Best Action Cameras (2025), Tested and Reviewed

Compare Our Top Pick Action Cameras

The B-Roll

Some of our erstwhile picks stay bully cameras, though their features lag down much caller releases.

DJI's Osmo Action 4 Camera for $276: The Action 4 is simply a awesome action camera. The magnetic mounting strategy is nan champion we've tried, nan paper strategy makes switching betwixt modes a snap, and nan resulting photos and video are great. The Action 5 trumps it successful a number of ways, but if you're connected a budget, this is an awesome camera and it integrates good into nan DJI ecosystem.

Insta360 ONE RS Twin Edition for $300: I loved nan interchangeable lens strategy erstwhile this camera launched, but it's been 2 years since it was updated and feels a small for illustration abandonware astatine this point. If you want 360 and action pinch nan aforesaid camera, I urge nan Insta360 X4 above. It has amended image quality, a amended screen, and amended artillery life for not overmuch much money.

Oclu Action Camera for $199: Oclu has a very different return connected nan action camera, eschewing nan accustomed creation for a level assemblage pinch nan superior surface connected top. The consequence is simply a camera that tin fresh places others won't—like nan bottommost of a skateboard. The Oclu shoots 4K astatine 30 fps or, if you want slo-mo footage, 1080p astatine 120 fps. The video and image value is connected par pinch what you get from nan GoPro Hero 9. My gripe is nan stabilization—it doesn't thief astir arsenic overmuch arsenic what you get pinch others successful this guide. Sound, connected nan different hand, is excellent; I sewage acold little upwind sound than pinch different cameras. All things considered, it's difficult to hit nan Oclu's capacity for nan price.

All those inexpensive cameras connected Amazon: Readers often ask, why walk $400 connected a GoPro erstwhile they tin get a camera pinch 4K video for $100? It's a adjacent question, and nan reply comes down to software, chiefly image stabilization. Action cameras are designed to beryllium strapped to helmets aliases clipped to your thorax while you skydive, stone climb, and title done nan metropolis on a scooter. Without stabilization, nan results are thing moreover your closest friends won't beryllium through. So yes, you'll get 4K footage pinch nan cheaper cams, but it'll beryllium footage nary 1 wants to see. In our view, you're amended disconnected spending different $100 for an older GoPro (Hero 10 aliases 11) connected sale.

Best Accessories to Trick Out Your Camera

Once you person an action camera, you're bully to spell for astir usage cases. GoPro, Insta360, and DJI each supply helmet mounts and different ways to instrumentality your camera wherever you want it. But location are immoderate bully extras that tin make getting that changeable you're dreaming of moreover easier. Here are a few:

A bully microSD card: You whitethorn get an SD paper pinch your camera. Insta360's SD cards are beautiful bully actually, but I thin to usage SanDisk's Extreme Pro cards because they're accelerated and, arsenic a bonus, waterproof. You tin prime up a 512-GB paper for astir $60. I besides for illustration Samsung's Pro Plus microSD cards, which are a small faster successful my tests. You tin drawback a 256-GB for astir $60.

GoPro Media Mod for $80: GoPro's sound is OK retired of nan box, but if you want higher-quality audio, this is wherever you start. Not because nan Media Mod produces awesome sound—it's amended than nan camera, but still not great. What if offers is simply a microphone jack. Plug successful a high-quality microphone and you'll yet person awesome sound. (Not recommended while skydiving.)

Handlebar/seatpost/pole equine for $40: This is my favourite equine for upland biking, but it'll besides activity connected skis poles and immoderate different information entity you want to clamp it to.

Motorcycle accessory bundle for $50: If you ride, this equine for Insta360 cameras (Ace Pro, X5, etc) is simply a must-have. It's 1 of nan astir unafraid clamps I've ever used, almost arsenic bully arsenic a chair vice.

Sametop tripod equine for $10: Action cameras connection galore ways to equine them, but 1 that's curiously missing is nan accepted quarter-inch tripod screw mount. The GoPro Hero 13 has one, but this three-pack of adapters solves nan problem for nan others.

Polarizer and ND filters: If you sprout astir water, done glass, aliases successful immoderate different high-glare situation, a polarizing select will thief trim that glare. Neutral density (ND) filters clasp backmost ray to fto you sprout astatine a wider aperture successful agleam light, helping to summation nan magnitude of mobility blur. Both are awesome additions to your action camera kit. If you person nan Hero 13 Black you tin get nan caller GoPro ND select Four-Pack ($70), which automatically adjusts nan camera settings erstwhile attached. This is immense since getting nan shutter velocity correct pinch ND filters tin return immoderate proceedings and error. The GoPro ND filters grip each that for you. If you don't person a HEro 13, I've tested and for illustration DJI's ND select group for nan Action 5 ($75). For older GoPros, I for illustration Freewell's polarizing and ND filters ($20). I propose starting pinch an 8-stop ND aliases combo ND and polarizing filter.

Floaty for $30: Another 1 for nan h2o shooters, but good worthy nan money since it'll support your GoPro from ending up astatine nan bottommost of nan sea.

Selfie instrumentality for $25: I've tested a batch of selfie sticks and they're almost each fine, but I support grabbing this Insta360 type erstwhile I caput retired nan door. It's lightweight, mini capable to fresh astatine nan bottommost of my bag, and it's affordable. If you want to spell big, this Insta360 Extended Edition Selfie Stick ($100) tin imitate a low-flying drone, cleanable for usage successful nationalist parks and different places wherever drones are forbidden.