Best Action Camera for Adventure Videos: GoPro HERO10 Black, AKASO Brave 7 LE, AKASO V50X, Inst...

Best Action Camera for Adventure Videos: GoPro HERO10 Black, AKASO Brave 7 LE, AKASO V50X, Insta360 GO 2, DJI Pocket 2
Introduction
If you’re planning on shooting action videos, a dedicated action camera can be an invaluable piece of equipment. These tiny, rugged, and often water-resistant cameras are designed to mount to a wide variety of equipment, from chest and helmet rigs to sports cars and watercraft. A high-quality action camera should have good digital image stabilization, a wide range of frame rates for smooth action and slow-mo shots, and be rugged enough to keep up with all of your adventures, wherever they may take you.
Best Action Camera for Adventure Videos We’ve bought and tested over 85 cameras in our...
Introduction
If you’re planning on shooting action videos, a dedicated action camera can be an invaluable piece of equipment. These tiny, rugged, and often water-resistant cameras are designed to mount to a wide variety of equipment, from chest and helmet rigs to sports cars and watercraft. A high-quality action camera should have good digital image stabilization, a wide range of frame rates for smooth action and slow-mo shots, and be rugged enough to keep up with all of your adventures, wherever they may take you.
Best Action Camera for Adventure Videos We’ve bought and tested over 85 cameras in our lab, and below, you’ll find our recommendations for the best action camera for adventure videos, depending on your needs and budget. We’ve stuck to dedicated action cameras here, but if you’re looking for a camera to shoot sports or fast action from the sidelines, you can look at our recommendations for the best DSLR cameras for sports photography. For more action cam options, you can also check out our favorite GoPro alternatives. Or, if you want a camera more suited to vlogging or content creation, try our best vlogging cameras.
GoPro HERO10 Black
Although it’s been replaced by the GoPro HERO11 Black, which has a new 8:7 sensor that gives you more flexibility with cropping, the GoPro HERO10 Black is now an even better deal since it has most of the same features as the HERO11 but at a lower price. It’s a notable step up from its predecessor, with a new processor that boosts the camera’s low-light performance, stabilization, and frame rate options. With 5.3k at up to 60 fps, 4k at up to 120 fps, and 2.7k/1080p at up to 240 fps, you can capture everything from smooth action video to super slow-motion in high quality. You’re also getting GoPro’s reliably sturdy build quality, with waterproofing down to 33 feet (10 meters). HyperSmooth video stabilization works like a dream to ensure your footage is buttery smooth. On top of that, the camera’s front-facing Live View screen lets you easily monitor yourself, making this a solid vlogging camera too.
If you’re looking for something cheaper, going back another generation and getting the GoPro HERO9 Black is a great way to save. While its video quality isn’t quite as good in low light, and it has fewer frame rate options in 4k and 5k, it’s still an excellent action camera for the money. AKASO Brave 7 LE The AKASO Brave 7 LE is a solid budget action camera if you’re on a tighter budget. Despite its lower price point, the camera feels well-built and has an IPX7 rating, so it can withstand submersion in 1m of water for up to 30 minutes. If you want to use it for more extensive underwater recording, the camera has a protective case that renders it waterproof down to 131 ft. Like the GoPro HERO10 Black and GoPro HERO9 Black, the Brave 7 LE has a secondary front screen that’s helpful for vlogging. Its stabilization feature works well overall, though it imposes a severe 1.6x crop and isn’t as effective as pricier cameras. The other trade-off is in frame rate selection. It maxes out at 30 fps in 4k, although you can still record 120 fps slow-motion footage in 1080p. If those aren’t dealbreakers, this is a great action cam for the price. AKASO V50X Plenty of cheap GoPro alternatives are on the market, but the best cheap action camera we’ve tested is the AKASO V50X. It’s a solid camera that won’t break the bank if you want something highly portable. It doesn’t feel as premium as a GoPro but comes with a protective case, just like the GoPro HERO10 Black and GoPro HERO9 Black. Unlike that model, however, the camera itself isn’t IPX-rated, so you’ll need the case for any underwater recording. On the upside, this thing comes with plenty of mounting accessories in the box and...