Best flying action camera
If I had to pick one video trend of the year, it would be single-player adventures shot from a third-person perspective, as if you have a film crew following you. If you want to emulate a film crew, without having a film crew, a drone will be an essential part of the kit. Of all the drones I testedTHE Air X Pro Overview is best to be a flying action camera. It’s expensive, and not without its quirks, but no drone is better at following you over all kinds of terrain, and no other drone is as easy to use.
All you have to do is unfold it, press the power button, select video mode, and then place the drone on your outstretched palm facing you. Press the power button again and it will go to capture your photo. When you’re done, it will return to your hand. It can track you at up to 26 mph, shoots up to 8K at 30fps, and offers 50GB of onboard storage (expandable by 1TB via microSD card). The only thing I don’t like is the battery life, which is only around 15 minutes in my testing. The downside to poor battery life is that the battery is small, which means you have to carry two or three when you go out.
CABLE
- Excellent tracking and obstacle avoidance system
- Simple operation and range of automated flight modes
- Good image quality
- Smaller and lighter than a DJI Flip
FATIGUE
- Short battery life
- Controller costs extra
Ideal for underwater action
The Om Systems TG-7 isn’t a head-mount and shred camera, but if you’re shooting underwater (a common use case for these cameras), it’s your best bet. The TG-7’s sensor is the largest of the bunch (it’s a 1/2.33” CMOS sensor), and it’s a very durable camera: resistant to freezing, crushing, dust, and shock (you can drop it from 7 feet). It also has “real” camera features you won’t find elsewhere, like focus for close-ups, a full set of add-ons, additional lenses, and even an underwater housing that extends its depth. The problem is that you probably don’t want to strap it to your head, but for a certain use case it will give you better-looking photos and videos in many situations.
Alternative: Ricoh Pentax WG-8 ($477) looks a lot like the TG-7 but costs a little less and uses a 20 MP sensor compared to 12 MP for the TG-7. Images are sharp and the LED lights around the lens work remarkably well for macro images. The main limitation is that it only takes JPG photos, not RAW. But if you don’t care about editing your RAW files and just want images straight out of the camera, the WG-8 is a cheaper alternative to the TG-7.
CABLE
- Micro 4/3 sensor captures excellent high-resolution images
- Video capabilities are dated but still sufficient for most (4L/30fps)
- Large lens with optical zoom (25-100 mm)
FATIGUE
- The future of the Olympus camera line is unclear
Compare our best action cameras
The B roll
All These Cheap Cameras on Amazon: Readers often ask why spend $400 on a GoPro when they can get a camera with 4K video for $100? That’s a good question, and the answer depends on the software, mainly image stabilization. Action cameras are designed to be attached to helmets or strapped to your chest while you skydive, rock climb, and run through the city. on a scooter. Without stabilization, the results are something even your closest friends won’t be able to stand. So yes, you will get 4K footage with the cheapest cameras, but it will be footage that no one wants to see. In our opinion, you’re better off spending the extra $100 on an older GoPro (Hero 11 or 12) on sale.
Best Accessories to Fake Your Camera
Photography: Scott Gilbertson
Once you have an action camera, you’re ready to use it for most use cases. GoPro, Insta360, and DJI all offer headset mounts and other ways to stick your camera wherever you want. But there are a few nice extras that can make it even easier to get the photo you’ve been dreaming of. Here are some of them:
A good microSD card: You can get an SD card with your camera. Insta360’s SD cards are pretty good actually, but I tend to use SanDisk’s Extreme cards because they’re fast and, as a bonus, waterproof. You can recover a 512 GB card for around $70. I also like Samsung’s Pro Plus microSD cards, which are a bit faster in my testing. You can take a 256 GB for around $96. DJI has some specific recommendations for microSD cards to use with the Action 6. From their list, the one I recommend is the Lexar Professional Silver Plus ($24).
GoPro Media Mod for $79: GoPro’s audio is decent out of the box, but if you want better quality audio, this is where you start. Not because the Medium mod produces great sound – it’s better than the camera, but still not great. What it does offer is a microphone jack. Plug in a high-quality microphone and you’ll finally get great sound. (Not recommended for skydiving.)
Handlebar/seatpost/post mount for $40: This is my favorite mount for mountain biking, but it will also work on ski poles and any other round object you want to attach it to.
Motorcycle Accessories Bundle for $50: If you ride, this mount for Insta360 cameras (Ace Pro, X5, etc.) is a must-have. This is one of the most secure pliers I have ever used, almost as good as a bench vise.
Yallsame Tripod Mount for $10: Action cameras offer many ways to mount them, but one oddly missing is the traditional quarter-inch tripod screw mount. The GoPro Hero 13 has one, but this three-pack of adapters solves the problem for others.
Polarizing and ND filters: If you’re shooting around water, through glass, or in any other high glare situation, a polarizing filter will help reduce that glare. Neutral density (ND) filters trap light to allow you to shoot with a wider aperture in bright light, helping to increase the amount of motion blur. Both are great additions to your action camera kit. If you own the Hero 13 Black, you can get the new GoPro ND Filter Four-Pack ($90)which automatically adjusts camera settings once connected. This is huge, because getting the right shutter speed with ND filters can take some trial and error. GoPro ND filters handle all of this for you. If you don’t have HEro 13, I tested it and I like it DJI ND Filter Set for the Action 6 ($79). For older GoPros, I like Freewell Polarizing and ND Filters ($20). I suggest starting with an 8-stop ND filter or a combined ND and polarizer filter.
Floating for $35: Another one for water shooters, but definitely worth it since it will keep your GoPro from ending up at the bottom of the sea. I haven’t tried it, but here’s one for the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 ($20)and at the time of the update Action 6 is so new that there doesn’t seem to be a case. I can confirm that the old case will work, but the buttons aren’t quite aligned and it’s a pain to use. Hopefully DJI will release an updated version soon.
Selfie stick for $25: I’ve tested a lot of selfie sticks and almost all of them work, but I keep grabbing this Insta360 version when I walk out the door. It’s lightweight, small enough to fit in the bottom of my bag, and affordable. If you want to think big, this is it Insta360 Extended Edition Selfie Stick ($100) can imitate a low-flying drone, perfect for use in national parks and other places where drones are prohibited.
