GoPro Hero 12 Black vs Insta360 Go 3

VS

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 It has now been replaced by the more capable Insta360 Go 3S, which now offers up to 4K video while retaining the same small size.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

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
71.8mm x 50.8mm x 33.6mm / 2.83in x 2in x 1.32in
5.43oz / 154g
Features
Dimensions
Weight
Insta360 Go 3
25.6mm x 54.4mm x 23.2mm / 1.01in x 2.14in x 0.91in
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 dvifficult to use or uncomfortable. Weight is even more crucial for certain sports like road cycling or running.

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
1720mAh
Removable
150min at 1080p
Features
Battery capacity
Removable battery
Battery life
Insta360 Go 3
310mAh
Removable
45min 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 removeable 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.
GoPro Hero 12 Black
No built-in storage
microSD
Features
Built-in storage
Storage format
Insta360 Go 3
32GB, 64GB or 128GB
Storage not extendable
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.

Video performance

Only the Hero 12 offers HDR video.
GoPro Hero 12 Black
5.3K video at 60fps
5.3K 30fps
Features
Max resolution
HDR video
Insta360 Go 3
2.7K video at 30fps
HDR video unsupported

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
27.6MP
148°
120Mbps
Features
Pixels
Field of view
Video bite rate
Insta360 Go 3
12MP
134°
80Mbps

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
100-6400
+/-2
Features
ISO range
Exposure Compensation
Insta360 Go 3
100-3200
+/-4

Hero 12 vs 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