The Best Action Cameras and Camcorders of 2018

Small and Tough

Action cameras are small, lightweight, wearable, mountable, portable, and sometimes waterproof camcorders. They're useful because you can mount them to pretty much anything—from skateboards, surfboards, bicycles, and drones, to helmets, body parts, and even your pets.

Sure, you can also mount a traditional camcorder, which could very well feature better functionality and performance for the price. But regular camcorders are too heavy and bulky to strap onto yourself, your apparel, or your equipment. Plus, the gap between traditional camcorder and action camera performance is narrowing as technology improves. Action cams are forever getting smaller, lighter, and less expensive. Here you'll find the top-rated action cams we've tested.

Frame Rates and Resolution

Before you start digging into the reviews, a few notes on choosing a cam that's right for you. You'll definitely want to consider frame rate, expressed as frames per second (fps). Some action cameras offer up to 240fps recording, while others only go to 30fps. For standard playback, 30fps is perfectly fine. It's when you want to slow footage down in editing to create dramatic scenes that frame rate matters. Footage captured at 240fps can be slowed down and played back smoothly at one quarter speed. You may also want to go for a cinematic look, in which case you'll want one that has a 24fps capture option.

Then there's resolution and video quality. At this point, the best action cams on the market capture footage at 4K, most at 30fps. Some can also shoot in 4K at 60fps. Shooting in 4K does have some advantages, notably in the ability to crop footage and maintain 1080p quality at output—it makes the ultra-wide view of a typical action cam lens a bit more versatile. Cameras that support 4K can be set to record in lower resolutions as well, if you want to keep file sizes down.

Mounting

You'll also want to keep your specific needs in mind. Not all cameras are suitable for every sport, and certain form factors lend themselves better to certain activities. On top of that, different shapes allow for different mounting accessories and possibilities. If you want to catch a unique perspective, like an under-skateboard shot, you'll want to pay close attention to size.

Waterproofing is important to consider if you'll be recording footage underwater or even around water. Some waterproof cameras can go deeper than others, and some have built-in waterproofing so that you don't need to think about extra housing. And if you're already invested in a system, like GoPro, which uses a proprietary mount, then sticking with what you've got can help save money on extra accessories.

Some drones have gimbal mounts that work with certain GoPro models. We've reviewed several drones that work with older GoPro models, including the Yuneec Typhoon G, the Blade Chroma, and the Xiro Xplorer G. The best of the bunch, as far as GoPro integration goes, is GoPro's own Karma, in part because it supports that latest cameras, but it has room for improvement.