*Editor’s Review of the Best. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to purchase. Before buying, it is necessary to consult with a specialist.
Action cameras have become an integral part of travel. Many bloggers share impressions of exciting trips around the world, recording countless videos on such devices. Their advantages are simple: compactness, ease of use and long enough autonomy. However, there are also disadvantages, which relate to the level of quality and features of equipment: as a rule, such cameras are severely limited in applicability due to the lack of the ability to change the lens.
Over the past few years, the greatest qualitative growth in the segment have shown gadgets from Sony. In this regard, the editors of Expertology magazine, with the support of analysts from rankqua resource
- technical indicators of the cameras;
- Consumer reviews and conclusions of in-house experts;
- cost parameter;
- The level of reliability and equipment (package).
How to choose an action camera
When choosing an action camera, many buyers are guided by the basic indicators of the sensor, namely the number of megapixels, which affects the quality of shooting. This approach has its place, but we recommend to pay attention to other parameters:
The form factor.This aspect is responsible for the shape of the action camera. At the present stage there are distinguished only 3 form-factors:
- Rectangular or square – the traditional kind of device, which is easy to find in any store. As a rule, such cameras are cheap and it’s for them that the bulk of additional equipment is developed.
- Cubic – more voluminous type of action-cameras, which combines the convenience of manipulation and a pleasant design. Does not differ much from traditional models, but is almost always more expensive.
- goggle-shaped – the most advanced type of action cameras that are integrated into travel goggles. Allows you to capture images from the first person, t.e. Monitor the surroundings through the eyes of the operator. Expensive, so not so common in technology stores.
Resolution.Whether the camera is an amateur or a professional model depends on this parameter. At this stage of development, gadgets that shoot in HD (1280×720) or F
- l HD (1920×1080). And here are those cameras that shoot in
- Optical – a fundamentally different way of stabilization, which preserves the original image size. Any camera deviation is compensated by turning the lens in the opposite direction. The result is a clear and smooth picture. Such devices cost more and consume more energy from the built-in battery.
- 5-8 megapixels is not a bad solution for those who want to shoot in HD and F
- l HD. Performs well in the daytime, but performs much worse in twilight and at night.
- 8-20 megapixels – more interesting matrix options, allowing you to record video in the dark. These variants perfectly match the resolution
- HD 4k, but we recommend paying extra attention to backlight quality.
- Can work in the cold – frostproof;
- stylish design;
- remote control available;
- protection from moisture and water;
- optical stabilizer.
- No neutral density filter for operation in bright light.
- There is no extraneous noise when shooting;
- Excellent image stabilization even with severe camera shake;
- High quality footage;
- The compactness and lightness of the model (114 grams);
- interval timer photography possible;
- Battery charge for 2.5 hours of continuous operation.
- scratch-resistant lens and abrasion-resistant.
- V-View, but if it gets lost, a redundant mobile phone-based remote control system will come to the rescue.
Advantages
- Excellent stabilization;
- shockproof plastic case;
- no extraneous audio noise, even when shooting in noisy terrain;
- The presence of an ultra-wide-angle lens;
- Backlight on the back of the camcorder;
- compact and lightweight (83 grams).
Disadvantages
- Remote control can have occasional glitches;
- Small viewing angle that creates a “fisheye” effect.
Sony HDR-AS300
Rating: 4.6
Another representative of action-camera F
- l HD 1080p that support shooting widescreen video and have a sensor with a resolution of at least 8 megapixels. The camera is equipped with an LCD screen and an optical image stabilizer, so you can record media content even in dynamic, “jerky” motion. The body of the device is made with the highest standards of quality and protection, so it can not get any dust or moisture (thanks to aqua box included it can safely dive to a depth of 60 meters).
- Excellent shooting in low light;
- It has stabilization, which prevents blurring the picture even with sudden movements;
- Compact and ergonomic body;
- Lightness (only 109 grams);
- Excellent quality of recorded audio (but no high-frequency noise filtering)
- The camera turns on slower than the competition;
- No protection for the flash card port: it can be inserted by either side, even with a slight twist.
- The lightest representative of the rating (53 grams);
- quite a powerful sensor at 11 megapixels;
- Electronic image stabilizer;
- attractive appearance;
- low price.
- Despite the presence of an aqua box, the camera requires an additional lens for underwater shooting;
- image may “shake” due to limitations of electronic stabilization.
Sony HDR-AS300 is great for long “outings” in nature: the camera battery runs autonomously up to 2.55 hours, allowing you to capture the brightest moments. The gadget has a built-in GPS sensor, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as a whole bunch of ports for flash cards and other storage devices.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Sony HDR-AS50
Rating: 4.5
The cheapest and unremarkable, but at the same time favorite by users of the representative of action cameras from Sony. HDR-AS50 has an 11-megapixel CMOS sensor, which is not the best in twilight and at night, but allows you to get a juicy and detailed picture in good daylight. Focal length of the lens is adjustable from 18.4 to 21.8 millimeters, allowing you to change the angle of view of the camera and situationally adapt to the events being photographed.
Unlike its competitors this device has electronic image stabilizer – the picture may shake slightly when recording in motion. However, we can’t complain: consumers appreciate the camera’s potential and abilities in terms of purchase price. In addition to the F
- l HD recording it provides a whole set of additional “tricks”, which allow to shoot both on land and under water. By the way, do not forget about the low weight of 53 grams, which makes the HDR-AS50 the lightest device in the ranking.
Advantages
Disadvantages
- tra HD (3480×2160) are considered to be pro-devices.
On the one hand, the higher the resolution, the more detailed and high-quality the content is. But it will take up more space in the device memory, so you need to buy a high-capacity (and expensive) flash card.
frame rate.This aspect of video shooting is usually indistinguishable from resolution. It’s simple: the higher the fps value, the smoother the video. Only 30 frames per second at 1920×1080 pixels resolution is enough to achieve acceptable shooting results. But nowadays the devices with the frame rate up to 60 or even 120 frames per second are widely spread.
Type of stabilization. There are 2 basic types of image stabilization:
electronic (digital) – the task of compensating for camera shake and blurring is performed by the CPU. It crops out up to 10% of the perimeter, making the picture sharper and clearer without the need for a tripod.
Control. In simple models, action cameras are controlled manually, using the buttons on the body. More modern and advanced devices can be controlled by remote control, as well as via a smartphone using a special application and connection via Wi-Filuetooth.
Sensor.And finally, we should talk about the matrix. As the segment of action cameras progressed, experts began to divide the models according to the power of this element:
Rating of the best action cameras from Sony
| Rated | place | product name | price |
| Best Action Cameras from Sony | 1 | Sony FDR-X3000R | 28 990 € |
| 2 | Sony FDR-X3000 | 23 990 € | |
| 3 | Sony HDR-AS50R | 19 990 € | |
| 4 | Sony HDR-AS300 | 16 990 € | |
| 5 | Sony HDR-AS50 | 12 990 € |
Sony FDR-X3000R
Rating: 4.9
Presented model is an action camera is great for creating impressive content, even when driving at high speed. It has a single Exmor R CMOS sensor with effective resolution for stills and movies of 8.2 megapixels. At the same time, the maximum resolution corresponds to the format
- tra HD 4K. With a frame rate of 30 frames per second, it’s worth noting. For professional content, it’s more than enough.
Sony FDR-X3000R has an optical image stabilizer that monitors the camera angles relative to the fixed axis. Such a measure avoids blurred images in photos and clips. Thanks to the high-capacity battery the device can work autonomously up to 2.5 hours – it’s also worthy of praise.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Sony FDR-X3000
Rating: 4.8
Second place goes to the FDR-X3000 – a simplified version of a good action camera of the new generation. With its 8 megapixel sensor it provides excellent shooting in all presented modes. Great battery life and has optical image stabilization, which avoids blurring of photos and videos.
Among other things, Sony FDR-X3000 has a three-fold digital zoom and can record adequate quality even at total zoom. The gadget comes with only one lens from Carl Zeiss Tessar, but it is enough to produce enough high-quality and diverse content. The automatic image focusing system is also present, which is important. In conclusion, we note that the camcorder is able to work in standalone mode for up to 2.5 hours thanks to the lithium-ion battery at 1240 mAh.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Sony HDR-AS50R
Rating: 4.7
Sony HDR-AS50R belongs to the junior Sony series cameras. It has an 11.1 Megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor. Unlike the FDR series, the maximum photo and video resolution is 1920×1080 pixels, which corresponds to the F
- HD.
Analogies between the HDR-AS50R and the competitors above can be drawn in terms of peripheral equipment. This model uses the Carl Zeiss Tessar optics identical to those used on the FDR-series. The camera aperture has a focal length of F2.8, which allows you to greatly influence the depth of field and thereby improve exposure. Battery life is up to 3 hours thanks to the large lithium-ion battery. Due to the fact that the model supports a mobile app, as well as having a Wi-Fi module, the user has the ability to control the camera directly from your smartphone. The package also includes a remote family
