10 Best Action Cameras in India 2021 (GoPro, Insta360, and more)

Choosing an action camera can be quite confusing as most products available these days are loaded with unique and state-of-the-art features. Use the information in the buying guide to choose one that is most suited for your lifestyle. We have products from top companies like Insta360, GoPro, DJI, Sony, and more.

An action camera is a compact, rugged device that can work under extreme conditions to capture high-resolution photos and videos. It also makes capturing shake-free videos possible using electronic and digital video stabilization (differs between various models). 

Electronic stabilization utilizes motion sensors to track the direction of shakes and jitters to adjust the image, thus producing smoother videos. It is superior to digital stabilization as it doesn't result in loss of video quality. Action cameras usually come loaded with presets that make photography techniques like timelapse and burst shots easier.

Due to its small size and weight, action cameras can be mounted onto a helmet, motorcycle, or even your backpack. It can be a useful companion during your travels for shooting smooth and crystal clear videos for your personal collection and social media.

Vloggers will find action cameras to be much handier than a DSLR as it takes up less space in their backpack and less tiring to carry due to its lightweight build. Read our buying guide below to find out the various features to look for in an action camera before you buy, so you will get great value for the money you are paying.

Read the buying guide below to learn about the features you should look for in an action camera like video recording capabilities, various photography modes, water resistance, screen type and audio recording options, and the type of action camera to choose depending on your needs.

You must already know about box-style action cameras. Popular action cameras like GoPro Hero9 and Insta360 comes under this category. They are rugged, support additional accessories, and pack a lot of features. But there are other styles too, for example, cube, bullet, and 360-degree. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

A cube-style action camera is the smallest among the four. It is lightweight and can easily fit in your pocket. You only need a little space if you want to mount it on a motorcycle handlebar. A bullet-style action camera looks like a flashlight. Other than an intriguing design, there is nothing special about them. It may look much more stylish than a cube-style action camera.

A 360-degree action camera features two lenses. It can capture 360 videos that you can use to create virtual reality videos. The viewer can experience the world in the video as if they are in it. Vloggers and content creators may find this type of action camera useful for giving their subscribers a unique experience through their videos.

Whether you want to record your memories or create content for social media, high-resolution videos are always fun to watch. Find out the video recording capabilities an action camera should have, so you can choose the best one for your budget.

While shopping for action cameras, you will find most of the top products in the market offering at least 4K video recording capability. Before you decide you don't want to shoot 4K videos, watch some on YouTube. Whether it is for personal use, professional use, or social media, high-resolution videos are always breathtaking to watch.

If you are a content creator, then there is no excuse but to go for a product that can shoot the highest resolution video for your budget. Products like GoPro MAX and Insta360 offer video recording in 5.6K and 5.7K, respectively. Currently, this is the highest video recording resolution any camera has ever offered. Another feature you can use to judge a camera's video recording capability is fps.

Fps or frames per second determine how smooth a video would be. For example, a 4K video shot at 60 fps will look smoother than one shot at 30 fps. Shooting at higher fps also enables you to create slow-motion videos. The more fps at which you shoot, the slower your video can look. Buy a camera that can shoot at high fps at the highest video resolution for creating crisp slow-motion videos.

As of now, action cameras do not feature optical zoom, and very few products come with a digital zoom capability. Since the focal length of an action camera is fixed, you either have to move closer to your subject to frame your shot or use the built-in FOV (Field Of View) options. Remember that the narrower your FOV gets, the lesser the quality of the video.

Action cameras usually have ultra wide-angle lenses that produce a curve along the edges of an image. The various FOV options digitally crop the video and use algorithms to straighten out these distortions. The results mimic those produced by various lenses in a DSLR.

For example, GoPro Hero9's SuperView mode utilizes the full capability of the wide-angle lens it has. As you choose the following FOV options like wide, linear, and narrow, the field of view gets narrower, resulting in a more "zoomed in" frame, thus letting you be more creative with your shots.

As the angle of view of a lens increases, it will be able to incorporate more elements into the frame. But it will also increase the distortion along the edges, which the camera may digitally crop out, or you need to spend time fixing it while editing. For example, a lens with a 180-degree FOV will have more of the scene in the frame than one with a 93-degree FOV (DJI OSMO Pocket 2).

You don't have to be a photography guru to capture stunning photos. Just have an idea about what the results will be when you shoot in a particular mode to make the best out of your action camera. Here are some photography modes your camera should have to impress your social media fans and friends with your creativity.

Timelapse is a mode in which your camera clicks a picture at regular intervals. The end product will be a video that looks as if a video is sped up. Burst mode allows you to capture several pictures in a short amount of time. Later, you can choose a picture that has the best composition. This mode is extremely useful when you are trying to capture fast-moving actions like bike racing.

If you come across a scene with lots of bright and dark areas (highlights and shadows), your camera will have trouble capturing every detail. A camera with an HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode will capture an image with all the details in the highlights and shadows. Make sure that your choice has these basic photography modes before you buy.

Touchscreens make configuring your action camera easier. It enables you to adjust capture settings quickly before you click a picture or start shooting. Action cameras are meant for fast and rugged activities like biking, trekking, mountain climbing, off-road riding, swimming, etc. You don't want to waste your time struggling with settings on a non-touchscreen camera.

If you want an action camera for shooting travel videos and vlogging, buy one with a front-facing display. It will help you frame your selfie videos perfectly. Another feature to look for in an action camera is its audio recording capability. Having a microphone is not enough. If you want to shoot videos for social media, buy a camera with multiple microphones.

For example, the GoPro Hero MAX features six microphones that capture 360-degree audio. When you view the 360-degree video from the camera, the spherical audio captured by it provides an immersive surround sound experience. If you only want to capture what's in front of you, stereo audio recording capability will be more than enough.

Water resistance is one of the necessary features an action camera should have. It not only protects the camera from accidental water splashes and rain but also enables you to shoot underwater. Most action cameras offer water resistance up to 5 meters. You can also find ones you can take up to 60 meters underwater.

Some cameras will only become water-resistant if you use an underwater housing (a camera case that protects the camera while being used underwater), which normally comes with the camera. For example, Sony's FDR-X3000 becomes water-resistant up to 60 meters when you put on the underwater housing.

But products like the SJCAM SJ10 Pro offer water resistance up to 30 meters with the housing and 10 meters without it. If you go deep sea diving or want to shoot underwater ecosystems (like coral reefs), buy an extra housing that will enable you to take the camera to your desired depths. You

While traveling the world with your action camera, you cannot be sure how long you will operate it. You don't want your camera to die when something interesting comes up during your adventures. Not only that, shooting at high resolution and frame rates drains the battery quickly. Depending on your needs, buy a camera with longer battery life or buy extra batteries to switch when one runs out.

If you want to use your action camera for planned shoots, consider its video recording capability rather than battery life. But if you want one for capturing memories while traveling, think about battery life profoundly. For planned shoots, we recommend going for a camera that can shoot continuously for at least 1 hour when set at 4K 60 fps.

For capturing favorite moments while traveling, it will be a good idea to buy one that can shoot in 1080p at 30 fps for at least two hours. If you plan to upload those travel videos to YouTube and you prefer to shoot in 4K, we recommend buying extra battery packs.

Whether it's for YouTube or your personal collection, aerial shots are always breathtaking to watch. And high-resolution videos will make your social media channel a viewer-favorite. You will also need editing software to stitch your footage and add effects to it.

To help you with all these, we have created buying guides for the best camera drones for beginners, vlogging cameras, and video editing apps. Follow the links below to read and shop from our top 10 list featuring products from the most popular brands in India.

In a nutshell, your action camera should have features that enable you to capture professional-looking videos with ease. Look for high resolution and high fps video recording capability and electronic image stabilization. Various photography modes will help you capture creative shots with ease, and manual control over various capture settings will give you more flexibility while shooting.

If you want your camera to be functional under the high pressures of the deep sea, buy extra housing or find a camera with your desired water resistance. Finally, buy a camera with a longer battery or get extra batteries, so you won't miss out on any special moments during your adventures.

Author - Arun F Xaviour