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Whether you’re into escapade sports aliases conscionable want to log your day-to-day activities, an action camera is nan measurement to go. On apical of regular models from nan likes of GoPro, DJI and Insta360, you tin movie your adventures pinch 360-degree models and a caller people of mini cams that tin moreover beryllium attached to kids aliases pets. In different words, location are much options than ever for types of action shooting aliases vlogging.
With each nan caller choices, which person nan champion features for your individual exploits? Engadget has been testing action cameras for more than 16 years and pinch that experience, we tin thief you find nan correct exemplary for your fund and needs.
Best action cameras for 2025
It’s close, but GoPro still makes nan champion action camera wide pinch nan Hero 13, moreover pinch DJI nipping astatine its heels. The biggest upgrade from earlier is nan caller family of modular lenses called nan HB bid (ultra-wide, anamorphic and macro), making it acold much versatile. It besides has a somewhat bigger artillery that allows longer seizure times — up to 90 minutes for 4K 30fps video.
Other specs stay nan same, including solution up to 5.3K astatine 60fps successful 10-bit colour pinch precocious information rates, and 8:7 seizure that uses nan full sensor. Elsewhere, nan Hero 13 still has nan champion integer stabilization (aka Hypersmooth) of immoderate action camera — nan cardinal to its number 1 ranking. It besides has a full-color beforehand surface and nan champion image value successful its class, on pinch nan widest scope of accessories ranging from mounts to waterproof remotes to harnesses. The main drawback is nan mediocre low-light capacity — 1 area wherever DJI’s Osmo Action 5 Pro is superior.
Pros
- Can sprout up to 5.3K astatine 60fps successful 10-bit color
- Excellent integer stabilization
- Works pinch modular HB lenses
- Bigger battery
Cons
- Poor capacity successful low-light conditions
$379 astatine Amazon
Read our afloat DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro review
Action cams person been a anemic constituent pinch DJI, but it yet collapsed done pinch nan Action 5 Pro. Its champion characteristic is nan ample 1/1.3-inch sensor that makes it amended than nan Hero 13 successful debased light. It besides tops nan action cam artillery life charts astatine 2 hours-plus while shooting 4K 60fps. Another bully characteristic is 47GB of soul storage, a large thief if you hide your microSD representation card. And nan Osmo Action 5 Pro useful straight pinch DJI’s noise-cancelling Mic 2 and Mic Mini wireless microphones, providing an easy measurement to grounds high-quality sound.
The Action 5 Pro's main downsides are comparatively debased solution and somewhat poorer stabilization compared to nan competition. DJI's instrumentality tops retired astatine 4K 120fps, which is little than nan GoPro Hero 13's 3K 60fps (both tin grounds log, though). And while nan DJI camera's stabilization is capable, it doesn't rather lucifer nan excellence of nan GoPro 13.
Pros
- Best action cam artillery life
- Good successful debased light
- Unique taxable search feature
- DJI Mic 2 compatibility
- Built-in memory
Cons
- Oversaturated color
- Video is little crisp than rivals
$349 astatine Amazon
Cameras that tin grounds 360-degree video tin execute a bully trick: letting you reframe action aft you sprout it aliases seizure immersive VR video. Insta360 still leads this category, pinch its latest X5 model, though rivals are catching up. The latest exemplary has a 1/1.28-inch sensor that’s overmuch larger than before, allowing improved low-light sensitivity and higher move range. Insta360 besides introduced a caller PureVideo mode pinch AI sound simplification and move scope optimization for clearer, brighter footage successful low-light conditions.
It still captures action astatine up to 8K 30fps aliases 5.7K astatine 60fps, providing more detail erstwhile you reframe it to 16:9 for viewing connected a regular screen. At nan aforesaid time, nan Me Mode that produces level video (with automatic selfie instrumentality removal) captures footage astatine up to 4K 30fps. Other features see waterproofing to 10 meters, removable lens guards and Insta360’s fantabulous editing app included for free.
Pros
- Can sprout up to 8K 30fps aliases 5.7K astatine 60fps
- Large 1/1.28-inch sensor
- Improved low-light performance
- Waterproof up to 10 meters
Cons
- More costly than its predecessor
$550 astatine Amazon
Read our afloat DJI Osmo 360 review
DJI made a beardown commencement successful nan panoramic camera section pinch nan Osmo 360, very astir catching rival Insta360 connected its first try. That starts pinch nan company’s each caller one-inch quadrate sensor that captures video astatine up to 8K 50fps and excels successful debased light. It besides supports 10-bit D-LogM solution to boost move range, one-upping Insta360’s 8-bit I-log video. The Osmo 360 offers bully stabilization successful daylight conditions but falls isolated a spot successful debased light. 360 stitching was very coagulated isolated from erstwhile objects are adjacent to nan camera.
Battery life is comparable to nan Insta360 X5 and batteries are compatible pinch nan Action 4 Pro and Action 5 Pro. A immense prize pinch nan Osmo 360 is nan 105GB of usable built-in retention (plus a microSD slot), compared to… zero for nan competition. The main logic DJI’s Osmo 360 isn’t number 1 is because DJI’s Studio app for editing 360 footage can’t yet clasp a candle to Insta360 Studio.
Pros
- Sharp 8K 10-bit log video
- Seamless 360 stitching
- Works pinch DJI's mics and accessories
- Good creation and handling
Cons
- DJI Studio app needs work
- Stabilization breaks down successful debased light
$412 astatine Macy's
Read our afloat GoPro Max 2 review
GoPro’s 360 introduction is nan Max 2, a important upgrade to nan original Max. The main betterment is successful nan area of image quality, pinch a caller sensor that nan institution says allows for existent 8K 30 fps solution (with 10-bit log capture) without immoderate wasted pixels for illustration nan competition. However, nan Max 2 has a comparatively mini 1/2.3-inch sensor truthful it’s anemic successful debased ray compared to nan competition.
But nan Max 2 does person nan champion stabilization pinch GoPro’s fantabulous HyperSmooth system. Other features see fantabulous artillery life, a caller HyperWide 180-degree seizure mode (along pinch nan erstwhile Selfie and POV modes) and caller burst photograph shooting. The Max 2 besides ships pinch GoPro’s fantabulous Quik editor that thumps DJI’s app.
Pros
- “True” 8K 10-bit GP-Log video
- Replaceable lenses
- Simple in-app editing
- Works pinch Bluetooth mics
Cons
- Stitch lines are sometimes present
- No onboard storage
$500 astatine Macy's
Read our afloat DJI Osmo Pocket 3 review
Late successful 2023, DJI unveiled nan Osmo Pocket 3 and I called it “maybe nan only vlogging camera you need.” It has a large one-inch sensor, which is nan aforesaid size arsenic nan 1 connected Sony’s ZV-1 II compact camera. That boosts image value considerably, peculiarly successful debased light. It besides has a new, ample swiveling touchscreen that makes it easier to move betwixt horizontal and vertical video.
What really makes it awesome for vlogging are nan travel modes mixed pinch look tracking. If you’re moving solo, you tin simply group it up and it’ll rotate and tilt to travel you around. That besides applies for walk-and-talk vlogging, truthful you don’t person to interest astir attraction aliases moreover pointing nan camera astatine yourself. There’s very small not to for illustration astir nan Osmo Pocket 3, but it’s not perfect for photos owed to nan reduced resolution, and it’s besides rather expensive.
Pros
- Big 1-inch sensor
- Better successful debased light
- 10-bit Log
- Big swiveling touchscreen
- Long artillery life
Cons
- Expensive
- Not awesome for photos
$589 astatine Amazon
Read our afloat DJI Osmo Nano review
Mini-sized action cams are a full caller class pinch only 2 existent participants — DJI and nan inventor, Insta360. These cameras tin beryllium utilized pinch a surface aliases detached from it to beryllium arsenic mini and ray arsenic possible, while still offering precocious video quality. DJI has nan champion exemplary pinch its first entry, nan Osmo Nano. It weighs conscionable 1.83 ounces (4.83 ounces erstwhile connected to nan screen) and is waterproof to 33 feet, truthful it tin beryllium utilized for activities ranging from upland biking to waterskiing, aliases moreover attached to a kid aliases pet.
At nan aforesaid time, it packs a large 1/1.3-inch truthful it offers astir nan aforesaid features arsenic nan overmuch larger Action 5 Pro, including 4K 120p video and 10-bit D-LogM capture. That intends video value is fantabulous moreover successful debased light, though stabilization tin autumn isolated successful dim conditions. Battery life is coagulated and it comes pinch up to 128GB of soul memory.
Pros
- Tiny size
- Log and 10-bit video
- DJI Mic compatibility
- Generous built-in memory
Cons
- Video editing app falls short
- Poor stabilization successful debased light
- Vlog mode is little convenient than rivals
$299 astatine Amazon
If you want nan lightest and astir nosy mini action cam possible, Insta360’s Go 3S is simply a awesome candidate. It weighs conscionable 1.4 ounces erstwhile detached from its surface truthful you tin equine it to your hat, a child, a feline aliases moreover an arrow. At nan aforesaid time, you tin sprout up to 4K 30fps video aliases 2.7K astatine 100 fps. Other cardinal features see sound and motion control, support for Apple’s Find My and a scope of accessories including pendants and chapeau clips. When attached to its base, nan surface flips up truthful it’s easy to sprout successful either nan guardant aliases backward directions.
Pros
- Lightweight and compact
- Can sprout up to 4K 30fps video aliases 2.7K astatine 100 fps
- Supports sound and motion control
- Connects to Apple's Find My network
Cons
- Lots of accessories intends it tin quickly get pricey to kit it out
$380 astatine Amazon
With nan presence of nan Osmo Action 5, nan Action 4 often goes connected waste astatine very charismatic prices. You’re not giving up overmuch successful comparison to nan Action 5 Pro — it has nan aforesaid 1/1.3-inch sensor that delivers fantabulous video quality, particularly successful debased light. And it besides comes pinch a D-LogM floor plan that boosts move scope successful tricky lighting conditions, for illustration skiing successful nan trees connected a sunny day. The main logic to bargain an Action 5 Pro alternatively is its built-in 47GB of storage, somewhat amended artillery life and a higher spot complaint that reduces pixelation. If those things aren’t critical, DJI’s Osmo Action 4 tin presently beryllium recovered for half nan price.
Pros
- Excellent video quality, moreover successful debased light
- D-LogM floor plan for amended capacity successful tricky lighting
- Less costly than Osmo Action 5
Cons
- A procreation aged astatine this point
$229 astatine Amazon
GoPro’s Hero 12 Black is easy to urge because it’s astir nan aforesaid arsenic nan Hero 13 but without nan caller outer lenses. It tin grounds videos astatine up to 5.3K astatine 60fps successful 10-bit colour pinch precocious information rates, and 8:7 seizure that uses nan full sensor now useful successful each modes. The artillery lasts astir 10-15 percent longer than before, and it has a caller quarter-inch tripod mount. Otherwise, nan Hero 12 still has superior stabilization to astir rivals, a full-color beforehand surface and nan champion image quality, overall, of immoderate cam successful its class.
Pros
- Can sprout up to 5.3K astatine 60fps successful 10-bit color
- Good artillery life
- Excellent integer stabilization
Cons
- A procreation aged astatine this point
- Doesn't support caller modular lenses
$290 astatine Amazon
Insta360 besides builds regular, non-360-degree action cameras and nan Ace Pro 2 is perfect for creators. It’s nan only 1 disposable that shoots astatine 8K 30fps (or 4K astatine up to 120 fps), providing spectacular detail, and nan 1/1.3-inch sensor is coagulated successful debased light. Importantly for vloggers, it comes pinch a ample flip-up surface that makes it easier to framework yourself erstwhile filming. It’s not astir arsenic nimble arsenic rivals, however, arsenic that flipping surface adds weight and size, making nan Ace Pro 2 some bulkier and heavier than its competition.
Pros
- Can sprout up to 8K 30fps aliases 4K 120 fps
- 1/1.3-inch sensor is bully successful debased light
- Large flip-up screen
Cons
- Bulkier and heavier than its competitors
$400 astatine Amazon
What to see earlier choosing an action camera
Action cameras person definite traits that abstracted them from regular cameras aliases smartphones. The astir important is ruggedness that makes them resistant to water, particulate and shocks. Most models are now waterproof without nan request for a abstracted enclosure. At nan aforesaid time, you tin acquisition lodging accessories to make them waterproof to moreover greater depths.
Video value is besides key. Every exemplary we urge goes to astatine slightest 4K 60fps, but immoderate models for illustration GoPro’s latest Hero 13 boost solution up to 5.3K 60fps, aliases moreover 8K 30fps pinch nan Insta360 Ace Pro 2. That allows you to harvest successful connected shots and seizure vertical video astatine higher resolutions for societal media. And for slow-mo, you’ll want astatine slightest 120 fps video, preferably astatine 4K aliases astatine slightest 2.7K.
Another bully characteristic is log video that improves move scope erstwhile filming connected sunny, contrasty days. And if you movie successful dim environments, you’ll want nan largest sensor imaginable for nan champion low-light performance.
Next is nan mobility of level versus 360 video. 360 cams person go incredibly celebrated lately because they seizure video each astir nan camera, moreover supra and below. Then, you tin reframe nan shots successful post, cutting from a cool motorcycle instrumentality to your reaction, for example. Or, you tin station nan full 360 video online and fto nan assemblage take which perspective they want to see.
For activities pinch bumps and jolts for illustration upland biking, stabilization is incredibly important. You want your video to look smooth, but still convey nan thrill and velocity of nan action. Cameras from DJI, GoPro and Insta360 are each bully successful this regard, but GoPro’s Hero 13 still tops nan list.
Some action cameras are easier to grip and use, truthful return that into relationship arsenic well. You’ll want agleam and colorful displays some beforehand and back, buttons you won’t person to fumble to find and easy-to-use menus. Remote power is different facet that tin easiness operation. And you’ll want to cheque which package is disposable to amended stabilization, edit video, region selfie sticks and more.
Size has besides go a factor, pinch mini cameras having go an all-new class recently. Mini sized models for illustration Insta360’s Go 3S and Go Ultra, on pinch DJI’s caller Osmo Nano, fto you abstracted nan camera from nan show for maximum portability. Whether it’s mounted connected a chapeau aliases your chest, you’ll hardly announcement it’s there.
Then location are accessories. Do you request helmet aliases thorax mounts, waterproof housings aliases artillery charger? GoPro has nan largest number arsenic it’s been astir nan longest, but DJI and Insta360 now person a coagulated accessory lineup and some make useful wireless mics that link straight pinch their cameras. And of course, artillery life is captious for action shooting arsenic it’s difficult to alteration 1 erstwhile you’re retired surfing.
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