Capture Adventure on a Budget: Best budget action cameras

Our list of the best budget action cameras that won’t burn a hole in your pocket is meant to help you record your outdoor adventures without breaking the bank. All the cams on this page were chosen because they give you a lot for your money.

Read More:

• The Best GoPro Action Cameras
• Best cheapest action camera
• Best Waterproof action cameras

And a lower price doesn’t mean you have to give up the best features. Thanks to trickle-down technology, some of our models have top-of-the-line features that used to be exclusive to the most expensive ones, like 4K60FPS video, in-camera image stabilization, hyper-lapse video modes, HDR photography, and more.

Weight: 118g | Waterproof: 10m | 4K video: up to 60fps | 1080: up to 240fps | 720: up to 240fps | Stills resolution: 12MP | Battery life: 1-3hrs (est)

The GoPro HERO 7 is the best budget action camera on the market. This excellent camera came out in October 2018 as a cheaper alternative to the then-top-of-the-line HERO 7 Black. Even though it’s not the best GoPro right now, the HERO 7 still has some excellent action cam tech in a simple and, most importantly, very affordable package.

The H7 works with most GoPro accessories, including the brand’s wide range of mounts and housings. However, unlike newer GoPros, it doesn’t have a built-in “bunny ear” mounting system, so you’ll need to put your camera in a frame before you can mount it to anything.

The camera can also withstand drops and water up to 10 meters deep. The two-inch touchscreen is easy to use, even in bright sunlight and gives you quick access to playback and settings. Each charge of a built-in (non-removable) battery gives you about two hours of use.

Weight: 158g | Waterproof: 10m | 5K video: up to 30fps | 4K video: up to 60fps | 2.7K: up to 120fps | 1080: up to 240fps | Stills resolution: 20MP | Battery: 1720mAh

Initially introduced in 2004, the GoPro brand of sports action cameras caused a paradigm shift in the industry. Since then, the Californian firm has expanded significantly, becoming one of the most reputable and high-quality photography and adventure companies in the entire globe.

Since the release of the first HERO camera by GoPro in 2004, the company has become a household name and a product that children, families, travelers, and professionals use in their day-to-day lives. These pocket-sized cameras have gone from a product that only extreme sports professionals would use to something everyone uses.

GoPro has not always had a problem-free ride through life. The use of action cameras is becoming more and more widespread. In addition, GoPro has been forced to maintain its concentration on quality.

But in 2018, when they debuted the HERO7 Black with its game-changing HyperSmooth, TimeWarp, and SuperPhoto technology, the firm climbed back up the ranks to defeat its rivals in the action camera market.

Sensor: 23MP GP2 Chip with Improved Performance | Image: 5.3K60/4K120/2.7K240 Video, 23MP Photos | Screen: New Front Display/Rear Touchscreen | Connectivity: Cloud Connected, 1080p Live Streaming | Performance: Enhanced Low-Light Performance | Image Stabilization: HyperSmooth 4.0 | Waterproof: 33′ without a Housing | Video Mode: Time-Lapse & Night-Lapse, 8x Slo-Mo | Battery: 1720mAh Capacity

The HERO10 Black from GoPro is an updated version of their flagship affordable action camera, which now features a 23-megapixel sensor and a new G2 chip design for enhanced functionality. Additionally, the HERO10 Black adds more speed, performance, touch control responsiveness, and higher frame rates, making it an action camera with a complete set of features.

This most recent model improves upon its predecessor, the HERO9, in terms of both the professional settings and the useful functionalities in day-to-day use. It is capable of recording high-detail video at 5.3K60, 4K120, and 2.7K240 frames per second, and it takes photographs with a resolution of 23 megapixels

Video: 4K30, 2.7K60, 1080P120, 720P240 | Photo: 20MP | Digital lenses: Super wide, wide, medium, narrow | Burst: 3, 7, 15, and 30 shots | Time–lapse: 3, 5, 10, 30, 60-second intervals | Long exposure: 1, 2, 5, 8, 30, and 60 seconds | Screens: 2-inch rear touchscreen and 1.5-inch front screen | Waterproofing: 1m without a case or 30m with the included case | GPS: No | Voice Control: Yes | Stabilization: 6-axis EIS 2.0 | App support: Yes | SD card included: No | Live Streaming: No | Remote Contol Included: Yes

The Akaso Brave 7 LE is next on our list of cheap action cameras. You can easily hold this cam in the palm of your hand. It weighs 127g, which is a good amount, and its curved metal and plastic body looks and feels like a camera that costs a lot more.

The main feature of the Brave 7 LE is that it has a screen on the front. However, it also has features usually only found on more expensive models, such as voice control, time-lapse capabilities, and six-axis image stabilizatThis camera is great because it comes with two batteries, a remote, a wide range of mounts, and a waterproof great.

The Akaso Brave 7 LE is hard to beat if you want a rugged camera with many features and a price that won’t break the bank. Check out our Akaso Brave 7 LE action camera review to learn more.

Video quality: 4K30, 2.7K30 | Battery life: 90 minutes | Waterproof: 10m without case

Next on our list of the best budget action cameras is the Akaso Brave 7. Again, it’s a cheap camera with many excellent features that make it well worth the RRP.

It can record 4K video at 30fps, but the image stabilization isn’t excellent. It can also take photos at up to 20MP, and it has a burst mode that can take up to 15 shots per second at up to 12MP.

It’s waterproof up to 10m without a case, has a 2″ touchscreen on the back for easy controls, comes with a remote, and can be controlled by voice. There are many cameras for the price, but don’t expect it to feel as lovely as a GoPro. Check out our review of the Akaso Brave 7 to learn more.

Video quality: 4K 24fps | Battery life: N/A | Waterproof: 30m with case

This is a second-generation Olfi One.5 Black gives you a lot of bangs for a small amount of money. It can shoot in 4K, take 15-megapixel photos, is waterproof up to 30 meters, can record slow motion at 120fps, and has many other features you’d expect to find on a much more expensive camera.

The package includes a carrying case, various mounts and accessories, an ultra-fast 64GB MicroSD memory card, and free accidental damage coverage. Even though the built-in image stabilization isn’t as good as GoPro’s Hypersmooth, it does an excellent job smoothing out the bumpiest parts of our footage.

You might think that Olfi cut some corners to make the One. Five Black’s price is so low, but the camera is built well, and the sensor caused by Sony is excellent. Our only real complaint is that the touchscreen on the back, which works well, is too small. Check out our Olfi 1.5 Black action camera review to learn more.

Video quality: 4K30, 2.7K30, 2K60 | Battery life: 60 minutes | Waterproof: 40m with case

Even though the V50 X camera from Akaso looks a lot like older GoPro models, it is the most up-to-date camera on the market. Of course, the fact that it can shoot 4K video at 30fps gets all the attention, which is pretty impressive for a camera that costs less than £100/$100, but that’s not all it can do.

The V50 X doesn’t have the front-facing camera that comes with the slightly more expensive Akasko Brave 7 LE. Still, it can take 12MP photos, has image stabilization software built in, and comes with a wide-angle lens that can be adjusted to cover up to 170 degrees. It also has a slow-motion video at 1080P90 or 720P120, a time-lapse video, a timer for still photos, and many options for metering and exposure.

The next camera on our list of the best affordable action cameras is slightly different. The Akaso Keychain is a tiny, 36-gram, 4K camera that you can carry everywhere. Even though GoPro likes wide-angle videos, the Keychain’s narrow field of view is much better if you want to film something specific.

This cheap action camera is small and magnetic so that you can stick it to anything from your bike to your gym weights can stash it on your fridge door when not in use).

Video quality: 1080 25fps | Battery life: 200 18sec clips | Waterproof: Not quite

Dual-lens cameras were the foundation on which Insta360 developed its brand. The company’s One series of cameras has proven to be an asset to content producers who have remained committed to using this format. The One X3 ($449.99) is the successor to the One X2, and its idea is identical to that of the One X2; the only difference is in the length of the model name.

The two lenses of the X3 record everything that is going on around the camera, and its waterproof build ensures that it is always ready for action. Expert editors can accomplish a lot with 360 videos, especially with the software supplied, and HDR processing is a benefit for image quality in mixed light conditions. Due to our high level of satisfaction with the Insta360 X3, we have decided to designate it as the winner of our Editor’s Choice award for 360-degree cameras. This makes it the first model to get this honor since the Samsung Gear 360 in 2017.

Even though the Insta360 Go looks more like a desktop webcam, it is a fully functional action camera that packs a lot more punch than its 18.3g weight (it has since been replaced by the equally diminutive Insta360 GO 2, which improves on the GO considerably but costs a fair whack more too.)

The Go is only 5 cm long, which makes it a great camera to wear with a back cp, a pendant, and ious standard base attachments. It also has a magnet on the back, which makes it easy to attach to any metal surface.

/AKASO EK70

Color: Black | Height: 1.5 | Width: 2 | Length: 0.9 | Weight: 0.125

The AKASO budget shooter can take a clear 4K25 video at its highest resolution. If you drop to 1080p, the EK7000 can shoot at 60fps so that you can make those awesome slow-motion videos. If you like taking photos, there is also a 16-megapixel sensor.

Suppose the action gets crazy, or your subject moves quickly. In that case, the built-in electronic image stabilization will smooth out your footage. In addition, the adjustable viewing angle will let power users switch between a narrow and a wide angle.

If you’re content with its restrictions, the DJI Action 2 may be better than GoPro’s action cameras. Action 2 is a little metal cube you may acquire with one of two extra units (either a standard battery or a battery with a second screen for vlogging). We liked its magnetic installation, which is more accessible than GoPro mounts. It delights gadget lovers.

DJI’s first action camera, the Osmo Action, is now redesigning GoPro’s Hero Session camera. The DJI Action 2 is half the size of a GoPro Hero 10 Black and offers virtually the same functions, but its magnetic locking technology allows for more creative mounting options. The DJI Action 2 appears to compete with the Hero 10 Black, but does it? Discover.

DJI’s first action camera, the Osmo Action, is an excellent alternative to the GoPro HERO9 Black, which costs less. In addition, it’s one of the first action cameras to have a Live View screen for selfies and vlogs that faces forward.

It also has an excellent electronic stabilization feature that keeps the camera from shaking, which shouldn’t be a surprise for a company known for making gimbals and drones. DJI also says it can withstand temperatures as low as -10C and is waterproof up to 11m without a case, so you can take it wherever your adventures take you.

When looking for the best budget action camera, it is essential to consider the following factors:

• Video resolution and frame rate
• Photo resolution
• Durability
• Additional features such as built-in WiFi, remote control, and waterproofing
• Battery life
• Brand reputation
• Reviews from other customers
• Compare prices and features from different brands before making a decision.