GoPro Hero12 Black unveiled with better battery life, AirPods support; see specs and price

GoPro unveiled its latest camera, the Hero12 Black on Wednesday. This time, the focus is primarily on enhancing the user experience, with a particular emphasis on catering to professional users and content creators. One of the most thrilling new developments for regular GoPro users is the promised extended battery life. According to the company, it offers up to double the runtime compared to previous models. 

There are several new shooting modes introduced, with 8:7 (full sensor) recording now accessible across all functions, including TimeWarp and Night Effect modes, a first for GoPro. The 8:7 recording feature allows users to extract various aspect ratios from the same source material while maintaining high resolution. The camera's HDR mode has also been fine-tuned to handle mixed lighting conditions even more effectively. Hypersmooth, GoPro's in-camera stabilisation, has now reached its sixth iteration, building on its already impressive track record. We're curious to see how this latest iteration performs in practice.

For professional users or those aspiring to be, two noteworthy additions stand out. Firstly, there's "GP-Log," GoPro's take on a logarithmic shooting mode, which greatly enhances flexibility during colour grading in post-production. Secondly, the addition of Timecode Sync enables seamless synchronisation of multiple GoPro Hero12 cameras for precise editing in post-production.

As for content creators, there are two significant updates of interest. Notably, the Hero12 Black now supports Bluetooth headsets for both playback and recording, including popular options like AirPods. This means you can utilise Bluetooth headphone microphones and blend their audio with in-camera recordings as needed. Additionally, you can use your headset to activate GoPro's voice activation feature, allowing for more creative shots without needing to be near the camera or relying on the app/remote accessory.

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Another creator-friendly feature is the introduction of vertical capture. While previous models allowed you to hold a GoPro at a 90-degree angle, the new sensor in the Hero12 Black enables you to activate vertical mode even when the camera is mounted horizontally. This feature allows for effortless recording of full 9:16 vertical videos at 4K/30FPS without the need to remount or reorient the camera.

For those who like to showcase their latest gear, the Hero12 Black sports a unique speckled faceplate, departing from the traditional monochrome design. Moreover, a small but welcome change for long-time users is the addition of a standard tripod mount (1/4 inch 20 thread) built into the bottom of the camera, situated between the fold-out mounting fingers. This eliminates the need for adapters when using various camera accessories.

Pre-orders are now available, and the camera is set to hit retail shelves on September 13. In India, the starting price for the standard variant of the GoPro Hero12 Black is Rs 45,000, while the Creators Edition is priced at Rs 65,000.

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