Best sports camera reviews – camera for beginner sports photography

If you were looking for sports camera for beginner sports photography at a good price you have come to the right place. Read our best sports camera reviews 2018 to know all about action cameras and find the best models in the market.

Sports / action cameras are those that are designed to be placed where the other conventional cameras cannot be used and more complete than a traditional water camera. Due to its size, performance and technological advances are designed differently. They are smaller, lighter, more resistant, submersible and better designed to capture movements in extreme sports.

Maybe you already have a DSLR camera or a camcorder at home, but you do not know the sports camera models and you do not know the difference between an Action Cam and a traditional Camcorder. Or, in any case, you are thinking of buying a sports camera for beginner because you are passionate about them. You want to immortalize the best moment of extreme sports. Let’s read our reviews of the best Sports camera for beginners and choose the right one.

Top rated and best selling Sports camera for beginner sports photography – reviews and buying guide 2018

Do you want to immortalize the best moment of extreme sports? No need to practice surfing, climbing or paragliding. You may simply want one of these mini-cameras for the helmet of your bike, on some of your walks, or while you skate with friends, or simply want a sports camera for diving because you like to snorkel or dive on the beach. But when you want to buy one you find that a sports camera has nothing to do with another! Different models, brands and features, with or without WiFi, HD, accessories, selfie sticks ... so you say ... WOW! In the same way that not all photo cameras are the same, the same goes for the "Action Cameras" models so demanded. However, below we show the best-selling sports cameras in 2018 through Amazon over the past 30 days.

GoPro HERO5 Black

HERO5 Black is one of the best-selling sports cameras for sports photography. One of the novelties of this camera is the possibility of using voice commands. Simply select the language and recognize your voice and execute the desired order immediately, responding with agility. With the new configuration of the buttons, it is also easier to navigate, which is added to the quality of its components and accessories. For example, you can add some of the star products and invest in the purchase of the best GoPro stabilizer as the Karma Grip or the Feiyu G5. The easy screen is another of the highlights. With much information, now it is much more visible and has more light, and responds well in wet conditions. The image stabilizer, the quality of the 4k video, as well as the integrated GPS are other powerful reasons not to doubt your purchase.

+ PROS

Waterproof without a case.
Additional still image functions.
Effective electronic image stabilisation.
Excellent image quality.

- CONS

Battery can drain quickly, especially with the touch screen running.
Touchscreen responsiveness.
No EIS in 4K.
Discover more and the price here

• Don't miss our selection of the best beginner DSLR camera for video recording.

Xiaomi YI 4K Action and Sports Camera

Another of the featured products is this action camera buying guide is the Xiaomi Yi 2 4k. Until its appearance, after the GoPro Hero, only the Sony seemed to be able to step on the ground. However, this action cam has come to surpass all competitors, becoming a great quality camcorder of its video and photo, and especially its quality and great price, considered by many as the true action cam. The incorporation of a battery of long duration, its integrated tacit screen and, above all, the quality of its resolution 4k, has made it exceed in relation to quality price, the products manufactured by Sony and Sjcam. This is a complete 4k sports camera with great recording resolution, considered by many as the best quality price sports camera. It also has Bluetooth connectivity and high-speed wifi.

+ PROS

Solid features for the price.
Works with GoPro accessories.
Fantastic image quality.
Sharp 4K/60fps video.

- CONS

Not waterproof without additional case.
Voice controls unreliable.
No GPS tagged locations.
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GoPro Hero 4 Silver Edition

With a high quality, light, submersible, and easy to adhere to any surface that this camera has become the star model of extreme sports cameras. This high-end camera has been standing out in the world of sports video cameras thanks to its 4K recording. For many the best sports camera brand. In reality, the Gopro HERO 4 camera offers two models, the Silver Edition and the Hero Black Edition, which is intended more for the professional sector. The first includes an integrated touch screen unlike the second. Both have Wi-Fi and integrated Bluetooth and the first model allows you to take pictures without having to connect it to your mobile. The Hero 4 Silver Edition is an almost professional mini-camera, one of the best action cameras designed for the most demanding users. This sports camera can record video at 4k @ 15 fps, and that allows us to give a lot of game, since you will be able to create spectacular videos in slow motion. With this camera, you have everything you need to have an action camera, high-quality audio wireless connection, touch screen, recording at 2.7k and time lapse.

+ PROS

Excellent video quality.
Simple yet sophisticated.

- CONS

Expensive
Mediocre battery life.
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SJCAM Original SJ4000 WiFi Version Full HD Action Cam

We speak in this case a cheap video camera alternative to the GoPro with great features to save, not only all the sports adventures you want, but it is also a perfect camera for travels. Sjcam, in a very short time, began to manufacture Quality products that could compete perfectly with the GoPro. In particular, this camcorder has a sensor with an image quality of 12 MP. It has a professional zoom that allows recording in fast mode and slow motion. It is equipped with a reduced screen of 1.5 inches. SJCAM SJ4000 has an extraordinary FULL HD video quality of up to 1920 × 1080P at 30 fps. It has a connection via USB and HDMI to connect it to other devices. The main feature of this camera is the possibility of transferring the recorded files immediately through the Wi-Fi connection. With its autonomy of sixty minutes, this is undoubtedly one of the alternatives to Gopro for those who do not want to spend a lot of money.

+ PROS

Assorted mounts included.
Multiple colors to choose from.
Can use as webcam.
Good price.
Auto screen rotation.
Ability to record while MicroUSB plugged in.
Motion detetction.

- CONS

Battery door difficult to open.
No delete button and Forward or Back button.
No cover doors for MicroUSB, HDMI and SD card slots.
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Sony Action Cam 4K

Small and lightweight, this Sony, with 114 grams of weight has an excellent CMOS EXMOR sensor and an extraordinary lens of 170º of amplitude, Carle Zeiss Tessar (if you like the subject photo). It allows you to record videos with a resolution of 4k to 30 fragments per second, and videos of Full HD of 1080p to 12 fps "slow motion" of 240 fragments per second, a capture of resolution of 8.8 megapixels. In addition, the Sony Action Cam 4k has integrated GPs that will allow us to superimpose on videos, brands or routes, thanks to the software that it incorporates. The camera includes an image stabilization system called SteadyShot 3. It also has connectivity and NFC technology that allows synchronizing with our smartphone. It has a small LCD screen that tells us the status.

+ PROS

Ton of useful features for action lovers.
Can record at 4K 100Mbps.
Two tripod mounts, huge mount range.
Built-in image stabilization.

- CONS

Menu response times can be slow.
Lens holds water drops.
The lens casing gets smeary and droplets clings to the front when you shoot in and out of the water.
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SJCAM Sj5000 Plus

It is the successor video camera of the previous SJ4000 wifi. SJCAM Sj5000 allows you to use it with Slow motion and Time lapses. It contains a waterproof case to record videos up to 30 meters below the water. Among its main features is its 16 MP video resolution, Full HD 1080p video at 60fps, 170º viewing angle, 32GB maximum memory, and apart from the Wi-Fi connection, it has HDMI and microSD. It is one of the cheap 4k sports cameras with high resolution, which does not have to envy other more expensive and well-known. Sj5000 is a submersible mini camera with Wifi and you can obtain results similar to those of the GoPro cameras. In fact, both Sony and Sjcam, are the brands that have been betting most products that can compete and be an alternative to the American giant, but with good features and functionality.

+ PROS

Cheap
Feature loaded
Video quality
User interface
Lots of bundled accessories.

- CONS

Low battery life
2K video upscaled to 4K.
Bad audio quality.
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DBPOWER EX5000 1080P

This is one of the cheap Gopro cameras that have become a real surprise for its great value for money. Considered by many as the best quality price action camera on the market, it has a recording capacity of 30 fps at 1080p and photos of up to 14 megapixels. This is a submersible sports camera so you can record underwater activities. It also supports SD card up to 32 GB. Also, it incorporates a large number of accessories. Without a doubt a cheap alternative to those previously seen.

+ PROS

High quality 1080P 30 FPS portable camera.
New enhanced LCD display.
Supports smartphone syncing.

- CONS

Audio quality needs some work.
The recording experience lacks some features.
Battery not that reliable.
Discover more and the price here

Still have doubts about which camera suits you? We will help you understand the complex world of sports cameras.

And we will begin to quickly list the basic features and accessories that we must take into account when buying an action or sport camera. Later, we will see the tips to decide on one or the other depending on other variants ... for example if you are looking for sports cameras or make good sports videos ...
Go for it…

Battery

We started with the camera battery, because it is one of the products that will help us to know the autonomy that the camcorder has. Most of the models' batteries are Li-Ion. A component that makes the camera not has excessive weight. To see how long the battery lasts we have to look at the milliamperes (mAH). The more milliamps, the longer your recordings will last (the card you have will also influence). Depending on how you use the camera, you can also buy complementary batteries for the case that the battery that runs from home is exhausted. The important thing is to buy one that is compatible with all models and with enough autonomy to record your sporting adventures.

Frame per second (fps)

It is what in the specifications of the sports camera, is called Frames per second (fps), that is to say the frames that occurred during a second. When the camera starts recording, this parameter indicates the captures per second that are made with the camera. Action cameras usually make videos at 60, 120 or 240 fps to capture actions that are very fast, such as when you go paragliding or riding a motorcycle, and especially to perform in detail the well-known videos with "slow" effects -motion."

Sensors

The sensor is another of the elements that you must bear in mind when choosing to buy a sports camera and that determines the quality of the recording. Thanks to the sensor we will have better quality or not in the camcorders, since through this component it captures the light that passes through the lens, then through the diaphragm, to later transform it into an image. As a general rule, the larger the sensor, the better, as it will allow a greater capture of light, and therefore the image will be of better quality. When buying the camera, it is important to know the manufacturer of the sensor and its size, being the most recognized Sony CMOS sensors.

Megapixels

Through the resolution, the number of width and height brushes in the image is measured. Although it is important, it is really the quality of the sensor, which will determine the quality of the image, be it the video or the photo. We must remember that the higher the resolution, the larger the files, so we will need larger microSD cards.

Submersible

Some cameras can also be submersible. This feature gives it a special character in relation to other types of cameras. It will be necessary to take into account how resistant the casing is and if it allows you to make underwater photos and videos, so that the meters of depth that allow immersion of the action camera must be analyzed. Although there are numerous models of water cameras on the market, this feature allows fans of swimming, diving, or underwater exploration, to take photos or videos underwater.

Types of Zoom

Although the types can be optical and digital, the optical zoom uses the objective getting closer to the object without losing quality, it is a mechanical element, which usually has a sports camera. With the digital zoom, the image is increased through the software, using a smaller number of pixels.

Wifi

Normally in this type of cameras usually includes a USB connection to connect to the computer, upload, and transfer to the PC. But in addition, some models of these cameras can already include wi-fi wireless connection with our smartphones and tablets through apps that usually include each camera manufacturer. This feature will not only allow us to connect the camera with our phones but also to handle it remotely. There are other types of wireless connection, in addition to Wi-Fi, such as Bluetooth, and in some high-end models the connection of devices that are close by using NFC technology. Connectivity with our social networks is now easier.

GPS

Some sports cameras store location data from those places where the video is made, and with this, we can have the positioning data of the capture.

Accessories for sports cameras

Do you only have casing or anchors? You can see these GoPro accessories and one of the most used: the Palo Gopro. Another of the most demanded products of the Action Cam is the memory cards. Also on this page, you can compare the best models and any offer so you can make the best purchase.

Image stabilizer

Characteristic that allows you to reduce the vibrations or the abrupt movements while using the camera. A magnificent example of sports camera with image stabilizer and excellent results in the Gitup Git2, thanks to its stabilizer Gyro. See our section of Universal accessories for sports cameras.

Final verdict

The majority of reviews that you can find on this website about cameras are based on our own tests, but unfortunately, we can not access all the brands or models of cameras that are on the market. Therefore, we recommend that you complement our analysis with the opinions that you can find on Amazon. You just have to click on the corresponding link and it will redirect you to the section of opinions and price of each product and expand information.
We have already given you the basic information to buy a sports camera. You have to choose the best minicamera that adapts to your needs.