Is the GoPro HERO12 Black Waterproof?

Yes, the GoPro HERO12 Black is waterproof without the need for a separate waterproof housing or case.

The GoPro HERO12 Black is Waterproof Without a Case

This is something that comes up often, because older GoPros needed a separate clear plastic housing to add waterproof protection. So if you’ve used an older GoPro and skipped some of the more recent models, it’s a pretty major design change (and mostly for the better).

Since the HERO5 (or, more accurately, the Session), GoPro cameras have switched to having the camera body itself being waterproof. So for many situations in and around water, you no longer need to have a separate waterproof housing, as you did for the HERO4 models and earlier. The GoPro HERO12 Black continues that approach.

The GoPro HERO12 Black is waterproof right out of the box. By itself, it’s rated for full submersion underwater to a depth of 33 feet / 10 meters.

If you need to take the camera deeper than that, or just want extra protection, you can add a protective housing (I have more details on that below).

How to Increase the Waterproof Protection of a GoPro HERO12 Black

The HERO12 Black is rated to a depth of 10 meters, or 33 feet. That’s good for many uses: swimming, snorkeling, rain, waterfalls, paddleboarding, and so on.

But what if you want to take it deeper than that? In most cases, that means SCUBA diving. That’s where a Protective Housing comes in useful.

The Protective Housing is rated down to 60 meters, or 196 feet. That’s well below the depth of standard recreational SCUBA diving.

It’s also a useful accessory above the water. It adds quite a lot of protection to your GoPro from dust, mud, and grime, and if it gets cracked from a knock, it’s much cheaper and easier to replace just the housing rather than the whole camera.

Be sure to get the Protective Housing specifically for the HERO12/11/10/9 cameras. The HERO12 Black uses the same housing as the HERO11 Black, HERO10 Black and HERO9 Black. But it’s worth knowing that GoPro has used the “Protective Housing” name for other models too, which can make it a bit confusing. For example, the HERO8 Protective Housing, for instance, won’t work with the HERO12–the camera body dimensions and shapes are slightly different. So be sure to get the Protective Housing that’s specifically for the HERO12 Black, HERO11 Black, HERO10 Black, or HERO9 Black.

Things Worth Knowing

Waterproof protection is only as good as the weakest seal. So it’s always a good idea to ensure that the camera’s side door is properly locked in place and that its rubber seals are intact and don’t have any grit or sand that could create a gap for water to get in. And make sure that the lens cover is locked in place. That’s really only an issue if you’ve removed or replaced the lens—I’ve never seen the lens coming loose by itself so long as it’s properly attached.

For the camera to be waterproof, the side door needs to be fully attached and closed. The HERO12 is only waterproof when using its internal battery and without the Media Mod. Anything that requires access to the USB-C port–such as an external battery, an external monitor, an external microphone, or the Media Mod–means opening the side door to access the USB-C port and therefore leaving it exposed. GoPro does sell a USB Pass-Through Door that allows external access to the USB port, but it’s weather-resistant rather than fully waterproof, so it’s suitable for things like rain, spray, or occasional splashes, but it’s not suitable for submersion. The same goes for most third-party external power kits (some are rated as water-resistant or weather-resistant).

I have some more detailed recommendations on using GoPros around water here.

Touchscreens don’t work underwater, but you can still use it as a viewing screen.

GoPro cameras don’t float. There are several ways to tackle this problem–I cover some of the best options in a separate post: How to Make a GoPro Float.

Wifi and Bluetooth won’t work underwater. That’s not a shortcoming of the HERO12 Black–they’re limitations on how Wifi and Bluetooth signals work. (NB: The HERO12 Black does not have GPS, another technology that doesn’t work underwater.)

An implication of that is that you can’t access the SD card underwater. All the more reason to get an SD card with plenty of storage space so you don’t run out mid-shoot. 

Waterproof Depth Ratings for GoPro Cameras

Newer GoPro models have a waterproof body. Older models required an external waterproof housing. Here are the depth ratings for the cameras themselves.

GoPro Model	Waterproof Depth Rating (without external housing)
HERO12 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO11 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO11 Black Mini	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO10 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO10 Black Bones Edition	Not waterproof or water-resistant.
HERO9 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO8 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
MAX	16 feet / 5 meters
HERO7 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO7 Silver	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO7 White	33 feet / 10 meters
Fusion	16 feet / 5 meters
HERO6 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO (2018)	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO5 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO5 Session	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO4 Session / HERO Session	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO+ LCD	131 feet / 40 meters
HERO+	131 feet / 40 meters
HERO (2014)	131 feet / 40 meters
HERO4 Black	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HERO4 Silver	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HERO3+ Black	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HERO3 Black	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HERO3 Silver	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HERO3 White	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HD HERO 2	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HD HERO Original	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
SD HERO	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.

Protective Housings / Dive Housings for GoPro Cameras

To go deeper, you can put the camera inside a protective dive housing. These are the compatible protective housings for recent cameras.

GoPro Camera	Compatible Protective Housing	Depth Rating of Protective Housing
HERO12 Black	Protective Housing (for HERO12/11/10/9)	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO11 Black	Protective Housing (for HERO12/11/10/9)	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO10 Black	Protective Housing (for HERO12/11/10/9)	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO10 Black Bare Bones	Not compatible with protective housing.
HERO9 Black	Protective Housing (for HERO12/11/10/9)	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO8 Black	Protective Housing (for HERO8) (AJDIV-001)*	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO7 Black	Super Suit	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO7 Silver	Protective Housing (for HERO7 Silver/White)	131 feet / 40 meters
HERO7 White	Protective Housing (for HERO7 Silver/White)	131 feet / 40 meters
HERO6 Black	Super Suit	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO (2018)	Super Suit	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO5 Black	Super Suit	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO5 Session	Aftermarket Dive Housing
HERO Session	Aftermarket Dive Housing
HERO4 Session	Aftermarket Dive Housing
HERO4 Black	Aftermarket Dive Housing
HERO4 Silver	Aftermarket Dive Housing

* NB: Despite sharing the name, there are a few different versions under the same name of Protective Housing. So be sure you're getting the specific version for the camera you're using. For example, the HERO10 Black and HERO9 Black share the same one because their camera body is the same. But the Protective Housing for the HERO8 Black is different. And they're all different again from the Protective Housing for the HERO7 Silver and HERO7 White.

GoPro HERO12 Waterproof FAQs

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