Best overall		GoPro Hero 11 Black		SEE IT	Featuring the largest GoPro sensor yet, the Hero 11 is capable of stunning and smooth 5.3K video.
Best for vlogging		DJI Osmo Action 3		SEE IT	The Osmo Action 3 allows for quick mounting in both portrait and landscape orientation along with various live stream options.
Best for beginners		Insta360 GO 3		SEE IT	The one-button operation and advanced AI editing features take the hassle out of shooting and sharing.

Action cameras are a high-speed ticket to capturing the most immersive and engaging footage possible. They bring viewers as close to your experiences as they can be without actually being there. These video cameras excel in environments where stability and durability are key to attaining the highest caliber of footage, which is why they are popular amongst surfers, bikers, climbers, and other athletes. Plus, vloggers, video production teams, and hobbyists of all kinds can benefit from the compact and easy-to-handle design. From travel photography to underwater photography, the best action cameras provide a totally unparalleled video production experience to users of every interest and passion.

• Best overall: GoPro Hero 11 Black
• Best for vlogging: DJI Osmo Action 3
• Best for 360-degree video: Insta360 X3
• Best small: GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini
• Best for beginners: Insta360 GO 3
• Best budget: AKASO Brave 7 LE

How we chose the best action cameras

The writers and editors at PopPhoto have decades of experience with just about every camera brand and genre out there, including action cameras. As an adventure-lover and active individual, I have found myself in my fair share of situations ideal for action cameras. We chose the cameras included here through a mix of hands-on experience, user and editorial reviews, and brand knowledge. 

When selecting the best action cameras, we focused on a variety of features and specifications. They should foremost be compact and offer easy mounting solutions, making them easy to use without obstructing the action. Action cameras should also be durable and able to withstand epic adventures, including water trips. Lastly, we looked at video and photo quality, stabilization, and other camera-specific features. 

Best action cameras: Reviews and recommendations

Whether you are climbing, mountain biking, surfing, or simply wanting to document your travels, these action cameras will help you capture your best (or sometimes worst) moments. 

Best overall: GoPro Hero 11 Black

SEE IT

Specs

• Max video resolution: 5.3K at 60 fps
• Max framerate: 240 fps at 2.7K
• Photo resolution: 27 megapixels
• Waterproofing: 33 feet
• Dimensions: 2.8 x 2 x 1.3 inches
• Weight: 4.5 ounces

Pros

• Improved photo performance
• New night modes add versatility
• Award-winning stabilization
• Vertical video support

Cons

• Battery won’t last all day

The GoPro Hero 11 Black is among the most well-known models of action cameras thanks to its durable and full-featured reputation. This latest model features the largest sensor in a GoPro yet. The large sensor makes it possible to crop video to vertical orientation without losing out on most of the scene, so you can share your epic adventures on social media. And it allows you to change digital lenses for different perspectives. 

The Hero 11 results in stunning 5.3K video recording at up to 60 fps. Or, you can get up to 240 fps at 2.7k if you want dramatic slow-motion. Still photo quality has improved significantly over previous models, bumping up to 27-megapixel photos. You’ll have access to time-lapse and new night modes, including star trails and light painting. 

As we would expect from a GoPro, the Hero 11 features incredibly impressive stabilization via HyperSmooth 5.0. Even videos of the most rugged activities will be smooth. It’s waterproof to 33 feet without a case, and GoPro built it with improved cold weather performance, so you can use it for your capturing your winter sports. The Hero 11 is a well-rounded, impressive action camera ready for anything you throw at it. 

Best for vlogging: DJI Osmo Action

SEE IT

Specs

• Max video resolution: 4K at 120 fps
• Max framerate: 240 fps at 1080p
• Photo resolution: 12 megapixels
• Waterproofing: 52 feet
• Dimensions: 2.8 x 1.7 x 1.3 inches
• Weight: 5.1 ounces

Pros

• More affordable than GoPro
• Waterproof down to 52 feet
• Front and rear touchscreen
• High-capacity battery for long recording sessions

Cons

• Video quality tops out at 4K
• Limited photo quality

DJI completely redesigned the third iteration of this action camera, and it is ready for seriously epic adventures. It’s waterproof down to 52 feet without special housing and features a color temperature sensor to automatically adjust the color of your video even if you are deep below the surface while scuba diving. Should you want to go even deeper, with a waterproof case, the camera can go to 210 feet. 

For activities on land, the camera can function as cold as -4 degrees Fahrenheit. You’ll be able to document even your freezing-cold ski trips. It utilizes a unique magnetic quick-release plate that is convenient and easy to use. And you can mount the camera vertically, meaning no cropping is required in order to create social-media-ready video. And for vloggers, the live stream support at multiple resolutions is a huge benefit. 

The DJI Osmo Action 3 is capable of image-stabilized 4K video up to 120 fps. DJI claims that there are no recording limits other than the promised 160-minute battery life when recording 4K 60p video, so long, single takes are possible. It offers the equivalent of a 12.5mm full-frame lens, so you can catch all of the action. The RockSteady stabilization does a great job of smoothing out video. And the HorizonSteady mode keeps your shots level and adjusts for any horizontal rotation. Unfortunately, photo resolution is limited to 12 megapixels, but if your focus is vlogging, that likely won’t matter as much anyway.

Best for 360-degree video: Insta360 X3

SEE IT

Specs

• Max video resolution: 5.7K 360-degree, 4K single-lens
• Max framerate: 60 fps at 4K
• Photo resolution: 72-megapixel 360-degree, 18-megapixel single-lens
• Waterproofing: 33 feet
• Dimensions: 4.5 x 1.8 x 1.3 inches
• Weight: 6.3 ounces

Pros

• Impressive stabilization
• 360-degree video is highly immersive
• Lots of editing options
• Excellent photo and video quality

Cons

• App is a little confusing to use

If you want truly immersive videos of your action adventures, you can’t beat the Insta360 X3. This camera can record 360-degree video at up to 5.7K and 30 fps. Then, you can use either the Insta360 mobile or desktop apps to edit your video and reframe your shots how you want to showcase the best parts of each moment or show off the full 360-degree view at once. 

This action camera is highly versatile, thanks to the ability to use a single lens along with the dual lenses used for recording 360-degree video. You can either record selfie content with the rear lens or show off what’s in front of you with the front-facing lens. And it features a handful of shooting modes, such as up to 8K 360-degree timelapse and 4K slow-motion. The 2.29-inch touchscreen makes it easy to adjust settings and see what you are recording. 

The X3 is a durable camera and is waterproof down to 33 feet without a separate housing. It features a 6-axis gyroscope and uses Insta360’s FlowState stabilization for smooth video, even with activities like mountain biking. And the Horizon Lock mode keeps the shot level even as you move and rotate. 

Best small: GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini

SEE IT

Specs

• Max video resolution: 5.3K at 60 fps
• Max framerate: 240 fps at 2.7K
• Photo resolution: 24.7 megapixels
• Waterproofing: 33 feet
• Dimensions: 2.1 x 2 x 1.5 inches
• Weight: 4.7 ounces

Pros

• Tiny form factor is less intrusive 
• Award-winning stabilization
• Excellent video quality
• Two mounting points

Cons

• No display for framing
• No dedicated photo mode

For those who are extra concerned about wind resistance and drag, the GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini is the way to go. This camera is 13 percent smaller than the Hero 11 Black, making it more suitable for mounting on a motorcycle helmet, surfboard, or airplane. It also features mounting feet on the bottom and back of the camera, opening up more options for how you mount it. 

Despite the smaller size, the Hero 11 Mini gets many of the same features and specs as its big brother. It uses the same larger sensor allowing for vertical videos and is still capable of 5.3K 60p video with class-leading stabilization. Unfortunately, there is no photo mode on the Mini version. Instead, you’ll have to rely on grabbing 24-megapixel stills from videos. 

Another difference between the Mini and regular-sized Hero 11 is the lack of a screen on the Mini. That means that you’ll need to reply on the Quik app for camera setup and framing help, but it’s one less thing to break on the camera, which is nice. It also features a built-in battery, so you won’t be able to swap batteries out when one dies. But GoPro promises 73 minutes of battery life when recording 5.3K 30p, which is plenty for most situations. 

Best for beginners: Insta360 GO 3

SEE IT

Specs

• Max video resolution: 2.7K at 30 fps
• Max framerate: 120 fps at 1080p
• Photo resolution: 6.6 megapixels
• Waterproofing: 16 feet
• Dimensions: ​​2.1 x 1 x 0.9 inches
• Weight: 1.3 ounces

Pros

• Stabilized video
• Unique magnetic mounting options
• Versatile modular design with the Action Pod
• Tiny size is very convenient

Cons

• Photos are only INSP or DNG
• Built-in memory is limiting

If the GoPro Hero 11 Mini isn’t small enough for you, the Insta360 GO 3 is the smallest that action cameras come. It weighs just 1.3 ounces, which is light enough to put on your hat and barely notice. The tiny size makes it feasible to put in locations that you otherwise couldn’t. This modular camera utilizes a unique magnetic mounting system that is fast and simple to use. And it comes with a few different mountain devices right in the box to get you started, including a magnet pendant and Easy Clip for wearing the camera on your person. 

The GO 3 tops out at 2.7K 30p video, which is the main disadvantage of this camera. But, if you just want to capture memories or share your action adventures on social media, 2.7K is more than enough. And there are no recording limits at that resolution, so you can record long takes. It also allows for 120fps when backing off the resolution to 1080p, offering up slow-motion footage. And you’ll have access to Insta360’s impressive stabilization for smooth video.

This tiny action camera is waterproof to 16 feet on its own. It comes with the new Action Pod, which, although that adds bulk, it extends the battery life from 45 minutes to 170 minutes. It also adds a 2.2-inch flip touchscreen, which is very convenient and adds versatility to the camera. And it’s all very easy to use with simple controls and AI editing tools to take most of the work out of your hands. 

Best budget: AKASO Brave 7 LE

SEE IT

Specs

• Max video resolution: 4K at 30 fps
• Max framerate: 120 fps at 720p
• Photo resolution: 20 megapixels
• Waterproofing: IPX7, 131 feet with included case
• Dimensions: ‎2.44 x 1.61 x 1.26 inches
• Weight: 4.64 ounces

Pros

• Comes with waterproof housing
• Front and rear-facing screen 
• Stabilization is fairly effective
• Affordable

Cons

• Photo and video quality are lacking
• Image stabilization results in heavy crop

Most action cameras are quite expensive and come with extensive lists of features. Not everyone needs the latest and greatest camera, though. If you just want a durable, basic action camera to document your travels, the AKASO Brave 7 LE is a great choice. The camera itself is IPX7 rated, but it comes with a case that makes it waterproof to 131 feet. The case also makes it more rugged and durable, allowing you to worry less about dings and falls. 

The Brave 7 LE is capable of 4K 30p video or 720p at 120 fps for slow motion. It offers 6-axis electronic stabilization, which is pretty good considering the price of the camera. It does result in a significant crop in your footage, though. For still photos, it can take up to 20-megapixel images. 

This budget action cam features a front and rear screen, which makes it easier to frame your shots no matter which way you point the camera.  It comes with two batteries, a remote, waterproof housing, and multifunction mounting kits, so you have everything you need to get recording right away. And it supports a Wi-Fi connection making it easier to transfer your photos and videos. 

Features to consider when shopping for the best action cameras

The best action camera for your needs will depend on the nature of the filming environment as well as your ultimate use of the footage. Considering the size, waterproofing, video quality, and budget is essential whether you’re traveling, vlogging, or just starting out on your action camera journey.

Stabilization

One of the most important aspects of any action camera is how effective its image stabilization is. Action sports typically result in jarring movements, which can make footage unwatchable if it isn’t stabilized effectively. That said, if you’re primarily using an action camera for casual use on your travels, you may be able to get away with less stabilization than others. And you can make some adjustments in editing if you would like. But, if you are a mountain biker, trail runner, or recording any type of activity with lots of movement, you will want to look for a camera with the best possible stabilization. 

Mounting options

An action camera won’t do you much good if you can’t mount it in a way that enables you to actually record your activity without holding it.  For example, you may want a way to mount the camera to a helmet or the end of a surfboard, which are two very different mounts. So, before purchasing a camera, be sure that the company makes a mount specifically for the activity you want to record.

Waterproofing and build-quality

Action cameras should be durable since they are meant to be used for, well, action. Most are ruggedly built and able to withstand lots of abuse. That said, depending on what type of sports or activities you plan on using the camera for, you may want to invest in more protection for the lens or camera as a whole. If so, be sure to check what accessories are available prior to purchasing. 

For those who want to take their camera underwater, knowing the waterproofing is key. Most cameras these days are waterproof to fairly deep without any additional case. For example, the GoPro can be submerged down to 33 feet. But if you want to use the camera for scuba diving, you’ll need to invest in a case to take it deeper than that. We always recommend purchasing a waterproof housing directly from the company that made the camera to ensure proper fit, as you don’t want to risk the case flooding with water.

Photo and video quality 

What photo and video quality you need from your action camera depends on how you intend to use the footage. If you are just wanting the camera to document your travels and adventures for the sake of memories or maybe to share on social media, you don’t necessarily need 4K video quality. But, if you want to create YouTube videos of your content, or maybe even have grander plans than that, then you will want to go with the highest quality possible. 

Likewise, if you primarily want to record videos, you don’t necessarily need to pay attention to photo specs. But, if you want more flexibility, be sure to check what the camera can produce in terms of still photos as well.

Size

While all action cameras are compact, some are smaller than others. If you partake in sports or activities where drag and wind resistance are critical, such as surfing, motorcycle or automotive sports, or flying an airplane, the smaller the camera, the better. Smaller cameras also allow for more unique mounting opportunities, as they can be placed in locations that larger cameras could not. Of course, there are usually sacrifices with smaller cameras, including lower video and photo quality and shorter battery life. It’s simply a matter of deciding what is most important to you.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best action cameras

• Best overall: GoPro Hero 11 Black
• Best for vlogging: DJI Osmo Action 3
• Best for 360-degree video: Insta360 X3
• Best small: GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini
• Best for beginners: Insta360 GO 3
• Best budget: AKASO Brave 7 LE

The main traits found in all the best action cameras on the market are high-resolution, high-speed video capture, and compact durability. Whether you’re looking for a camera for beginners, a waterproof camera, a vlogging camera, or some combination of all three, consider the main activities and the environment that you plan to film to help you make your final choice.

Why trust us

PopPhoto has a long history of delivering the opinions of some of the sharpest and most prolific camera dorks the world has to offer. Since 1937, we’ve been reviewing cameras, providing wisdom from well-known photographers, and generally just nerding out about all that goes into making great pictures. Our current crop of writers and editors have decades of professional photography and camera writing experience among them. Collectively, we’ve probably shot with just about every camera and lens combo you can imagine—as well as some obscure stuff you may not even know about. Remember the Casio Tryx folding camera? PopPhoto does.

We also get that buying a camera is a big decision, which is why we’re dedicated to helping folks choose the right one (or, in our case “ones”) for their needs. Case in point: Handing over top dollar for an expensive rig may leave you unsatisfied if it doesn’t fit your preferred shooting style. Sure, a $6,000 sports-oriented DSLR can capture landscapes, but do you really need to do it at 30 frames-per-second? No, you don’t.

The post The best action cameras in 2023 appeared first on Popular Photography.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best drone for beginners		Altair Falcon AHP		SEE IT	With an autonomous hover and positioning system, this drone allows novices to capture smooth and high-quality footage.
Best mini drone		DJI Mavic Mini		SEE IT	The compact design, paired with powerful footage capabilities make this the perfect pick for travelers, content creators, or explorers who don’t want to be bogged down by a heavier drone.
Best budget drone		Potensic D88 Foldable Drone		SEE IT	Capture stunning 4K footage from a 110-degree angle with this affordable yet powerful drone.

The best drones on the market are personal and portable flying machines that deliver a wide range of novel recreational and creative experiences to users everywhere. Drone technology has found extensive use in commercial, defense, and scientific research applications since its development in 1935. And more recently, they have burst onto the consumer market in the form of a variety of snappy devices that are essentially an aerial analog to remote-controlled cars. Among the most popular types of drones are drone cameras, which allow beginners and professionals alike to capture their own drone photography of landscapes, vistas, and weather systems from angles previously inaccessible by traditional means. Because they’re fully controllable and move in three dimensions, these devices can even be used outside creative situations to assess the state of roofs, foliage, and other hard-to-reach areas. There are drones for kids, too, that place emphasis on safety, portability, and flying tricks. If you’re looking to expand your possibilities and explore the sky like never before, a drone is your ticket to seeing things from a whole new angle.

• Best cheap drone camera: Potensic D88 Foldable Drone
• Another great budget drone camera: Dragon Touch DF01 Foldable Drone
• Best drone for beginners: Altair Falcon AHP
• Best drone for kids: Holy Stone HS450 Mini Drone
• Best mini drone: DJI Mavic Mini
• Best DJI drone: DJI Mavic Air 2
• Also great: Drone-Clone Xperts Drone X Pro LIMITLESS 2

Features to consider when shopping for the best drones

The best drones on the market offer a plethora of features to users of all kinds. Beginners, professionals, and even kids can get in on the fun, with wide applications that reach as far as a drone can fly. Safety features, portability, and video quality are all factors to keep in mind when shopping for one.

The best drone cameras integrate the most favorable features of portable high-definition cameras with a small remote-controlled aerial vehicle that flies and maneuvers at will with few limitations. These devices are equipped for capturing footage of vast areas from a high vantage point and are popular among nature enthusiasts and vloggers for the relative ease they bring to recording establishing shots and other wide-angle views. Drone cameras move freely in three dimensions to deliver perspectives that might otherwise go unseen, making them a good choice not only for capturing large areas and landscapes but also for close-up details of hard-to-reach places such as buildings and structures. They’re the favored choice for exploration due to their sheer flexibility and range. Video, photo, and media enthusiasts of any caliber will appreciate the ease at which a camera drone allows them to explore space, offering high-quality video and photo capture and doing the hard lifting while they sit back and steer.

4K video capture isn’t uncommon to see onboard the best professional drones, along with wide-angle lenses and wireless WiFi connectivity to maintain a signal between the drone and the operator for the safe transfer of data to any smartphone. Other significant features to keep an eye out for when choosing a drone camera include an operating distance limit that’s large enough to ensure you capture the footage you desire, as well as an automatic return function for when the device inevitably reaches this limit. By shopping for a camera drone that captures quality high-resolution footage and has an adequate battery life for doing the same, you can all but guarantee that you’ll be pleased with the results of your sky-high endeavors.

1. What budget do you have to work with?

Drones don’t have to be a difficult category to enter if you’re looking to enjoy your own aerial camera footage and remote-control fun on a budget. It’s easy to find an inexpensive model that doesn’t skimp on the basic functionality and flexibility of pricier options, with many models under $100 featuring 1080p video recording and battery times of around 20 minutes right out of the box. When shopping for the best cheap drone, look for a model that offers app control and one-touch or automatic return-to-home functions to make for an overall more flexible user experience. Extras are the key to look for in this category to ensure you get the most bang for your buck, so go for a model that includes replacement batteries or other crucial parts to extending the life of your device. Many cheap drones don’t include a gimbal for image stabilization, which may not make a huge difference in casual applications, but this is one of the biggest factors that can keep costs down.

2. Are you a novice pilot looking for the best beginner drone?

Drones stretch the boundaries of our imagination, allowing users to capture and experience a bird’s eye view almost anywhere. All this newfound freedom and flexibility does come with a bit of a learning curve, however, and piloting one for the first time can prove to be an awkward experience to the uninitiated. The best drone for beginners should have a stabilization or hovering system built into its interface to allow new pilots to adjust to the experience of flying a drone without needing to calibrate it first or constantly compensate for each movement while airborne. Much like training wheels on a bike, a hover system can take some of the pressure off of beginner drone pilots as they grow accustomed to controlling their new device.

The best options for beginners should also be constructed to withstand a reasonable measure of accidental bumps and drops to lower the risk of irreversible damage and to encourage users to get right back in the air after a mistake is made. Propeller guards are an additional favorable feature for beginners to look for, as they will limit the possibility of snags and tangles in foliage or hair and thus make for a generally safer flying experience. Ideally, propeller guards should be removable so that beginning pilots can grow with their drone when they’re ready, as they tend to put a dent in battery life, even if only slightly.

3. Drones for kids should be safe and easy to fly

You don’t have to be an adult to bask in the fun and fascination of flying a drone. When selecting a model for kids, go with a lightweight, durable, and easy-to-control design that places a large emphasis on safety features. A model with propeller guards can protect small fingers during handling and limit the likelihood of tangling in plants or hair, ensuring a stress-free play environment. Some models for kids also include infrared sensors to allow for enhanced collision avoidance, which can cut down on bumps and maneuvering accidents as well as prevent spills or furniture-related catastrophes if the drone is powered on indoors. This trait can be elevated even further if it is made from durable plastics or other tough materials.

These kids’ options will be used for play above all else, so go for a model that offers fun user-controllable features that might not be found on traditional models. Many drones for kids are capable of novel maneuvers such as toss-to-start, flips, barrel rolls, and more, offering an experience that’s about as close to flying a remote-controlled car as you can get. These models frequently include LED lighting as well, which makes them perfect for flying outdoors at night.

4. Looking for something travel friendly?

Drones are advanced devices that include sensitive instruments, and many models on the market aren’t easy to travel with as a result. Not every model is bulky, but their odd and cumbersome shapes need to be scaled down and reimagined with travel in mind if they’re to excel at the task. The best mini drones available are designed to be incredibly lightweight compared to their full-size counterparts, and when combined with a foldable and compact design, they can be perfect for stowing in backpacks or gear bags. Every user on the move can appreciate having access to some of the best features of drones without adding cumbersome weight, making mini-drones a viable option not only for commuting but for remote outdoor recreational activities like biking and hiking as well.

The best mini drones generally enjoy better battery life than their full-sized counterparts due to their lower weight, which makes them a good choice for traveling vloggers and content creators who might have inconsistent access to power. Longer battery life can potentially translate into more footage, which is never a bad thing when you’re out gathering clips. If you want to optimize your travel process, even more, look for a mini drone that offers app control: you’ll be able to use your smartphone to control it without the need to pack a dedicated controller.

Best cheap drone camera: Potensic D88 Foldable Drone

SEE IT

The Potensic D88 is one of the best drone cameras all around thanks to its foldable fuselage and an auto-return function that ensures it doesn’t get lost upon losing battery or connection to the remote. It runs using four reliable brushless motors, comes with two batteries, and offers a 110-degree wide-angle camera to capture every detail that comes its way. An onboard 5G WiFi connection also allows images to be transmitted in real-time to users’ smart devices for precise control and environment assessment.

Another great budget drone: Dragon Touch DF01 Foldable Drone

SEE IT

The Dragon Touch DF01 is among the best cheap drones available, offering 1080p video capture, real-time WiFi streaming, and 20 minutes of flight time per charge in an affordable package. It’s equipped with a headless mode for easy maneuvering and is capable of auto-hovering, gesture control, 360-degree flips, making it very capable and controllable for its price. It’s lightweight and fully foldable as well, allowing it to excel at portability. All in all, this is a fantastic drone for beginners that won’t break the bank.

Best drone for beginners: Altair Falcon AHP

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The Altair Falcon AHP features a useful proprietary autonomous hovering system to ensure all users can enjoy stable and stress-free flying, which makes this model one of the best drones for beginners. It shoots still photos as well as 720p HD video and is compatible with SD card storage up to 32 gigabytes in size. Thanks to added safety features like propeller guards and one-touch takeoff and landing, this is an impressive option to consider if you’re just starting out.

Best drone for kids: Holy Stone HS450 Mini Drone

SEE IT

When it comes to ease of use and versatility, it doesn’t get much better than the HS450 mini drone from Holy Stone. This is the best drone for kids on the market thanks to its thoughtful safety features like fully enclosed batteries, permanent propeller guards, and five infrared sensors for collision detection. Tricks like throw-to-start, 3D flips, and barrel rolls are a breeze as well.

Best mini drone: DJI Mavic Mini

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The DJI Mavic Mini weighs only 250 grams and folds into an almost impossibly small 5.5 x 3.2 x 2.2-inch shape for easy travel. With a top speed of 29 miles per hour and a maximum flight time of 30 minutes, the DJI Mavic Mini is sure to be a flexible choice for all professional and casual applications that require packing and taking your setup with you. It shoots 2.7K video and uses its 1⅔-inch CMOS sensor for stunning still photography, impressive offerings that make it one of the best mini drones that you can buy right now.

Best DJI drone: DJI Mavic Air 2

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The DJI Mavic Air 2 is hands-down one of the best DJI drones available on the market thanks to an impressive feature set that includes a three-axis gimbal for stabilization and low-noise propellers. Shoot 4K video at 60 frames per second and take 48-megapixel photos, or use it to livestream in 1080p, all at a jaw-dropping transmission distance of up to six miles. It’s fully controllable via the DJI Fly app, has a top speed of 42.3 miles per hour, and has a battery life of around 34 minutes, making this a no-brainer for creating high-production value content.

Also great: Drone-Clone Xperts Drone X Pro LIMITLESS 2

SEE IT

4K high-definition image capture and instant smartphone transfer of footage make the Drone X Pro one of the best professional drones on the market. It has a battery life of 25 minutes and a distance range that reaches to an astounding 800 meters, allowing users to enjoy flexibility and freedom. An auto-return function keeps your device safe when it’s running low, and this particular model sports an automatic follow mode and a hands-free gesture control mode, allowing it to excel in a number of critical applications where hand control isn’t possible.

FAQs

A final word on shopping for the best drones

The best drone for your particular needs will be determined by a number of factors that include budget, size, range, battery life, controllability, and camera resolution. Kids should be steered toward small and easy-to-use models with dedicated safety features, while commercial users will appreciate a professional drone that offers 4K video capture, high speeds, and long ranges. The best mini drones on the market will excel at portability and usually pack a long battery life. Keep these factors in mind, and finding the best one for your needs will be a snap.

Related: DJI’s new FPV drone allows operators to capture footage from a first-person view

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As camera tech and portable storage media continue to become smaller and more portable, dash cams have surged in popularity amongst car accessories. Dedicated dashboard cameras are now a reasonably affordable and essential part of any smart driver’s toolkit thanks to the unique safety benefits they provide by monitoring and recording what happens in and around your vehicle like a tiny security camera for your car. Finding the best dash cam for your specific needs isn’t unlike choosing between other designs of portable cameras—with considerations that often include storage space, video recording resolution, and form factor—but dash cams carry unique features that are specific to driving, including GPS location, speed monitoring, cloud backup, collision detection, and so much more. Whether you’re looking to create a timelapse of a road trip in beautiful 4K resolution, protect your liability in the event of an unforeseen accident, or a little bit of both, we’ll break down some of the key features to consider in this product class and help you best dash cam for your vehicle.

• Best dash cam overall: Garmin Dash Cam 66W
• Best advanced car security camera: Nextbase 422GW Dash Cam
• Best dash cam with a wide view: Vantrue N2 Pro Uber Dual 1080P Dash Cam
• Best front and rear dash cam: THINKWARE Q800PRO Dual Dash Cam
• Best 4K dash cam: BlackVue DR900X-2CH

Your guide for choosing the best dash cam for your car

To determine the best dash cam for your vehicle, it’s important to consider whether you want front and rear coverage, a wide-angle field of view, or high-resolution video capture. You’ll also want to think about how easy it is to install (check out our dash camera installation tips.) These factors will vary among users and can be determined by whether you drive in a professional capacity, how much time you spend behind the wheel, and what level of advanced car security monitoring you’d prefer while your vehicle is parked.

Find a dash cam that’s easy to install and use

When adding a dash cam to your vehicle, it’s essential to select a model that will seamlessly integrate with your existing routine and enhance your experience without getting in your way. By nature, these devices have the potential to sit in your line of sight, so it’s key to select a model that records the widest angle possible without adding bulk to the windshield area and potentially sacrificing driver visibility. Every vehicle and driver is unique, but generally speaking, the best dash cam for most users will have a small form factor and be virtually unnoticeable when deployed for use.

Dashboard cameras come with a variety of different power systems—some run on batteries, and some require being hardwired to your vehicle’s electrical system—but the most common and easiest to install are those that run using your vehicle’s existing dashboard power outlets. Models in this category receive power and are ready to go with a single plug-in motion and are easy to move or store when not needed. Choosing a plug-in dash cam offers by far the most user flexibility in this product category.

Ease of use and user controllability are also key factors to consider when choosing a dash cam due to the sensitive nature of driving and the focus required for operating a vehicle safely. Dash cams that offer voice control, automatic recording, and other hands-free features excel in this category and come out at the front of the pack in terms of sheer ease of use.

Best dash cam overall: Garmin Dash Cam 66W

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This Garmin dash cam offers 180-degree visibility in a compact and discreet package. It captures crisp video footage in 1440p to any removable microSD card and features automatic incident recording, making it ideal for setting and forgetting. Hands-free voice control, lane departure warnings, and forward-collision warnings add further value by adding another layer of protection in enhancing driver safety and awareness, making this one of the best dash cams overall.

Do you love high-tech car gadgets?

Dash cams score high on the list of high-tech car accessories that have the potential to turn up the smart-factor of any vehicle. Some models are standalone devices that require users to manually move data to and from removable media and that requires a small amount of digital maintenance, but with today’s tech, it’s easy to turn to more connected alternatives that offer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatibility. By harnessing these new and ubiquitous wireless technologies, high-tech dash cams can interface seamlessly with users’ smartphones to deliver footage as well as full camera control to the palm of your hand.

GPS technology is another common feature found in dash cams of every class that allows speed data and location metadata to be recorded for a host of safety and insurance purposes. Some high-tech dashboard cameras take this to the next level and use this location information in tandem with collision detection to automatically alert emergency responders and share the vehicle’s location in the event of an unforeseen accident when the driver is unable to respond. By packing an essential safety feature into a high-tech gadget that records and saves footage, drivers can enjoy added peace of mind and potentially lower insurance premiums, too.

Best advanced car security camera: Nextbase 422GW Dash Cam

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This advanced car security camera from Nextbase offers unparalleled safety enhancements for its class including automatic emergency SOS that alerts first responders of your location along with other personal predesignated health information. It connects wirelessly via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to the companion app for storing and retrieving footage, and an integrated 2.5-inch IPS touchscreen allows for convenient user control including video editing and trimming. Since it’s hardwired to your vehicle’s fuse panel, it offers automated bump detection and automatic recording even when your car is off and unattended.

How wide of a field of view do you need?

There’s a lot of variability between models of dashboard cameras when it comes to the field of view, but the best dash cam for your vehicle will record footage with an angle that’s wide enough to reproduce all or most outside activity without missing any important details or creating significant blind spots. The chief duties of a dashboard camera are specific to capturing, archiving, and reviewing driving footage at a high level of detail for safety purposes, so accuracy and thoroughness are key to painting a full picture of events that occur in and around your car. If ever in doubt, a wide field of view is generally a good feature to opt for regardless of your car’s size and shape: in small vehicles, a small windshield frame may impede a dashboard camera’s edge view; in larger vehicles, a large hood or engine compartment may obstruct camera visibility down in front.

This wide-angle rule of thumb applies to interior-facing cameras as well, which are often employed in the case of individuals who work as rideshare or taxi drivers, or in work vehicle fleet situations where interior monitoring and recording are necessary. Dashboard camera recordings are key to safeguarding drivers’ legal liability and providing proof for insurance claims in a host of personal and professional situations alike, and the best dash cam with a wide view will record the entirety of the interior to render the most thorough and detailed footage possible.

Best dash cam with a wide view: Vantrue N2 Pro Uber Dual 1080P Dash Cam

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Vantrue’s N2 Pro Dual dash cam is an ideal choice for the simultaneous wide-angle recording of any vehicle’s interior and exterior thanks to a front lens that offers a 170-degree field of view and a rear-facing interior lens that offers 140 degrees of coverage. The seamless loop recording system captures footage at 1080p and the camera’s 24-hour parking monitoring system detects motion and locks footage automatically. This is the best dash cam with a wide view thanks to its unique combination of security features and angle of coverage.

Want a dual dash cam for the front and rear of your car?

The simplest dash cams on the market record and capture footage in the front of a vehicle, but the rear of the vehicle is an equally important and often overlooked region of the car that can easily be monitored by selecting a dash cam system that records both regions of your car’s exterior. While front monitoring alone can be adequate for many common purposes and is certainly better than driving with no dash cam at all, adding a dashboard camera to the rear of your vehicle can effectively double your coverage and can provide additional context to footage of unexpected events, which can be pivotal in cases of insurance claims. For example, a rear camera can record any collision events that occur at the rear of your vehicle in great detail, capturing license plate information and other significant details that a front camera might miss. Front and rear dash cam coverage can also prove indispensable when paired with a motion sensing parking mode by alerting users to bumps or other damage done to your vehicle while it’s left unattended. Just as in the case of driving footage, this additional context can be crucial in helping you review and make sense of these all-too-common events and leave you better equipped to plan a proper course of action.

Best front and rear dash cam: THINKWARE Q800PRO Dual Dash

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The THINKWARE Q800PRO Dual Dash is an impressive choice for front and rear dash cam monitoring, offering 1440p full HD recording and dual 2.1-megapixel sensors as well as a proprietary video processing technology that enhances low-light footage. Its built-in GPS system tracks speed and offers red light-camera warnings in select regions, and its hardwired construction allows for robust parking monitoring without risking a drain of your vehicle’s battery. It also includes a host of warning systems including lane departure warning and collision warnings.

Think about video quality, too

Video quality is not an area with much wiggle room for compromise in the dash cam market, but with the sheer number of models offering high-quality video capture, ending up with low-quality video is hardly a common risk. Still, dashboard cameras are car accessories that are really only as good as the quality of the footage they capture, and given that these cameras rarely provide full 360-degree coverage, selecting a model that only provides a vague approximation of the events outside your car is simply not guaranteed to prove useful in sensitive insurance situations. Choosing a high-tech dashboard camera with a high-megapixel sensor and a high capture resolution can increase the likelihood that license plate frames, traffic signs and signals, and other important contextual information is captured in the highest possible detail.

4K technology is becoming increasingly prevalent and more affordable, and it’s now possible to capture high-resolution video and images at a great level of detail while maintaining a convenient and portable form factor. A dedicated 4K dash cam can come out leaps and bounds above full HD models, offering four times the number of pixels and resulting in footage that can contain an astonishingly higher level of detail. In your vehicle, this can translate to signs, license plates, and objects on the road appearing clearer in your footage at longer distances than required by lower resolution cameras. If you’re willing to spend a little extra for an enormous gain in detail as well as peace of mind, a 4K dash camera won’t disappoint.

Best 4K dash cam: BlackVue DR900X-2CH

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The Blackvue BV-DR900X is an incredibly compact 4K dash cam that promises to offer crisp details and high-resolution footage of the front and rear of your vehicle while driving and while parked. The front camera features an ultra-wide 162-degree angle that takes full advantage of the increased resolution, and the full-HD rear camera uses a Sony STARVIS sensor that allows it to excel even in low light or through tinted windows. In addition to offering some of the highest-quality dash recording available, its dedicated Wi-Fi, smartphone, and cloud backup system makes footage incredibly easy to store and manage.

Dash cams under $50: Car accessories don’t have to be expensive

If you’re not ready to take the plunge on a full-featured dash cam, it’s possible to get a robust feature set and full HD in a cheap dash cam without breaking the bank. If you can forego wireless connectivity, higher-resolution footage, and some of the file management conveniences of more pricey designs, it’s not hard to find stripped-down dash cameras that can still provide adequate protection of your car at the expense of a little extra user maintenance and perhaps a little extra bulk.

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A final word on shopping for the best dash cam

The best dash cams on the market are among the most desirable high-tech car gadgets available thanks to the security perks, vehicle monitoring, and driver assistance they provide. They’re incredibly affordable in relation to the peace of mind they provide, which makes them a great choice for personal and work vehicles alike. Whether you opt for a cheap dash cam or spring for a 4K dash cam, you won’t be disappointed in adding a layer of protection and accountability to your beloved vehicles.

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