10 Best GoPro Alternatives for Active Shooters in 2023

GoPro alternatives offer similar features at more affordable price.

The best alternative to a GoPro camera should be affordable. While GoPros are great, they can be quite expensive, so it's important to find an alternative that offers similar features at a more reasonable price point.

A good alternative to a GoPro should be compact in size and rugged in design, with great image quality. This means it should be able to withstand extreme conditions, such as being dropped or submerged in water, while producing high-quality images.

Also, it should have a wide angle lens, allowing you to capture more of the scene without sacrificing image quality. Additionally, it should have electronic image stabilization to reduce shakiness during extreme actions.

DJI Osmo Action 3 is an excellent value for its features, and it can handle some of the toughest environments, making it a great camera for sports. The Action 3 is a competent all-around camera, similar to GoPro cameras, with a super-wide 155° field of view.

It's built with DJI's new rock-solid stabilization, Rocksteady 3.0, which can remove shake in all directions, resulting in sharp images.

Its horizon leveling mode, called ''HorizonSteady,'' is particularly useful for extreme 360-degree rotations and bumps, like you'll find on skydiving and scuba diving footage. The camera also offers decent image quality, with sharp, detailed footage and natural-looking colors in good light.

It has a 1/1.7-inch 12-megapixel sensor with maximum 4K resolution at up to 120fps, making it a great option for capturing fast-paced sports action.

The AKASO V50X is an impressive action camera under $100, perfect for beginners and casual videographers who want to capture their outdoor adventures without breaking the bank.

This off-brand GoPro offers impressive quality, with a powerful chip-set that allows it to record videos at native 4K resolution, making it a great alternative to its more expensive counterparts.

The camera also comes with Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS), which makes it easier to take stable video, even in fast-moving activities such as surfing or cycling. One of the great things about the AKASO V50X is that it can be used underwater, making it perfect for capturing amazing videos and photos at a depth of up to 40 meters.

The waterproof camera comes with a protective case that can protect it from water damage and other hazards.

Insta360 GO 2 is a perfect camera for Instagram bloggers who need a cheap GoPro alternative. Despite its compact size, this camera can capture stunningly clear images and videos with its 1440p resolution at 50 fps.

The image stabilization and horizon leveling algorithms keep your video steady, making it an excellent choice for action sports.

The camera is incredibly portable and easy to carry around, and it comes with magnetic in-the-box accessories, making it easy to mount anywhere and shoot hands-free.

One of the main advantages of the Insta360 GO 2 is its versatility. It's not just an action camera but a full-featured camera with a range of shooting options, including horizon lock, timelapse, hyperlapse, and slow motion up to 120 fps.

DJI Action 2 is the best camera and a great GoPro alternative for those looking for a compact and versatile option. Its modular design allows for easy swapping of different accessories, and its wide range of features rivals the GoPro Hero 10 Black. In spite of the GoPro's reputation, the Action 2's rock-solid stabilization produces amazing videos with its wide 155-degree field of view.

The camera is also waterproof up to 32 feet, making it the best GoPro alternative for vloggers who want to shoot in the rain or need and underwater camera for snorkeling. Additionally, the magnetic mount is a great feature, making it incredibly easy to attach the Action 2 to metal objects like cars or fridge sides.

Olympus TG Tracker is a rugged digital camera that can survive the rigors of extreme adventures. It has an ultra-wide 204-degree lens that captures almost everything in front of the camera.

One unique feature of the TG Tracker is its flip-out LCD screen, which is rare among cameras like this. It can also be used as an audio recorder, which is a great addition.

The TG Tracker includes features such as GPS and barometers for tracking and recording of location, altitude/depth, air temperature, and water temperature while you’re on your adventures outdoors.

You can then view these field logs using the Olympus Image Track smartphone app, adding a sense of challenge to your outdoor activities and enhancing the enjoyment of each adventure.

One of the best 360 cameras for beginners and a great camera similar to GoPro is the Insta360 ONE R Twin Edition. Its modular design is a game-changer in terms of versatility, allowing users to interchange the sensor/lens block and the main camera brain section.

The FlowState stabilization technology is another impressive feature that produces smooth footage perfect for various shooting scenarios, making it a great option for beginners. Its lightweight design and best-in-class stabilization technology make it ideal for capturing high-quality shots on the go. Additionally, the Insta360 ONE R offers 4K capture at up to 60fps and the option to record in a cinematic 2.35:1 aspect ratio, making it a top choice for those looking for a high-quality camera similar to GoPro.

AKASO EK7000 Pro is an exceptional 4K video camera and a cheap GoPro alternative that is a pretty decent camera for its price. It has a good battery life, giving you up to 70 minutes of video in 4K. And it comes with a range of accessories, including different mounts and batteries, which is a nice touch.

One of the main advantages of this camera is its electronic image stabilization, which makes videos shot in motion look very smooth. It also offers a range of image and video capturing modes, including burst photo, time-lapse, and diving mode.

The diving mode is particularly useful for those who need an underwater fishing camera, as it adjusts the color balance to compensate for the loss of red and orange wavelengths in water.

Olympus Tough TG-6 is a great option for those who love adventure sports and are looking for an alternative to GoPro. Its waterproof design and versatile features make it an excellent choice for a variety of activities, such as snorkeling, diving, and camping.

This camera is also a great option for those who are looking for GoPro tips as it offers high-quality pictures and best-in-class stabilization, which is essential when capturing fast-paced action.

One of the advantages of this camera is its 12-megapixel sensor, which offers a high resolution and wide depth of field. You can use it to capture a wide variety of images, including photos and videos, with no issues.

The 4x optical zoom lens is bright enough to let in plenty of light, and the wide-angle lens can help you capture landscapes and other scenes.

Wolfang GA400 is a good cam for vlogging who want to capture high-quality footage without breaking the bank. It offers a wide range of options that enable you to take photos with great details.

Its 20-megapixel still photos are impressive, and it can even shoot RAW files for more post-production options. It can record 4K videos at 60 frames per second, capturing a large amount of detail without losing clarity.

The high-resolution sensor of Wolfang GA400 captures bright and vivid colors with great contrast, which is perfect for capturing natural light. The camera also has a gyro stabilizer that reduces shake, making your shots much smoother.

It also has a waterproof case that allows you to use it in underwater environments, and a powerful battery that can last for hours.

AKASO Brave 7 LE is an affordable camera that delivers a similar experience to GoPro at half the price. The camera is compact and lightweight, making it easy to carry around and perfect for snorkeling.

It has a dual-display screen for vlogging and can shoot 4K video, making it an excellent GoPro alternative. It's also a versatile action camera that can shoot a variety of video resolutions, including 1080p at 120 fps and 720p at 240 fps.

It has an in-camera stabilization system that saves shaky footage as smoother videos. The camera can withstand a depth of 131 feet when it's in its waterproof housing. With the optical zoom, you can adjust the resolution from 5 to 20 megapixels, set the quality from low to high, and choose from various camera modes for exposure.

All action cameras differ in their size and the set of functions. And often choosing the right model is not easy at all. That is why we have gathered all the main factors for you to pick up the most suitable device.

Video Quality. Firstly, it is necessary to pay attention to the quality of the video. Meet the list of the main parameters:

• Frames per Second (fps)

Fps affects the smoothness of the video. A good action camera must be capable of shooting above 7 fps. If it shoots higher, then it is even better. Most Go Pro alternatives are able to produce between 30 and 60 fps. If you want to record some sports events, you will need to slow down your videos.

There are models that have a frame rate of 120 fps and 240 fps. The bigger the frame rate value is, the slower effect the camera makes. Furthermore, it is better to pick up specialized slow motion camera. It allows slowing down the video material after filming without turning to the slow motion video editing software.

• Resolution

Up-to-date GoPro alternatives are able to shoot in 4K format. Just imagine, this is four times bigger than the resolution in Full HD. Keep in mind that if you want to process the videos in 4K, you should have a computer with high performance.

If you have a video camera, it will be reasonable. Full HD or 1080p resolution make it possible to shoot excellent and dynamic videos. They can be easily processed by the PC.

If you want to film videos for vlogs, this resolution will be the most appropriate one. 720p format is frequently used in many frames for shooting at the max frame rate to receive the effect of slow motion.

Battery Life. The most important feature you should mind while choosing a GoPro alternative is battery life. The longer it is, the longer your camera will operate on a single charge. Most of the modern action cameras can be charged with external third-party battery supplies. Nevertheless, not all of them have extra batteries and consequently must be purchased individually.

Waterproofing. When you shoot in the rain, in the swimming pool, or in the sea, it is better to have a water-resistant camera. Usually, all action cameras which are GoPro competitors boast good quality, but dust or water can get into the most unexpected places and in an inopportune moment.

It is worth saying that the majority of cams on my list are water-resistant only with an extra case. So, it is better to buy this accessory when you shoot underwater and go long-distance diving.

Image Stabilization. I recommend purchasing a device with good image stabilization to get a smooth video without being afraid of shaking your head. If you are going to wear your cam and shoot while snowboarding or riding a bike, you will see all the advantages of the image stabilization.

Mind that if your camera has such a feature as Built-in Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS), it might be rather expensive. Nevertheless, you can buy the advanced GoPro tripod, which guarantees the same position of the device during video recording, even in shaky shooting conditions.

Field of View (FOV). A lot of regular action cameras have a very wide FOV from 140 to 170 degrees. Some models have only one field of view, while others have several viewing modes. It is worthwhile to note that in most models, the viewing angle is pretty wide. It causes a fish-eye effect.

Fortunately, a lot of image post-processing software programs exist that can help to get rid of fisheye on GoPro alternatives.

If you are going to record extreme videos in the water, snow, mountains, etc., you will definitely need additional camera accessories to avoid damaged and difficult weather conditions.