GoPro Hero 12 Black vs Insta360 Go 3

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Overview of the GoPro Hero 12 Black

GoPro Hero 12 Black☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★GoPro Hero 12 Black
GoPro's 2023 camera: 5.3K video, HDR video, great stabilization
The Hero 12 is GoPro's 2023 flagship action camera. It is an incremental improvement over the Hero 11 and introduces HDR video but does not feature GPS like models before and after it. HDR video can really improve results when filming with big lighting changes and will avoid your footage being overexposed.
  • Pros
  • Performance similar to newer model
  • HDR video introduction
  • Cons
  • No integrated GPS

Overview of the Insta360 Go 3

Insta360 Go 3☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 Go 3
Insta360's 2023 wearable action camera
The Insta360 Go 3 is a great wearable action camera. When combined with the ActionPod, it also becomes a more traditional action camera with extended battery life and a flip screen. It has now been replaced by the more capable Insta360 Go 3S, which now offers up to 4K video while retaining the same small size.
  • Pros
  • Small size
  • Extra battery and screen with ActionPod
  • Cons
  • Not waterproof with ActionPod
  • SD cards not supported

Comparison of the Hero 12 vs the Go 3

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Video performance

Only the Hero 12 offers HDR video. Both cameras feature slomo video. The two cameras have image stabilization.
GoPro Hero 12 Black
Insta360 Go 3
5.3K video at 60fps
Max resolution
2.7K video at 30fps
5.3K 30fps
HDR video
HDR video unsupported
8x at 1080p
Maximum slow motion
4x at 1080p
HyperSmooth 6.0
Stabilization
Flowstate
Why it matters: A high resolution will give you crisp footage but also allow you to reframe your video without losing too much quality. A higher framerate (fps) will result in smoother video and is important when filming action scenes or fast moving subjects. Image stabilization is a crucial feature for an action camera, as it removes camera shake, vibrations, rotation and other movements that deteriorate your final footage.

Battery life

The Hero 12 offers a much larger battery capacity. The Hero 12 has a removable battery whereas the Go 3's battery is not removable
GoPro Hero 12 Black
Insta360 Go 3
1720mAh
Battery capacity
310mAh
Removable
Removable battery
Removable
150min at 1080p
Battery life
45min at 1080p
Feature missing
Battery extension capacity
1270mAh
Feature missing
Battery extension run time
170min at 1080p
Why battery life matters: Nothing worse than running out of battery just before capturing the best footage of the day! A long battery life is reassuring and convenient when shooting footage outdoors where options to charge are limited. Even the use of a power bank can be tedious or simply impossible like when filming watersports. Having removable batteries allows battery swapping on the go which further extends your runtime.

Storage

Only the Go 3 features built-in storage. Only the Hero 12 supports SD cards, the Go 3 is therefore limited to it's built-in storage. The Hero 12 supports a lot more storage than the Go 3.
GoPro Hero 12 Black
Insta360 Go 3
No built-in storage
Built-in storage
32GB, 64GB or 128GB
microSD
Storage format
Storage not extendable
1TB
Maximun storage supported
128GB
Why storage matters: High quality footage can quickly take up lots of space and insufficient storage can soon be frustrating. Having a large amount of storage and the possiblity to extend it or swap SD cards while on a outing will ensure you will always be able to capture the footage you want. However, smaller, wearable action cameras often rely on built-in storage because of their small size.

Weight and size

The Go 3 is a lot more compact than the Hero 12. The Go 3 is a lot lighter than the Hero 12.
GoPro Hero 12 Black
Insta360 Go 3
2.83in x 2in x 1.32in / 71.8mm x 50.8mm x 33.6mm
Dimensions
1.01in x 2.14in x 0.91in / 25.6mm x 54.4mm x 23.2mm
5.43oz / 154g
Weight
1.25oz / 35.5g
Why size and weight matter: Weight is important for action cameras because we often mount them on helmets, or hold them at the end of a selfie stick while moving. Therefore a heavier camera can be difficult or uncomfortable to film with. Weight is even more crucial for certain sports like road cycling or running.

Waterproofing and usage conditions

The Hero 12 is a lot more waterproof. Both the Hero 12 and the Go 3 are waterproof to 197ft / 60m with a diving case. The Go 3 is far better for extreme cold. The Go 3 beats the Hero 12 in high heat conditions.
GoPro Hero 12 Black
Insta360 Go 3
33ft / 10m
Waterproof
16ft / 5m
197ft / 60m
Waterproof with diving case
197ft / 60m
14°F / -10°C
Min operating temperature
-4°F / -20°C
95°F / 35°C
Max operating temperature
104°F / 40°C
Why it matters: Most action cameras are waterproof for accidental splashing or use above water, but if you plan on Snorkeling or Scuba Diving, we recommend choosing a camera which offers a diving case and always using it for underwater footage. If you plan on filming Snowboarding, Skiing or other wintersports in extremely cold conditions, you should pick a camera that is rated for those temperatures, most cameras are only rated down to 14°F / -10°C. Many action cameras are prone to overheating, even in ordinary conditions, so if you plan on filming in hot environments, you should choose a camera that can function at high temperatures.

Camera and sensor technology

The Hero 12 features a much higher resolution. The field of view of the Hero 12 is a little better than the Go 3's. The Hero 12 features a much higher bit rate than the Go 3
GoPro Hero 12 Black
Insta360 Go 3
27.6MP
Pixels
12MP
148°
Field of view
134°
120Mbps
Video bite rate
80Mbps
Why it matters: A higher amount of pixels will offer better quality footage and higher resolution photos. A higher field of view means that the camera captures over a wider angle and therefore more action can be seen in the final footage. Some cameras require accessories to enable the maximum FOV. A higher bitrate at a similar resolution will offer higher quality video.

Camera settings

The Hero 12's 100-6400 ISO range is far superior to Go 3's. The Go 3's +/-4 exposure compensation is far superior.
GoPro Hero 12 Black
Insta360 Go 3
100-6400
ISO range
100-3200
+/-2
Exposure Compensation
+/-4
Why these settings matter: The ISO range and exposure compensation settings will mostly allow you to tweak your action camera for low light situations.

GoPro Hero 12 Black versus Insta360 Go 3 specifications

NameGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 Go 3
Year of release20232023
Width2.83in / 71.8mm1.01in / 25.6mm
Height2in / 50.8mm2.14in / 54.4mm
Depth1.32in / 33.6mm0.91in / 23.2mm
Weight5.43oz / 154g1.25oz / 35.5g
Waterproof33ft / 10m16ft / 5m
Waterproof with diving case197ft / 60m197ft / 60m
Min operating temperature14°F / -10°C-4°F / -20°C
Max operating temperature95°F / 35°C104°F / 40°C
Battery capacity1720mAh310mAh
Removable batteryYesNo
Battery life150min at 1080p45min at 1080p
Charging time3h (5W)-
Battery extension capacity-1270mAh
Battery extension run time-170min at 1080p
Battery extension charging time-65min
Battery extension weight-3.4oz / 96.3g
Built-in storage-32GB
64GB
128GB
Storage formatmicroSD-
Storage rating requiredV30 or UHS-3-
Maximun storage supported1TB128GB
Rear screen size2.27inWith Action Pod
Front screen size1.4inWith Action Pod
Field of view148°134°
Sensor1/1.9" CMOS1/2.3"
Pixels27.6MP12MP
ApertureF2.5F2.2
Focal length12-39mm11mm
ISO range100-6400100-3200
Video zoom2x-
Color Depth10bit8bit
Video bite rate120Mbps80Mbps
Exposure Compensation+/-2+/-4
360-degree videoNoNo
5.3K video60fps-
4K video60fps-
2.7K video120fps30fps
1440p video-50fps
1080p video240fps50fps
Slow motion at 4K4x-
Maximum slow motion8x at 1080p4x at 1080p
HDR video5.3K 30fps-
StabilizationHyperSmooth 6.0Flowstate
Horizon lockYes-
Video formatH.265 (HEVC)H.264 (MP4)
Live streaming1080p30 (HyperSmooth) or 1080p60No
Webcam mode1080p30-
Timelapse modeYesYes
Starlapse modeYesYes
Timeshift modeYesYes
Loop recording modeYesYes
Photo burst modeYesNo
RAW format supportedYesYes
Microphones32
Stereo audioYesYes
Noise reductionYesYes
Audio formatwavaac
Audio inputMedia Mod (H9B/H10B/H11B)
Pro 3.5mm Mic Adapter
-
Wifi802.11 a/b/g/n/ac802.11a/n/ac
BluetoothBLE 4.2BLE 5.0
USBUSB-CType-C USB2.0
GPS integratedNoNo
GPS pairing-Garmin device
Apple Watch
Voice commandsYesYes
Gesture commands-No