Finding a budget action camera isn’t difficult; you can find tons of action cameras at a low price. But the goal should be to get the best budget action camera that offers great quality and advanced features without putting a hole in your pocket. Therefore, after thorough market research and meticulous testing, our team of experts has compiled and ranked some of the top action cameras for you that offer great value for a very low price. By the end of this article, we’ll also provide a comprehensive guide and answer some of the common queries that will help you choose the right budget camera for your needs.
Luckily action camera market is more diverse than ever before. Even though GoPro still leads the market, it isn’t the only player in the market anymore. Many new companies are entering the competition like Akaso and Xiaomi which are making excellent action cameras at very reasonable prices and giving the GOPro a run for its money. And despite being available for lower prices, their cameras offer 4K, Internal image stabilization, Waterproofing, good battery life, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity. Now, you can find excellent GoPro substitutes for under 200 $. Not only that, there are cheap models available for under 100 $ that offer features like 4K and touchscreen. Moreover, with the pace at which technology is advancing, it is not surprising that you can now find some excellent older GoPro models at budget prices.
Top 9 Best budget action cameras of 2024
| 1 | Akaso Brave 7 LE – Best action camera for vlogging |
| 2 | Olfi One.Five Black – Best action camera for fishing |
| 3 | GoPro Hero7 White – Best budget GoPro |
| 4 | Sony HDR AS50 – Best action camera for streaming |
| 5 | GoPro Hero3+ Silver Edition – The best cheap GoPro |
| 6 | GoPro Hero5 Black – Best used GoPro under budget |
| 7 | YI 4K Action Camera – Best budget 4K action camera |
| 8 | Remali CapturePro – Best action camera for remote use |
| 9 | Dbpower N5 4K – Best cheap action camera under 100 $ |
Best Budget Action Camera Reviews
1. Akaso Brave 7 LE
- Key Specifications:
- Resolution: 4K at 30fps
- Megapixel: 20MP
- Screen type: 2-inches dual touchscreen
- Image Stabilizer: Yes
- Waterproofing: With cases up to 40 meters
- Battery life: 2 hours
Akaso has its new model Brave 7 SE that won’t count much on your budget as it’s available for under 200 $. It’s one of the best budget action cameras for vlogging since it comes with a front vlogging screen and a back touchscreen. It is useful for vloggers to shoot the video facing the screen adjust it to their requirement and record it likewise.
Akaso Action Camera Brave 7 LE has a plastic and metal body, and it only has a weight of 127 grams, so it is easier to carry in your hand. The buttons on the top operate the shutter and switch the front and back screens.
With its mounting accessories also comes a waterproof case that helps record underwater up to 30 meters depth and makes it soundproof.
The 6-axis image stabilization gets you blurless pictures of steady action shots. Though image stabilization is not as smooth as GoPro’s, this best GoPro alternative still gives you a pretty smooth recording of mountain biking, surfing, and other rough sports.
This best Akaso camera comes with a range of features including time-lapse recording and voice controls. It has the highest resolution of 4K at 30 frames per second, and the results are vibrant and clear. Keeping its price and features in mind, it’s the best budget action camera in the market you should get your hands on.
2. Olfi One.Five Black
- Key Specifications:
- Resolution: 1080p at 60fps, 720 at 120p and 4K at 24fps
- Megapixel: 16 MP
- Screen type: LCD Screen
- Image Stabilizer: Yes
- Waterproofing: With cases up to 30 meters
- Battery life: 1.5 hours
Olfi new model Olfi One.Five Black is the top-of-the-range product that records 1080p at 60 frames per second and 720 at 120p. It captures 4K at 24 frames per second.
Olfi One. Five has an amazing 16 MB Sony Exmor R sensor that gives you high-quality impressive results. With a bunch of shooting modes available like time-lapse, burst shooting, slow-motion, underwater mode, etc. With underwater mode, you can use red filter to correct the color, and remote mode helps you to control it with a remote. It does have HDR and digital stabilization. So, whether you want an action camera for fishing trips or an underwater action, the Olfi One. Five got you covered.
With its range of modes, each mode has its sub-menu where you can set up for the specific shooting style. It is not complicated. It is the best budget action camera that is set up easily to give you a perfect shot at the perfect moment.
Olfi One. Five come with multiple protective cases for underwater use. Its mounting accessories include a double-locked waterproof case and another protective case. It does have a waterproof case that has water protection coverage for audio input.
Keeping customer care a priority, Olfi One.five Black offers a 12-month warranty for accidental damage to this action cam. So, you will get it replaced with a new one. With this and so much more this best budget action camera is available for under 200 $ on Amazon and has amazing features to offer.
3. GoPro Hero7 White
- Specifications:
- Resolution: 4K at 30fps
- Megapixel: 10 MP
- Water Proofing: Yes
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Screen Type: 2-inch tilted touchscreen
- Image Stabilizer: Yes
- Battery Life: 3 hr
GoPro hero7 is a multipurpose action camera and a brilliant choice for users who are looking for a handy sports camera at a reasonable price. For the second running year, GoPro Hero7 White has been awarded the best budget action camera in T3Awards 2020. This GoPro waterproof camera is jerk-resistant and water-resistant up to 10 meters without the protective cover. Its sunlight-friendly touchscreen is incredibly responsive and gives quick access to playback and settings.
It has a non-removable battery that needs a recharge after 2 hours of usage. GoPro Hero7 white has a stunning addition to voice control. Now the recording is as easy as saying ‘start recording’ and then it starts after a beep. With the impressive modes, you will find the difference in shooting. Its low light mode turns on when shooting in darker places like under a tree shade. The performance shows that it is the best low-light action camera. With all these notable features it is a top-ranked action cam. It is the best action camera for motorcycles. Use it for recording your motorbike rides, or car racing, or use it for water sports, it will give you the best results. Now available at a very reasonable price, the GoPro hero7 is your best budget action camera option.
4. Sony HDR AS50
- Key Specifications:
- Resolution: 1080p at 60fps and 720p at 120fps
- Megapixel: 11.9 MP
- Screen type: LCD Screen
- Image Stabilizer: Yes
- Waterproofing: With cases up to 60 meters
- Battery life: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Sony’s action camera has been praised in the action camera market in the last few years. With its incredible product Sony HDR AS50 you can now record your adventures above and below the waterline. It is among 1080p action cameras that can record 1080p60 video in low compression and can capture still images with a resolution of 11.9MP. It also has multiple shooting modes.
Among other GoPro alternatives, this Sony action cam has Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity features that enable you to control and monitor it through an application and even live stream where wi-fi is available through a U-stream application. This makes it an ideal streaming camera.
With a massive Zeiss Tessar lens, you can now record more details and zoom in to emphasize the subject.
Electronic image stabilization EIS has an anti-shake ability that helps capture steady and shake-free images smoothly, causing less blurring, and giving you clearer pictures.
The HDR AS50 comes with an Exmore R image sensor that helps in combating noisy situations by taming the wind interference and gives perfect clear shots even at low lights.
Moreover, Its Bionz X processor gives a horsepower performance and captures full HD 60 footage per second pictures in 50 Mbps. The time-lapse mode takes shots at different intervals with a 4K resolution.
By using the ActionCam App, you can convert these stills into a movie. Shooting at 720p at 120 frames per second can slow it down to create slow-motion effects by using editing software.
Try its burst shooting mode and take high-quality amazing shots up to 8 maximum for capturing your perfect moment of any steady action or an entire action can be recorded through burst shooting mode giving you image composition in a motion form.
You can also combine different movie shots in a split-screen setting, making a split-screen, and with movie rotation, you can rotate it to 90 degrees or flip your videos.
In a loop recording mode, you can now record your shots with a duration of 5, 20, 60, 120 minutes, or unlimited.
Sony HDR AS50’s water protective case helps you record underwater, providing you access to buttons and shielding underwater. This best budget action camera is available for under 300 $ on Amazon right now.
5. GoPro Hero3+ Silver Edition
- Key Specifications:
- Resolution: 1080p at 60fps and 720p at 120fps
- Megapixel: 11 MP
- Screen type: LCD Screen
- Image Stabilizer: Yes
- Waterproofing: With cases up to 131 feet
- Battery life: 3 hours
It might be hard to think of a cheap GoPro camera under 200 $ but the GoPro Hero3+ silver edition is here to make you believe. The Hero3 Plus from GoPro comes with built-in Wi-Fi and is lighter in weight than the Hero2, but it has the same performance specifications as the HD Hero2 action camera. It is one of the best budget action cameras from GoPro. This 1080p action camera also captures 720p at 60 footage per second, and 960p at 48 frames per second giving you professional video recordings.
You can take still images at 11MP resolution with 10 photos in one second. The time-lapse mode continues to capture at intervals of 0.5, 2, 5, 10, 30, and 60 seconds. GoPro Hero3+ silver edition also has a spherical lens with a wide, narrow, and medium range of views to give you more capturing options; however, these options are not available in its white edition. GoPro Hero3+ silver edition has a flat lens waterproof frame that gives you perfect shots above and underwater.
Its audio control system is amazing and completely redesigned. It gives supernatural and subtle sounds in recordings. Its incredible sound system has a vibration-taming feature and reduces wind interference to reduce noise in recordings.
The GoPro Hero 3+ silver edition has built-in Wi-Fi compatible with both camera accessories, i.e. remote and the GoPro application. The remote is waterproof to wear and controls the camera through it up to 60 meters underwater. Through this remote, you can control up to 50 GoPro Wi-Fi action cameras at a time within 600 feet of range.
With its Wi-Fi, you can control it through iOS and Android smartphones or tablets with the GoPro application. This GoPro application will give you full control over your camera, and you can have the live scene on your smartphone screen.
6. GoPro Hero5 Black
- Key Specifications:
- Resolution: 4K at 30fps, 2.7K at 60fps, 1080p at 120fps
- Megapixel: 12 MP
- Screen type: 2-inches LCD Screen
- Image Stabilizer: Yes
- Waterproofing: With Cases up to 60 meters
- Battery life: 2 hours
Hero5 is the flagship camera of the GoPro Hero series. However, it is available on Amazon in refurbished condition, which is a great opportunity for budget seekers.
The action camera is equipped with all the shooting features from its wide range of photo capture to linear view video. It comes with a touchscreen, a GPS feature to keep track, powerful stereo audio, a voice control system to control the camera with your voice command, and electronic image stabilization EIS technology to take clear shots of steady actions.
GoPro Hero5 has a waterproof body, so you don’t need a case. You can record underwater up to 10 meters in depth.
Hero5 has the best quality in GoPro. This best budget action camera is also dustproof, which means you don’t have to worry about shooting in a snowy or muddy place, in rain and sand.
The lens cover is easily replaceable, and its audio doesn’t muffle up. When you need more protection, it comes with a case that is 60 meters waterproof. GoPro Hero5 has a voice command control system so you can control it with your voice.
Its video resolution is 4K at 30 frames per second and 1080p at 120 frames per second. Its stills are captured at a resolution of 12 MP and editing can be done with its dynamic range of modes. With its linear view setting, you can correct the angle of images and videos.
Hero5 records the best stereo audio with its three mics, and it also reduces wind interferences giving you perfect audio results. All these amazing features come at a budget price so it’s a highly recommended action camera for motorcycle riders and waves surfers alike.
7. YI 4K Action Camera
- Specifications:
- Megapixel: 12MP
- Resolution: 4K at 30fps
- Water Proofing: Yes
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Blue-tooth
- Screen Type: 2.19-inch touchscreen
- Image Stabilizer: Yes Battery Life: 2 hr
Are you looking for a 4K helmet camera? We recommend to you is YI 4K action camera. The action camera 4k gives you smooth, high-resolution videos within 200$ dollar budget. It captures 4K at 30fps and has a gyroscope and Extreme Image stabilization EIS that makes it shock-resistant when it’s moving fast. In addition to that, it is the best budget action camera for slow-mo videos as it can shoot slow-motion videos at 240fps at 720p, which is 4 times the GoPro slow-motion specification.
This best budget 4k camera has an impressive design that is manageable, and a 2.19-inch LCD touchscreen helps you control it easily. It also has a voice command feature. The LCD screen is protected with gorilla glass protection that protects the screen from scratches. It has a highly rechargeable thin lithium-ion battery that gives long battery life. With its Sony IMX377 sensor and Ambarella A12s, you will get more clear and more detailed recordings. It has Wi-Fi and a BlueTooth feature that helps in editing and sharing your pictures and videos.
8. Remali CapturePro
- Key Specifications:
- Resolution: 4K at 60fps
- Megapixel: 20 MP
- Screen type: 2-inches touchscreen
- Image Stabilizer: Yes
- Waterproofing: With cases up to 131 feet
- Battery life: 2 hours
Another GoPro alternative is Remali CapturePro.It is the best action camera for beginners for beginners, whether casual shooters or content creators. It is lightweight, but its rugged casing protects it when it is mounted on anything to record your adventures.
This best budget action camera gives you high-quality videos at a resolution of 4K at 60 frames per second and captures your stills at 20MP. And guess what, you get this action camera for under 200 US dollars.
With its Electronic Image Stabilization EIS, you can have super smooth recordings with its 2-inch touchscreen. Its distortion calibration enables you to take photos and videos without distortion and the fisheye effect.
Remali CapturePro view angle ranges from narrow, medium to ultra-wide so you can choose any view angle for taking amazing shots.
Remali CapturePro has an impressive zooming feature of 8 times zoom into the subject. With its blue-tooth connectivity, you can take your selfies or capture any best moment sitting even 30 feet away from your camera by using the blue-tooth remote control.
The voice control setup lets you take photos and videos with your voice command.
You can control and connect Remali CapturePro with your smartphones by connecting it with The Remali DV App using Wi-Fi.
Remali CapturePro comes with mounting accessories of the shockproof case, three batteries with a dual dock charger, and a wall charger. Remali CapturePro has a great feature to offer within your budget.
9. Dbpower N5 4K
- Key Specifications:
- Resolution: 4K at 24fps
- Megapixel: 20 MP
- Screen type: Dual screen
- Image Stabilizer: Yes
- Waterproofing: Without a case up to 30 meters
- Battery life: 1 hour 20 minutes
DB Power N5 isn’t your casual cheap action camera, it’s a 2-inch 20-megapixel action camera. Available for under 100 $ only, this action camera has a lot to offer. It helps you record underwater as it is waterproof up to 30 meters in depth. For swimming, diving, and surfing you can have a great deal with DB Power N5. For outdoor sports and adventures, you can enjoy perfect shots with DBPOWER N5.
With this best budget action camera, you can take incredibly good photos and videos or catch all the beautiful scenery. Its 170-degree ultra-wide-angle lens gives you great recordings with great quality.
DBPOWER N5 has an incredible zooming option giving you wider pictures with real and natural effects.
For image editing, you can use Camking Application that lets you edit images. The built-in Wi-Fi feature allows you to share your pictures on your smartphone and edit them as you want. Install the Camking Application to your smartphones and share the pictures and videos through Wi-Fi, so that you can edit your images and recordings as per your choice on your smartphones and tablets with greater ease and share them with people on social sites.
DB Power N5 has a variety of functions that you can use in many settings. The range of shooting modes includes time-lapse mode, bow photographs, motion detection shooting mode, multiple shooting modes, and focus on the cover shooting mode.
DB Power N5 supports a class 10 microSD memory card which has a space of 64GB. It wouldn’t be wrong to say the DB Power N5 action camera is the best budget action camera that comes with amazing features at a great price.
Buyers Guide: Things to look for when buying the best budget action camera
When looking for the best budget action camera, there are a few key features to consider:
Video quality
Look for cameras that can shoot at least 1080p video at 30 frames per second (fps). Some cameras may also offer 4K or 60fps video, but these can be more expensive.
Image stabilization
This feature helps to smooth out shaky footage and is important for action cameras that will be used during activities like skiing, biking, or surfing.
Durability
Action cameras should be able to withstand a fair amount of wear and tear, as well as water and dust. Look for cameras that are waterproof and shockproof, and have a sturdy build.
Battery life
A good action camera should have a long battery life, as well as the ability to swap out batteries if needed.
Field of view
Action cameras typically have a wide-angle lens to capture more of the scene. Look for cameras with a wide field of view if you want to capture more of the action.
Mounting options
Consider the type of mounts that are available for the camera, as this will impact where and how you can use it. Some cameras come with multiple mounting options, while others may require you to purchase them separately.
User interface
Look for cameras that have an easy-to-use interface and intuitive controls, as this will make it easier to operate the camera and adjust settings on the fly.
By considering these factors, you can find a budget action camera that offers the features you need to capture high-quality footage without breaking the bank.
FAQs about the best budget action cameras
What are the benefits of buying the best budget action camera?
The best budget action cameras have many benefits. First of all, they are an easy way to start your professional videography. And despite their lower price, these cameras are waterproof and shockproof and come with advanced features like HDR resolution, image stabilization, touch screen, and much more, which makes them great for capturing adventure. Secondly, since you haven’t spent too much on them, you are not at risk of a heart attack from losing them during your adventures like sky diving or deep water diving.
What features should be included in a good budget action camera?
When choosing the best budget action camera, it is important to consider the features that are important to you. Consider whether you want a camera that can take high-quality videos or photos, has a long battery life, or both. Some common features found in budget cameras include 12-megapixel resolution, waterproofing and dustproofing, and stabilization systems.
Can I make quality content with my budget action camera?
Yes, you can make excellent content with your best budget action camera and share it on platforms like YouTube and Facebook. Most of these video-sharing platforms require 4K resolution at best and most of the best budget action cameras can shoot in native 4K.
Why is an action camera better than a cell phone camera?
First of all action camera is better at capturing action and adventure scenes because it’s specifically designed for that. Secondly, it’s better shockproof and waterproof than a cell phone camera that is always at risk from water splashes or being dropped. Finally, the action camera comes with better mounting gear and is more flexible than a cell phone camera when you want to use it for different scenarios like motorcycle adventure, sky diving, water sports, etc.
Is it possible to find a cheap action camera with a waterproof case and remote control?
Yes, it is possible to find a cheap action camera with a waterproof case and remote control. Today models like GoPro Hero3+ Silver Edition and Remali CapturePro offer both waterproof casing and remote control and are still available at a very cheap price.
How we tested and reviewed the best budget action cameras
We researched a wide range of budget action cameras to find the best possible picks for those on a budget. We analyzed specs, user reviews, and ratings, and compared camera features before making our final selection. We then tested these models both in our labs and real-life scenarios to see if they lived up to our expectations. Finally, we ranked and listed the top 9 best budget action cameras that you can select from.
Final Thoughts
The best budget action cameras now come with all the features you’d once expect in high-end cameras. Therefore these affordable cameras are great options not only for beginners but also for experts who can utilize them in a great many ways. As you can see our list includes excellent options from Akaso, GoPro, and Yi, that will make great companions for your next adventure without digging a hole in your pocket. So, buy any models that you like with confidence, all these models come with excellent features.
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