Most people relate an action camera with a GoPro, which has single-highhandedly made this electronic gadget a household name across America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, GoPro is a high end brand and getting one of its cameras is not suitable for any one on a tight budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take an example of the GoPro Hero8 Black<\/a>, it was launched at a starting price of $399.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the primary reasons why people decide to go for an action camera is that these things are rugged and protected from environmental factors in such a way that you never have to worry about their longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Action cameras allow you to capture the full experience of your ski runs<\/a> or scuba diving<\/a> adventures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Their solid appearance, reliable features and ease of use set them apart from ordinary counterparts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, action cameras do not come in cheap; especially GoPro cameras so impulsive investment may not be a great option for someone with a tight budget and not looking for pro cameras like the Hero 8 Black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you still want to own a GoPro camera, you might as well consider the previous models which have significantly reduced in price but still maintain good quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out the Hero7 Black<\/a>, Silver<\/a>, and White<\/a> or the Hero6 Black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, another reason to consider an action camera under $100, comes in when you want to have a taste of what different companies offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let’s say you own the GoPro MAX and you want to experience what Akaso offers, I would strongly recommend in this case that you buy a budget Akaso camera like the Akaso V50X<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By doing that, you don’t have to break the bank again to get a second action camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aside from that, if you are generally on a tight budget, there are good action cameras you can get with a price tag of below 100 dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the companies that make these cameras may not be well known and that is exactly why they have to start low while offering more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before going ahead to get an action camera, there are certain things you need to consider first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the end of the day, you will use your camera to shoot videos and snap some photos hence my guide will follow along those lines mainly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With advancements in technology, it is important to also consider other added features like Wi-Fi which normally gives your camera an added touch in specific situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first thing I always check on before going for an action camera is video resolutions and qualities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I would strongly recommend that you choose a camera with a real native resolution of 4K.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since we are on a budget, it is very common to encounter cameras with interpolated\/polarized 4K which does not match up the quality of a native 4K.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you cannot find a camera with 4K resolution, then stick to Full HD which is 1080p. It also produces good quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you might well know by now, a good range of frame rates will give you more usability when it comes to the quality of the video you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higher frame rates indicate that the camera can shoot videos in slow motion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I especially use the 120 frames per second option when shooting in slow motion. It produces footage that is 4 times slower and that is an impressive slow-motion option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two codecs now available for action cameras; H.264 and the newer H.265.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The latter is good to have although when you are paying less than 100 dollars for a camera, it should not be something on your must-have list of specs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n H.264 codec is good enough for what you will be paying for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Field of View (FOV) generally refers to how much your camera lens can see. Some companies call them Angles but it is the same thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having a high angle FOV is good for many reasons among them getting a good scenic view of your background in your footage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But most importantly, a high FOV is good because it will give more room for Electronic Image Stabilization to do the cropping that will eventually result in stable footage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alongside the video quality and properties, I also look at what the camera has to offer in terms of photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This refers to how much pixels your camera lens will capture in an image. Pixels are good at ensuring you get many details in an image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most image sensors have an effective resolution of 12 megapixels which is a good option to have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most cameras provide a JPEG option for photo savings. I prefer having one that can provide both RAW and JPEG.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When on a budget, it is not easy to get a camera that will support RAW format because of the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This should definitely not be a deal-breaker in the budget action camera space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For less than 100 dollars, JPEG is good enough for what you will be paying for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This will now boil down to the company that makes the camera. Photo modes should be interesting and enticing to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The modes I use the most are; Photo Lapse, Burst photos, and Night photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having many modes in a camera means that you never get bored in your adventures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This setting determines how dark\/light your images will appear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This setting is ultimately determined by Lens aperture, ISO, and shutter speed, these three settings are also known as the ‘exposure triangle’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where frames are captured at a time interval by the camera and stitched together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When viewing a video taken in this mode, the sequence seems to be moving faster hence referred to as lapsing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this feature, it is important to get a camera that supports both photo and video lapse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Good cameras out there also have a dedicated night lapse mode which is very important especially when filming the stars at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are some other settings that when included in a camera will give you more control of how you would like your footage\/image to appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n GoPro calls this the Protune. Features like ISO, Shutter speed, and EV Compensation are nice to have in a camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As I mentioned earlier, Video\/Photos should form the primary categories when looking for an action camera to purchase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, some other features are interesting to have in a camera that improves the convenience of using it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having a back screen display that doubles up as a touch screen is a cool thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gone are the days when we used to control cameras with numerous buttons located all around it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wi-Fi connectivity will allow you to link up your camera to your phone through a proprietary app made by the camera company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is important as it will let you use your phone as a live monitoring screen, control the camera remotely, download videos and photos to the phone as well as sharing the files to social media platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having this feature is great even if you are not planning to shoot any underwater footage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A waterproof rating will get you covered when you get accidental splashes or rain on your camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no need to worry about spills anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This feature is great when your hands are busy e.g. when cycling and you would like to control your camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You simply speak to your camera following a predetermined voice command and the camera will do just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most cameras that have voice control can start\/stop recording which is nice to have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having Bluetooth connections in your camera means that you can connect it to a remote control device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The device will help you control your camera from a distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a feature that needs to be considered especially if you do a lot of vlogging or make YouTube videos with your action camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most cameras have a battery capacity of 1200mAh which is not a bad rating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That capacity can easily take you for 80 minutes while recording in Full HD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I prefer choosing a camera that supports a minimum of 64GB memory card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you regularly take photos\/videos on your trips then you might as well put more consideration on the memory card capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having many memory cards is not always the best idea since they easily get misplaced especially outdoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So you’ll want that one huge memory card that you rarely remove.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having given you the guide to check for action cameras, let me jump in and give you a rundown of my pick for the budget camera category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Akaso released the V50X in the summer of 2019 and it is by no chance an old camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Akaso V50X<\/a> is graded at a native 4K resolution @ 30 frames per second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This camera was released in succession with the V50 Elite<\/a> and V50 Pro<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Elite and Pro were a bit on the higher side and so Akaso released a more affordable entry-level camera into that line-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As mentioned earlier, this camera can shoot at a maximum of 4K<\/strong> resolution which is native<\/strong>. Other resolutions available for this camera are; 2.7K<\/strong>, 2K<\/strong>, 1080p<\/strong> and 720p<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 120 frames per second is the maximum shooting frames for this camera which can only be used in 720p. 120fps is very ideal in shooting slow-motion footage because it will produce up to 4 times slower video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The other frame rates available in the V50X are 90fps, 60fps, and 30fps. 90fps is compatible with 1080p, 60fps with 2K, 1080p and 720p. 30fps can be used with all resolutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are four angles of view available to use in the V50X, they are 170, 110, 90, 70 degrees. This is a good choice of angles for a budget camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Akaso V50X has a SONY CMOS image sensor with a maximum effective resolution of 13 megapixels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The default is set at 12 megapixels which is the industry standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You also get the option to downsize the pixels count to 8, 5 or 3 megapixels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This camera does not support RAW format, all photos files will be saved in JPEG which is not bad for what you are paying for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this setting, the camera captures frames at set intervals and then stitches them together to form a video file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This camera supports both Time Lapse video and photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following time intervals are available for shooting Time Lapse videos; 0.2, 0.3, 0.5 (default setting), 1, 2, 5, 10, 30 and 60 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this mode, the camera captures images at a set interval of your choice. The available time intervals are; 3, 5, 10, 30, or 60 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One thing I like about Time Lapse Photos is the ability to preview each photo after capture, there is an ability to discard the ones that are not impressive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This camera is not waterproof<\/strong> on its own. Luckily enough, there is a waterproof housing included in the retail box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you intend to do scuba diving, the housing will get you covered since it can withstand water up to depths of 41 meters \/ 131 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Akaso V50X does not<\/strong> support voice control. However, you can use a remote control device which is also included in the retail box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the left side of the camera, there is a microSD card slot that supports class 10 cards of up to 64GB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I prefer using the SanDisk card<\/a> which matches well with my Akaso cameras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are a heavy user, then this capacity is a huge hit for you. Otherwise, it is still fine for an average person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Akaso V50X includes two rechargeable batteries in the retail box with a capacity of 1350mAh each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can charge both batteries simultaneously thanks to the dual charger also supplied in the box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The battery door is found at the bottom side of the camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shooting in 4K will last you an hour before the battery depletes. On 1080p, you should get a battery life of 80 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Check my Akaso V50X review<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to making budget cameras, Akaso is truly a market leader. The Akaso Brave 6<\/a> is a direct successor to the Brave 4 camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Akaso said that this camera can shoot in 4k at 24 frames per second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I will give more details about that in the video section of this camera, we will find out whether it’s native or interpolated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Akaso Brave 6 4K<\/strong> resolution is not native, it is interpolated<\/strong>. This camera rocks a Novatek chipset which is a relatively old processor that cannot support real 4k resolutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 4k resolution in this camera has pixels width and height of 2880 x 2160 pixels. A native 4K width and height should be 3840 x 2160 pixels<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other resolutions and frame rates available are; 2K <\/strong>at 30fps<\/strong>, 1080p<\/strong> at 60fps<\/strong> and 30fps<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are 4 angles of view to choose from in this camera. They are; 170, 110, 90, 70 degrees. The super wide-angle is big enough to capture all your background effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Akaso Brave 6 has a Panasonic Image sensor with an effective resolution of 14 Megapixels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Akaso claims that the maximum resolution for images is at 20 megapixels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Surprisingly enough, the Image qualities of this camera are impressive for its price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can downsize the photo resolution to; 16M (default setting), 12M, 10M, 8M, 5M, and 3M<\/p>\n\n\n\n With this camera, you only have the option to shoot time lapse in video mode, there is no photo time lapse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Time Lapse video will create a video from frames that have been captured at a set interval of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The available intervals are; 100 ms, 200 ms, 1 Second, 3 Seconds, and 5 Seconds. The default setting is put to off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The camera is not waterproof without a case. Akaso included a waterproof housing in the retail package.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The waterproof housing can protect your camera for up to a depth of 30 meters \/ 98.5 feet<\/strong>. This rating is good enough for a scuba dive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please note that you will not<\/strong> be able to record audio when the camera is housed in the waterproof case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before using the waterproof case, make sure you test it first. Always rinse and dry your case after every underwater filming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the Akaso Brave 6, you can use your voice to control the camera following a set of predetermined voice commands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Voice control cannot be used when the camera is off. This means that there is no specific command to power on the camera like what we see with expensive action cameras like GoPro Hero8 Black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following are the voice commands available:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The right side of the camera has a door that encloses both the battery compartment and memory card slot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The camera can support a microSD card up to a storage of 64GB<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Akaso Brave 6 has a small rechargeable and removable battery with a capacity of 1050mAh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luckily enough, the retail packaging comes with two batteries of similar specs in the box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The battery is barely usable for an hour, I recommend carrying around both batteries and a charger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the majority of budget cameras under 100 dollars, Campark V30 offers a good touch for a relatively low price point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nBuyers’ Guide – What to Look for in an Action Camera<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Video<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Video Resolutions<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Frame Rates<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Video Encoding<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Field of View<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Photo<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Photo Resolution<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Photo Formats<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Photo Modes<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Exposure control<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Time Lapse<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Other Video\/Photo Settings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Other Camera Features<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Touchscreen<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Wi-Fi<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Waterproof<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Voice Control<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Bluetooth<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Battery Life<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Memory Card Capacity<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n1.<\/strong> Akaso V50X<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Akaso](\"https:\/\/actiongadgetsreviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Akaso-V50X-review_1-e1586507633206.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nVideo Resolution and Frame Rates<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Field of View (FOV)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Photo resolutions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Time Lapse<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Time Lapse Video<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Time Lapse Photo<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Is the Akaso V50X Waterproof?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Voice Control<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Memory Card<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Battery<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n2.<\/strong> Akaso Brave 6<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Akaso](\"https:\/\/actiongadgetsreviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Akaso-Brave-6-review_1-1024x457.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nVideo Resolutions and Frame Rates<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Field of View (FOV)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Photo Resolutions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Time Lapse Video<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Is Akaso Brave 6 Waterproof?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Voice Control<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Memory Card<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Battery<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pros of Akaso Brave 6<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cons<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n3.<\/strong> Campark V30<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Campark](\"https:\/\/actiongadgetsreviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Campark-V30-990x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
![\"Apeman](\"https:\/\/actiongadgetsreviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Apeman-A100-Trawo-1015x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n