How to choose an action camera
Action cams are designed to capture the thrills and spills of adrenaline sports and other outdoor activities. Their robust construction is designed to endure extreme conditions, allowing you to get amazing footage from even the wildest locations. Despite their compact size, they produce surprisingly high-quality videos.
Advantages and disadvantages
Frequently asked questions when choosing an action camera
What kind of image quality can action cams achieve?
The standard is Full HD resolution with a frame rate of 30 fps, but GoPro cameras offer up to 4K. However, you should also pay attention to the bit rate and compression rate, which can also affect the quality of video. Action cameras can also handle night scenes, white balance and sound with varying degrees of success.
And what about water resistance?
Some action cameras come with protective housing that is resistant to water, dust and shock; other models require protective cases to be bought separately.
What accessories can be used with an action camera?
There is a wide range of accessories available for action cameras. Special brackets allow you to attach the camera to a helmet or railing to get the best shot. Other accessories include chest straps, selfie sticks, protective sleeves and cases.
Universal adhesive mounts allow you to attach your camera to almost any surface, as long as it's smooth and clean. Other options include tripods and tripod adapters, telescopic mounts, and replacement batteries. The widest range of accessories is available for GoPro cameras.
Action cameras
Important parameters
Display
Not all action cameras come with a display, but those that do have a screen size of 0.5-3". Some models feature a touchscreen display for user-friendly operation.
GPS
GPS, or Global Positioning System, allows you to record the location where the video was shot. This option is found in more expensive models.
Wireless communication
Action cameras typically communicate wirelessly via WiFi and Bluetooth, enabling connectivity with mobile applications. This opens the door to a number of useful options, such as video previews or the ability to control the camera remotely via a smart device. You can also easily share your images on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and other social networks.
Durable construction
Action cameras are usually designed to be resistant to water, dust and shock. So you can shoot video when diving, surfing and doing other water sports. Some models require protective covers, which can be bought separately.
Glossary - Action cameras
Resolution
Resolution indicates the number of pixels that make up an image or video. A lot of modern devices are equipped with Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080), which is suitable for display on large screen TVs or monitors. Higher resolution provides smoother images with more detail.
Sensor
The sensor is one of the most important parts of a camera as it greatly affects the final image quality. Important factors to consider include the size of the sensor as well as the number of pixels. Although more pixels generally means better image quality, the size of the sensor is also important. Generally, if you have two cameras with the same number of pixels, but one has a larger sensor than the other, the one with a larger sensor should produce better-quality images.
Important parameters
- Sensor Size [cm] - the bigger the size, the better the resulting video
- Sensor Resolution [MP]
Basic cameras are often equipped with an 800,000-pixel chip.
The three-chip design is common in professional and semi-professional cameras. The three chips cooperate with the glass prism, which divides light into three directions. Each chip is in responsible for one part of the basic RGB colour spectrum (green, red, and blue).
CMOS sensors provide better, truer colour dynamics. While CMOS sensors don't produce the overall quality of three-chip sensors, they do offer better performance in poor light conditions.
Memory cards
Memory cards are a popular medium for storing video, images and other data. Memory cards can be chosen according to the type, capacity, write speed and brand.
Memory Card Types:
- SD
- SDHC
- SDXC
- Micro SD
- Micro SDHC
- Compact Flash
- Memory Stick
- Memory Stick Micro
Resolution
Resolution indicates the number of pixels that make up an image or video. Although it is not the only critical parameter, it is true that the higher the resolution, the better the video quality.
HD - 1280 × 720 pixels - now considered insufficient for displaying video on a monitor
Full HD - 1920 × 1080 - sufficient for displaying video on a monitor or TV
4K resolution - the latest standard, 4K is gradually replacing Full HD