERO13 Black and Z9 at major authorized retailers.

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Full specifications

= category winner

HERO13 Black
Z9
Resolution
27.6 MP
45.7 MP+66%
Sensor type
CMOS
Full Frame Stacked BSI CMOS
Sensor size
1/1.9"
35.9 × 23.9 mm
AA filter
No
No
HERO13 Black
Z9
Aperture
2.5
Focal length (35mm equiv.)
12 to 39
Field of view
156 °
HERO13 Black
Z9
Processor
Image processor
EXPEED 7
HERO13 Black
Z9
ISO min (native)
100
64−36 less
ISO max (native)
6,400
25,600+2 stops
ISO max (expanded)
6,400
102,400
HERO13 Black
Z9
Shutter type
Electronic shutter
Electronic only
Max mechanical speed
1/8000 sec
N/A
Max electronic speed
1/8000 sec
1/32000 sec

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for portraits, HERO13 Black or Z9?

Z9 scores 8.5/10 versus 2.0/10 for HERO13 Black — 45.7MP — excellent for large prints and crops.

What's the resolution difference between the HERO13 Black and Z9?

HERO13 Black is 27.6 MP and Z9 is 45.7 MP, so the Z9 captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the HERO13 Black and Z9 have in-body image stabilization?

HERO13 Black does not have IBIS, while Z9 has 6-stop in-body image stabilization.

Which shoots faster bursts — the HERO13 Black or the Z9?

HERO13 Black reaches 20 fps electronic. Z9 reaches 120 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the HERO13 Black and Z9?

HERO13 Black weighs 121 g and Z9 weighs 1160 g, so the HERO13 Black is 1039 g lighter.

Do the HERO13 Black and Z9 record 4K video?

HERO13 Black: 4K up to 120p. Z9: 8K UHD (max), 4K up to 120p.

Are the HERO13 Black and Z9 weather sealed?

HERO13 Black: Yes. Z9: Yes.

How much does each cost?

HERO13 Black launched at $399 and Z9 at $5,499. The HERO13 Black is $5,100 less.

Can't decide between two? Compare a third camera.

Add any camera to get a three-way HERO13 Black vs Z9 vs X comparison.

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed July 2026.

Product images courtesy of GoPro and Nikon press materials.