You are spoilt for choice if you want the best action camera. Many people would just go for the best GoPro, but there are plenty of cheaper, smarter, and better quality alternatives (but not all three, which is why GoPro is always the highest!).
The GoPro Hero9 Black is the best action camera right now. It is fitted in 5K video at 30fps, is watertight up to 10 meters without a case and has a front-facing vlogging screen. Yet the arrival of the first DJI action camera, the Osmo Action, means that GoPro now has a strong and respected competitor in the action cam market.
Ultimately, choosing the best cam for action will very much depend on what you intend to use it. Do you need maximum resolution, impermeability, shock protection, slow motion, a front-facing screen, or ultimate flexibility? It’s worth taking some time to get to know all these different action cameras and what they offer.
You might get an action camera that is waterproof up to 30 meters per house, or a camera that requires a housing or an action camera that isn’t too waterproof and can batter seriously without breaking up. Maybe wireless features are the most important thing for you or you can use an intuitive app to prize a camera you can control via your phone?
So you know, we also have guides for the best vlogging cameras. Maybe you want to check out our list of the best underwater cameras.
In this article, we have now compiled our best picks from the best cams.
10 Best Action Cameras 2022
1. GoPro HERO9 Black
$329.99
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The front display, which displayed status information in the previous HERO model, is considerably larger at 1.4 inches “and has a live view that allows you to frame images for vlogging and other similar purposes. The addition of HyperSmooth 3.0 digital image stabilization with in-camera horizon leveling allows you to create even smoother, more stable films without the use of a gimbal. While a full-fledged action camera, the HERO9 Black uses its extensive feature set to allow you to use it as a webcam and for 1080p Full HD live streaming, providing a comprehensive solution for all your action cam adventures and more in a rugged design that’s 33′ waterproof without the need for an external housing. A dive housing, which is optional, can also be used to take the camera into considerably deeper depths.
Another new feature is a Power Tools suite, which includes HindSight, which allows you to record 30 seconds of footage prior to pushing the record button, guaranteeing you never miss that key unexpected moment at a ball game or other event.
While all of these functions already add up to a powerful system, the HERO9 Black adds many more features brought over from earlier versions of the camera, some of which have been improved. A large 2.3” rear touchscreen with touch zoom, raw photo and audio capture, time-lapse and night-lapse, 8x slo-mo, an advanced 100 Mb/s bit rate, three microphones with advanced wind noise reduction, Protune features with professional video and audio settings, and 14 voice commands such as “GoPro, take a photo” are among them “, as well as a lot more.
The HERO9 Black has a built-in, flip-out 2-prong attachment on the bottom, allowing you to simply attach it to over 45 GoPro mounting accessories for all of your applications, whether extreme sports or live broadcasting to Facebook. Furthermore, several alternative add-on mods are available to further expand the camera’s functions, such as the Media Mod, which adds an external mic as well as additional mounting and signal output choices for a more multimedia workflow. With social media in mind, the camera also allows you to snap photographs in portrait mode, which is great for platforms like Instagram. The battery for the HERO9 Black is 30 percent larger, with a capacity of 1720mAh than the battery for the previous generation, allowing you to use the camera for longer periods on a single charge.
2. GoPro HERO8 Black
The adaptable next-generation action cam designed to capture smooth, stable footage of your next adventure, from a simple boat excursion to a wild jump-off-a-mountain ride, joins GoPro’s already amazing action camera line. The new HyperSmooth 2.0 stabilization on the HERO8 Black produces smooth, gimbal-like movement at all supported frame rates, eliminating the need for a gimbal. You may also use the HERO8 Black as a webcam on your PC by downloading a free app. Additional updates include a sleeker physical design with a “folding fingers” type base for quick mounting, a redesigned battery door for faster battery changes, a lens with twice the impact resistance as the HERO7, an optional Battery Mod for nearly 2.5x more battery life, an optional flip-up Display Mod to make viewing your frame easier, an optional LED Light Mod, and an optional Media Mod to excite your senses.
The GoPro HERO8 Black supports UHD 4K video resolutions, as well as time-lapse, slow-motion video up to 1080p240, and super-slow-motion video. With the upgraded SuperPhoto, still, photographs may be shot at up to 12MP resolution in bursts of up to 30 images per second, reducing blur and enhancing the detail in low-light circumstances. It also has a new Night-Lapse function, which allows you to take and process up to 4K time-lapses at night. The LiveBurst function allows you to record 1.5 seconds before and after your photo to give you more frame options. The lens’s field of vision (FOV) has also been changed to four modes: Narrow, Linear at 24.4mm, Wide at 16.5mm, and SuperView at 15.1mm.
The HERO8 Black, like its predecessor, offers direct streaming to Facebook Live. It’s also waterproof to 33′, making it ideal for surfing, snorkeling, and swimming. For additional water support and even deeper underwater operations down to 196′, supplementary floats and housings are available. The touchscreen allows for quick and easy management, but if your hands are busy, the HERO8 Black recognizes 15 voice commands in over 10 languages and dialects, allowing you to control the HERO8 Black verbally. Simply say “GoPro, take a shot,” and your HERO8 will capture a photo using your current settings, making selfies a breeze.
3. GoPro HERO7 Black
The GoPro Dusk White HERO7 Black records 2.7K120/100 slow-motion and super-slow-motion video at rates up to 1080p240/200 and supports UHD 4K60/50 video formats. Still, photos with a resolution of up to 12MP can be recorded in bursts of up to 30 shots per second. The Dusk White HERO7 Black, like its predecessor, the HERO6 Black, is waterproof to 33′, making it ideal for surfing, snorkeling, and swimming. For even deeper underwater activities, housing is available separately.
TimeWarp Video, which records super-stabilized, moving time-lapse pictures, is ideal for documenting long-distance excursions and adventures. For the best static images, use the SuperPhoto function to add intelligent HDR, local tone-mapping, or noise reduction. While the Dusk White HERO7 Black keeps its predecessor’s size, both touch and vocal control have been improved. The touchscreen has been streamlined to more closely match smartphone navigation, and when your hands are busy, you can manage the Dusk White HERO7 Black with 16 voice commands.
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