Best action camera to buy in 2026: the top models from GoPro, DJI, Insta360 and more

Wiht the best action cameras, you can capture videos and photos in extreme locations and situations. Hardy and waterproof, small and mountable, a good action camera can capture high-quality footage from your POV while you swim, ski, cycle, surf, skydive or do whatever other activity takes your fancy, which is not something you can say about a Sony A7R VI! And, with sophisticated vlogging capabilities, action cameras increasingly don’t require you to compromise on image quality. Footage from these little devices is often used in professional film and television production

The most well-known name in action cameras, of course, is GoPro. Many people think of action cameras simply as ‘GoPros’. However, the firm has been experiencing some financial turbulence of late, and its future is currently somewhat uncertain. We’ll have to see if the new GoPro Mission series can turn things around – especially with rivals like DJI and Insta360 offering compelling alternatives. I’ve included options from all three in this guide, all of which have been tested and reviewed by the AP team – many by yours truly.

So, read on to see what I’ve picked as the best of the best action cameras you can buy in 2026…

Best action cameras to buy – our quick list

• Best overall action camera: GoPro HERO13 Black – Buy now
• Best DJI action camera: DJI Osmo Action 6 – Buy now
• Best 360 action camera: Insta360 X5 – Buy now
• Best modular action camera: DJI Osmo Nano – Buy now
• Lightest modular action camera: Insta360 GO 3 – Buy now
• Toughest compact camera: OM-System Tough TG-7 – Buy now

Looking for the best deal on action cameras? Not only will you find the best action cameras, but also the best cheap action camera deals, as our ‘Buy now’ buttons are setup to automatically take you to the best prices, from trusted retailers. You’ll also find a list of other retailers below each camera, so you can find the right deal for you.

Read on for our full breakdown of each entry, including our review team’s ratings…

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Best overall action camera: GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro’s ubiquity in the action camera market has become something of a double-edged sword – many people who use generic knock-off action cameras refer to them as GoPros, and aren’t really aware of the difference. Once you’ve used the real thing though, it’s unmistakable. GoPro is still at the top of its game, delivering a superb action camera experience with diverse mounting options, excellent video quality and some of the smoothest stabilisation in the business.

The HERO13 Black, the latest GoPro on the market, offers a more meaningful upgrade than the previous GoPro HERO12 did compared to the HERO11. Despite keeping the same larger sensor of the HERO12 and 5.3K60p video recording (designed to facilitate shooting in multiple aspect ratios, including vertical), the HERO13 adds interesting and completely new improvements like the new HB-series lenses that are automatically detected by the camera, as well as some new ND filter accessories. The HB-series Lens Collection includes an Ultra-Wide, a Macro and an Anamorphic lens, as well as a 4-pack of ND filters available to buy separately for $449/£349.

For quicker mounting, GoPro finally embraced magnetic mounts, and also improved heat management and battery life for longer recording up to 1.5 hours in 4K60p without overheating issues. There is also Hybrid Log Gamma HDR video on board to capture more detail in highlights and shadows, and unlike the Hero 12, GPS is added back in.

If you own a HERO12 or even a HERO11, there’s no reason to rush out and upgrade to this one. However, if you’re buying your first action camera (or upgrading from something cheap), the HERO13 is the best you can get – and while it’s more expensive than the competition, the difference isn’t that much.

You can update to the latest firmware version, remotely control your camera, review photos, edit or share on the go using the Quik app.

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Best DJI action camera: DJI Osmo Action 6

Featuring a 38MP 1/1.1-inch sensor in a square format, the Action 6 boasts a bigger sensor than the Action 5 Pro, even though its resolution is slightly lower. Together with a variable aperture lens, it promises improved image quality and better low-light performance than the HERO 13. The square sensor also allows flexible cropping to create multiple aspect ratios, ideal for creating content for different platforms. 

The DJI Osmo Action 6 is the first action camera to feature a variable aperture lens. The f/2.0 to f/4.0 aperture helps it to adapt to a wider range of shooting conditions and deliver better low-light results. To further enhance night photography, DJI has introduced a new SuperNight mode too. The Action 6 was released with a Macro lens and an optional FOV Boost lens, which mods are ideal to capture close-up detail or wide-angle landscapes.

It offers ultra-wide, wide, standard, and a new Natural Wide field of view to reduce distortion, along with video-only film tone modes and a 2× digital zoom. Other highlights include 50GB of internal storage and a new battery case that charges three batteries. In use, I’ve found it delivers a winning balance between depth and ease of use, making it one of the best action cameras.

Note, you are out of luck trying to find the Action 6 in the US due to the ongoing tariff disputes, although the DJI store lists older refurbished models. If you want to save a few bucks the Osmo Action 5 Pro has a similar feature set while the Osmo Action 4 or Action 3 are ideal choices too as mid-range and budget options.

Read our full DJI Osmo Action 6 review.

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Best 360 action camera: Insta360 X5

As the name implies, Insta360 specialises in putting 360-degree imaging in the palm of your hand – to capture it, well, instantly. The Insta360 X5 is a palm-sized action camera, waterproof down to depths of 15m natively, and this can be extended with the dive kit.

The video the X5 captures with its dual 1/1.28-inch sensors is 8K 360°, which can be used either to create immersive virtual reality content, or simply crop into the parts where the action happened. The X5 can also capture 4K footage with a more standard ‘action camera’ field of view – those who want this above all will get more value out of a GoPro or DJI camera. However, if you’re up for experimenting with 360° content, the X5 is a blast. It’s got generous battery life (rated to 208 minutes – using Endurance mode), effective stabilisation and fun AI editing tools that make fiddling about with your clips genuinely enjoyable.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Insta360 X5. It’s a sophisticated little camera that manages to offer a huge amount of shooting flexibility without overcomplicating things. If you’re a one-man-band vlogger, being able to capture 360-degree imagery in high resolutions and create your own camera movements in the edit has the potential to be hugely useful.

Read our full Insta360 X5 review

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Best modular action camera: DJI Osmo Nano

This super compact modular camera from DJI can record in both landscape and portrait format, ideal for creating content for various socials, and clips onto your clothing or a magnetic surface so you can record hands-free 35MP stills or high-resolution 4K video up to 60p and a 4K 120p mode for capturing slow motion footage.

To keep the size as compact as possible, the DJI Osmo Nano has a Vision Dock, an OLED touchscreen which can be mounted on the Nano facing either way. Switch between vlogging and selfies to shooting others, or take it off and use it as a remote with live view. The Vision dock also supports fast charging for both the nano and itself, and paired together gets you up to 200 minutes of 1080p/24fps video. From the main camera, without the Vision Dock, you get up to 1 hour of recording in 4K or 90 minutes in HD. Shooting in D-log M profile provides more control over editing in post-production, while 10-bit video offers a wider colour space than standard video.

The f/2.8 lens has a 143-degree field of view and is backed by a 1/1.3-inch sensor, which delivers excellent low-light performance. Furthermore, there is a dedicated supernight mode for making the most of the sensor and its 13.5 stops of dynamic range. DJI’s Rock Steady 3.0 image stabilisation helps smooth out action footage, while the Horizon balancing technology corrects horizon tilts within a ±30° range.

Compact yet powerful with 4K recording, the DJI Osmo Nano combines versatility, advanced imaging, and hands-free convenience, making it the perfect tool for creators on the go.

Read our full DJI Osmo Nano review

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Lightest modular camera: Insta360 GO 3

The Insta360 GO series is a leftover from the era of ‘lifelogging’ cameras: a brief period when dedicated manufacturers and enthusiasts envisaged everyone wearing cameras at all times to record the minutiae of their day. That didn’t really happen (turns out we’re all quite boring and no one wants to watch us walk to the shops!), but a few of the cameras did survive. The Insta360 GO 3 is the latest incarnation of probably the most wearable camera out there – at an incredible 35g in weight, you could pin it to your chest and forget it’s there.

This model still has action camera credentials: waterproof down to almost 5m and the ability to shoot 2.7K video at up to 30p. It can capture stills too, and can even do so in DNG RAW format; though even by RAW standards these files need a good edit, with heavy black vignette in the corners. There’s also the option of the Action Pod housing, which the GO 3 snaps into and makes it look and feel a little more like a traditional action camera – it adds a flip-back screen for capturing the perfect selfie. The FlowState stabilisation also works well, helping keep footage smooth when you’re on the move.

It’s neither as tough nor as powerful as the other cameras on this list – but as far as portability goes, a camera that weighs about the same as a pack of crisps is in a league of its own.

Read our Insta360 GO 3 review

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Toughest compact camera: OM-System Tough TG-7

While the Olympus (or OM-System) Tough TG-7 doesn’t quite fit the definition of an action camera, it performs many of the same functions and is a compelling alternative for anyone who prefers the idea of a more traditional camera format. The Tough TG-7 is a tough compact, meaning it can take an absolute pounding and a soaking – there are a few of these on the market, but the TG-7 is generally regarded as the best.

As well as a more comfortable, grippable form factor, the TG-7 has one key advantage over traditional action cameras – a 25-100mm f/2-4.9 equivalent zoom lens, providing much more compositional flexibility and an ability to get in close to distant subjects. It’s also got a nice big 3-inch 1.04m-dot LCD screen, for a much more pleasant composing experience than any of the small screens on traditional action cameras. It allows capture of stills in raw format; which is worth doing for the best results (with additional time spent on post-processing, of course).

Of course, the TG-7 is not nearly as wearable as a GoPro, DJI or Insta360 camera, nor as good for capturing POV footage. There is some built-in stabilisation, though it’s not on the level of GoPro’s or DJI’s.

Read our full OM-System Tough TG-7 review

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Specifications compared

How do I choose the best action camera?

Choosing an action camera means weighing up a few different factors:

You’ll want to pay attention to the top video resolution – while you don’t always need to shoot at the maximum resolution, it’s useful to know how many pixels you have to work with, especially if you’re creating content for professional clients. For capturing photos as well as videos, it’s also worth being aware of the maximum photo resolution. You may also want to consider the weight of the camera if it’s something you intend to wear.

Stabilisation is an important part of an action camera’s make-up, as it makes POV footage much more pleasant to watch. It’s worth checking what level of stabilisation an action camera offers, and reading our full review to get a sense of how it performs in the real world – we usually include sample video in our reviews so that you can see for yourself.

There are also different types of action camera to consider. Most of the models on this list are straightforward GoPro-style action cameras, small cuboids with a fixed wide-angle lens designed to capture a broad perspective of their surroundings, offering a suite of stabilised video options.

However, there are also 360-degree action cameras such as the Insta360 X5 included in this list. These cameras use dual fisheye lenses to capture a 360-degree view of their surroundings, the idea being that you can simply record everything that’s happening around you, and then in the editing process, cut out a flat slice that represents the most interesting action. The complete perspective allows you to effectively simulate camera movements by digitally panning from one area of the 360-degree video to another (see my review of the Insta360 X5 for a demo of how this works).

Then there are also tough compacts. These aren’t really action cameras, as they are much larger, with a more traditional form factor, and are designed more for photography than video. However, since tough compacts are also waterproof and shockproof, they court a similar audience to action cameras, and so I have included one – the OM System Tough TG-7 – for comparison’s sake.

Shooting underwater? The level of waterproofing varies between models. Many action cameras can be bought with optional housings that extend the depths to which they can be submerged – others can’t be submerged at all.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Related reading: For a mirrorless or compact camera for video, have a look at our guide to the best cameras for video, or why not have a look at the best waterproof cameras.

Recent updates

• June 2026: Removed the GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini, an older camera that is no longer available to buy new.
• April 2026: Insta360 X5 text updated and link to review added as the review wasn’t available by the time of the last update.
• February 2026: GoPro Hero11 Black removed, as Hero13 Black available for just $10 more. Insta360 X4 updated to X5.
• December 2025: The latest DJI Osmo Action 6 was added, and multiple older versions of the DJI Osmo were removed to simplify the list
• September 2025: prices updated, DJI Osmo Nano added

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