Action & 360 cameras
GoPro HERO 11 or 12: which one to rent, and at what price
On paper, these two GoPro are so similar that we hesitate. They share the same GP2 processor, the same sensor and the same maximum definition of 5.3K. The difference lies elsewhere: in what we can do with an entire day of filming.
What the newest generation really costs
Over a day, the HERO 12 costs €5.20 more. Over a week, €16.78. Over two weeks, €20.94. This is the figure this comparison should be used to decide: does this €16.78 buy something you need?
| Rental duration | HERO 11 Black | HERO 12 Black | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | €41.40 | €46.60 | €5.20 |
| 3 days | €47.02 | €59.90 | €12.88 |
| 7 days | €58.12 | €74.90 | €16.78 |
| 14 days | €74.13 | €95.07 | €20.94 |
| Security deposit | €100 | €150 | €50 |
These are total rental prices, including breakage and theft insurance, not daily rates to be multiplied. Added to this is the excess, collected when ordering and returned within five working days after checking the equipment: €100 on HERO 11, €150 on HERO 12. Over a week, the actual cash difference is therefore €66.78, of which €50 is due to you.
What this €16.78 buys, concretely: autonomy before thermal cut-off in high definition, HDR video, GP-Log profile, Bluetooth microphone and native vertical format. What they make you lose, and no one says it: the GPS, present on the HERO 11 and absent from the HERO 12. If you want speed, altitude or track on your images, it is the HERO 11 that you should take - and it is cheaper.
The table, line by line
23 comparable characteristics, of which 11 differ and 12 are identical. The values in bold are those which separate the two devices.
| Characteristic | Rental GoPro - Hero 11 Black | Rental GoPro - Hero 12 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Kind | Action camera | Action camera |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS — 27.6 MP active (5599 × 4927), f/2.5 | 1/1.9-inch CMOS — 27.6 active megapixels (5599 × 4927), f/2.5 |
| Photo resolution | 27.13 Mpx (5568 × 4872) — JPEG and RAW | 27.13 Mpx (5568 × 4872) — JPEG and RAW |
| Max video | 5.3K 8:7 (5312 × 4648) at 30 fps; 5.3K 16:9 (5312 × 2988) at 60fps; 5.3K 4:3 (5312 × 3984) | 5.3K 8:7 (5312 × 4648) at 30 fps; 5.3K 16:9 (5312 × 2988) at 60 fps — without 5.3K at 4:3, but with 4K and Full HD at 9:16 |
| Slow motion | 4K at 120 fps / 2.7K at 240 fps | 4K at 120 fps / 2.7K at 240 fps |
| HDR video | Not supported | 5.3K 16:9 @ 30 fps, 4K 16:9 @ 60 fps, 4K 8:7 @ 30 fps |
| Color profiles | 10-bit HEVC — no log profile | GP-Log with LUT — 8-bit, and 10-bit in 4K and above |
| Stabilization | HyperSmooth 5.0 with horizon lock | HyperSmooth 6.0 with locking and 360° horizon leveling |
| Autonomy | 35 min in 5.3K at 60 fps before thermal cutoff (measurement GoPro at 25 °C, wind of 0.6 m/s) | 70 min in 5.3K at 60 fps, 1h30 in 5.3K at 30fps, more than 2h30 in Full HD at 30fps (measurements GoPro at 25°C, wind 0.6 m/s) |
| Connections | Wi-Fi 2.4 and 5 GHz, Bluetooth BLE 4.2, USB-C, GPS (GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO) | Wi-Fi 2.4 and 5 GHz, Bluetooth BLE 4.2, USB-C — without GPS |
| Wireless microphone | Not supported | Yes — AirPods and other Bluetooth headphones |
| Fixing | Integrated folding mounting brackets | Integrated folding mounting brackets and 1/4-20 threads |
| Timecode | Not supported | Timecode synchronization supported |
| Image formats | 16:9, 4:3 and 8:7 | 16:9, 9:16, 4:3 and 8:7 |
| Waterproofing | Waterproof up to 10 m without housing, 60 m with protective housing | Waterproof up to 10 m without housing, 60 m with protective housing |
| Weight | 154 g with battery and mounting brackets | 154 g with battery and mounting brackets, 121 g without battery |
| Screens | 2.27-inch rear touchscreen and 1.4-inch front color screen | 2.27-inch rear touchscreen and 1.4-inch front color screen |
| Max video bitrate | 120 Mbps | 120 Mbps |
| Storage | A2 V30 microSD card at least — GoPro recommends models up to 1 TB | A2 V30 microSD card at least — GoPro recommends models up to 1 TB |
| Field of view | 156° diagonal in 8:7 format | 156° diagonal in 8:7 format |
| Digital goals | HyperView, SuperView, Wide, Linear, Linear + lock or horizon level | HyperView, SuperView, Wide, Linear, Linear + lock or horizon level |
| Battery | Enduro 1720 mAh removable | Enduro 1720 mAh removable |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm |
Read this table: resolutions and frame rates
These lines only make sense when related to the destination of your images. 1080p and 2.7K are sufficient for social media; 4K is essential as soon as the film is seen on a big screen; 5.3K is mainly used to keep some cropping margin during editing.
The cadence decides the fluidity and your ability to slow down a sequence.
- 24 or 25 fps: cinema rendering.
- 30 ips: web and television standard.
- 60 fps: slow motion ×2, the right setting for sports.
- 120 fps: slow motion ×4, for very fast movements.
Who is the HERO 11 Black for?
The HERO 11 does everything the 12 does in pictures. If you are renting for an outing, a sports weekend or a wedding, no one will see the difference in the final result. Its rental price is also lower: on a tight budget, it remains a extremely relevant choice for the vast majority of uses.
See the sheet and availability of GoPro HERO 11 Black
Who is the HERO 12 Black for?
The HERO 12 lasts longer on a charge and pairs better with an external microphone — this is decisive when the camera stays on for hours or when the sound is as important as the image. It is also the only one of the two to film natively in 9:16, which eliminates the cropping step before publication on the networks.
See the sheet and availability of GoPro HERO 12 Black
What the table doesn't say
Rent the HERO 11 to film in short sequences, the HERO 12 for a continuous day or as soon as a microphone comes into play. In both cases, take at least two batteries: this is what limits an action camera, never the sensor.
Also think about the accessories, which often weigh more than the generation in the success of a shoot: the attachment adapted to your practice, additional batteries and an A2 V30 microSD card at least.
After filming, editing does the rest
Whatever the model, it's the editing that separates a pile of rushes from a watchable film. Be strict with your selection, keep the shots short to keep up the pace, and harmonize the colors through light grading. The GoPro Quik application is enough for quick editing: enough to share a video the same evening.
Why rent rather than buy
A high-end action camera is used a few weekends a year and quickly goes out of style. Renting provides access to the exact model you need, on the day you need it.
- You try before you buy: this is the only way to know if the 70 minutes of HERO 12 change anything in your way of filming.
- You pay for use, not for possession.
- You leave covered: breakage and theft insurance is included in the rental price of cameras and drones.
- You are delivered anywhere in France: dispatch the day before by Chronopost, or collection in Lyon.