Though initially made to capture those wild, larger-than-life extreme sports escapades, action cameras have now bled out into all walks of photography and videography life. They’re great travel companions as well as being useful dashcams and live streaming aids. However, the market is flooded with many great options – yes, other than GoPros! – making deciding somewhat tricky.
In this article, we'll give you the lowdown on action cameras and share our top picks from Amazon and Argos. Whether you’re looking for a cheap beginners vlogging tool, a 4K motorcycle or cycling camera or a waterproof design for skiing or diving, we’ve got you. We've catered to budgets under £200, £100 and even around £50, so strap in and let’s get this show on the road.
Quick List - Top Action Cameras
Jani is a professional photographer and filmmaker from Finland with over 15 years of experience in both fields. He has studied at some of the best schools and universities across the globe, leading him to become an expert in creative industries. Today he is the creative director and the owner of JP Harrow Portraits that specialises in portraiture for same-sex couples and families in London, UK.
A recommendation service that carefully researches each product and consults with experts across many disciplines. We are constantly creating new content to provide the best shopping experience from choosing ‘cosmetics’ to ‘food and drink’, ‘home appliances’ to ‘kids and baby’ products, reaching users all across the United Kingdom.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
Table of Contents
Jani is a professional photographer and filmmaker from Finland with over 15 years of experience in both fields. He has studied at some of the best schools and universities across the globe, leading him to become an expert in creative industries. Today he is the creative director and the owner of JP Harrow Portraits that specialises in portraiture for same-sex couples and families in London, UK.
If you're looking for an expert in portrait photography, filmmaking, drone flying or anything else technical, make sure to visit Jani's website JP Harrow Portraits for quotes and direct contact, or follow him on Instagram.
It is good to remember that having the highest resolution action camera doesn't always mean you get the best image quality out of it. Some 2K action cameras can actually perform a lot better in darker conditions than some 4K cameras. A Full HD or 2K camera is a cost-effective and a good way for most average consumers to get started with action cameras.
The best products on the market offer 5K and 4K at 60 or 30 FPS. If you’re planning on shooting a lot of action in your videos, we highly recommend the investment. They also allow for smoother slow-motion video.
The only downside is that these cameras will be a bit more expensive and the files themselves will be much larger, so they will be slower to upload to your computer and more time-consuming to edit.
Beginners who are just learning the ropes (or those who just want to shoot a casual travel vlog where there's less activity going on) may be better off looking for a cheaper model, as these will still adequately capture what you’re shooting. A camera with 4K at 30 FPS or 1080p at 240/120 FPS should be more than enough for a casual user.
Check out our 10 best backpacks for travel.
A typical blockbuster movie has a frame rate of 24fps which means one second includes 24 individual frames. Once you go beyond that, everything becomes smoother and more fluid. Most people film their content either at 24/30fps or at 60fps since they are the most popular frame rates that even YouTube supports.
Alongside the FPS and image quality, if you'd like to use your camera to snap still photos, you’re going to want to consider the MP (megapixels) that are offered too, much like you may have done with a regular digital camera or your smartphone.
While you can pick up cameras that boast resolutions of up to 20 MP, we think that if this takes the model out of budget for you, a purchase in the 16 or even 12 MP region should be fine – especially if you think you'll be using the video function more anyway.
While most action cameras can take still images, it is good to remember that they aren't a replacement for a proper digital camera. These action cameras were created to capture moving images, which is what they are most suited for. Owning a DSLR or a mirrorless camera is a great companion to any action camera.
The 'field of view' is basically how much the camera can see in a single shot. The wider the field of view, the bigger the picture. While almost all action cameras offer a wide field of view, it’s worth looking out for other options such as linear and even narrow views as they can provide unique shots to add in.
These different FOV’s will give your videos different perspectives and allow for a more immersive cinematic experience. Plus, constantly using the wide feature means all of your images will have a fish-eye effect, which certainly looks cool, but you may not want it for every shot!
And for another angle entirely, why not check out our 10 best camera drones.
I highly recommend exploring YouTube and seeing some sample footage taken with that particular action camera before purchasing anything. YouTube even has many channels focused on reviewing these action cameras, and they will give you an unbiased view of what is good with them and tell who is it the most suited for.
If you want to be able to take your camera underwater, then making sure you have one that is waterproof and not just water-resistant is important. This tends to signify that the camera can be submerged in water to a particular depth, instead of just being protected from rain, splashes or sprays.
The level of waterproofing differs from brand to brand and model to model, so we’ll be putting the maximum depth, and whether or not a product is waterproof or water-resistant in our specification table beneath each product to help you find which matches your requirements.
Owning a fully waterproof action camera expands what kind of footage you can create with it, but you should still ask do you really need that feature? Are you planning to swim or surf to get the most out of that feature? You can often buy additional accessories such as cases that allow even non-waterproof cameras to be used underwater, so you can always add that feature to most action cameras afterwards.
One of the best things about action cameras is that they can be attached to pretty much anything you can think of: helmets, chests, handlebars, ski poles, dashboards – the list is endless.
While it would be almost impossible to list every possible mount and accessory for each product on our list, we do think it’s important to know which options are available. No one wants to buy something only to realise it won’t perform the function they bought it for!
With that in mind, we would recommend that you do a quick web search for the specific mount you think you'll need, and its compatibility with your desired camera before making any purchases.
And why not check out these motorcycle helmets on which to mount your camera!
Like with any new gadget, it is easy to buy too many extra accessories at the very beginning only to learn you aren't even using most of them. So ask yourself now, what are the three (3) main ways you plan to use your new action camera? Once you know the answer to that, make sure to buy only the accessories that you really need.
Last, but certainly not least, you'll need to align the battery life with your usage needs. Most action cameras offer somewhere between 1-3 hours of power, however, this can greatly diminish once you start switching on the top-end functions.
Additionally, if you’re planning on shooting a lot of slow-motion 4K video, it would certainly be worth investing in a device with a removable battery – then you can charge an extra and bring it along with you. You don’t want to miss the best part of the day due to running out of juice!
When choosing your first action camera, ask yourself how often you will plan to use it and for how long? Will you be filming just a few minutes every now and then, or are you planning to film longer clips that might exceed 30 minutes? If your plans include filming clips of 30 minutes or longer, it might be a good idea to invest in a camera with a removable battery and buy some extra spare batteries as well.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | GoPro Hero9 Black | ![]() | Top End 5k Action Camera With User-Friendly Controls | |
2 | DJI Osmo Action | ![]() | Solid Waterproof Metal Frame and a Full-Colour Front LCD Display | |
3 | Dragon Touch 4K Vision 4 Lite | ![]() | Accessible 4K Camera for First-Timers | |
4 | Akaso EK7000 4K | ![]() | Impressive Accessories Bundle, Including Helmet Mount | |
5 | GoPro HERO7 Silver | ![]() | Ideal Action Camera for Holidays, Hobbyists and Newbie YouTubers | |
6 | Drift Ghost X | ![]() | A Multi-Purpose Action, Vlogging and Dash Cam | |
7 | Insta360 ONE R 1-Inch Edition | ![]() | Capture Day and Night With a Top-End Leica Lens | |
8 | Kitvision Venture 1080P Action Camera | ![]() | A Good HD Action Camera for a Budget Price |
The latest offering from the trailblazers at GoPro is probably the best action camera ever made. It has a clean look, user-friendly controls and rich features, including upgraded front and back LCD touch screens, 5K resolution and a 20 MP camera for stills. All of this makes it remarkably easy to achieve premium results, even for those new to the action camera world.
It can be attached to almost anything with its 'folding feet' and supports live streaming and webcam modes too. These models are also practically bomb-proof! For its reliability, durability and quality of construction, this is our top pick.
DJI may be better known for making camera drones and other accessories, but you wouldn't be able to tell this is their first foray into action cameras. This well-made, sturdy camera has a waterproof metal frame that's bonded with an easy-to-grasp rubber for comfort and its buttons are user-friendly even with gloves on.
Furthermore, it has a respectable battery life and captures video in pristine 4K and 8 x slow-motion. But the stand out feature has to be the front screen, which is activated by a double-tap on the rear main screen. This allows content creators and sportspeople alike to capture the perfect compositions to their heart's content.
If you're thinking about taking to the seas, this versatile action camera is a great jumping off point. Equipped with a case to keep it safe, this camera can handle depths of 30 metres with no problem.
Additionally, the Vision 4 Lite boasts up to 30 FPS in 4K for a fraction of the cost when compared to other cameras on this list, as well as Wireless Wrist Remote Control so you can control the camera with just a press of the button on your wrist.
The first thing we want to talk about with this camera is the sheer amount of accessories that it comes with. To name a few, these include two rechargeable batteries, a waterproof case, a bicycle stand, 7 mounts and a helmet mount. All of this for an affordable camera that shoots 4K at a decent rate? What a deal!
The EK7000 4K also has a good quality 12 MP camera and a built-in microphone, which is particularly useful if you're planning to do some talk-overs when you're recording. It does lack a little in the FPS department, but if that's something you can live with then we wouldn't hesitate in recommending this camera.
GoPro is the big name in action cameras, and this is an excellent option if you don't want to fork out for the latest models. It has their signature palm-sized design, it's capable of shooting solid 4K and 1080p quality and it has a decent 10 MP photo quality. And of course, reliable waterproofing up to 10 metres without a case.
Additionally, it can be mounted to just about anything, and this pack comes with a few basics to get you started. Its features and menus are simple, and they're designed to be this way, making it easy for hobbyists, holiday-makers and beginner YouTubers to get started in the world of filming.
The uber-compact Ghost X looks a little different to other action cameras, and yes, it only has a basic rather than an LCD touch screen, but this does work in its (and your) favour. For one, it can act as either an action camera, a bike/motorbike helmet cam or a dash cam, so it's a great pick if you want something all-purpose.
The other main draw is its impressive 5-hour battery life, which is the highest on this list. It even performs well for vlogging and other content creation on the go, as with the Drift app, you can live stream to your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. For underwater fun, you will have to buy a separate waterproof case, though.
Firstly, we love how this camera looks, but it is so much more than that! It has some exceptional voice-activated filming options, being capable of shooting 5.3K at 30 and 4K up to 60 FPS, so you're going to get very high-quality video, as well as built-in gimbal-like stabilisation.
Additionally, this is one of the best options on the market for low-light filming, with the 1-inch sensor of its namesake designed to bring out clear detail and colour whether you're inside, outside or shooting at night. It's another pricey option, but the brand has engineered this camera with Leica, which speaks for itself.
Getting us rolling is the Kitvision Venture, a compact little camera with 1080p/30 FPS HD video. There's a 2-inch touchscreen for easy recording and playback, Wi-Fi compatibility, and it's capable of surviving up to 30 metres underwater, too.
This is a very basic option with a 12 MP camera, which is by no means terrible but it won't provide as much detail as some people may be looking for. Also, you're stuck with a wide-angle view on everything you shoot. This is a great cheap camera to get started and play around with, but it does have its limitations.
No. 1: GoPro|Hero9 Black
No. 2: DJI|Osmo Action
No. 3: Dragon Touch 4K|Vision 4 Lite
No. 4: Akaso|EK7000 4K
No. 5: GoPro|HERO7 Silver
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
Automotive
Baby Products
Beauty
Books
Business, Industry & Science
Computers & Accessories
DIY, Garden & Tools
Electronics & Photo
Fashion
Grocery
Health & Personal Care
Home & Kitchen
Large Appliances
Musical Instruments & DJ
PC & Video Games
Pet Supplies
Sports & Outdoors
Stationery & Office Products
Toys & Games