The camcorder helps people capture the most significant moments of life on a memory card so that they can review them at any time. There are situations in which a conventional device for recording video or taking photos is not enough. This applies to various extreme conditions. Then an action camera is needed. Similar situations arise for fans to parachute or kayak on the river in the mountains.
Criteria for choosing an action camera
- The ability to fix the device on any surface and as reliable as possible so that smooth and high-quality shooting can be carried out even during flight or from a high distance.
- Video recording is performed with the highest possible resolution, since often you have to shoot small objects or objects from a long distance. This is a crucial parameter when answering the question of which action camera to choose.
- Ensuring full resistance to irritating or potentially dangerous factors for the internal mechanism, such as liquid, falling. That is, it is essential to ensure water resistance and impact resistance.
- Long shooting should not be uncommon, therefore, you need a sufficiently powerful battery for this and the maximum possible amount of memory. These factors should be given special attention when choosing a device.
- The action camera is one of the most sought-after items for fans of extreme sports, so it will never lose its popularity. When posing the question of which action camera to choose, you must be guided by your own requests and shooting conditions, and not chase the nominally best action camera.
Before choosing an action camera, you need to determine in advance what video should be. The quality, resolution and duration of the video must be indicated. The strength of the action camera deserves special attention, since it is this parameter that is often decisive in the issue of the durability of the device. Compliance with this criterion should be monitored, as it affects the decision of many athletes about which action camera to choose.
Selecting an action camera by shooting duration
Typically, the duration of the shooting depends on the mode in which it is produced. It is also affected by the material from which the device’s battery is made. The longest shooting time is possible with a lithium-ion battery. Its duration is approximately 5 hours.
It must be remembered that 5 hours is the maximum mark. A large number of manufacturers offer a maximum of 2 hours of continuous shooting, which is also a satisfactory indicator. It is necessary to turn on the camera in time only at the moment when it is really important.
Alternatively, recharging the battery affects the duration of the movie. In order to restore 100% of the device’s workforce, some action cameras have a simple recharge from a cigarette lighter. These small, but significant features influence the decision of people in the question of which action camera to choose.
Battery capacity
When choosing a suitable action camera, you should first look at the battery capacity and at the maximum working time, which must be indicated by the manufacturer on the package or in the instructions. Action cameras from Sony in this indicator exceed the same marks for models of the GoPro and Garmin brands. Pay attention to models of lesser-known manufacturers, such as Liquid EGO. They work quite well.
If the duration of shooting is one of the decisive factors in a particular case, you need to pay attention to this brand, since most models from this manufacturer differ in shooting time up to 5 hours, which is the maximum that an action camera has.
Which one to choose? Sony AS100 is the answer to this question. This applies to cases where the quality of the shooting is more significant than its duration.
Memory card selection
The duration of the movie is not always dependent on the battery. The size of the memory card is also important for this. It is necessary to pay attention to class 10 memory cards. The usual 32 GB allows you to record about 200 minutes of video and about 34 thousand pictures, given that the camera has 5 megapixels. If the choice of a memory card is one of the decisive points, you should pay attention to the products of the brands SanDisk, Lexar, Delkin, Transcend.
It is not recommended to save on a memory card, especially on the manufacturer, so that there are no problems not only with writing, but also with reading files. The larger the memory, the easier it is to use a memory card, you can leave the most memorable videos and photos directly on the camera so that you can quickly show them to friends on occasion, without worrying that there is not enough memory for the new video. This should be an action camera. Other criteria will suggest which one to choose.
The choice of action cameras for strength
The action camera should be made of shockproof material, as this is provided for by its concept. Usually, modern models of such action cameras are made from a special mixture, which includes aluminum and special plastic. There are other varieties of action camera models that are manufactured using polyurethane-grilamid in combination with steel inserts. Also, some models are made of thermoplastic polyurethane. The last two materials are preferred if the device will be adversely affected by any kind.
Sometimes action cameras are purchased for underwater shooting. It should be taken into account how many meters a person plans to dive. It is important to pay attention to high-strength products when a question arises as to which action camera to choose for spearfishing.
The Sony HDR-AS100V delivers excellent shooting quality at 5 meters depth. If you need to dive very deep, GoPro models are suitable, since most of them allow you to shoot at a distance of about 60 meters. Comparison of the main criteria will help determine the answer to the question of which action camera to choose for underwater shooting.
Features of choice
All high-quality action cameras from reliable manufacturers are waterproof and shockproof, and they also have a protective case that prevents dust from entering the internal structure even in strong winds, for example, when in desert areas.
High strength is necessary for professional athletes who are able to shoot videos in really dangerous conditions. If there is no particular extreme in the shooting process, it is advisable to take into account primarily the indicator of video recording quality, and only after that pay attention to the strength characteristics that the action camera has. Which one to choose, everyone must decide for themselves.
Video capture quality: an important parameter for choosing an action camera
Most modern devices boast excellent shooting quality, which implies a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels with a frequency of 30 frames / sec. There are some models, for example, GoPro Hero4, offering the same frequency, but many times increased resolution to 3840x2160 pixels. In all models, it is allowed to independently change the quality of shooting and set the resolution that is optimal at a particular moment, but you should pay attention to the maximum possible parameters.
Some models suggest an increase in the speed of shooting video up to 60 or 120 fps, however, at the same time, the maximum resolution can be added only to Full HD 1920x1080. These are the maximum values that an action camera can boast of. Which one to choose - 2014 or 2015 release, you decide.
To understand how high the quality of the shooting for a particular action camera, you need to determine the viewing angle. To understand this, just look at the parameters in the instructions. The larger the viewing angle, the wider the area you can capture when shooting video. Most modern action cameras shoot with a viewing angle of 100-170 °, however there are models that can boast of large parameters.
If you plan to shoot video in poor visibility conditions, that is, the object is in the dark, you must select a device in which automatic illumination will be built-in or it is possible to connect a special shooting mode that makes objects visible in a dark room.
Sometimes manufacturers are limited to infrared illumination, which is a satisfactory criterion, but in some cases cameras are needed in which there is a special mode for shooting at night, that is, in almost complete darkness. Compliance with these criteria will help determine the answer to the question that the action camera dictates: which one to choose? Reviews unanimously argue that you must be guided by your own preferences.
Ability to sync with other devices
Many action cameras have the ability to connect via HDMI-port directly to digital devices, such as a computer or TV, to almost instantly enable video viewing on a large screen. It is desirable that the action camera can connect to other devices via Wi-Fi, which also helps to transfer the necessary information.
Remote control
This is an additional parameter with which you can shoot in the most extreme conditions and capture moments that are not available by functional features. The action camera has various parameters. What to choose for the amateur, some functional advantages will help to determine.
Sound
A microphone built into the camera affects sound quality. You should make sure that he records the purest sounds and ignores additional noise or crackling, which will make it possible to perfectly reproduce what is happening not only in pictures, but also with the help of sound. If the model is sold at an average or high price, then there is no need to worry about this parameter, since all devices have microphones created using the same technology. There are also separate microphones and voice recorders for professional recording, which can be turned on simultaneously with video recording. Then the perfect balance of sound quality and pictures is ensured.
Mount
Usually, the mount is carried on the helmet or steering wheel of a vehicle, such as a motorcycle or bicycle. The more fasteners in the kit, the more opportunities open to properly and securely lock the device in the right place. The quality of the mounts is checked to determine which action camera to choose for skiing.
The main purpose of the action camera is to ensure proper shooting in conditions that can be called extreme. Then an ordinary camcorder will be useless. For the action camera, additional requirements are presented that do not apply to conventional devices and distinguish it from analogues. You should choose the device that best meets the requirements set by the user.