9 Best Action Cameras of 2026

The HERO13 Black is GoPro's most complete single-lens camera and the safest choice if you want one camera for rides, water and travel. It records 5.3K at 60 fps, 4K at 120 fps and 1080p at 240 fps, and GoPro says it is the first GoPro with burst slo-mo up to 400 fps. Its tall sensor lets you shoot wide, vertical or full-frame clips, and 27 MP photos sit beside 24.7 MP frame grabs. It is waterproof to 33 ft without a case, has a replaceable water-repelling lens cover and uses HyperSmooth 6.0 stabilization. Cyclists can capture GPS data and overlay speed and altitude in the Quik app. The new 1900 mAh Enduro battery runs more than 2.5 hours at 1080p30 by GoPro's figures. HB-Series lenses, including ultra wide and macro mods, snap on and are auto-detected. The camera-only option was temporarily out of stock in GoPro's US store when we checked.

The Osmo Action 6 brings two features new to DJI action cameras: a 1/1.1 inch square sensor and a variable aperture from f/2.0 to f/4.0. The square sensor lets you shoot 4K custom footage at 3840 by 3840 and crop for wide or vertical later, and DJI lists 4K at up to 120 fps, 8K at up to 30 fps and roughly 38 MP stills. It is waterproof to 20 m with no case and 60 m with the dive case, which is the deepest bare rating on this list. DJI rates the 1950 mAh battery at 240 minutes of 1080p24 recording and the camera for use down to minus 20 C, which suits ski and winter rides. RockSteady 3.0 and HorizonSteady handle stabilization, and 64 GB of internal storage, 50 GB usable, backs up the microSD slot. Two bright touchscreens help with selfies. We could not confirm a US price from our location.

The MAX2 is GoPro's 360 camera, and it records everything around you so you pick the angle later instead of aiming during a ride. GoPro says it captures true 8K 360 video with 10-bit color, and up to 300 Mbps with GoPro Labs firmware. For slow motion it records 4K100 spherical video, or 5.6K60 at higher resolution. Photos reach 29 MP in 360. The invisible selfie stick effect gives third-person shots that look like a drone followed you. Its glass lenses twist off and can be replaced, which matters on a camera with two exposed bulbs. A cold-weather Enduro battery is included, and the camera is waterproof to 16 ft (5 m), so divers need a housing. The Quik app handles reframing with object tracking, keyframes and effects. GoPro listed it at $299.99, down $200, when we checked.

The Ace Pro 2 is Insta360's answer to the GoPro HERO and DJI Osmo Action lines, and its hardware list is long. A lens co-engineered with Leica sits in front of a 1/1.3 inch 8K sensor that Insta360 rates at 13.5 stops of dynamic range, and a dedicated imaging chip works beside a 5 nm AI chip for noise reduction. It records 8K at 30 fps, 4K at 120 fps for slow motion, and 4K60 in both Active HDR and the PureVideo low-light mode. Photos reach 50 MP. The 157 degree lens and MegaView mode suit POV riding. It is waterproof to 39 ft out of the box and 197 ft with the Dive Case, and Insta360 rates it from minus 4 F to 113 F. The 2.5 inch flip touchscreen is the easiest selfie screen here, and an integrated wind guard targets wind noise. Insta360 claims 180 minutes of battery life and 80% charge in 18 minutes.

The X5 is Insta360's top 360 camera and the stronger choice over the GoPro MAX2 for water and low light. Two 1/1.28 inch sensors and a triple AI chip system drive 8K 360 video, supersampled from 11K, and Insta360 claims 13.5 stops of dynamic range. Active HDR now runs at 5.7K60, and the 360 PureVideo mode targets night scenes. It is waterproof to 49 ft (15 m) without a case, and the lenses can be popped out and replaced after a crash. Single-lens mode shoots 4K60 like a normal action camera, and InstaFrame 2.0 records a framed 4K flat video alongside the 360 file, which saves editing for quick shares. Photos reach 72 MP. A 2400 mAh battery is rated at up to 208 minutes and 80% in 20 minutes. A multi-layer wind guard and wind noise reduction help riders. We could not confirm a US price from our location.

The HERO is GoPro's smallest 4K camera and a simpler, cheaper entry to the brand. GoPro says it has 35% less volume and 46% less mass than the HERO13 Black, and it still works with 35 GoPro mounts and accessories, so helmet and handlebar mounts carry over. It records 4K30 and 1080p30, with 2.7K60 and 1080p60 for slow motion, plus 12 MP photos. It is waterproof up to 16 ft and has a replaceable water-repelling lens cover. Two trade-offs matter for active use. The battery is built in, so you cannot swap a spare on a long ride and GoPro suggests topping it up like a phone. Stabilization is applied in the GoPro Quik app, not on the camera, so clips look shaky until you export them from Quik. It also does not take HB-Series lenses. For short clips at the beach or on family trips, that simplicity is the point.

The GO Ultra is a different kind of action camera: a 53 g body you clip to your chest, cap or handlebar for true hands-free POV. Despite its size it uses a 1/1.28 inch sensor and a 5 nm AI chip, and Insta360 claims 221% more sensor area and 200% more low-light detail than the GO 3S. It records 4K at 60 fps with Active HDR and the PureVideo low-light mode, and takes 50 MP photos. The standalone camera is IPX8 waterproof to 33 ft (10 m), and a dive case takes it to 197 ft. Storage is now a removable microSD card. The Action Pod adds a flip screen and battery: Insta360 claims 200 minutes at 1080p in the pod but 70 minutes for the camera alone. QuickCapture, voice control and gesture control mean you rarely need to touch it. It is less armored than a full-size camera, so it suits travel and casual riding more than crashes.

The Brave 7 is the cheapest camera on this list and comes as a complete kit. Akaso's Standalone package includes two 1350 mAh batteries, a remote, a camera frame, a handlebar mount, two helmet mounts and more, which saves money for new cyclists. It records 4K at 30 fps, 1080p at up to 120 fps and 720p at 240 fps, and takes 20 MP photos. Akaso rates it IPX8 and says it handles immersion to 10 m (33 ft) without a case, matching the HERO13 Black, and a waterproof case is sold for deeper dives. Dual color screens help with selfies, voice commands start recording, and a USB-C external mic is supported. EIS 2.0 stabilization is an older system than HyperSmooth or RockSteady, and Akaso does not make sensor size or low-light claims. Akaso estimates around 140 minutes of recording per battery at 1080p. It is a sensible starter camera, not a match for the flagships in image quality.

The Akaso 360 is the cheapest way on this list into 360 video. Two 1/2 inch 48 MP sensors behind f/2.25 lenses record 5.7K 360 video at up to 30 fps or 4K at up to 60 fps, and single-lens mode records 2.8K at up to 60 fps. Photos reach 72 MP in 360 with DNG files for editing. Akaso lists AI subject tracking, an invisible selfie stick effect, 360 horizon lock and in-app SuperSmooth stabilization, plus GPS overlays for speed, route and elevation captured through a connected phone. The 2.29 inch touchscreen handles settings. The limits are clear in Akaso's own specs: the camera is listed as weatherproof rather than waterproof, it operates from 0 C to 40 C, and the 1350 mAh battery is rated for 60 minutes at 5.7K30 in a lab. The Standard Combo at $199.99 includes two batteries. Divers and winter riders should look at the Insta360 X5 or GoPro MAX2 instead.