From board sports and two-wheeled cycle adventures of the foot and motor variety, to drones, underwater excursions and even pets, action cameras are a great way to capture footage of your latest death-defying stunt favorite subject matter. GoPro is the industry standard for good reason, but there are great action cam options from other brands when you do an action camera comparison. These are our 8 favorite action cameras for adventuring:
Drift Stealth 2 Action Camera
With 1080p 30FPS filming, a 137 degree lens that rotates 300 degrees and 3 hours of recording time, all packed into a container that weighs less than 4 ounces, Drift’s Stealth 2 is one hell of a small action camera. The Wi-Fi streaming, recording light, custom mount for use as a helmet camera and weather-resistance are all great features, but it’s the sub-$100 price tag that really sells us on it. $90
Kodak PIXPRO SP1
Kodak is a well recognized name in the world of cameras, so it should come as no surprise that their PIXPRO SP1 action cam is a feature packaged as the rest of their options. It might not have the stealthiest housing (which can make it easier to find), but the trade off is worth it for the 10m waterproof, 2m shockproof, 14F freezeproof and dustproof features that it gives the 1080p camera with a built-in LCD. It even comes with a full accessory kit so you can actually use your camera right out of the box. $163
GoPro HERO Session
When it comes to action cameras, GoPro is the name to beat. Their image quality, accessory options and durability make them one of, if not the, action cam companies. The HERO Session lives up to the GoPro name but skips the 4K video and touchscreen you’ll find on the higher priced models in favor of super small package, one-button control and 10m waterproofing. At only 2.6oz, you’ll almost forget the HERO Session is recording 1080p 60FPS video while attached to the front of your surf board or your helmet. $199
YI 4K Action Camera
Chinese camera producer YI Technology might not be as well known as the other manufacturers in this action camera comparison, but the YI 4K speaks for itself in the specs department. 4K/30fps, 1080p/120fps, 720p/240fps video. 2.19″ LCD touchscreen with Gorilla Glass Retina. Electronic Image Stabilization with a 3-axis gyroscope and accelerometer. 120 minutes of record time even in 4K. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and app support. In other words, it has the same guts and functionality as a much more expensive model. $250
Sony HDR-AS200V/W
With a form factor similar to a standard camcorder, Sony’s HDR-AS200V/W is an easy to use action cam packed with useful features like Full HD video, SteadyShot image stabilization, multi-cam phone control, GPS, stereo microphone with wind noise reduction and ZEISS optics. This action camera also comes with an app and full-fledged piece of software for easy editing and sharing. $300
Olympus TG-Tracker
The Olympus TG-Tracker might be the most innovative camera the brand has ever produced. The 204 degree extreme angle f2.0 lens capable of recording Ultra HD 4K 30P video makes sure field of view will never be an issue, and the built-in sensors (GPS, eCompass, accelerometer, thermometer, barometer) make sure all the conditions are recorded. Oh yeah, and it also has a flip-out LCD, 30m waterproofing, 7ft shockproofing, 220lbf crushproofing and an LED headlight just to make sure you can really take it anywhere. $349
GoPro HERO4 Silver
The GoPro HERO4 Silver is widely considered to be the best overall action camera out there in terms of price, feature set, performance, usability and accessory options. You’re not going to get the ability to shoot 4K like you would with the HERO4 Black, but you’re also spending a hundred dollars less and getting a built-in 1.5″ LCD touchscreen for on the fly viewing and control–along with standard GoPro features like gorgeous 1080p at 60FPS video and 12MP photos at 30FPS. $359
GoPro HERO4 Black
If money is no object, the GoPro HERO4 Black is the best action camera out there. Professional quality 4K30, 2.7K60, 1080p120, 720p240 video. Upgraded processor. Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Protune and SuperView for capture and manual control. Night Photo and Night Lapse for nighttime shots. More accessories than you could ever use in one lifetime. GoPro build quality and support. There’s a reason this is the action camera all the pros use. $449
