10 Of The Best Action Cameras You Can Buy In 2024, Ranked

Action cameras have changed the game when it comes to recording outdoor experiences. These compact, rugged, and highly portable cameras were designed to capture dynamic moments in high-quality video and photos, even in extreme or fast-paced environments.

From biking to skiing to hiking and beyond, these cameras are the easiest way to capture your outdoor adventure while you still enjoy living in every moment of it. But there are multiple factors to consider when choosing one — five particularly stick out: video quality, durability, ease of use, versatility, and affordability.

In 2024, some action cameras stand out more than others for being the best with respect to one of these aspects, and some manage to nail a combination of them. And while GoPro has set the leading standard for action cameras over the years, other brands have more than held their own to provide consumers with an impeccable range of options. With that said, here's our ranking of the 10 best action cameras you can buy in 2024.

 In our review of the Insta360 Go 3, we found it to be a perfect lightweight alternative to a GoPro. And, at just 35 grams, it remains one of the smallest action cameras on the market today.

The Go 3 features notable upgrades over its predecessor particularly in functionality and image quality. One of these upgrades is the action pod, a rotatable removable 2.2-inch touchscreen display that doubles as a remote and charging station. Upgrades were also made to its underwater and battery durability. It is waterproof up to 5 meters and can also record up to 45 minutes or 170 minutes when connected to the action pod charging station.

Furthermore, the Go 3 has a wide range of accessories including a magnetic pendant, clip, and pivot stand, all of which expand the range of creative possibilities bolstered by its time-lapse, slow-motion, and hyper-lapse video options. We must also mention its magnetic mounting system that lets you attach the camera to various surfaces easily. 

In short, this compact action camera could be great for creators seeking something highly portable and wearable.

The Insta360 One RS is a versatile action camera designed to offer multiple shooting modes and advanced features in a single compact device, making it perfect for users craving flexibility and pro-level editing options. Launched in 2022 as an upgrade to the original One R, the One RS builds on its predecessor's modular concept, and lets users switch between a 4K Boost Lens, a 5.7K 360-degree lens, and a 6K 1-inch wide-angle lens which the company engineered in a collaboration with Leica. All three of these lenses are supported with a 360-degree horizontal lock to help you produce perfectly level footage.

A key feature of the One RS is its updated processor, which supports 4K 60fps video and has FlowState Stabilization, to help maintain smooth footage even in highly active scenarios. The camera also has improved waterproofing for submersion up to 5 meters, the same as the Go 3 — however, this camera has longer battery life and better recording quality. Another noteworthy feature of the Insta360 One RS is the easy-to-access editing options which include Auto Frame, Shot Lab, and Horizon Lock. It also has a host of AI-powered editing tools available through the Insta360 app.

The first GoPro to crack our top 10 is the GoPro Max. This powerful 6K 360-degree action camera was launched as an evolution of the GoPro Fusion. The Max can capture immersive, spherical video and photos, elevating content creation while offering the best of both worlds with a standard wide-angle mode. Perhaps the GoPro Max's biggest selling point is its Max HyperSmooth stabilization technology, dubbed as "unbreakable," which ensures you create an ultra-smooth video when recording in 360-degree or single-lens mode.

Other big selling points are the camera's Max SuperView, Wide, and Linear field-of-view settings, which offer variety and flexibility to your shooting styles, all with the aid of Horizon Leveling to ensure level footage even during dynamic action shots. It also offers several creative modes like PowerPano, which captures wide, distortion-free panoramic photos with a single click, and TimeWarp, which delivers smooth, time-lapse videos.

The GoPro Max edges out the One RS when it comes to audio, battery power, and size. It excels particularly in the audio department, as it features six microphones for 360-degree spatial audio and this especially improves the viewer's experience when watching VR content or during live streaming. And when it comes to live streaming, the camera supports 1080p real-time footage with built-in stabilization.

The second GoPro on our list is an outstanding choice for beginners, thanks to its user-friendly interface, quality, and speed. Emerging in 2021, the Hero 10 Black won over our reviewer, as well as many other camera and non-camera enthusiasts, with its super smooth software and hardware controls compatible with both Android and iOS devices. The camera's enhanced front-facing screen contributes to this, as it affords vloggers easier access during their adventures.

The Hero 10 Black debuted the Advanced HyperSmooth 4.0 stabilization technology, which extreme sports enthusiasts will love for its ability to capture dynamic activities and fast-paced action, even in the more challenging conditions where smooth footage is critical. Compared to the GoPro Max, the Hero 10 has 7.5% more battery power, a higher movie recording bitrate of 100 Mbps, and waterproof up to 33 feet. It also features the GP2 processor, which delivers faster performance across the board allowing for 5.3K video recording at 60fps as well as 4K at 120fps. In addition to built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the camera supports cloud uploading via the GoPro subscription service

In sixth place, the third consecutive GoPro entry on our list is the Hero 11 Black. The previous entry's successor features upgraded features including the Emmy-winning HyperSmooth 5.0 video stabilization technology paired with AutoBoost technology to automatically optimize stabilization depending on the type of motion detected. The Hero 11 Black builds on GoPro's reputation for producing high-performing, reliable action cameras with advanced features that cater to both professional creators and adventure enthusiasts alike.

There are several major upgrades in the Hero 11 Black, so let's take a look at some of them. The first is its new larger sensor, which allows for 10-bit color depth and new 8:7 aspect ratio. It also bumped up the main camera quality to 27 MP and the movie recording bitrate to 120 Mbps. Additionally, Hero 11 supports remote smartphone technology by allowing users to use their smartphones as the remote. The camera tops all this off with its 5.3K 60fps and 4K 120fps video resolutions, which provide ultra-high-definition footage with buttery-smooth slow motion.

Beginning our top five with its sleek, modern design and cutting-edge technology is the Insta360 Ace Pro. If you're a professional or aspiring vlogger, pay attention to this camera and its high-end video features. At its heart is an 8K 360-degree video resolution that instantly makes it one of the most powerful cameras in its class. Pair this with the camera's 2.4-inch flip screen and it is not difficult to see why it is this high on our list.

The Insta360 Ace Pro offers tremendous improvements on Hero 11 earlier discussed. Its 48 MP main camera and 170 Mbps bitrate are just the tip of the iceberg as it also features impressive AI-powered editing tools which you can access through the Insta360 app to simplify the post-production process. The Ace Pro's great low-light performance is attributed to its BSI sensor which offers better sharpness and quality in poorly illuminated environments. Its low light performance rivals that of GoPro's latest models and even surpasses it.

Considered the best budget camera, the Akaso Brave 8 Lite is a superb choice for buyers looking a GoPro alternative that won't break the bank. Though not as high-end as GoPro, this camera more than holds its own with decent video quality and stabilization that would help you produce breathtaking shots. It delivers a surprising range of features for its price point, making it an excellent choice for beginners and adventure enthusiasts. It is also very portable, and would easily fit into your bag or pocket. 

The Brave 8 Lite can record 4K video at 30fps and is waterproof for submersion down to 40 meters thanks to its IPX8 waterproof technology. You even get a range of features that are not available on the more expensive Brave 8 such as 4K HDR video and Hindsight. Hindsight is a particularly interesting feature that activates additional recording time to cover the period prior to pressing the record button and saves you from situations where you started recording too late.

Billed as the ultimate 8k 360 action camera, the Insta360 X4 features a hybrid 360 and action camera, retaining the option of switching to a single-lens mode to function as a 4K action cam. The 8K camera is powered by a new 5nm AI chip. As if that wasn't impressive enough, this camera can go up to 11K when shooting time lapse videos.

The X4 supports 72MP 360-degree photos and has multiple shooting modes. The single-lens mode can record at 4K 60fps, while MaxView in FreeFrame Video features a 170-degree view that can record at 4K30fps. The new 2,290 mAh battery means you also get an increased run time capable of filming for up to 135 minutes when at 5.7K 30fps and 75 minutes at 8K 30fps.

Other outstanding features include its wind noise reduction technology, as well as a new 2.5-inch touchscreen display built with Gorilla glass. You should however watch out for overheating when shooting at higher resolutions, as this can be a drawback. In our review of the Insta360 X4, we also found that an adjustment to the resolution would be required when shooting in low-light environments.

In second place is a camera that for now arguably holds the title for the best non-GoPro camera on the market, staving off the stiff competition of Insta360: none other than the DJI Osmo Action 4. When it comes to image quality, the larger sensor introduced in the camera bolsters

Compared to the Insta360 X4, the Osmo Action 4 is lighter, smaller, and lasts longer. It features RockSteady 3.0+ stabilization technology that delivers smooth and horizontally leveled videos even with fast-paced shooting. This together with its 10-bit D-log recording makes it tough to beat when it comes to quality of footage.

One thing that particularly stuck out for us in our review of the Osmo Action 4 was its durability and ability to avoid substantial damage when accidentally dropped onto the asphalt of a trailhead parking lot. Further proving that it is built to withstand tough environments with its rugged design is its waterproof capabilities for submersion down to 60 meters with the Waterproof Case and without it, as well as its ability to operate within temperatures of -4 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

A GoPro camera unsurprisingly tops our list. The industry-leading GoPro Hero 12 Black picks up where the Hero 11 left off. Something that's made GoPro stand out from its competitors has been its stabilization, and the Hero 12 Black is no different with the introduction of HyperSmooth 6 which in conjunction with AutoBoost and Horizon Lock produces the smoothest footage. AutoBoost particularly received a major upgrade and can now analyze data four times faster.

Some other exciting features we came across in our review of the Hero 12 include Bluetooth microphone recording, LOG recording capability, and software upgrades. Worthy of mention also is the new Max Lens Mod 2.0, which has expanded ultra-wide angles for widescreen and vertical capture up to 177 degrees at 4K 60fps.

It is vital to state at this stage that as of the time of writing GoPro has released the Hero 13 Black, although it is not available for purchase yet. If you want to know what we think about the Hero 13 Black, check out our review.

We arrived at this list using our own reviews as well as user reviews from other trusted sources. The rankings were chosen through comparative research that took into account a wide variety of factors that included price, software features, image sensor capabilities, lenses, and hardware compatibility.