Black Friday, Christmas and Boxing Day are just around the corner and it’s time for another yearly round-up of the best action cameras of 2019. This was originally going to be a top 5 list but the camera we have selected at $26 USD is notably better than any other camera we have tested to date between $30 and $70, so that section got skipped.
DBPower D5 – $26 USD
Buy the DBPower D5 on Amazon at this Link
Featuring real 4K at 30 FPS with image stabilization, we have no idea how DBPower is offering this camera for under $30. Competitors selling the same hardware often sell it between $80 – $120. It’s possible that the camera is overstock and has been sitting in the Amazon warehouse for too long, however, DBPower has several other cameras which also have allegedly real 4K at 30FPS for $30 – $50, so it is possible they just found a supplier who is very inexpensive.
Akaso V50x or Campark V30 – $99
Buy the Campark V30 here or the Akaso V50x here.
These two cameras are more-or-less the same thing, so we would recommend getting whichever one is on sale for a lower price. Based on mid range hardware they feature real 4K at 30 FPS with excellent stabilization. It is understandably a hard sell versus the DBPower D5 above, considering they are over 3x the price, but if electronic image stabilization is important to you then that is a big reason to upgrade. The EIS on these cameras is startlingly good compared to anything else under $100. As well, the user interface is cleaner and easier to understand over the DBPower.
SJCam SJ8 Pro or Vantop Moment 6S – $199
Buy the SJ8 Pro here (Vantop Moment link coming soon)
These two cameras are another instance of similar hardware from different brands. We recommend buying whichever is cheaper of the two. This is the first real step out of the budget category and into premium camera prices. At $200 these cameras demand a premium but make up for it in features. Larger, brighter touch screens adorn the back and they also can film at 4K 60FPS. Image stabilization is more consistent and there are far more settings for custom video tweaking. The SJ8 Pro platform has been around a while now and has matured into a fairly solid camera with few hardware issues.
Premium: DJI Osmo Action – $279
The DJI Osmo Action is waterproof without an external case. It features similar performance to the GoPro Hero 7 Black with true 4K 60 and class-leading image stabilization. Being cheaper than GoPro’s premium cameras, you will still have some money to spare to buy accessories. No holds barred if you can afford it this is the camera to get. Don’t cheap out if you want premium.
If you want GoPro
The Hero 7 Black and Hero 8 Black will likely also be on sale for Black Friday. Keep an eye out on prices to see if they are worthwhile over any of the cameras we have listed here. These are both class leading cameras and are worthwhile if you prefer going for the big brand name versus these listed GoPro alternatives.
Hope this list helped you find the camera that you need! Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions.