Best action cameras: for skiing, surfing, cycling, hiking and more

The best action cameras capture clear images and crisp sound, are durable whether you're using them for mountain biking, surfing or going for a walk, and are easy to use. 

We tested the UK's bestselling and top rated action cameras from GoPro, DJI, Insta360 and more, including 4K and 5K action cameras and action cameras with GPS. We discovered which action cameras provide the sharpest footage, the clearest audio, the smoothest image stabilisation and the toughest design by putting them through their paces. 

We shoot underwater, during the night, at high-speeds and more. We also freeze the cameras for four hours and submerge them underwater to make sure you're getting an action camera that can withstand the elements. 

Our testing has found you do need to spend a little more to get the best action cameras, but some that left us unimpressed were actually some of the priciest. Two action cameras, however, are worthy Which? Best Buys. 

The best action cameras from our tests

Only logged-in Which? members can view the action camera test results below. 

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The action cameras we've tested

All the action cameras we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.

Only logged-in Which? members can view the action camera test results below. 

Join Which? to get instant access to our recommendations below.

Akaso Brave 7

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Most recently tested September 2023

Max resolution/frame rate 4K/30fps, 1080p/60fps, 720p/120fps

Sensor size 1/2.3"

Size and weight 4.6 x 6.6 x 3.4cm (HxWxD); 127g

Stated battery life 110 mins (likely to be less when running more advanced specs)

Need to know Waterproof to five metres, slow-motion, loop recording and timelapse modes, built-in image stabilisation, burst and timelapse stills modes, 20Mp stills, Bluetooth and wi-fi-enabled, 170° max field of view, voice control, scheduled capture, digital zoom, accessories include camera frame, remote control, battery charger, 7x mounts, 2x helmet mounts, lens cloth, handlebar mount, 5x straps, 5x zip ties, USB cable, 2x adhesive pads

DJI Action 2

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Most recently tested September 2023

Max resolution/frame rate 4K/120fps, 1080p/240fps

Sensor size 1/1.7"

Size and weight 3.9 x 3.9 x 2.2 (camera unit); 3.9 x 4.2 x 2.1 (power unit) (HxWxD); 56g (camera unit), 56g (power unit)

Stated battery life 160 mins (likely to be less when running more advanced specs)

Need to know Waterproof to 10 metres (camera unit only, battery unit not waterproof), slow-motion and timelapse modes, built-in image stabilisation, 12Mp stills, takes RAW photos, Bluetooth and wi-fi-enabled, 155° max field of view, modular build, digital zoom, voice control, scheduled capture, accessories include magnetic lanyard, magnetic adapter mount

DJI Osmo Action 3

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Most recently tested September 2023

Max resolution/frame rate 4K/120fps, 1080p/240fps

Sensor size 1/1.7"

Size and weight 4.4 x 7.1 x 3.3cm (HxWxD); 145g

Stated battery life 160 mins (likely to be less when running more advanced specs)

Need to know Waterproof to 16 metres, slow-motion, HDR and timelapse modes, built-in image stabilisation, 12Mp stills, takes RAW photos, Bluetooth and wi-fi-enabled, 155° max field of view, digital zoom, voice control, scheduled capture, DJI app required, accessories include flat adhesive mount, skeleton frame, quick-release adaptor mount, rubber lens protector, locking screw

GoPro Hero 9

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Most recently tested September 2023

Max resolution/frame rate 5K/30fps, 4K/60fps, 2.7K/120fps

Sensor size 1/2.3"

Size and weight 5.5 x 7.1 x 3.36cm (HxWxD); 158g

Stated battery life 131 mins (likely to be less when running more advanced specs)

Need to know Waterproof to 10 metres, slow-motion, loop recording, Hindsight and timelapse modes, built-in image stabilisation and HDR, burst, night, RAW and HDR stills modes, 20Mp stills, Bluetooth, wi-fi and GPS-enabled, 121° max field of view, front-facing preview screen, voice control, digital zoom, scheduled capture, 1080p live streaming, GoPro app required, accessories include carry case, adhesive mount, mounting clip, locking screw, charging cable

GoPro Hero 10

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Most recently tested September 2023

Max resolution/frame rate 5.3K/60fps, 4K/120fps, 2.7K/240fps

Sensor size 1/2.3"

Size and weight 5.5 x 7.1 x 3.36cm (HxWxD); 153g

Stated battery life 120 mins (likely to be less when running more advanced specs)

Need to know Waterproof to 10 metres, slow-motion, loop recording, Hindsight and timelapse modes, built-in image stabilisation and HDR, burst, night, RAW and HDR stills modes, 23Mp stills, Bluetooth, wi-fi and GPS-enabled, 121° max field of view, front-facing preview screen, voice control, digital zoom, scheduled capture, 1080p live streaming, GoPro app required, accessories include carry case, adhesive mount, mounting clip, locking screw, charging cable

Read our reviews of the best compact cameras

GoPro Hero 11

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Most recently tested September 2023

Max resolution/frame rate 5.3K/60fps, 4K/120fps, 2.7K/240fps

Sensor size 1/1.9"

Size and weight 5.8 x 7.1 x 3.36cm (HxWxD); 156g

Stated battery life 131 mins (likely to be less when running more advanced specs)

Need to know Waterproof to 10 metres, slow-motion, loop recording, Hindsight and timelapse modes, built-in image stabilisation and HDR, burst, night, RAW and HDR stills modes, 27Mp stills, Bluetooth, wi-fi and GPS-enabled, 155° max field of view, front-facing preview screen, voice control, digital zoom, scheduled capture, 1080p live streaming, GoPro app required, accessories include carry case, adhesive mount, mounting clip, locking screw, charging cable

GoPro Max

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Most recently tested September 2023

Max resolution/frame rate 5.6K/30fps, 3K/60fps (360 shooting mode); 1,440p/60fps (Hero shooting mode)

Sensor size 1/2.3"

Size and weight 6.9 x 6.4 x 5cm (HxWxD); 158g

Stated battery life 115 mins (likely to be less when running more advanced specs)

Need to know Waterproof to five metres, 360° and Hero shooting modes, slow-motion and timelapse modes, built-in image stabilisation and horizon lock, RAW, spherical photo, PowerPano and Stitch 360 stills modes, 16.6Mp stills, Bluetooth, wi-fi and GPS-enabled, voice control, digital zoom, scheduled capture, 1080p live streaming, GoPro app required, accessories include carry case, accessory bag, adhesive mount, mounting clip, locking screw, charging cable, 2x lens protectors (not for underwater use), 2x lens covers

GoXtreme BlackHawk+

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Most recently tested September 2023

Max resolution/frame rate 4K/60fps, 1080p/120fps, 720p/240fps

Sensor size 1/2"

Size and weight 4.2 x 6.2 x 3.4cm (HxWxD); 73g

Stated battery life 60 mins (likely to be less when running more advanced specs)

Need to know Waterproof to 60 metres with waterproof case (not waterproof otherwise), slow-motion, loop recording, hindsight and timelapse modes, built-in image stabilisation, time-lapse, long exposure and burst stills modes, 14Mp stills, wi-fi-enabled, 170° max field of view, scheduled capture, accessories include waterproof case, hollow back door, bike mount, long/short base, tripod adaptor, monopod adaptor, helmet base, long/short join adaptors, straps, lens cloth, charging cable

Insta360 X3

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Most recently tested September 2023

Max resolution/frame rate 5.7K/30fps, 4K/60fps (360 shooting mode) 4K/30fps, 3.6K/60fps (single lens shooting mode)

Sensor size 1/2"

Size and weight 11.4 x 4.6 x 3.3cm (HxWxD); 180g

Stated battery life 81 mins (likely to be less when running more advanced specs)

Need to know Waterproof to 10 metres, 360° and single-lens shooting modes, active HDR, timelapse, time shift, bullet time, loop recording and star-lapse shooting modes, built-in image stabilisation, HDR, burst, and interval stills modes, 48Mp stills, Bluetooth and wi-fi-enabled, voice control, scheduled capture, Insta360 app required, accessories include carry bag, lens cloth

Kaiser Baas X450

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Most recently tested September 2023

Max resolution/frame rate 4K/30fps, 1080p/60fps, 720p/120fps

Sensor size 1/2.33"

Size and weight 4.1 x 6 x 3.1cm (HxWxD); 83g

Stated battery life 90 mins (likely to be less when running more advanced specs)

Need to know Waterproof to 40 metres with waterproof case (not waterproof otherwise), slow-motion and time-lapse modes, burst and timelapse stills modes, 14Mp stills, wi-fi-enabled, 170° max field of view, voice control, scheduled capture, accessories include flat adhesive mount, curved adhesive mount, quick release mount, bike mount, locking screw, charging cable

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Which? Don't Buy action cameras

Our tests uncover the best and the worst. If a product performs so poorly that we think you should avoid it, we call it a Don't Buy. We've tested two action cameras that we've named Don't Buys.

These cameras deliver more drama than action. Both quite literally fell apart during our durability tests, but even when they were working the awful, dizzying footage they produced was enough to make us want to look away. Add in the terrible audio and frustrating menus, and you're left with gadgets better suited to gathering dust than recording memories.  

How we test action cameras

We select the UK's most popular action cameras and use them to shoot a broad selection of videos. Our video producers compare the quality of their video, audio, stills, and image stabilisation, before we put each model through its paces in a variety of real-world durability tests. 

We buy every product we test — no freebies here — to ensure our reviews are fair and unbiased.

We regularly revisit the action cameras on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing and when we find them we do.

Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.

Video, audio and stills quality

We record a set selection of videos and images with each camera using the same settings and under the same conditions, then compare the quality of each. These include:

• Shooting underwater, self-shooting, recording high-speed activities, and shooting at night.

We're on the look out for: 

• Smooth image stabilisation and sharp images.
• Natural colours
• Footage free of distortion and that deals quickly with changes in focus and light
• Richness and depth of audio.

Ease of use and durability

While recording our selection of shots and stills, we look at how straightforward they are to shoot with and how tough they are by:

• Noting how easy we find it to use and understand each camera.
• Freezing the cameras in a freezer for four hours and leaving them underwater for 30 minutes.
• Dropping each one on a hard surface from head height several times to see what they can stand up to.

You'll want an action camera that's weatherproof - and to shield yourself from the elements, take a look at our guides on outdoor clothing. 

Are action cameras worth it?

If portability, the ability to take point-of-view or slow motion footage, and durability are important to you, then yes, action cameras are worth it.

However, we've found you do need to spend a bit more to get the best action cameras. You won't find they cost as much as some specialised DSLR or mirrorless cameras, which can go well into four figures, but we've found that any action camera that costs less than £100 is unlikely to satisfy you.

Action cameras that cheap tend to miss out on some key features for capturing action footage, such as image stabilisation and waterproofing.

What makes a good action camera?

• Resolution This is the number of pixels in each frame captured by the camera, and the amount of detail. 1,080p video format is Full HD (1,920 pixels wide by 1,080 pixels tall), 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) is four times as many pixels as Full HD, and 5K (5,120 × 2,880) is among the highest you can record with using an action camera.
• Frames per second The frame rate is measured in frames per second (fps). It’s a measurement for how many consecutive images a camera can handle each second, and higher frame rates make motion appear smoother and less blurry. Most footage is recorded at 30 or 60fps, but high framerates such as 120 or even 240fps are useful for recording smooth slow-motion footage.
• Image stabilisation Action cameras often record high speed, shaky footage, especially when used to record sports from the wearer's point of view. Good image stabilisation digitally levels out the footage to remove the shakes.
• Field of view In simple terms, the field of view is a measurement of the total viewable area at any given moment. Measured as an angle (eg 170 degrees), the larger the value, the wider angle of view. A wide field of view is important for action cameras, as footage is often recorded from the user's point of view.
• Still photos Action cameras specialise in recording video, but they can also capture still photos. They don’t produce high-resolution images as you would expect from a mirrorless or DSLR camera, but generally, cameras with a larger megapixel rating will produce sharper and clearer photos.
• Waterproofing It’s important to select a camera that is waterproof if you plan to use the camera underwater. Some models are water resistant, meaning they can only be submerged in water to a limited depth. Other cameras require a special waterproof case, called a housing, to be fully waterproof.

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What other action camera features should I consider?

Battery life 

Even the best action camera with a sizeable battery will only last a few hours, so it’s worth investing in multiple batteries, or a portable charger, to ensure your camera doesn’t run out of juice when you need it most.

Mounting system 

Almost all of the action cameras are designed to be mounted or attached to different surfaces or objects, which is essential for shooting videos of your adventures from a first-person perspective. 

Most cameras come with one or two mounts in the box, but additional mounts cost extra. If you’re looking to attach your camera to a specific area, such as bike handlebars, you’ll need to source a specific bike mount.

Memory 

Buying the right type of memory card is essential for making sure that you get the most out of your camera. Video files can occupy a lot of storage space, so it’s worth choosing a large-capacity memory card to ensure you can save as much footage as possible.

Most action cameras use micro-SD cards, and we recommend picking up a Class-10 card to ensure the best video quality. The higher the class of card, the faster it can save the video.

If you use a slower class of card than recommended, recorded video will be jerky and footage could playback slower than it was recorded.

Wireless connectivity 

Some of the high-end action cameras include wi-fi, Bluetooth, near-field communication (NFC) or all three, so you can use your smartphone or tablet as a screen. 

This means you can easily control the camera via an app or adjust camera settings on the fly.

GPS 

With a built-in GPS (global positioning system), your action camera will automatically geo-tag all your videos and stills.

This means that when you get home you can link your photos and videos to an online map, pinpointing the exact locations of your travels.

Ready to take your camera out on the road? See our reviews of the best electric bikes.