5 Best Action Cameras Built to Withstand Even the Wildest Adventures

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

When you're enjoying the thrill of an adrenaline-rush adventure, you need a camera that can keep up with you, and action cameras are designed to do just that.

They shoot photos and videos in almost any environment, from snowy mountaintops to rough rocky terrain, and even underwater. Thanks to their rugged build, they’re difficult to break — and since they have image stabilization on board, you won’t be left with shaky, unusable footage, either.

The Best Action Cameras of 2023

Even if you’re not a cliff jumper or extreme athlete, action cameras capture life’s precious moments from family vacations and hikes to beach trips without the risk of breaking thanks to their rugged builds. Whether you’re buying one for yourself to take on your next ski trip or for the adrenaline junkie in your life, action cameras record vibrant video, are compact and easy to travel with, have plenty of mounts, deliver long-lasting battery life, and have software experiences that are intuitive and easy to use. That way you can spend less time transferring and editing footage and more time planning your next adventure.

What to Consider

Screens

If you’re shopping for someone who flies solo, make sure the action camera has a front-facing screen so they can shoot selfies and frame their solo shots easily that way they’re centered and in frame. Pay attention to whether or not the action camera is equipped with a touchscreen or relies on a remote control for adjusting settings. If you plan to edit and share video on the fly, we recommend opting for something that has a large main screen as well.

Mounts and Accessories

Chances are you or your giftee will use the action camera for a variety of activities, so prior to making a purchase, ensure that the camera is compatible with a wide range of mounts and accessories to maximize its versatility. This will allow for more creative angles and perspectives when capturing footage.

Image Quality

We strongly encourage you to shop for a camera that has electronic image stabilization on board which is vital for capturing smooth footage, particularly during high-action activities such as mountain biking. This feature reduces unwanted camera movement and vibration so your shots won't appear shaky.

Pay attention to the camera’s resolution and frame rate as well, as these are important factors in achieving high-quality footage. Some options record 30 fps in 5K quality. Lower-priced models record at 60 fps in Full HD quality. We recommend opting for something that records footage in 4K quality at up to 30 frames per second. If you want to record slow motion, consider something that records at 120 or even 240 frames per second.

We’ve separated the best action cameras from the rest — ranging from affordable options that won’t break the bank, to waterproof cameras that are perfect for underwater still photography, to everything in between.

Be sure to also check out our reviews of waterproof cameras, which are better suited for still photography, along with our reviews of 360-degree cameras and wearable cameras. Lastly, every action camera on this guide will require a microSD card to store content, so make sure you budget for one.

Best Overall

GoPro's range-topping HERO11 Black is the best action camera worth your attention today. It has a sleek, yet rugged design, an intuitive touchscreen interface, a convenient front-facing full-color display, and most importantly, it delivers fantastic video and photo quality. It comes with the best selection of mounts and accessories in the industry and is waterproof up to 33 feet.

When it comes to action cameras, the HERO11 Black is truly second to none. The device features an improved 1/1.9-inch 27.6MP sensor (its predecessor had a 23MP one) which lets it record 5.3K video (5,312 by 4,648 pixels) at 30 fps when the majority of other action cams record with a 4K resolution of 3,840 by 2,160 pixels.

This higher resolution makes for more detailed and vibrant shots and will give you extra wiggle room for cropping and better framing your footage during the editing process. It also makes it a lot easier to grab still images from video. And since the camera has a larger image sensor on board, you can capture scenes vertically, which comes in handy for TikTokers.

The camera has industry-leading, gimbal-like digital image stabilization tech on board. It enables the HERO11 Black to capture incredible content that's in a league of its own in terms of smoothness.

The still-photography capabilities of the device include the ability to capture bursts of 60 shots. Advanced photographers will appreciate the option to save images in RAW format for in-depth desktop editing. As for filmmakers, they’ll love the new HyperView mode, which records in an impressive 16:9 frame (the widest field of view ever found in a GoPro camera).

Other highlights of the camera include the ability to control it with voice commands, built-in GPS, and a user-replaceable battery. Due to the large battery, the GoPro is a tad heavier than other action cameras, which is about the only fault the camera has. But it’s worth the additional heft. The camera delivers about 40% longer recording times in moderate temperatures compared to competing cameras.

Runner-Up

If the GoPro HERO11 Black is too far out of your budget, we recommend opting for its predecessor, the HERO10 Black. Its image and video quality, stabilization, and overall design are quite similar. What differs is the sensor size. The HERO 10 is equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor, compared to the HERO 11’s 1/1.9-inch sensor which allows users to shoot in 8:7 aspect ratio (in addition to the 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios that HERO 10 is capable of.)

This one captures 23MP still images that are plenty detailed with a well-balanced dynamic range. It shoots cool slow-motion videos, time-lapses, and has convenient voice controls for times when you can’t use its touchscreen. Speaking of screens, this one still is equipped with a screen on its front, which comes in handy for selfies and framing shots.

There’s still plenty to love about the GoPro HERO10 Black, its footage is crisp and smooth, it’s plenty durable and waterproof, and the software experience is a breeze to use. We’re also fans of the even cheaper HERO9 Black, which still has some remaining stock left at the time of publishing. The HERO9 has shorter battery life, not as visually stable recordings, and lesser video quality. We say you should spring for whatever GoPro action camera best aligns with your budget.

Best 360 Camera

The Insta360 ONE RS is one of the most versatile action cameras money can buy. What sets it apart from the GoPro is its modular design, which allows users to swap out various lenses and sensors for different features and shooting options. With the Insta360 ONE RS’ interchangeable lenses, it’s truly like two cameras in one, since you can also use it as a standard action cam or a 360-degree camera, depending on which bundle you choose.

The Twin Edition, our recommended bundle, includes the 4K Boost Lens, which is the standard 4K action camera lens with an improved 1/2-inch 48MP image sensor for more detailed 4K 60fps videos and 48MP photos. It also comes with 5.7K 360 Lens which uses two fisheye lenses for capturing 360-degree video. The camera is water-resistant up to 16 feet, and although the GoPro HERO11 Black has a slight edge in video quality, battery life, and overall software experience, it doesn’t offer users the ability to record 360-degree video without the purchase of an entirely separate $300-plus camera.

The more expensive Core bundle comes with the dual-lens 360 camera and a wide-angle lens with a 1-inch sensor. The improved sensor allows users to shoot 5.3K video at 30 fps, 4K video at 60 fps, and 1080p video at 120 fps.

Overall, the Insta360’s One RS is an impressive futureproof camera with unique modular parts that gives you the best of both worlds for recording in ultra high resolution and a 360-degree format.

Best Waterproof Camera

The Olympus Tough TG-6 is geared more toward taking photos rather than recording videos, but it exceeds at doing both with excellent quality. The camera has a rich set of features designed for making the most of your adventures and features an ultra-tough build.

The TG-6 can capture detailed 12MP stills in up to a whopping 20 frames per second, as well as ultra-crisp 4K video through its 4-times magnification optical zoom lens with f/2.0 aperture. Microscope mode for ultra-close-up shooting is also among the camera's features, as is the ability to capture panoramas and time-lapses. Advanced photographers have the option to save their images in RAW file format for more extensive edits.

Of course, there's also the option to take underwater photos via four dedicated modes. The camera is waterproof up to 50 feet, so you can even take it snorkeling with you.

The rest of the camera’s highlights include Wi-Fi for smartphone connectivity, GPS, a built-in eCompass, and a temperature sensor. And the 3-inch LCD display makes navigating through all the camera’s features easy, although we do wish it were a touchscreen.

Best Budget Action Camera

Priced below $150 with an included waterproof housing, the AKASO Brave 7 LE is a great starter action camera for buyers on a tight budget. It has a sleek design with dual-color displays on each side, intuitive touchscreen controls, and good-enough image stabilization on board.

The Brave 7 LE is equipped with a high-quality Sony image sensor, which allows it to capture 4K video at 30 fps, or 1080p footage at up to a rather brisk 120 fps, as well as nice-looking 20MP still images. The camera's electronic image stabilization won’t compete with the likes of GoPro and Insta360, but it will suffice for most amateur videographers.

We like the action camera for its tough design, its front-facing selfie screen, and its easily adjustable settings. We also were happy to see that it comes with two batteries and a handful of mounts, but wish it used the newer USB-C port for recharging.

There's a plethora of shooting modes to choose from. They include time-lapse, slow-motion, and burst image capture, among others. The gadget has Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can connect it to your smartphone.

For those in search of something priced closer to $100, consider the even cheaper AKASO V50X action camera, instead. The biggest difference between the two is that Brave 7 LE is equipped with a useful front-facing screen that’ll come in handy for framing shots, but you can expect similar video quality between the two. Both are impressive action cameras for an affordable price point.

You Might Also Like

• The Paris Hilton Housewares Collection Brings ‘That’s Hot’ Energy to Your Kitchen

• 16 Best Noise-Canceling Headphones Perfect for Rocking Out in Quiet Bliss

• Beyoncé Uses This $26 Amazon Product for Her Glossy Blonde Hair