Some of these action cameras are pretty expensive and can drill a hole in your pocket and derail your travel plans. However, they are not the only ones in the market. Over the years, quite a few companies have tried their hands on action cameras, and boy, do they give some serious competition to ones already on the market. Yeah, there are plenty of affordable and travel-friendly action cameras out there that almost have the same features as their pricey counterparts. Read on to find out some of the best pocketable and travel-friendly action cameras.
1. Dragon Touch Vision 3
The Vision 3 gives you the option to shoot full HD videos at 60fps and also comes with a 4X zoom to get closer to your subjects. And if that’s not enough, the waterproof case makes sure that you can record your underwater adventures as well. And helpful modes like driving mode, time-lapse, slow motion, and loop recording make using this action camera a charming affair. When it comes to the video quality of videos and still images, they can be categorized as clear and sharp (if not great), and you can share on your social media platforms. The Vision 3 ships with a wrist control remote that let you control the camera underwater. Apart from that, it ships with several accessories and mounts. Plus, the rechargeable 1050 mAh batteries can power the camera for up to 90 minutes. It also comes with a 2-inch touch screen at the back that lets you tweak the camera settings or quickly browse through your photos and videos.
2. Olympus Tough TG-Tracker
The Tough TG-Tracker can shoot video at 4K at 30 fps, and the video quality is being described as colorful and sharp with a good amount of details. It can the video has a higher level of contrast, even when the light changes. Furthermore, the build of this affordable action camera is quite solid, true to its name. The ruggedized casing can withstand a 7-foot fall and can bear extreme changes in temperatures as well. On top of that, Tough TG-Tracker can bear around 220 pounds. Quite naturally, this ruggedness makes it a bit heavy than its counterparts. On the upside, the camera packs a massive 1,350 mAh battery, which will see you through half an hour of 4K recording. However, changing the settings or mode is a tad difficult.
3. Sony HDR-AS50 Full HD Action Cam
The Zeiss Tessar lens at the front also lets you capture frames at 120fps (720p) frame rate, apart from the regular 1080p resolution. The exposure is on the higher side, which tends to over-brighten videos. Plus, the sharpness is also a bit less. If you can overlook these two points, the quality is quite good for the price. One of the primary highlights of this action camera is that it’s waterproof out of the box. Yep, you needn’t use any waterproof casing and the likes before you go underwater diving or snorkeling. And like its Olympus counterpart, it’s quite resilient. It’s shock-proof and sand-resistant and can survive underwater for around 30 minutes (60 minutes). Plus, the UI is quite intuitive, and you needn’t rake your brains finding the settings or switching the different modes.
4. Akaso V50X
And if that was not enough, it comes with decent audio quality and an impressive EIS. And unlike most cameras, the EIS works equally well in all the supported resolutions. The crux of this inexpensive action camera is its body. The build is solid, and the rubberized body means that it can withstand its share of scratches and abrasions. There are two 1,350 mAh batteries, which are good enough to power you through 60 minutes of 4K recording. And if you want to make the batteries last a little more, you can switch to the 1080p resolution, which will get you a battery life of around 1.5 hours. Decent, right? Both the image quality and video quality is excellent for the price. The footages have bright colors and are coupled with high contrast levels. And the EIS is the cherry on top. The good thing about this tiny action camera is that you can top it up with a power bank and record it at the same time. So, for example, you plan to record your cross-country bike ride, this method will come in handy.
5. YI 4K Action and Sports Camera
The YI 4K is powered by a 1,400 mAh battery, which can last north of two hours when you record in 1080p. And that’s not the only thing that this travel-friendly action camera is known for. The video quality is great, although it may not as sharp as its Go Pro counterpart (from where YI derives most of its inspiration). The FOV of 155-degree makes sure that you capture most of what’s in front of the screen. On the downside, you might see considerable distortion on the screen, thanks to the wide-angle camera. Plus, don’t expect to get 100Mbps in your 4K recordings as the YI camera limits it at 60Mbps. Note that it’s not waterproof out of the box. You’d need to use a waterproofing case. But once done, you can mount it on your helmet or to a selfie stick and get ready for your next adventure. Overall, it’s a good deal for an action camera, especially if you are looking for something less than $200.
Make Your Adventures Last Forever
When it comes to action cameras, GoPro has surely hogged the limelight for its innovative cameras. And over the years, they have put out both premium ones as well as affordable ones such as the GoPro Hero7 White, which costs around $169.00. It’s small, compact, durable, and can record your adrenaline-rushing adventures without breaking a sweat. Just don’t forget to back up your photos and videos properly. After all, it’s not every day that you get a chance to travel. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
