Which Action Camera Is Right For You?

It seems that everyone’s using point of view or POV cameras these days to capture everything from their child’s first steps, to a radical skateboard jump, and every bit of daily minutiae in between. Called life logging, we now enjoy wearable cameras that clip right onto our clothes, or even mount right on our body. As these could become common accessories someday, most of us will likely stick with something a little more traditional. So the question is posed: Which highly personal camcorder is right for you? What’s the best way to determine just which ones work best and are the easiest to use?

Highly Active? GoPro HD Hero3 Black Edition

The GoPro HD Hero3 Black Edition represents the big guns of the market. It’s incredibly lightweight, delivers superb audio quality and probably has the best overall video quality. This camera records 33% more data than the competitors, which gives the video a sharp, crisp quality, with ideal color, motion and detail. The GoPro comes with a waterproof case for underwater adventures, and it’s equipped to be mountable on just about anything. It’s lightweight, at only 2.6 ounces, and you can control it wirelessly with the included remote or your smartphone. Unfortunately, you can’t see the video on the camera itself, so you can’t be totally sure of the quality of what you’re capturing.

Sony HD Action Cam

The Sony Action Cam with Wi-Fi is probably the forerunner, in terms of price and what you get.. It’s really easy to use and comes with a lot of the same great features as the GoPro, but more affordably. This camera has a Carl Zeiss lens, just like those on high-end professional still cameras, and it delivers superb video quality at 1080p HD. While the GoPro is better for video, the Action Cam has other benefits, like great low-light quality and optical image stabilization to smooth out shaky footage. It too, is lightweight and comes with a waterproof case and easy mounting options. It comes with built-in Wi-Fi that allows you control the camera and share videos. You get a lot for your money with this one.

One For Your Kids: Jakks Action Shot

There are many kids who desperately want to have their own POV cameras, so that they can record and share their antics, but most parents can not afford to spend hundreds of dollars on a high-end camera that is likely to be lost or broken. That’s where the Jakks Action Shot comes in. While it’s not packed with the fancier features of the competition: no Wi-Fi, no image stabilization and limited mounting options…it will record helmet-mounted video in standard definition, which is perfect for biking or skateboarding. And the features start to sound more appealing when you consider the $50 price tag. You can go a little better with the $100 Action Shot HD, which will record HD in 720p, though only at 30 frames per second, so the resulting video will be choppier than a higher-end camera. Still, the price makes this the perfect POV camera for the kids to show-off their best moves.