HOW TO CHOOSE AN ACTION CAMERA - what is an action camera, which is better than Gopro or Sony

She's like a fisheye.

What is an action camcorder

An action camera is a modification of digital cameras that, due to a wide-angle lens, distorts the angle of view.

Different manufacturers have different angles - 110 °, 140 °, 170 °. Look for this parameter in the product specifications to get an idea of ​​the curvature of the frame.

And also to the question: "Action camera: what is it?" - know that the camera has a fixed focal length. Focusing differs from model to model. Starting from a close object (20-50 cm) and up to infinity, from the foreground to the background. On the one hand, this is good. No need to worry if the frame is in focus when it's dark, light, running, close or far. The bad thing is that you can't do art photography on it, because you can't blur the background.

Action camera: how to choose

Look at the manufacturer. When choosing an action camera, brand matters. Famous GoPro, Sony, Nikon, Polaroid are developing patented components. Well-known manufacturers take care of the consumers of their products. In addition to applications that work over Wi-Fi with the camera, they also release programs for editing and publishing.

• GoPro has Quik. It is available in mobile and desktop versions. At the time of shooting, you can make marks, which are then convenient to use during editing. In addition, you can add sensor readings and graphs to your videos - route, speed, altitude. And demonstrate data changes.
• Sony have developed their free Action Cam Movie Creator software. It is also suitable for use on computers and smartphones.

Little-known Chinese manufacturers (EKEN, SOOCOO) churn out cameras of not the best quality. Some settings do not work, then curve translation. This, of course, is fixable when the firmware is updated, but it leaves an unpleasant impression. Therefore, be realistic: miracles do not happen, get ready for incidents if you are looking for an inexpensive action camera. It's only in the advertisement: "The $ 50 GoPro Killer."

In fact, the main indicator between a brand and an unfamiliar manufacturer is cost. It's better to buy a simple camera from the brand than an advanced Chinese model that shoots full 4K. You will not go wrong.

Should you pay extra for a brand if you don't shoot in 4K?

Yes, it's worth it. But only if the choice is between a Chinese and a branded manufacturer. Because Full HD on an advanced device is more detailed than on a simple camera. And if you choose between branded models, then it's not worth it. The quality of the shooting will be the same.

To choose the right action camera, take into account two parameters - performance and image stabilization. The cameras are divided into three groups according to their performance. See the table for their description.

As for stabilization, the higher the performance of an action camera, the better its stabilization.

There are two types of stabilization.

• Digital - the picture is smoothly stabilized by software and automatically cropped at the corners. The better the camera, the higher its stabilization.
• Optical - stabilizes the image due to the operation of the lens unit. They move the required distance and do not crop the picture. The clarity of the image is not affected. This stabilization is only found in Sony HDR-AS300 and FDR-X3000. For action, this is the best option.

Be sure to watch the test video of the camera you plan to buy. A video where they do not advertise, but compare with other models. This is important because each camera has its own color rendition and blur.

See Airon ProCam 4K Plus Action Camera Review

Which is better than GoPro or Sony

GoPro is showing a stunning spherical image. Sony conquers with stabilization when shaking, somersaulting and jumping. Two brands are the strongest, but not for everybody. See my comparison table which is better - Gopro or Sony.

Which action camera to choose

I love traveling and filming my adventures on camera. Willy-nilly, 5 action models passed through my hands. I leave my impressions of them below. Hopefully they can help you decide which action camera to buy for yourself.

Sony FDR-X3000

Sony HDR-AS300 is similar to it, it has the same "filling", but there is no 4K. The camera has a built-in stereo microphone that records the purest sound. During installation, it does not need additional processing. And the picture is good. The Revit function tints it, resulting in rich images.

The Sony FDR-X3000 is splash resistant. But it is better to store it in an aqua box if you are caught in the rain or are fond of rafting (extreme swimming on mountain rivers). What I like: it's the connection of an external microphone without any adapters. Take any microphone for cameras (not for smartphones) 3.5 mm and connect to the camera. Writes clearly. And yes, the battery in the recording mode holds a charge for about two hours. This is much more than other action cameras.

YI 4K

As for me: the best among cameras with digital stabilization. Without exaggeration. Although the camera drops the picture, the image does not jerk.

The sound YI 4 writes well, but Sony is far away. This camera has little low frequencies, however, if you attach a windscreen to the microphone, you get quite good sound. But you can't connect an external microphone - that's a minus.

Convenient one-key control according to the principle of "on / off, record". It works simply: press → hold → the camera turned on → began to record. The display is responsive, just like a smartphone.

Gopro hero 7

If you look closely, it distorts the picture less than Sony. Image is fire! But for tourism it is not the best option, because the camera has a weakly acting stabilizer.

The Gopro Hero 7 has a waterproof case. You can safely dive up to 10 meters without aqua box - nothing will happen. But excessive moisture protection affects the performance of the microphone. It is difficult to record normal sound at arm's length. Better to speak close to the microphone.

Olympus TG-Tracker

Cool camera!

• Everything is soundly in it: moisture protection, shock resistance, lies in the hand, like a glove, good stabilization.
• It is thoughtfully assembled: built-in flip-up display, built-in flashlight, sensitive microphone (like Sony's). Switchable to decrease the viewing angle (of course, with a loss of quality).
• The Olympus TG-Tracke feature is a super-wide 240-degree view.

It would seem, wow, but it was not there! A wide-angle lens distorts the picture not only on the sides, but even in the center. There would be a standard - at 170 °, the price would not have been. And so ...

Xiaomi MiJia 4K

From the budget. Simple, but high-quality writes a picture and quite a decent sound.

Xiaomi MiJia 4K has convenient control, quickly turns on / off. Quite a good thing!

Note: "How to connect your phone to your TV: 3 fastest ways"

Watch the video comparison GoPro vs Sony vs Yi