Best Action Cameras 2024

By Elisabeth Christ
Updated March 2024

Action cameras have come a long way since they first hit the market over a decade ago. With advancements in technology and design, these compact devices are now capable of capturing stunning footage in even the toughest environments. However, with so many options available on the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one for you. That's why we've compiled a list of the best action cameras of 2024 to help narrow down your search.

Best Overall: GoPro Hero12 Black

✓ 5.3K video resolution
✓ 10 meters (33 feet) waterproof
✓ HyperSmooth 5.0 stabilisation
✓ 240fps on 2.7K footage

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Best for Wearable Action Camera: Insta360 Go 3

✓ Keychain-sized and ultra-lightweight
✓ 2.2-inch touchscreen
✓ 1/2.3-inch sensor
✓ 11-mm f/2.2 lens

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Best for Folding Screen: DJI Osmo Action 4

✓ Improved lens-protector
✓ Quick-settings button
✓ New 1/1.3-inch sensor
✓ 10-bit D-Log M video support

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Best for Multiple Lens: Insta360 One RS

✓ 4K Boost Lens
✓ 1.5-inch screen
✓ FlowState stabilization
✓ HDR imaging and 6K ultra-widescreen

Buy on Amazon

Best for Affordability: Akaso Brave 7 LE

✓ At relatively low-price points
✓ IPX7 water resistance
✓ Crisp 4K video
✓ Bright 20Mp resolution images

Buy on Amazon

#1 Best Overall: GoPro Hero12 Black

GoPro Hero12 Black

Price & Design
Starting at $400, Hero12 offers a solid base price. However, action camera enthusiasts know accessories are key. For $450, you can snag a bundle with a grip, extra battery, and carrying case. Feeling fancy? The $500 Max Lens Mod bundle adds a super wide-angle option. The design itself is familiar GoPro territory – think Hero11 with a touch of blue. It's waterproof down to 10 meters (33 feet) and comes with a standard GoPro mount. Two color displays equipped the Hero12 – one on the front for status checks and a larger touchscreen on the back for navigating menus. A quick-capture button gets you rolling instantly, while a power button switches modes.

Features & Performance
The Hero12 packs a serious punch with a smaller sensor but crisper picture quality, offering max 5.3K resolution for stunning video footage. The ability to easily crop to different aspect ratios without losing quality is a game-changer. The camera supports up to 240fps on 2.7K footage for super-smooth action shots. The addition of Bluetooth microphone support and night modes further enhance the versatility of the camera. The Easy Mode and Pro Mode cater to both beginners and advanced users, providing a seamless experience.

GoPro Hero12 Black

Image & Video Quality
When it comes to pure image quality, the Hero12 reigns supreme. The GoPro Hero12 boasts a 27MP effective still resolution and 5.3K 8:7 video quality. The daytime footage is sharp, with vibrant colors and impressive detail. The Horizon Lock feature ensures stable and smoothed footage, even in fast-paced activities. While the camera excels in well-lit environments, low-light performance can be a bit disappointing. Overall, the video quality is top-notch, offering professional-grade results for all your adventures.

Battery Life
The Hero12 delivers decent battery life, but don't expect to film a marathon session on a single charge. The GoPro Hero12 includes a 1720mAh Enduro battery that provides up to 4 hours of continuous recording at 1080p30. With fast-charging capabilities, you can quickly recharge the battery for extended use. It is recommended to use a charger specifically designed for the GoPro Hero12 to ensure optimal performance and battery life.

Potential Downsides
Some users report sluggish menus and touchscreen response. The Hero12 can also overheat during long recording sessions at high resolutions. As mentioned before, low-light performance isn't its strong suit.

GoPro Hero12 Black

Best Overall

✓ 5.3K video resolution
✓ 10 meters (33 feet) waterproof
✓ HyperSmooth 5.0 stabilisation
✓ 240fps on 2.7K footage

Buy on Amazon

#2 Best for Wearable Action Camera: Insta360 Go 3

Insta360 Go 3

Price & Design
The tiny Insta360 Go 3 comes in at a cool $340. Think keychain-sized and ultra-lightweight – perfect for slipping into a pocket or attaching to your gear. The Insta360 Go 3 boasts a unique magnetic mounting system, letting you clip it to anything metal. The real game-changer here is the optional Action Pod. This charging case transforms the Go 3 into a more traditional action camera experience, complete with a 2.2-inch touchscreen and a significant battery boost. The Go 3 itself comes with a few magnetic mounts, making versatility a strong suit.

Features & Performance
Featuring a 1/2.3-inch sensor and 11-mm f/2.2 lens, the Insta360 Go 3 delivers impressive image and video quality. The magnetic base-station attachment offers a touchscreen interface and traditional action camera handling for added convenience. With new shooting modes, color profiles, and wind-suppression settings, the camera provides a wide range of creative options. The Insta360 mobile app makes it easy to edit and share your footage, making it a versatile choice for content creators.

Insta360 Go 3

Image & Video Quality
The Insta360 Go 3 offers a 134-degree field of view and up to 2.7K video resolution. The Freeframe video mode allows you to shoot footage and crop it to different aspect ratios, giving you more flexibility in post-production. The camera's 1440p resolution in Freeframe mode provides high-quality footage with vibrant colors and sharp details. Whether you're capturing action shots or scenic views, the Insta360 Go 3 delivers impressive results for all your filming needs.

Battery Life
With a 310mAh battery in the camera and a 1270mAh battery in the Action Pod, the Insta360 Go 3 offers up to 170 minutes of recording time. The non-removable battery can record about 40 minutes of 2.7K30 footage on a single charge. The Action Pod includes a USB-C port for convenient charging and file transfer, ensuring you can capture all your adventures without interruptions.

Potential Downsides
While the Insta360 Go 3 offers impressive features and performance, the Action Pod housing is not waterproof without the Lens Guard attachment, limiting its use in water-based activities. The non-removable battery and lack of storage expansion may be a concern for users who require longer recording times or additional storage. Some users have reported that wearable footage can appear unsteady, so it's important to use stabilizing accessories when capturing on-the-go shots.

Insta360 Go 3

Best for Wearable Action Camera

✓ Keychain-sized and ultra-lightweight
✓ 2.2-inch touchscreen
✓ 1/2.3-inch sensor
✓ 11-mm f/2.2 lens

Buy on Amazon

#3 Best for User-Friendly Action Camera: DJI Osmo Action 4

DJI Osmo Action 4

Price & Design
At $399, the DJI Osmo Action 4 continues the series' legacy with a design philosophy largely unchanged from the Action 3, yet it introduces a crucial modification in the lens-protector thread size—making previous versions' protectors incompatible. This detail underscores a commitment to evolution, albeit subtle. The camera boasts an affixed rubber ring for enhanced grip and a robust quick-release magnetic mounting system that promises convenience and security in dynamic shooting scenarios. Additionally, a dedicated quick-settings button facilitates swift adjustments, ensuring that vital changes are never more than a tap away.

Features & Performance
The Osmo Action 4 shines with a new 1/1.3-inch sensor, optimized for superior low-light performance and revealing intricacies in shadowed areas without sacrificing color integrity. It caters to the professional videographer with support for 10-bit D-Log M video capture, offering expansive dynamic range for post-production flexibility. Windy conditions see an improved audio recording quality, and the camera introduces the InvisiStick feature for all video modes, enhancing the user's creative toolkit. Customization extends to video sharpness and noise reduction, offering a nuanced control system beyond standard presets. A front touchscreen rounds out its feature set, marrying functionality with accessibility.

DJI Osmo Action 4

For a budget camera, the Akaso Brave 7 LE impresses. Firstly, it captures high-quality video under bright and light conditions. Next, you have the option to pick nine different manual combinations of frame rates and resolutions. You can also choose between four different zoom options depending on how much of the scenery you want to capture. Additional shooting modes include burst photos, looping videos, fast and slow motion and time-lapse of both photos and videos.

The Akaso Brave 7 LE uses 6-axis stabilisation which gives videos a smooth finish. While it's not as crisp in quality, the image stabilisation knocks off shaky and wobbly edges making videos appear more watchable. Reviewers praised the excellent built-in microphone but recommend having the camera mounted and the wind-reduction setting turned on if you're filming outdoors.

DJI Osmo Action 4

Best for User-Friendly Action Camera

✓ Improved lens-protector
✓ Quick-settings button
✓ New 1/1.3-inch sensor
✓ 10-bit D-Log M video support

Buy on Amazon

#4 Best for Multiple Lens: Insta360 One RS

Insta360 One RS

Price & Design
The Insta360 One RS, with its base price of $299.99, brings modularity to the forefront of action camera design. This device is versatile, with packages that include a 4K Boost Lens and options to expand into 360-degree videography with the Twin Edition priced at $549.99. Its construction allows for a depth of 5m underwater, though it's recommended to use the outer case for any serious water adventures. Unique to its design is the split into sections; a base block holding the battery and a main module featuring a 1.5-inch screen for lens module connectivity. This modular approach extends to its single-flap system covering essential ports, ensuring a sleek yet functional build.

Features & Performance
The One RS shines with its FlowState stabilization, ensuring smooth footage across most shooting conditions, and even offers a "Post" mode for after-the-fact stabilization in the app, albeit with some limitations. Its versatility doesn't stop at video; while stills aren't its primary strength, the camera offers burst, interval delay, and night modes for photography. Video features are robust, including time-lapse, Timeshift, and slow-motion, alongside flat Log and vivid/standard color modes for those seeking more control over their footage. The interface is user-friendly, with a "Q" menu for preset storage and digital lenses for varied shooting perspectives, though its reach extends to 50mm with a noted decrease in quality.

Insta360 One RS

Image & Video
Quality Insta360 One RS doesn't skimp on image quality, offering HDR imaging and 4K video at 60fps that’s sharper than some of its competitors, like the GoPro Hero 9 Black. It even boasts a 6K ultra-widescreen mode for expansive shots. However, it's primarily a 4K action camera, with the new 4K Boost Lens enhancing resolution to 48MP, though the Quad Bayer chip design suggests a limit to the expected detail boost. This camera also handles high-speed footage well, converting 60fps footage to a smoother 30fps in post-production.

Battery Life
Battery performance is solid, with the 1,445mAh battery providing up to 75 minutes of 4K/60 video shooting. A notable advantage is the compatibility with older batteries, ensuring that users upgrading from previous versions can still use their existing batteries, enhancing the overall value and convenience.

Potential Downsides
Despite its innovative design and features, the Insta360 One RS faces a few challenges. Users might find the camera slow, especially with noticeable delays between shots as it processes and saves files. The lack of 4K slow-motion and 4K at 120fps options may disappoint those seeking high frame rate shooting. Lastly, some may find the footage less polished compared to other high-end action cameras, indicating a trade-off between versatility and the ultimate video quality smoothness.

Insta360 One RS

Best for Multiple Lens

✓ 4K Boost Lens
✓ 1.5-inch screen
✓ FlowState stabilization
✓ HDR imaging and 6K ultra-widescreen

Buy on Amazon

#5 Best for Affordability: Akaso Brave 7 LE

Akaso Brave 7 LE

Price & Design
At just $110, the Akaso Brave 7 LE is an affordable contender in the action camera space. It boasts a dual-screen setup, allowing users to effortlessly switch between the front and rear displays, enhancing its appeal for self-shooters and vloggers. The camera sports a clean, large circular lens design and is surprisingly lightweight at 75g. While the rear screen offers touchscreen functionality for intuitive control, physical buttons ensure settings can be adjusted even in more rugged conditions. Its waterproof case allows for adventures down to 40 meters underwater, and even without the case, the camera holds an IPX7 water resistance rating. The package is comprehensive, including the camera, the waterproof housing, a variety of mounts, two batteries, a charging cable, lens cleaners, and a wrist strap, making it a well-equipped kit straight out of the box.

Features & Performance
The Akaso Brave 7 LE shines in well-lit environments, capturing crisp video footage, particularly in its highest 4K setting. The camera offers four zoom levels to adapt to different scenes, along with versatile shooting modes like time-lapse, slow motion, and burst photos. Connectivity features such as micro-HDMI allow for easy playback on larger screens, and the built-in 6-axis image stabilization helps keep footage smooth, though it's software-based rather than optical. The camera's built-in microphone captures clear sound, bolstered by a wind-reduction feature, and users can remotely control recording via the wrist strap or companion app.

Akaso Brave 7 LE

Image & Video
Quality With support for 4K at 50Mbps, the Akaso Brave 7 LE delivers quality footage across nine manual resolution combinations, from 720p at 240fps to 4K at 30fps. Photo quality is impressive, offering 20Mp resolution images characterized by bright colors, good contrast, and sharp detail, along with options for lower-resolution captures. Despite the competitive offerings, it's worth noting the 4K quality might not match the crispness found in higher-end rivals, and the camera struggles with capturing clear images in low-light conditions.

Battery Life
The inclusion of two 1,350mAh rechargeable and removable batteries in the Akaso Brave 7 LE's package ensures ample shooting time. Charging via MicroUSB, a 30-minute charge replenishes roughly 20% of the battery, requiring about 2.5 hours for a full charge. This setup allows for extended use, especially beneficial for adventurers and travelers.

Potential Downsides
Despite its robust feature set, the Akaso Brave 7 LE falls short in low-light performance, where details become lost, and images appear poorly contrasted and blurred. The 4K video quality, while decent, doesn’t quite stand up to the clarity offered by more premium models. Users have also reported sensitivity issues with the microphones, a somewhat sluggish app performance, and a cumbersome app pairing process, which could detract from the overall user experience.

Akaso Brave 7 LE

Best for Affordability

✓ At relatively low-price points
✓ IPX7 water resistance
✓ Crisp 4K video
✓ Bright 20Mp resolution images

Buy on Amazon

Other Offers You Can Get

Insta360 X3

1. Suitable for those seeking advanced features: Insta360 X3 

Priced at $450, the Insta360 X3 introduces a blend of elegance and technology in a compact form, measuring 114 x 46 x 33.1mm and weighing 180g. Its 1/2-inch 48MP sensor, coupled with a 2.4-inch touchscreen display, pushes the boundaries of 360-degree video capture to 5.7K resolution at varying frame rates, and shines in diverse shooting modes including 4K at 60 fps. High-quality stills and HDR video recording are within reach, thanks to its robust sensor. An 81-minute battery life from an 1800mAh battery underscores its improved endurance over its predecessor, the Insta360 One RS. However, users might find the slow start-up time, occasional freezing, and the lack of a viewfinder for framing shots as potential drawbacks in an otherwise stellar performance.

GoPro Hero11 Black 

2. Suitable for new athletes and backpackers: GoPro Hero11 Black 

The GoPro Hero 11 Black, with a $400 price tag, packs high performance in a compact and sleek design, featuring dimensions of 71.8 x 50.8 x 33.6mm and a weight of 154g. This model steps up its game with a 1/1.9-inch CMOS sensor enabling 5.3K video at 60 fps, and even higher frame rates at lower resolutions, supported by 10-bit HDR video recording and the innovative HyperSmooth 4.0 stabilization. The Hero 11 Black is adept at capturing 27MP photos and provides a variety of shooting modes for creative flexibility. Despite its prowess, the 1,720mAh Enduro battery caps out at 61 minutes of usage, and users may encounter overheating issues and reduced battery life at high-performance settings, making it a powerful yet slightly constrained tool for adventurers.

Olympus Tough TG-6

3. Suitable for rugged actions: Olympus Tough TG-6

The GoPro Hero 11 Black, with a $400 price tag, packs high performance in a compact and sleek design, featuring dimensions of 71.8 x 50.8 x 33.6mm and a weight of 154g. This model steps up its game with a 1/1.9-inch CMOS sensor enabling 5.3K video at 60 fps, and even higher frame rates at lower resolutions, supported by 10-bit HDR video recording and the innovative HyperSmooth 4.0 stabilization. The Hero 11 Black is adept at capturing 27MP photos and provides a variety of shooting modes for creative flexibility. Despite its prowess, the 1,720mAh Enduro battery caps out at 61 minutes of usage, and users may encounter overheating issues and reduced battery life at high-performance settings, making it a powerful yet slightly constrained tool for adventurers.

Insta360 X3

Suitable for those seeking advanced features

✓ 5.7K 360-degree video
✓ Easy mounting
✓ Hands-free operation
✓ HyperSmooth 4.0 stabilization

Buy on Amazon

GoPro Hero 11 Black

Suitable for new athletes and backpackers

✓ 5.3K video recording
✓ 27MP photos
✓ 1,720mAh Enduro battery
✓ HyperSmooth 4.0 stabilization

Buy on Amazon

Olympus Tough TG-6

Suitable for rugged actions

✓ 3-inch LCD screen
✓ 1/2.3-inch 12MP sensor
✓ 4K30 fps video
✓ 1/2000-sec shutter speeds

Buy on Amazon

Compare Actions Cameras

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the best action camera for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences. If you're an avid adventurer who needs a camera that can withstand extreme conditions, the GoPro HERO9 Black or DJI Osmo Action may be the right choice for you. For those on a budget who still want great video quality and features like image stabilization and slow-motion recording capabilities, the Akaso Brave 7 LE is an excellent option.

Whatever your choice may be, investing in a quality action camera is worth it if you want to capture your experiences and memories in stunning detail.

If you like to read more on Action Cameras, check out our other relevant guides here:

GoPro Hero11 Black vs GoPro Hero11 Black Mini

GoPro Hero11 Black vs GoPro Hero10 Black

GoPro Hero11 Black vs Insta360 X3

Insta360 X3 vs Insta360 ONE X2

Insta360 X3 vs Insta360 ONE RS