Action camera, also known as action-cams, come in a variety of shapes, sizes and, most importantly, features. They are usually small and lightweight with the purpose of being easily attachable to wear. This is important as their sole purpose is to record action while you’re absorbed into it.

Automatic video editing, activity sensors, optical image stabilization, 4K video recording, 60 frames per second and etc. are all available to fit the needs of every adventurer. No matter what your sport is, having the best action camera will ensure that you can record all of it. But there are a few key features that you need to look out for.

Having good recording quality is only a small part of the overall end result. What also plays a major role in the end quality is the framerate. The more framerates you have per second, the less stutter there will be. Optical image stabilization is also a great deal of business, especially for action cams… After all, the idea is to catch sports in action.

If you are here then you are probably already aware that GoPro isn’t just the market leader, they are the ones who started it. Their products were of the best quality available until recent years. Nowadays it so easy to find a cheaper, high-quality product, that it might be overwhelming to do so. You need to sort through hundreds of pages and who knows how many fake reviews. To help you find the best, cheaper GoPro alternatives, below is our list of top 5 best action cameras under $200.

 

Below is our take on the top 5 budget action cams:

# Image Product Price
1 YI $122
2 Dragon Touch $50
3 Crosstour $50
4 Akaso $120
5 Campark $68

 

1. YI 4K Action and Sports Camera

This action and sports camera uses the newest generation Ambarella A9SE75 chip and combines it with a Sony IMX377 image sensor to provide you with an immersive footage experience for all your high-speed action snapshots and video. The camera also has an integrated touchscreen and is capable of recording in 4K/30 resolution, that’s about 4 times the image quality compared to most 1080p digital video recorders.

Finally, the YI 4K action cam uses a 1200 mAh 4.4V lithium-ion battery, which provides up to two hours of battery life and it also features an innovative heat management system to avoid overheating when shooting at high resolutions.

2. Dragon Touch 4K Waterproof Camera

Featuring an amazing 4X zoom, the Dragon Touch 4K Action camera can record video in 4K/30 FPS and captures images in stunning 16 Megapixel resolution. Additionally, this camera comes with a wireless remote control that you can wear on your wrist, with a wireless range of up to 10 meters (33 feet), and comes with a waterproof case that you can use to dive with up the 30 meters below the surface.

Furthermore, the Dragon Touch 4K camera comes with two rechargeable 1050 mAh batteries, a charger and an abundance of awesome features such as a driving mode, time-lapse shooting, image rotation, slow-motion, loop recording as well as adjustable exposure limits and white balancing.

3. Crosstour 4K Underwater Sports Cam

This Crosstour 4K Sports Cam has two recording modes; 4K/25 FPS and 2.7K/30 FPS, and captures breathtaking images in 16 Megapixel resolution through its 6-layer optical glass lens. The camera has a 170-degree wide-angle lens so that you can capture all the best shots and panoramic views.

It also comes with a waterproof case, a 2.4 GHz wireless remote control, built-in WiFi that ranges up to 10 meters to connect to your smartphone, tablet or PC, and comes with two fully rechargeable high-capacity batteries.

4. Akaso V50 Pro Action Camera

This camera boasts recording speeds of 4K/30 FPS and high-resolution images with its 20-megapixel camera. The Akaso v50 also has a built-in electronic image stabilization (EIS), so that no matter how much the camera moves or shakes, it’s still capable of capturing crystal clear videos.

Additionally, the Akaso V50 lets you choose between super-wide, wide, medium and narrow view angles, and has a distortion calibration features to avoid blurry images or video. It also has built-in WiFi to easily transfer images to your smartphone or tablet, as well as a handy HDMI port, which allows you to quickly plug the camera into your TV or PC. It comes with 2 rechargeable batteries, a charger, wireless remote, and accessory kit.

5. Campark X20 4K Action Camera

Capable of Ultra HD recording, this professional 4K camera features a built-in SONY sensor, 4K video resolution, and captures images with its high-quality 20-megapixel camera. It’s also capable of being submerged up to 30 meters, has built-in electronic image stabilization and comes with a 2.4 GHz wireless remote.

You can even download the CamKing app on your smartphone or tablet to easily transfer your images. Furthermore, the cames has various recording modes such as time-lapse, motion detection, underwater mode, driving mode, and loop recording.