gopro lcd touch screen manual made in china

If you asked me what I thought about action cameras many years back I might have scoffed and told you they’re just a fad. However, the GoPro HERO3+ I was gifted back in 2013 completely changed my mind.

Personally, I feel that if your budget allows it, going for a GoPro has many advantages. The GoPro doesn’t necessarily have the best capture quality or best technical specs, but they’ve developed their own ecosystem that makes doing everything a breeze.

The GoPro camera’s user interface is top-notch, the iOS/Android app is great and there’s no shortage of great support and custom accessories. They’re a bit like the iPhone of action cameras.

But there are people who would disagree with me. New Chinese brands like DJI are producing action cameras with features on par with the most expensive GoPros, and in some aspects superior. Many ‘GoPro’ accessories are also compatible with these cameras nowadays, so there’s more competition than ever before.

Although you probably haven’t heard of its predecessor, the Akaso V50X is the upgraded V50. In specs, however, it is much more comparable to the older V50 Pro than the V50. Like the V50 Pro it features a 2-inch IPS touchscreen, adjustable viewing angle, WiFi, and gyroscope.

Compared to the V50, the touchscreen is definitely the most welcome new addition, bringing it closer to GoPros which have featured them since the relatively old HERO5 model.

On the flipside, the TRAWO’s 2-inch IPS retina display isn’t touchscreen, which makes controlling the camera a little troublesome. It’s true that 90% of the time you’re only looking to hit the record button, but the other 10% of time there’s no touchscreen to navigate the awkward menus.

The 4K+’s younger brother, the Yi 4K, can often be picked up for less than $100. With 4K @ 30fps recording, the ability to capture 12MP raw stills with EIS and a nice scratch-resistant, gorilla glass 2.2-inch touchscreen display, the Yi 4K is a very solid action camera.

Like most budget action cameras on the market there is no shortage of bundled accessories. Put it in the waterproof housing and suddenly you have an underwater camera. The included wrist-strap remote is quite basic but does the trick for taking photo and capturing video without having to touch the camera itself.

You might think the software might be a problem coming from a relatively unknown brand like Dragon Touch. However, I found it to be surprisingly usable, which shouldn’t be too surprising since Dragon Touch are primarily a tablet producing company.

The Dragon Touch Vision 3 is currently my recommendation for the best under $50 entry-level action camera available today. If you want an external mic and EIS, take a look at the Dragon Touch Vision 4

Ever since the release of the GoPro HERO5 (released in 2016), GoPros are waterproof out of the box (typically up to 10m). You don’t have to worry about extra casing when you go to swim at the pool, surf around the beach or go kayaking on the river.

However, the vast majority of non-GoPro action cameras are not waterproof out of the box. You need to put them in plastic casing which is usually included in the box. This is not only a bit of a hassle, but using external housing will also slightly reduce audio quality since it adds an extra layer between the sound and mic.

The Dragon Touch Vision 5 is waterproof up to 40m without casing. It’s therefore a great budget friendly GoPro alternative for those who don’t want to deal with external casing.

With a design similar to the GoPro HERO session, The Polaroid Cube is a very cute action cam that makes a fantastic and affordable gift. It’s very simple to operate and a great way to get a newbie into the world of shooting action videos.

While marginally more expensive than the Dragon Touch 4K Vision 3, this list wouldn’t be complete without the Campark ACT74 Action Camera which was once the best selling budget action camera for almost 2 years running.

It was released back in December 2016 so it is slightly older, but has an incredibly solid track record. Its 2-inch HD screen was a unique selling point before, but that’s already become a standard feature across cheap action cameras.

In terms of features and video quality, it is almost identical to the Dragon Touch 4K Vision 3. Yet it costs a little more and doesn’t come with a remote control so I wouldn’t consider it the best ultra-budget action camera today.

With stellar Amazon reviews and a lot of praise across the website, the Campark ACT74 might seem like a great choice. However, it’s outdated by today’s standards and the Dragon Touch Vision 3 is a better ultra-budget choice (especially as it includes a remote).

GoPro"s latest fleet of little action bricks are fortified with several advanced features that cannot be found elsewhere in the market. The GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition ($399.99) is the newest flagship model, replacing the GoPro Hero 3 by adding some key upgrades. While the GoPro Hero 3+ Silver Edition ($299.99) and Hero 3 White Edition ($199.99) have both been upgraded, it"s the Hero 3+ Black Edition that really showcases all the brand has to offer. Having owned the first HD Hero and Hero2, I wanted to know if the Black Edition was worth the extra cash, so I spent some quality time testing the camera in a variety of environments.

The GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition shares many similarities with its predecessor, the Hero 3. Although the Hero 3+ may seem like an incremental upgrade, there are a number of subtle changes that make this action cam stand out. First off, it"s 20% smaller and lighter than the first GoPro Hero and Hero2, measuring 2.30 x 1.55 x 0.08 inches (5.8 x 3.9 x 2 cm) and weighing 2.6 oz. (28g). Now while those physical stats remain identical to the Hero 3, the Hero 3+ ships with a smaller housing, with a streamlined lens covering without bolts, and devoid of the slide lock mechanisms. The resulting package is more compact and easier to access. The Hero 3+ also has slightly larger buttons.

GoPro also improved the lens of the Hero 3+, making it sharper and exhibit less artifacts. The microphone is improved to pick up on more subtle sounds and improve wind noise reduction. The Hero 3+ Black Edition"s built-in Wi-Fi has also been boosted to 4x faster speeds with a greater range, and the battery life has been increased by 30%. The Hero 3+ Black Edition also introduces SuperView FOV, which is available in select capture resolutions. SuperView is the widest recording angle GoPro has offered to date (I have samples later on in the article). Auto Low Light is a new feature that cuts the frame rate in half when the camera detects lower light levels.

The GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition carries over the same 4K video resolution from the Hero 3 Black, which is roughly four times the resolution of 1080 Full HD. 4K is where most televisions and programming are headed to, and GoPro placed themselves at the head of the game by incorporating the format into a wildly popular camera that is now smaller than it ever was. The Hero 3+ Black Edition also has a maximum still image resolution of 12MP and 30fps burst rate, which is beyond the 3+ Silver and 3 White"s capabilities. The latter two are not capable of 4K video recording either. Keep in mind that the 12MP still-resolution is native, not interpolated, so it"s a true representation of pixels.

And while all three new GoPros come with built-in Wi-Fi that"s 4x faster, the Black Edition is the only model to ship with a Wi-Fi remote. However, I don"t think that"s a deal-breaker because the GoPro app is far more user-friendly and quick than the remote. Just the fact that Wi-Fi is finally built-in is a win. With the older models, I had to use the Wi-Fi back, which prevented me from using a battery back or LCD back if I wanted remote functionality.

Since the GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition is 20% smaller and lighter than the original GoPro Hero and Hero2, I was able to enjoy the minor benefits. I usually mount the GoPro to my motorcycle and hockey helmets, and the first two models make it easier to remember that they are strapped to the top of your head, thanks to their bulk. This is particularly evident while turning my head. While the Hero 3+ is not a prodigious reduction in bulk and size, it was definitely noticeable, and certainly more neck-friendly. The size reduction renders the Hero 3+ half the thickness of the first two models, but it retains the same height and width. The newly slimmed-down external housing on the Hero 3+ is the most compact and easiest to access housing yet. The latch mechanism is similar to the first GoPro models, requiring a simple flip lock to be engaged and disengaged to access the camera. The Hero 3 case has a convoluted series of slide lock buttons that made accessing the camera a royal pain. So, overall size and weight is very impressive compared to all previous models.

Now, this size reduction does come at a price. The Hero 3+ records to MicroSD cards, just like the Hero 3. I am not a huge fan of MicroSD cards because I lose things easily, and it"s not fun to scour a dirt bike trail for an hour looking for a minute plastic chip. I also noticed the omission of the 3.5mm audio jack, which is something offered on the GoPro HD Hero2.

The GoPro Hero 3+ has only two terminals: USB and HDMI. Both terminals and the MicroSD card slot are covered by a rubberized flap that matches the cross-hatched texture bordering the camera. Unfortunately, the terminal cover is not tethered to the body of the camera, so it popped off and sailed across the room the first time I removed it. It resurfaced two weeks later while digging through some photography equipment. So, for the next model, GoPro needs to tether that thing.

Despite the slim down, GoPro managed to cram an 1180mAh battery inside the Hero 3+, and promised a longer battery life compared to the Hero 3. I put this to the test by recording continuously at 1080p/24fps until the battery died. The GoPro Hero 3+ lasted a full 2 hours and 14 minutes. After researching many accounts of battery life on the Hero 3, my understanding is that it usually croaks at around 1 hour 35 minutes, so the Hero 3+ is a bit of an improvement as far as battery life goes. Of course, when using the Wi-Fi functionality, the Hero 3+ exhibits rather limited battery life. After using the Hero 3+ tethered to the GoPro application on my iPhone, I was down a battery bar after a half hour.

Another area of improvement is Wi-Fi range and speed. GoPro claims a Wi-Fi range of up to 600 feet with the included Wi-Fi remote and a more limited range with the GoPro application. I got about 145 feet of Wi-Fi range using the GoPro application, but did not test the full range of the remote. However, in my experience, I never lost connection with the Wi-Fi remote, and I have not found an application yet where I would need to be two football fields away from the action. Regardless, the Wi-Fi connection was strong and did not falter. I could keep my phone in my pocket while using the GoPro and it remained connected. Setting up is a snap as well, as the Hero 3+ only emits its own Wi-Fi network that is easily joined by a smart device in a matter of seconds.

The choice between the GoPro application and the Wi-Fi remote was a no-brainer for me. While the remote has its advantages in the range and battery life department (you can save your phone"s juice), the GoPro application is just too pleasant to use, especially after enduring years of clunky GoPro menu systems on a monochromatic LCD screen smaller than a postage stamp.

With the GoPro application, I could make nearly every camera setting with a tap. The GoPro application also gave me a live preview of the camera, so I knew exactly how to set the angle for maximum coverage. One caveat is that the live preview is only available in select capture modes, so gigantic resolutions like 4K are not possible to preview. I could also watch what I shot on my phone, power the camera on and off, and start and stop recording, all from my iPhone. Other useful features like battery level status, SD card capacity, camera locator (prompts GoPro to beep if lost), were welcome additions, and I decided the GoPro application would be accompanying me on all of my adventures. Of course, I"ll need a backup battery pack for the GoPro and charging stick for my phone in order to make it through a full day.

The improved microphone on the GoPro Hero 3+ is twofold. First, its overall pickup quality is said to be improved, with heightened sensitivity to delicate sounds and nuance. Secondly, the wind noise reduction is apparently improved. The latter is a big one, as there"s nothing more vexing than sifting through hours of motorcycle footage with the deafening shrill of wind prompting you to reach for another aspirin. I"ve always wanted more engine sound, less wind noise.

My first test was general audio quality. What could be better than pounding on the drums? I tested the GoPro Hero 3+ with it mounted to my head in the case, and then again sitting stationary removed from its case. What I found was that in or out of the case, the GoPro Hero 3+ had some difficulty with bass, primarily during a thunderous cacophony. However, treble sounds like cymbals and snare hits were crisp and clear, particularly with the Hero 3+ outside of its case. On the in/out of the case debate, I found the sound to be a bit crisper when the Hero 3+ was removed from the case, but it was not a huge difference. So yes - small nuance sound pickup was impressive, but bass was a tad muffled. Now if only the Hero 3+ had that 3.5mm audio jack for attaching external mics.

My second test was of the wind reduction. I found a rare 45 degree window in this unrelenting New England winter and took my newly rebuilt dirt bike for a spin with the GoPro mounted to the Chesty harness. Now this was a noticeable improvement. At around 45-50 MPH amidst cold, thick air, the only audible wind noise was more of an intermittent lower toned muffling. Gone was the whistling, shrill wail-from-hell. At lower speeds, the wind noise was barely audible, and the Hero 3+ really picked up on the ring-da-ding of the two-stroke engine (which is still being broken in and sounds extra rough). I didn"t have a chance to exceed 50 MPH, and I"m really interested to see how the Hero 3+ fares at over 100 MPH on my street bike. But based on the improvement at lower speeds alone, I can project improved wind-reduction ability.

GoPro cameras are manufactured in China, Mexico, and Thailand. As an American company, GoPro outsources its manufacturing to enable quicker growth and scaling.

Hi, I’m Larry, your favorite tech nerd who also happens to be an action camera enthusiast. I got my first GoPro HERO4 Black in 2014 and currently use a GoPro HERO10 Black as my daily shooter. My obsession with GoPros has led me to extensive research on the company.

In this article, I will explain GoPro’s company background, where GoPro designs its cameras, and where the GoPro is manufactured. By the end of this guide, you can consider yourself an expert on GoPro as a business.

Nick Woodman founded GoPro in 2002 and is still CEO and Chairman of the company in 2022. GoPro is a publicly listed company on the NASDAQ under the symbol ‘GPRO’ after its IPO in 2014.

GoPro’s flagship product is the HERO camera with the GoPro HERO10 Black as the latest model. The GoPro MAX is GoPro’s secondary product that records 360-degree footage.

GoPro cameras are currently designed and developed in the United States, China, France, and Romania. Furthermore, GoPro has a user experience-driven approach to product development, and the CEO, Nick Woodman, leads product design.

The hardware team is responsible for developing solutions to support the ideas created by the product team. Moreover, the software team develops applications that enhance the functionality of the GoPro cameras.

GoPro outsources camera manufacturing to contract manufacturers in China, Mexico, and Thailand. As I mentioned earlier, outsourcing allows GoPro to scale faster than if it created its own manufacturing facilities.

Nowadays, massive tech companies like GoPro have state-of-the-art factories even though the factories are located in China, Mexico, and Thailand. GoPro has a reputation to uphold and investors to satisfy, and the company strives to produce the highest quality products possible.

GoPro is not a Chinese company. It’s an American company that was founded in California. Although a large portion of GoPro cameras are made in China, GoPro, Inc. is an American technology company.

It shouldn’t surprise you that GoPro manufactures its cameras in China. The Chinese economy is a manufacturing powerhouse and manufactures products for the world’s biggest brands such as Apple and Lenovo.

With $1.16 billion of revenue in 2021, you can easily tell that buying a GoPro is a safe decision. In my experience, GoPro also has one of the best customer service teams. They’ve been helpful whenever I damage my GoPro and need repairs or a replacement.

GoPro’s top competitors include DJI and Insta360. Both DJI and Insta360 are headquartered in Shenzhen, China. Since they are both Chinese companies, their products are manufactured in factories throughout China.

The five largest individual shareholders of GoPro are Nick Woodman (CEO), Brian McGee (CFO), Kenneth Goldman (Director), Peter Gotcher (Director), and Zander Lurie (Director).

The United States GoPro offices play a significant role in the design and innovation of the camera. However, the products are manufactured outside of America in factories located in China, Mexico, and Thailand.

The GoPro corporate office headquarters is located in San Mateo, CA. San Mateo is 20 miles south of San Francisco and sits on the San Francisco Peninsula. GoPro leases all of its properties, and the corporate headquarters is approximately 201,000 square feet.

Like most global tech companies, GoPro also outsources its manufacturing process to areas in the world where manufacturing is cheaper. This allows GoPro to produce more cameras and price them at a lower price point.

It used to be that if you wanted an action camera, you could choose between a GoPro… or a GoPro. Indeed, GoPro revolutionised if not INVENTED the action camera market and for a long time had the entire space all to themselves.

However, those days are now behind us and there are loads of GoPro alternatives available. The action camera market has expanded greatly and the competition has really got its act together in giving GoPro a run for its money.

So to help, we at Broke Backpacker have put together this epic guide for the best GoPro alternatives. In this bargain guide, we break down 12 unbelievable action cameras and show you why they’re great GoPro alternatives.

These are the 12 best GoPro substitutes on the market. Also, check out the end of the article where I highlight what the pros look for when buying an action camera. Some of the tips are next-level…#1 OCLU Action Camera – Best GoPro Alternative

Let’s be honest here, whilst some of these GoPro alternatives are great products, you really cannot beat the real thing. Just like with Coca Cola, the original GoPro is still the best and if you can stretch to it and find the extra bucks, may be a sound investment. A proper GoPro will serve you good for miles and miles and years and years of adventuring.

This may well be my favorite new camera I have tested this year. Why? It has all of the features I look for in a GoPro alternative and a few other unique features exclusive to OCLU.

At a fraction of the price of the current GoPro cameras, the Akaso Brave 7 LE is the latest and greatest model in the budget cam lineup from Akaso. For around $80, you get 4k recording, a remote control, dual-screen recording, and a couple of extra batteries to sweeten the deal. If you’re looking for an action camera that’s really on the cheap, then the Akaso Brave 4 LE is the best ultra-budget GoPro alternative out there!

A built-in electronic image stabilizer helps to eliminate shake and create smooth videos though the amount it does so is not as much as some other action cameras in this guide. The Akaso’s microphone is not as good as a GoPro model but over the last year, for this version of the latest Akaso camera, they have also improved the sound quality.

Construction-wise, the AkasoBrave 4 comes with a touchscreen in addition to the usual USB and HDMI ports. The camera is waterproof on its own up to 1m without a case or 30m with the included case

Thanks to its excellent construction, superb video quality, and the inclusion of several innovative features like voice recognition and informative overlays, the Garmin VIRB Ultra 30 is our choice for the best overall GoPro alternative!

Build-wise there’s little wrong with the Garmin VIRB Ultra 30. Without any extra accessories, the VIRB 30 is quite small and features a tough shell and equally resistant touchscreen.

Although not waterproof on its own, the Garmin VIRB becomes so with the addition of an external housing, which is rated at a maximum water depth of 131 feet. Amazingly, the touch screen and voice recognition controls still work with the housing installed.

In terms of video quality and recording, the Garmin VIRB Ultra delivers yet again. For the first time in the Garmin line, 4k recording possible and at 30 fps. There are several other recording options, like 1080p at 120fps, 720p at 240fps, etc. Video/image quality is superb with rich colors and excellent sharpness, perhaps even sharper than the most recent GoPro models.

The Yi 4k + can stand up to many GoPros and for almost half the price. With stellar 4k recording, a rugged touchscreen, and long battery life, this camera takes the award for best budget GoPro alternative.

On the flip side, the Yi 4k + does lack a lot of shooting modes found in GoPros though popular ones like slow-motion and time-lapses are still possible. Images taken from Yi 4k + are still very attractive and are surprisingly devoid of vignetting, chromatic aberrations, and other distortions. You can thank in-camera corrections for the lack of these tarnishes.

The Yi 4k + is built-in similar fashion to the GoPro – it’s tough, small, and somewhat utilitarian in aesthetics. What stands out though is the large touchscreen found on the back of Yi 4k +, which is where most of the camera’s settings are changed. Though responsive and gorgeous to look at, the touchscreen suffers in bright light. The inclusion of some additional mechanical controls would’ve been nice.

One of the greatest pluses to the Yi 4k + is its stellar battery life. It beats the GoPro HERO4 easily in recording times at all resolutions. The Yi 4k + can reportedly sustain 4k recording for over 90 minutes, which is fantastic.

Note that the Yi 4k + comes with no additional accessories, not even an underwater housing. You’ll have to buy everything separately, which may or may not feel defeating when buying this budget GoPro alternative.

The Sony FDR X3000R stuns with its excellent built-in image stabilization, top-of-the-line video quality, and a useful Live View Remote. Because of its stellar performance, we believe that the Sony FDR X3000R is the best premium GoPro alternative and worth the money for those willing to spend a little more.

Due to its bullet shape, the Sony FDR X3000R may not fit in the same places that smaller cubical action cameras could. The X3000R does come with a built-in tripod mount that is compatible with GoPro accessories though so there are still lots of mounting options. Note that the body itself is only splashproof and that an external case will be required for underwater use. With the case, this action cam is waterproof up to 197 ft.

The Garmin VIRB 360 offers very impressive optics. Notably, it can shoot 5.7k video, which is a greater resolution than the GoPro’s own 360 camera, the Fusion. 360 videos are crisp though still not as much as a traditional non-360 video (resolutions haven’t reached the point of rendering full 360 videos optimally yet). You can, of course, record regular 4k videos at 30 fps and 120fps at 720p with the VIRB 360, thus making it an effective action camera as well.

Build-wise, the VIRB 360 delivers in every way that Garmin action cam should. The camera is waterproof without a separate housing for up to 100 feet and is, overall, very durable. Control wise, the VIRB 360 is very straightforward, offering a series of physical buttons and an LCD screen for accessing in-camera menus.

Like the Yi 4k +, the SJCAM SJ7 Star takes much of what made GoPro successful and creates a more stripped-down, budget-friendly camera. With its competitive 4k recording and touchscreen, the SJCAM SJ7 Star is a solid competitor in the race for best action cam.

The majority of the camera’s settings and controls are found within the LCD menus that are accessed via the rear touchscreen. Though responsive, the rear touchscreen suffers from glare in bright lights, which is a common phenomenon. There is a settings button in addition to a power found at the front camera but that’s all.

Weighing in at under 2 ozs and measuring no more than an inch and half in every direction, the Polaroid Cube is one of the smallest GoPro alternatives that you can buy! With decent 1080p video recording and at a minuscule price as well, this action camera will appeal to lots of casual photographers and aspiring action camera users.

The Polaroid Cube has one button only that is used to take photos, start videos, and turn-on/turn-off the camera. There is no live view screen so you’ll be blind when shooting/recording (like the good ol’ days).

TomTom’s first foray into the action camera world is a successful one. Thanks to a rugged design, great usability, and compatibility with GoPro mounts, the TomTom Bandit is a great alternative to a GoPro and just barely misses accolades.

The TomTom shines because of its controls and connectivity. Between the on-camera buttons and the LCD viewing screen, setting up the Bandit is a snap. In-camera menus are also very easy to navigate and changing settings are very straightforward.

The Olympus Tough TG-Tracker is very straightforward and easy to use. There are multiple buttons on the camera body for changing settings and starting videos. The LCD screen flips out like most camcorders but cannot be rotated. A small LED light is also present for low light shooting.

The FOV of the Olympus Tough TG-Tracker is a whopping 204 degrees, which is even wider than the GoPro. Some users find this angle to be a bit too much as fish eyeing is very present. You can change the FOV of the TG-Tracker in the on-screen menus though these are kinda buried deep.

At 24mm (FF equivalent), the Sony DSC-RX0’s FOV is much narrower than the usual action camera. Those who hate the fisheye effect that is present in action cameras will feel much better about the RXO’s tighter, more photographer-friendly framing. Obviously though, the Sony DSC-RX0 will not be able to capture those huge scenes, the likes of which has become popular with athletes who use GoPros.

Though the DSC-RX0’s optics feel more like a conventional camera, its construction is still purely action camera. The DSC-RX0 is tiny – around the size of a GoPro – and fully waterproof. There are several ports as well that can accommodate additional accessories like a microphone, HDMI cord, and small travel tripod.

The iSaw Edge is another budget-friendly alternative to the GoPro. Like many action cameras on this list, the iSaw Edge is built very similarly to the GoPro but is offered at a much lower price.

The iSaw Edge is built very well and rivals the GoPro in ruggedness and portability. The iSaw Edge is around the same size as the GoPro both in and out of its waterproof housing. When inside of the housing, the iSaw Edge is waterproof up to 130 feet.

Overall, the iSaw Edge is very easy to use. There are three physical buttons that are used for turning the camera off/on, shooting, and changing settings – these are all very straightforward and very useful. There is a touchscreen LCD screen as well but it suffers from the usual glare that afflicts such screens.

The iSaw Edge comes bundled with a plethora of accessories for mounting purposes. Should these not be sufficient, the Edge is compatible with GoPro accessories thus expanding you accessory library greatly.

For those looking for an extremely easy action camera to use that won’t break the bank either, the Olfi One.Five is one of the most accessible action cameras out there. With very comprehensive controls and at half the price of its primary competition, the Olfi One.Five is a great alternative to a GoPro.

One of the most appealing aspects of the Olfi One.Five is its very easy-to-use controls. There are only a few buttons on the body itself and an LCD screen, which, contrary to many cameras in this guide, performs quite well in direct sunlight. The in-camera menus are very straightforward and settings are modified with ease.

Buying an action camera or GoPro alternative, for that matter, is a slightly different experience than buying a regular DSLR. Though certain features are still taken into consideration – like sensor quality, size, weight, etc – more emphasis is put on other aspects.

Below I’ve created a list of things that one should consider when buying an action camera. Take them into consideration when choosing the right GoPro alternative for you.

The highest current video recording resolution is 4k. Several action cameras have the ability to shoot 4k and, though they shoot with fewer megapixels, these videos are still gorgeous to look at. If 4k is not possible, then nearly every action camera shoots at least 1080p (HD quality), speaking for the ones in this article at least. Think about whether or not 4k is necessary in the first place as well – if your videos are just put on a 1080p screen, then 4k is worthless.

Frame rate (FPS) is something else that one should consider when buying the best possible GoPro alternative. 30 fps is the standard for most cameras these days and is used most frequently. 25 fps, once the industry standard for cinematography, creates a lovely “motion picture” look. If one intends to catch some very intense action scenes or even slow-motion videos, then they’ll have to crank up the fps – 60 fps, 120 fps, and 240 fps are all becoming common features and will create smoother slow-motion videos as the fps increases.

The size and weight of an action camera is pretty straight-forward. The smaller and lighter it is, the more useful it is. Be careful when buying a cheap GoPro alternative – many are built from less reliable materials and are, thus, more prone to breaking.

Touch screens are becoming increasingly common and are usually quite useful. These eliminate the need to have and use manual controls on the camera. Of increasing occurrence are voice controls, which, though in their fledgling years and not totally effective yet, are still an inspiring step in the right direction.

All of those 4k and slow-motion video means jack if you’re camera runs out of battery after only a few moments. Nothing is more frustrating than filming some amazing, action-packed scene, only to have your action camera die right at the best part. How long the battery lasts for your GoPro alternative is thus one of the most important aspects that you need to consider.

Depending on your intended activity – i.e surfing, traveling with a drone, mountain biking – you’ll need to consider the size, weight, and shape of the camera as well and if the proper mount is available. Each brand produces its own mounts and accessories so be sure to check their catalogs. Some cameras may even be compatible with GoPro’s own extensive line thus poaching the competition. Several other third parties produce mounts and accessories as well that may be compatible with your GoPro alternative.

At the end of the day, it’s all about what you’re willing to spend on a GoPro alternative. Thankfully, action cameras come in many shapes and sizes these days and at many different price points. You can, with research, find the perfect action camera for you and at the price you want to pay.

So there you have them – the best GoPro alternatives of 2022! Over the course of 12 different action cameras, we’ve covered nearly every basis from more budget-friendly selections to upgrades to even a 360 camera. If you can take anything away from this guide it’s that, whilst GoPros are still good cameras, you don’t have to settle for them to take great adventure videos! Consider your options wisely and then invest in the perfect GoPro alternative for you.