Choosing a good action camera is not as easy as it seems at first glance. When buying, you need to consider many important parameters, such as viewing angle, recording quality, water protection, etc. It is also very important not to overpay for the brand, because expensive does not always mean quality. In today's article, we have prepared a small rating of action cameras for all occasions and, most importantly, in different price segments, from budget to expensive. It will be interesting!
1. Xiaomi Yi Action
First on the list is the Xiaomi Yi Action budget action camera. Xiaomi company is better known to the world for its smartphones, however, nothing prevented them from releasing an inexpensive action camera, which immediately took first place in its price segment. Perhaps this was due to the fact that Xiaomi supplied their camera with quite a good filling and did not begin to bully the price tag too much.
Options and specifications
The camera comes in a small cardboard box, which is not particularly remarkable. Of the interesting equipment, the presence of a telescopic monopod, on which you can install the camera, can be noted.
Now for the characteristics of an action camera. Yi Action is small in size and can easily be confused with some kind of children's toy. The length of the camera is slightly more than 6 cm, the height is 4 cm, and the thickness is 2.2 cm. The camera has good optics, the matrix size is 16 megapixels. The sensor manufacturer is Sony. The Ambarella A7LS processor is responsible for the work, which allows Yi to record video in Full HD quality and with a frame rate of 60 fps.
The action camera has a viewing angle of 155 °, which is also not bad. Sound is recorded from two speakers with a frequency of 96 kHz. Another interesting thing is the presence of a three-axis sensor, a 1100 mAh battery, support for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Reviews and price
As for user reviews, there are a lot of them. The main complaints are the lack of a display and shooting settings only using a third-party application on a smartphone, which is not very convenient. If we talk about the price, then at the moment the camera can be bought for 4500-5000 rubles.
2. Action Camera SJCAM SJ4000
The next model in the ranking of low-cost action cameras is the SJ4000 from the Chinese manufacturer SJCAM. This brand is often called the Chinese version of GoPro for good quality shooting, but models from the Middle Kingdom are much cheaper.
Scope of delivery and camera specifications
Out of the box, the user is immediately given a waterproof box for the camera, a mount for a bicycle, tripod and helmet, special clips for attaching the camera to a belt, a set of Velcro and cable ties, additional adapters, a cord, a cloth for wiping and small things like a charger and a set of instructions.
The SJ4000 has a 12 megapixel sensor, which has support for 4x zoom. The video camera writes in two modes - HD and Full HD. The frame rate is as follows: 60 fps and 30 fps, respectively. In addition to video, the SJ4000 can take photos in 2048x1536 resolution. The camera viewing angle is 170 °.
Unlike the previous camera, it has its own display, the resolution of which is 960x240 pixels. A 900 mAh battery is installed as a battery, which, according to the manufacturer, provides up to 80 minutes of operation. Unfortunately, there is no Bluetooth module here, but Wi-Fi, USB and HDMI are present.
Price and user reviews
As for user reviews about this model, the main drawbacks are the quality of sound recording from the microphone and a little flimsy mounts. Otherwise, no one has any complaints. If we talk about the price, at the moment you can buy a budget action camera SJ4000 for 2700-4300 rubles, which, in general, is not so expensive.
3. Polaroid Cube
Completes the ranking of low - cost action cameras Polaroid Cube. I want to say right away that it is the most expensive budget one in terms of cost, but the model fully justifies this money. Well, let's take a closer look at it.
Options and specifications
The camera comes in a small plastic blister. Inside, except for the "cube", the USB cable and the instructions, there is nothing more, and, in fact, the camera does not really need it.
In terms of size, the Cube is the smallest of the presented - 38 mm, and its weight is a funny 45 grams. Nevertheless, inside this "cube" is a pretty good "filling", which allows you to record high-quality videos in 1280x720 and 1920x1080. The matrix has a resolution of 5 megapixels, and the viewing angle is 124 °. In addition to video, the camera also takes photos.
Cube does not need additional accessories. The camera body is sealed and has protection against dust and water. The maximum immersion depth is 1.5 m. In addition, a magnet is built into the casing, due to which the camera can be hooked, for example, to the handlebars of a bicycle.
Price and user opinions
As reviews on the Cube show, the camera shoots pretty well in bright sunny weather and in good light, but on a cloudy day or twilight, you can never get it. In addition, users note a too high price for additional mounts and accessories. If we talk about the price, at the moment you can buy Polaroid Cube for 6-9.5 thousand rubles, which is not so little.
Mid-Range Cameras
It's time to move on to the second part of the rating - action cameras in the middle price range. The main differences between medium and budget models are support for 4K video recording, more advanced optics, increased battery life, more powerful “stuffing”, etc.
4. Yi 4K Action
Opens the ranking of medium-sized action cameras improved version of Xiaomi Yi Action with the prefix 4K. The first thing to say right away: Yi 4K is a completely independent product released by Yi, and it has nothing to do with Xiaomi. In fact, the Yi management decided to take advantage of the camera success from Xiaomi and released their own product, which instantly gained popularity. Let’s see what’s new.
Options and specifications
The delivery package for the new camera is not very impressive: a USB-microUSB cable, booklets with instructions and the action camera itself. There are no monopods or additional accessories here. We proceed to consider the characteristics.
At Yi, the new camera was positioned as a direct competitor to the GoPro Hero 4 Black. Here, the latest (at the time of release) Ambarella A9SE processor, the 12MP sensor from Sony - IMX377, two microphones for recording stereo sound are installed. In addition, Action 4K has a built-in display, which greatly simplifies shooting settings, a larger battery and a more powerful Wi-Fi module. Otherwise, Action 4K is almost similar to its competitor Hero 4 Black.
Now for the shooting options. The camera is capable of recording video in 4K resolution, Full HD and HD. The frame rate in this case is 30 fps (4K), 30-120 fps (1080p) and 30-240 fps (720p). The maximum recording time in 4K mode is 120 minutes, which is generally impressive. In addition to video, the camera also knows how to take photos. Viewing angle - 170 °, battery life - 2.5 hours.
Reviews and price
4K-action camera from Yi is currently sold at a price of 12 to 25 thousand rubles, which makes it a very good purchase. As user reviews show, this model is practically devoid of flaws, with the exception of the accessories that are missing in the kit and the protective cap for the lens.
5. SJCAM SJ6 Legend
In the middle price segment, there is also a model from SJCAM - the SJ6 Legend action camera. At its cost, it could be written down to budget models with a stretch, but the functionality is too cool, and the camera itself is positioned as semi-professional.
Characteristics and equipment
SJ6 comes in small plastic packaging. The delivery set is standard, and there is nothing special to tell about it. In fact, it differs from the budget model only in that there are no some mounts, but otherwise everything is exactly the same.
But the characteristics of the camera definitely got better. The first thing worth noting is the ability to record video in 4K mode. The frame rate is not too high - only 24 fps. In Full HD mode, the camera writes video at a frequency of 60 fps, and when switching to HD, it does 120 fps. The ability to take photos remained, for which the developers can say "thank you."
The matrix in SJ6 is installed from Panasonic and has a resolution of 16 megapixels. The action camera has a viewing angle of 166 °. A chip from Novatek - NT96660 is installed as a processor. There are 2 displays at once - the main one is touch and small on the front. The first is used to configure camera settings, and the second displays various information, such as the current video recording time. As for battery life, from a full charge, the SJ6 is able to work for about two hours, which is already good.
Reviews and cost
As user reviews show, the camera turned out to be successful, but not without flaws. So, it is worth noting the poor recording quality in 4K (it is better to use Full HD), not a very wide dynamic range, as a result of which the videos turn out to be slightly gray, poor sound recording quality and small “glitches” in the interface, which disappear when flashing. The price of the SJ6 Legend currently ranges from 7500 to 10 500 rubles, which is quite acceptable, and for such a price you can close your eyes for some minuses.
6. GoPro Hero 5 Session
Completes the ranking of the best action cameras in the middle segment of the GoPro Hero 5 Session. This camera in its appearance is somewhat reminiscent of the Polaroid Cube, but the similarities end there. This model significantly exceeds the budget “cube” in technical parameters, but it also costs more, respectively.
Characteristics and equipment
Session packaging is a classic box that ships all GoPro Hero cameras. In addition to the camera itself, the user will find a charging cable, a pair of adhesive tape mounts and a mounting frame with a screw. There is no underwater box, monopod or mounting an action camera on the helmet - you will have to buy it separately.
Of the characteristics, it is worth noting video recording in 4K with a frequency of 30 fps, as well as HD from 120 fps and Full HD from 60 fps. The camera’s viewing angle of 120 ° is a bit compared to previous models, but still very good. Session has a matrix resolution of 8 megapixels, however, the camera is capable of taking photos up to 10 megapixels (interpolation is used).
Of the shortcomings, it is worth noting the lack of additional accessories, such as aquabox, as well as the fact that the camera does not have a display and most of the parameters can be configured only through the proprietary application on the phone. Without a smartphone, you can also manage, but it is extremely inconvenient.
Price and user reviews
As user reviews show, Session is a great mid-range camera, but it is not without its drawbacks, which were mentioned above. In addition to this, you can add a drop in shooting quality in the dark and a lack of stabilization when shooting in 4K. As for the price, you can buy this model for 8-11 thousand rubles, which is quite good.
7. Expensive action camera GoPro Hero 5
The last part of the rating of action cameras is expensive models. Here you can find quite a lot of different models from different manufacturers, but if you look at the popular choice, then there will be only one candidate - GoPro Hero 5. We will talk about it.
Scope of delivery and specifications
GoPro Hero 5 rightfully completes today's rating of action cameras, because for its price it offers the buyer a set of everything you need for good and high-quality shooting in any weather conditions and at any time of the day.
It makes no sense to write about packaging, it is the same as that of other Hero models, but the equipment is slightly different. Yes, inside there is still no heap of various accessories such as underwater or shockproof boxing, but there is a helmet mount, which is already good. In any case, the camera perfectly supports third-party accessories, including from previous versions of Hero.
The action camera features are impressive. Several options for recording video from 720p to 2160r (4K resolution). The ability to take pictures in resolutions up to 12 megapixels, and the photo capabilities of the "hero" pulled up. Now the camera is equipped with a separate WDR mode, which allows you to take clear photos at night, as well as the opportunity to shoot in RAW, which is good news.
In addition, Hero 5 is definitely worth praising for its excellent touch screen, which greatly simplified management. However, despite all the pluses, Hero's cons remained the same as those of the previous generation of the model - the lack of optical stabilization and a short battery life. And although many users scold the "hero", this model is the best action camera in the world, and this is a fact. By the way, you can buy GoPro Hero 5 for 18-35 thousand rubles, and the action camera (reviews confirm this) is definitely worth this price.
And that’s all, successful filming!