We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.
We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.
Action and sports cameras allow you to shoot video and photographs as you would with a traditional digital camera — but with a twist. Action cameras are typically smaller than traditional cameras, making them easier to carry, and they’re more durable so they can withstand rough treatment.
Action and sports cameras allow you to shoot video or photographs in difficult terrain and on the move. You can attach one to your clothing, helmet, bicycle, or skateboard to record your adventures. Action cameras can withstand normal bumps and jolts, but even if you take a tumble off your bike or drop the camera, it should continue operating without breaking. Many action cameras work underwater too, allowing you to shoot videos or photos of dives, surfing, or pool parties.
Not sure where to start? We’ve put together this buying guide to help you understand the important features of action and sports cameras, and with our recommendations above, you can start shopping right away.
If you’re going to wear the action camera on your body, you don’t want a large device that’s so bulky or heavy that it throws you off balance or weighs you down.
Size: A typical action and sports camera measures about 2 to 3 inches long, 1 to 2 inches tall, and about .5 to 1 inch deep. These dimensions don’t include any mount you use to connect it to your body, bike, tripod, and so on.
Weight: The average action and sports camera weighs 4 to 8 ounces, though some are larger or smaller than this range.
Shape: Most action cameras are rectangular, which works well for mounting on your chest or helmet, but you can mount one almost anywhere. Square action cameras are even smaller and can be mounted almost anywhere. Cylindrical action cameras are made for easy attachment to handlebars, skateboards, and surfboards.
Some action and sports cameras are water-resistant or waterproof.
A water-resistant action camera can be used near water, such as lakes and rivers, and the camera can withstand being damp or wet for a brief period of time.
A waterproof action camera works underwater for a certain period of time. Check the user instructions that come with your specific camera to determine how long it can remain in the water.
Most waterproof cameras work underwater for up to 60 minutes, but each camera is a little different, so stick to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
You will find some of the same features on action and sports cameras that you find on typical digital cameras. You can use these specifications to compare sports cameras.
The image sensor is the chip inside the camera that measures the light coming through the lens and records the scene. The size of the image sensor is important because a larger sensor can record clearer photos and videos than a smaller sensor.
The smallest sensors in action cameras measure 1/2.3 inch. Higher-quality action cameras have an image sensor measuring 1 inch. Understand that these image sensors are quite a bit smaller than what you’d find in a traditional DSLR camera, which is why DSLRs can record videos and photos of far higher quality than action and sports cameras.
Videos: Action and sports cameras are able to record video at either HD or 4K resolution. HD videos have a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, while 4K videos have a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. However, if the action camera has a poor-quality or small image sensor, your 4K video may be muddied and not look much better than HD video.
Photos: The resolution of photographs is measured in megapixels (MP). An action camera can record photos with resolutions from 10 to 24 megapixels. Cameras with higher resolution store more details but also require quite a bit more storage space on the memory card.
The LCD screen on an action camera allows you to preview the image the camera will record as well as the photos and videos you’ve already taken. These screens are quite a bit smaller than what you find on traditional cameras, usually measuring around 2 inches diagonally.
Battery life is a key consideration for any action camera because you’ll likely be using the camera in remote locations where recharging the battery isn’t possible. Expect to get up to four hours of battery life from a single charge.
Skateboard: MINORITY Skateboard
If you want to record your skating tricks, your action camera and this durable-grip 32-inch maple skateboard are all you need.
BMX bike: Mongoose Legion L60 Freestyle BMX Bike
The Legion L60 has 2.3-inch tires to deliver a smooth ride, which is ideal when you want to shoot videos of your adventures with an action camera.
Commuter helmet: Bern Watts EPS Summer Helmet
Helmets for skateboarding and biking can be stylish while also providing the ideal mix of protection and comfort, as this Bern helmet proves.
Digital camera: Canon EOS Rebel T6 Digital SLR Camera
Action and sports cameras excel at action photography and video, but when you want a great camera for everyday photographs and videos, the Canon Rebel delivers outstanding results.
Inexpensive: The least expensive action cameras cost $20 to $75. These are basic action cameras with tiny image sensors that give you limited ability to control the image and video quality.
Mid-range: These action cameras cost $75 to $200. You can use these cameras in deep water, and they have plenty of advanced features for controlling the shots. Some older GoPro cameras fall in this price range.
Expensive: The priciest action and sports cameras cost $200 to $500. These are durable cameras that yield the highest-quality images and offer the largest image sensors.
GoPro is a highly popular action camera brand, but many other brands are available too.
A. Some people record action scenes on a smartphone, but they rarely attach it to a helmet for first-person video. A rugged action camera is a much better choice. It’s designed to handle the toughest conditions, so you don’t need to risk damaging your smartphone.
A. You can, but you might need to purchase a certain type of helmet that can accommodate the mounting bracket for the action camera. Sometimes you can add the camera to the helmet with strong double-sided tape, but this probably won’t hold up to extremely rough treatment.
A. Not necessarily. Some action cameras come with an extra case that fits around the camera body to protect it from drops and water. Other action cameras don’t need an additional case for protection.
A. Sure. You can shoot videos and photographs with the action camera just like you would with a regular DSLR or other type of camera. However, you won’t be able to control the settings on the action camera as easily as you can with a dedicated digital camera. Additionally, the action camera has a smaller image sensor than a DSLR, which negatively affects image and video quality.