The action camera dates back to 2004, when GoPro - which was called Woodman Labs at the time - released a small camera that used 35mm film, though helmet-mounted video cameras were used before that for filmmaking.
GoPro went digital in 2006, and since then many digital competitors have sprung up, making GoPro alternatives that offer features to match, or even beat, them.
Things to look out for include high frame rates so you can try slow motion effects. High resolutions mean better quality footage and the ability to crop into the images. You want to be able to produce high-res still images without taking up lots of card space to store and computer processing power to edit. Image stabilisation will keep your footage steady if shooting handheld, and some cameras can detect the horizon in an image and try to keep it horizontal.
Rugged builds and waterproof casings are a must if you’re doing extreme sports, as are things like chest harnesses and head mounts so you can keep your hands free for kayaking or skiing. Front screens make it easier to frame yourself for selfies, and some cameras have Wi-Fi tethering to phone apps, or even voice control, so you can direct them from a distance.
Even though many action cameras are now branching out into 360° filming or resolutions greater than 4K, sometimes you just want to shoot 1080p at 30fps, something any GoPro alternative should be able to manage. Cameras like these are often very reasonably priced, but bear in mind other costs such as memory cards, extra batteries, and housings too.
Here are some of the best GoPro alternatives to document your adventures.
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Insta360 One RS Twin 360 Edition
Want an action camera that does it all? This Insta360 One has a modular design that lets you swap the camera between standard ultra wide-angle (16mm equiv) and 360° lenses. The standard module shoots photos at 48MP and video at up to 6K/24 in 2.35:1, or 4K/60. The 360° module will net you 18MP stills at an unusual 2:1 aspect ratio, and 5.7K video at up to 30fps.
The camera consists of a battery base, a core module full of electronics and with a small rear screen, and the camera itself. The three parts snap together, so you can slide in a fresh battery or swap the camera out. There are three microphones, image stabilisation and horizon tracking, and the whole thing is waterproof down to 5M without a case. A camera module with a larger one-inch/5.3K sensor is also available separately. There are slow-mo modes, HDR, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, plus GoPro-compatible mounts and a phone app for editing. This camera has it all, apart from a front screen.
Buy now £499.00, Amazon
DJI Osmo Action 3
If you want 4K up to 120fps, this is one of the best ways to achieve it. There’s a reasonably large 12MP sensor behind its 13mm-equivalent lens, and it’ll do 1080p at 240fps for even slower-motion effects.
There’s image stabilisation, auto levelling up to 45° (360° if you drop down to 2.7K), and a front screen. It’s also highly, or deeply, waterproof, able to cope with submersion down to 16m - and it will cope with temperatures of up to -20°C too. Pick up the Adventure Combo pack to get extra batteries and a charging cradle, plus grips and mounts, for a decent price (£399).
The Action 3 also has a magnetic connector on its base for attaching accessories, including a quick-release mount that can be switched into vertical orientation for social media-friendly videos.
Buy now £309.00, Wex Photo Video
Akaso Brave 7 LE
A budget model, but one that offers a lot to like. There’s a front screen, you get two batteries, a waterproof case (30M) and a remote in the box, and it can shoot video at 4K/30 or 20MP stills. The lens has a hugely wide 170° field of view, and can digitally zoom in if you need to frame more tightly.
There’s basic six-axis image stabilisation, though you do get what you pay for in this area, and you also get voice control, a rear touchscreen, Wi-Fi connectivity to a smartphone app, and if you need slow motion, 1080P/120 and 720P/240 modes are supported.
The Brave 7 LE is a well-equipped and generally rugged little camera, especially paired with its case, which you’ll need to use if you want to connect it to GoPro mounts, though there’s a standard tripod screw on the camera itself too.
Buy now £149.99, Amazon
DJI Pocket 2
You can buy a stabilised gimbal mount for your action camera for an extra £100, or you can buy this. Having a handle on your action cam makes it a lot easier to hold, and the Pocket’s stabilisation is so solid you’ll think you’re using a tripod.
The camera itself crams in 64MP, producing stills at that resolution, and can take 4K video at 60fps from its 20mm-equivalent lens. If you want HDR, this drops to 2.7K, and slow motion manages 1080p at 240fps.
You can plug it into your smartphone too, via a Lightning/USB-C adapter, for a much larger viewfinder and file transfer, but there’s no wireless capability. Budget an extra £95 for the Do-It-All Handle accessory, which adds Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, a speaker, plus wireless mic/earphones support and an extra tripod mount.
Buy now £339.00, Amazon
Insta360 Go 2
Claiming to be the world’s smallest action camera - it’s the size of a USB flash drive - the Go 2 is extremely light, and waterproof too, though only to the IPX8 spec down to 4m so it’s not really suitable for divers.
Some other compromises have had to be made to get the camera down to such a small size. You’re limited to 1440p video, there’s only a small, limited screen, and its still images come out at 9.2MP. However, very little of this matters when you consider this is a go-anywhere camera, with a wireless connection to an app, a built-in tripod, and a neat charging case like the best wireless earbuds.
There’s slow-mo, timeshift to speed up the action, image stabilisation, horizon levelling and a full catalogue of features. It may not be for everyone, but for those who can make use of it, this tiny camera won’t disappoint.
Buy now £294.49, Amazon
Insta360 One RS 1-inch 360 Edition
Another stick-shaped camera, unrelated to the one with a similar name at the top of this page. This time you get 6K video and 360° capabilities from a pair of one-inch CMOS sensors, and a really high price. You get a lot for your money, though, with a lens engineered in partnership with camera legends Leica, 48MP still images (21MP 360° photos), horizon lock, and effective image stabilisation.
This edition of the camera comes with a new battery that will last for around an hour of filming, and IPX3 water resistance so you can use it in the rain. Drawbacks include the screen being very small, and if you want to use an external mic you’ll need an adapter.
The quality of the video produced is excellent, and compatibility with Insta360’s invisible selfie stick (the support is removed digitally, it’s not magic) means it can genuinely look like drone footage at times.
Buy now £809.00, Amazon
Wolfgang GA400
A good budget all-rounder, the GA400 offers case-free waterproofing down to 8m, 24MP stills, and 4K video at 60fps.
There’s basic image stabilisation too, and the ultra wide-angle lens deserves the ‘ultra’ title with a 170° field of view. Step down to 720p and you can squeeze 240fps out of this little camera, but oddly it can’t do the cinematic-style 24 or 25fps rates.
In the box you get two batteries, a remote control (there’s Wi-Fi to connect to a phone app too), a microphone, a case that’s waterproof to 40m, and a plethora of mount adapters for helmets, bicycles, cars and other things that might go downhill fast. It can even do double-duty as a dash cam thanks to upside-down and driving modes.
Buy now £120.00, Amazon
AKASO EK7000 Pro
The cheapest camera on this list, but still handling the basics well, the EK7000 can film 4K at 30fps, and 1080p at 60fps, with 120fps available at 720p resolution. Stills max out at 20MP.
If you want to take it underwater, there’s a case that allows immersion up to 40m, and a diving mode that compensates for the lack of red light that filters through the waves. There’s image stabilisation as long as you stay in 1080p or below, an Android app, and the camera comes with two batteries, a wrist-mounted remote control, and various mounts and clips for attaching it to things. The rear screen is a touchscreen, and there’s a dash cam mode too.
You certainly get a lot of features for your money with the EK7000, though you may want to look higher up this list if video quality and stabilisation effectiveness are particularly important to you. As it is, this is a bargain camera with a lot of accessories.
Buy now £79.99, Amazon
Verdict
If you’re in the market for one of the best action cameras, then it really doesn’t have to be a GoPro. That brand might be the market leader, but others have increased the quality of their offerings to the point where the choice is a really difficult one. Prices are high at the top end of the market, but when you’ve got incredible cameras like the Insta360 One RS Twin 360 Edition or DJI Osmo Action 3, you have to expect that. They repay your investment with sublime video that records your adventures in sharp detail and punchy colours.
