A terrific way to get a GoPro-like experience without spending a fortune is using the finest budget action cameras. Action cameras are more in demand than ever among explorers and vloggers, and several manufacturers have rushed to release low-cost models to entice individuals with limited budgets. If that describes you, keep reading because we’ve chosen the greatest ones for you.
It’s crucial to keep your expectations realistic and keep in mind that there will be trade-offs with inexpensive action cameras. For $100 or less, you won’t be able to get the newest Best Action Camera Under $100; instead, you should go for a device with good still and video resolution. The next step is to decide which features are most essential to you.
For example, do you want twin displays for vlogging? perhaps Wi-Fi can link a smartphone? perhaps a slow-motion video? Consider your alternatives because different cheap cameras will typically provide some of them but not all.
Having a cheap action camera may provide you piece of mind when you’re out on your wild adventures, whether you attach it to the top of your bike helmet or take it underwater. After all, breaking a $100 camera is less stressful than breaking a $500 camera!
All of the cameras on this list cost approximately $100; some cost slightly more, others somewhat less. All of them are worth their asking prices and provide a convincing alternative to a costly action camera, albeit having varied strengths and shortcomings.
Without further ado, let’s look at some of the finest affordable action camera alternatives available today.
The best budget action cameras
Akaso Brave 4 Pro
The Akaso Brave 4 Pro may not be the newest Akaso Brave camera, but it is still widely accessible, and the price has decreased as a result of the introduction of new models. This is why it earns our selection as the best affordable action camera available right now. For a street price of roughly $100, you get a tonne of features, like 4K 30p footage, respectable stabilisation, an additional front-facing screen for vlogging, and much more.
We praised the camera’s wealth of features in our thorough assessment of the Brave 4 Pro. You have a solid foundation for run-and-gun vlogging with more stabilisation than with cheaper Akaso cameras, and the footage looks decent at all resolutions. Additionally, having a variety of stills options, like as burst modes and shaking reduction, is useful. There is a lot of menu searching and occasionally slanted controls, but this is typical for cameras of this kind.
The Brave 4 Pro, like the majority of Akaso cameras, ships with a variety of mounts and accessories, including an underwater housing, as well as helmet mounts, handlebar mounts, a remote control, and more.
AKASO EK7000 Pro
This 2016 EK7000 model upgrade adds a “Pro” suffix to the name and forces 4K shooting. It’s still absurdly affordable and may be among the least expensive action cameras available, so you’d be excused for being wary of it. At this price, is it conceivable for a camera to be of any quality?
The answer is yes… almost, according to extra research we conducted for our comprehensive assessment. The Akaso EK7000 is a rather compromised experience; we had trouble with the software, and the stabilisation severely degraded the video’s noise quality. But when it comes to the basics—capturing still photos and videos—it fulfils your needs. You may deal with video-wide and still images with a resolution of 20MP.
SJCAM SJ8 Air
With a reported unit weight of just 80g and marketed as a “sports camera,” this little gadget has a 2.33-inch touch screen, a 14MP Panasonic-made sensor, Wi-Fi, and Ultra HD video clips of 1296P at 30 frames per second. The connectivity option is helpful since the SJCAM software, which can be downloaded, enables editing of photographs and videos on a smartphone and instant social media sharing. The gadget, like others of its kind, claims to be waterproof to depths of 100 feet (30 metres) when utilising the included enclosure. A 1000 mAh battery provides power and is said to function better than earlier types.
Akaso V50 X
You would think that demanding 4K 30p footage and superb stabilisation from a sub-$100 action camera is unreasonable, yet Akaso has succeeded! It’s a stylish tiny action camera with a user-friendly interface and practical slow-motion video possibilities at lesser resolutions. Although it won’t trouble the likes of GoPro’s premium cameras, the image stabilisation is buttery-smooth and outperforms other cameras at this price bracket. Nevertheless, it does a nice job.
While the 4K footage can be a touch soft and the built-in microphone is a little disappointing, this is still a pretty good pick for anybody seeking for a trustworthy tiny action camera at a reasonable price.
Wolfang GA300
This Wolfang action camera, which costs little under $100, is in the centre of the company’s line of inexpensive action cameras. On paper, it looks impressive because to the vast range of resolutions and frame rates it offers.
You can shoot 4K at either 60 or 30 frames per second, and for aficionados of slow motion, the option of 240 frames per second at 720p is also wanted. A large package of mounts and accessories are included with the camera, with the 40m underwater housing standing out as a particularly helpful bonus. See the complete Wolfang GA300 review.
How we test cameras
We use actual shooting situations to evaluate cameras. To determine if a camera is what a maker claims it to be, we examine the photo and video quality as well as put the functions mentioned on the back of the box to the test. We examine the extra features like app connectivity and the accessories that come with the camera. Our conclusions are used to influence our remarks in reviews and purchase suggestions.