Action cameras are an important part of a filmmaker's bag because they can shoot angles and poses that are not possible with other cameras.
The good thing is that these small cameras are cheap, so you don't need a big budget and may be cheaper than your mobile phones.
Here is a review of the best action and sports cameras on the market, whether they are “traditional” cameras or 360-degree cameras. As you can see, GoPro, DJI, and Insta360 cameras dominate the scene.
Most Powerful Camera: GoPro Hero 10 Black
New GoPro Hero 10 Black Action Camera with 23MP GP2 Sensor and Front Screen. With up to 5K60p video shooting and 23MP photo capture, along with new professional settings.
GoPro has continually improved its flagship series of GoPro action cameras and the HERO10 was well worth the wait. In our review here you will see that this camera has taken a huge leap thanks to the processing. The front color screen is a welcome addition along with Hyper Smooth 4.0 damping, and of course insane 4K 120p slow motion.
If you need something to shoot while navigating tough situations, the GoPro is a good choice. However, you will need some additional accessories to get decent sound. And don't forget to bring plenty of batteries.
- Sensor: CMOS sensor 1
- Resolution (effective): 23 MP
- Internal Recording: Up to 5120 x 2880 at 24/25/30/60fps (100MB/s MP4 over H.264/AVC, H.265/HEVC)
The best camera with options is DJI Action 2
DJI Action 2 is a great action camera. In our review, its main highlights are a small form factor, build quality, high field of view and the ability to add useful accessories. For such a small device, I was struck by the fact that DJI uses an image sensor that is larger than most action cameras.
The included and optional accessories certainly provide additional monitor mounting capabilities. If you're looking for the ultimate video resolution, the GoPro HERO 10 will serve you better, but the tiny DJI Action 2 surprised me with picture quality in all 4K modes and especially in 4K 120fps.
The DJI Action 2 is about $100 less than the GoPro, but for a better set-up with the front touchscreen, you'll pay $20 more than the GoPro does.
DJI Osmo Action 4K Action Camera Overpriced
DJI is still the king in aerial video shooting with a wide variety of drones for professionals and amateurs but a couple of years ago they also entered the “traditional” action camera market.
This DJI Osmo Action 4K was the first camera to offer a nice big (Ish) screen on its front, perfect for vlogging and quickly adjusting camera angle when you're at work as a camcorder and in front of a camera. The sensor is the same size as the one on the GoPro HERO10, but it lacks resolution to compete with the newer HERO10 (23MP), and the GoPro also has nicer colors. Video on the DJI Osmo Action Cam is also limited to 4K60, while the GoPro action came goes up to 5K60 with improved stability.
- Sensor: CMOS 1/2.3 sensor, f/2.8 lens
- Resolution (effective): 12 MP
- Internal Recording: Up to 4096 x 2160 pixels at 24/25/30/48/50/60fps (MOV/MP4 via H.264/AVC)
Best 360-degree camera Insta360 ONE X2
The Insta360 ONE X2 is two cameras in one: a traditional action camera and a full 360-degree action camera. Think of a pocket-sized camera that offers Flow State stabilization, 5.7K 360 video capture, IPX8 water resistance, a 360-touch screen, and a handful of smart editing features.
This little device has two lenses, one on each side. When both work in tandem, you get 360-degree videos in a “shoot first, show later” way. It's fun, but these terrifying 360-degree videos are definitely not for every project. So why not add a more traditional camera by activating just one of the wide-angle lenses, Insta360 wondered. That's why the ONE X2 has both modes. There's also improved stability and other useful features like the so-called MultiView mode for vloggers on board.
And it looks like a versatile little camera, even if the original GoPro looked a little more powerful. As with all of these action cameras, a lot of functionality is hidden in the companion smartphone apps, which come in handy when placing the camera in hard-to-reach places, downloading footage for further editing, and so on.
- Sensor: CMOS 1/2.3 sensor, f/2 dual lens
- Internal recording: up to 5.7 KB
Hybrid Action Camera Insta360 ONE R
The Insta360 ONE R action camera offers an interchangeable lens design with three available lens modifications – Dual-Lens 360 Mod, 4K Wide-Angle Mod and 5.3K 1-Inch-Wide Angle Mod, which was co-designed with Leica.
This is what distinguishes this camera, as it is an action camera as we know it. But it also has additional modules that replace the 4K wide-angle camera with a 360-degree camera or a 5.3K camera with a larger sensor. So, you can always choose the best one for your project.
Having three cameras in one package can take the hassle out of searching for a suitable one. But of course, this mod also comes at a small cost to the power you want in an action camera. What sets this Insta360 apart is the 5.3K 1" unit, the first of its kind for action cameras. Image quality in such a small package is pretty amazing. And if you want to make a 360-degree clip next, just swap out the lenses and you're good to go. Over time, Insta360 has released a number of software updates to further improve this modular camera.
- Lens: 4K Wide Angle Mod / Dual-Lens 360 Mod: f / 2.0
- 4K Wide Angle mode: Up to 4000 x 3000 at 30 fps (3840 x 2160 at 60 fps)
- Dual-Lens 360 Mod: 5760 x 2880 at 30fps
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