Best Action Cameras for Ease Of Use (2024)

Featuring a 1.3-inch sensor, which is almost a 1-inch sensor, this is a big sensor for an action camera. Hopefully, it makes a difference in low light, as bigger sensors tend to do.

You have something called Pure Video. I don't even know how that feature is going to operate, but it seems to have some sort of HDR effect.

With 4K 120 slow-motion, you've also got Flow State stabilization and free frame video.

The stabilization is quite different. There is a huge emphasis for Insta 360 on the low light performance.

It is waterproof up to 33 feet and features magnetic mounting systems.

Here is our magnetic mount, but you can also see that it has some physical clips as well.

The 1650 mAh battery is easily removable and replaceable; however, you'll be able to charge it inside the housing.

The door houses your Type-C connector as well as your micro SD card slot.

The Insta360 Go 3S can record videos in 4K, instead of 2.7K.

The video quality has been greatly improved with a higher bitrate.

4K with a higher bitrate makes a big difference in terms of video quality.

The camera has a small sensor, so I was not expecting too much in low light conditions.

The camera is now waterproof down to 10 meters.

The action pod is not waterproof and has only an IPX4 rating.

The back of the Go 3S is magnetic, allowing for versatile mounting.

The battery life of the Insta360 Go 3S is shorter than that of the Go 3.

I was able to achieve 38 minutes using the maximum settings.

When combined with the action pod, I was able to get 137 minutes.

The connection range between these two devices is not large; it should be around 5 meters.

The Go 3S now supports Apple Find My.

You can either transfer it wirelessly via the Insta360 app or plug in a USB-C cable.

The YI 4K Plus can shoot full 4K video at 60 frames per second.

The video remains really stable while panning or tilting the camera, and even while you're walking.

You can't fault YI here for not having incredible low-light performance.

60fps video is quite shaky. While it's possible to get usable shots, I would not use them in my videos.

The YI 4K Plus is compact, lightweight, well-made, and packs a ton of technology into such a small body.

It comes with a waterproof case right in the box.

Battery life is slightly lower than that of the other 24k, but users can still enjoy up to 71 minutes of near 4k 60p capture.

I could get about one and a half hours of continuous use from this camera while shooting mostly in 4K at 60 or 30 fps modes.

It's a USB Type-C plug, which means faster transfer speeds when you're retrieving your files from it.

The YI app works the same with both cameras. It's a great way to pull content right off your YI if you want to post it on social media while you're on the go.

The DJI Action 4 has a large 1/1.3-inch sensor, and the video quality on these two devices is excellent.

Another nice feature that was added via a firmware update after the launch of the Action 4 is the ability to capture in 10-bit color without having to be in D-Log.

With the DJ Action 4, they increased the capability for filming in low-light scenarios.

They are both waterproof and functional down to 18 meters.

The action does come with this protective case that lets you do the same, and it's going to provide some protection to your device at the same time.

The quick charging capability, which can charge it up to 80% in 18 minutes, is a great feature.

The action 4 overheated after 80 minutes, with only 5% left on the battery.

We can now connect a microphone directly to the Osmo Action 4 via Bluetooth.

Traditional finger mounts allow you to use it with any other type of GoPro mount.

The Hero 10's image quality is a noticeable leap ahead of the Hero 9 across the board.

4K can now be shot at a generous 4 times slow motion, or 120 frames per second if you prefer, and 2.7K goes all the way up to 240 frames per second for an eight times speed reduction.

The Hero 10 finally brings solid slow-motion to ultra-high definition.

The only visible difference is the color of the branding and the new number on the side, and this is a good thing as it means all of the accessories for the Hero 9 will be compatible with the 10.

During my testing, the battery life definitely took a hit while recording at any of the higher frame rates.

The Hero 9, with the same battery, lasted about another half an hour with the same settings.

Wi-Fi uploads are noticeably faster, which is great if you already use the GoPro subscription service.

There's now, drumroll please, the ability to plug your GoPro in and transfer videos directly from it, as it has removable storage.

The Insta360 Go 3 can record videos at up to 2.7K resolution.

The freeform video feature allows for easy reformatting of footage into horizontal or vertical formats.

The freeframe mode does not support 2.7K resolution, offering a maximum of 1440p at 24 or 50 frames per second.

There is noticeable screen lag when using the standard video mode with stabilization on.

The camera itself is waterproof, allowing for underwater use when it is taken out of the action pod.

The action pod is not waterproof and requires a separate waterproof dive case for underwater use.

The camera can record for about 45 minutes on its own and for almost 3 hours when combined with the action pod.

The charging time is relatively quick, taking 35 minutes for the camera and 65 minutes for the action pod.

The camera can be used as a webcam, providing a wide-angle, high-quality video feed.

The connection range between the camera and the action pod is up to 9 meters.

The connection between the camera and the action pod is not very consistent beyond 5 meters.

The image quality from this camera is incredible.

The low-light capabilities of this Osmo Pocket 3 are impressive.

Digital zoom is here, but I did not use it at all because I don't think it looks good.

It is relatively compact and lightweight.

I wouldn't trust this in any type of inclement weather.

The battery life of this camera is perfectly acceptable.

It won't last for a full day.

The integration there is very compelling to me.

The only thing I wish DJI had is a cloud storage solution like the one GoPro offers.

The Max's 360° video is stabilized using software.

It has more microphone controls, and it even boasts GoPro's most stable video feature, called Max HyperSmooth.

The image on the screen, however, will stay level with the horizon no matter which way you turn the camera.

Skin tones are true to life, and it is not afraid to overexpose the highlights.

The Max is waterproof up to a depth of 16 feet.

It has some screws at the bottom, so if you do manage to break it—though I say it's pretty darn hard to do—it's a metal mount with metal base plates.

However, I wouldn't take it snorkeling or diving.

GoPro claims that it is really difficult to stitch underwater footage.

Max uses the same GoPro app as the heroes.

Now supports live streaming. In the past, the fusion did not support live streaming of a single lens.

Next on the list is GPS connectivity.