Hero12 Black E-Commerce Package - Waterproof Action Camera with 5.3K60 Ultra HD Video, 27MP Photos, HDR, 1/1.9" Image Sensor, Live Streaming, Webcam, Stabilization

Bueno

As most of my product reviews, this is a very non technical, dude on the street kind of review. I bought this mainly for fun to use on my bike rides. My area is being developed quickly from farmland to suburbia and I discovered a good use to document the changes with biking videos from the street. I am amazed at the video and sound quality I get from this little thing. Granted, I had to tape some foam over the front mic to prevent the hurricane sound winds. I use this Hero 12 daily on my bike to work commutes and casual rides. I was told it would be great to document any legal events like traffic stops or even bike-car accidents. Hah, hopefully I won't need it for that. I like how the user manual is a downloadable file because I'm always losing the paper versions. Someday, I'll use most of the features in this unit but in the meantime, it has been fun to review my most scenic bike rides on the computer when I get home. I would recommend a few backup batteries if you are taking it out on the field. My battery is only good for half of most of my bike rides so I'm constantly stopping video at extended stops or at intersections to get the most time out of it. I can't find fault of this birthday present to myself and am glad to have a new toy to use on my most favorite outdoor activity. I plan on taking it fishing with me test out durability in the backpack or fishing vest. Almost forgot one thing, the camera update. I don't like most camera apps on the phone so I updated the phone via downloading the latest file to the microSD card and updating from the camera. It was painless and quick. I'm sure most people would like the fun features of the phone app but I have editing tools on the computer for that since I also take DSLR photos in my spare time. This is a great nerd toy to have and would make a great gift for the outdoor person in your life.

Pay a little less because it doesn’t come in the standard packaging. A big upgrade from my Hero 5, yet the accessories (holders) all work with the 12.

God camera

This camera comes with literally everything you'd get as if you were to buy the fancier retail packaging, but at a lower cost! Who doesn't like saving money for buying the EXACT same product? This review is coming from a person who has never owned an action camera before, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. I am by no means an avid videographer/ action sports person. When we start off with video quality, I have zero complaints. I typically record in 4k, so the fact that this has the option to go up to 5.3k is super handy if I ever want to downscale or need a higher resolution for cropping purposes. I do notice that the unit tends to warm up after a period of recording, but my sessions are usually 10 minutes or less, so I have not had any issues with overheating. As for its features, the dual screen is really good. No issues in seeing my framing at a glance, with a very responsive touch- screen. The app is also incredibly handy for quickly reviewing footage without having to pull the microSD card out every time. In terms of durability, I can't attest to that too much because I do treat my camera equipment very cautiously, even though I do know this is an action camera. So on the same note, I also have not been able to test the waterproof/resistant capabilities of this camera. However, I do intend to get a waterproof housing for when I eventually go to places with water or where this camera is likely to get wet. Lastly, for battery life, I was able to go through nearly a full day with intermittent recording of 5ish minute clips without any issues on the single OEM battery. Of course, I did opt to purchase several 3rd party batteries as backups, but I didn't even need to reach for them. Overall, this camera is super cool and shoots incredible video. I know this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to action cams and GoPros in general, but as a first-time user, I am more than satisfied with this purchase!