Choosing your ideal action cam ?
Also called "sports cameras" or "action cameras", action cams are cameras that let you take shots or videos while you're on the move. They're tech favourites in the outdoor sports world, as you can film yourself at full throttle for a fantastic immersive result.
As you can imagine, there's a range of action cams designed for different activities. So, it's important to think about how you plan to use your action cam before investing in one. But don't worry, Kodak is here to explain all the ins and outs of action cams.
What is an action cam? What makes it so different from your run-of-the-mill camcorder? What are the different features of an action cam and what are its uses? We've got all the answers!
What is an action cam?
Action cams are synonymous with the sporting world and also great for creating realistic content - nature and wildlife are perfect examples. Sports fans, whether surfing, skiing or skateboarding can have a blast recording their every trick. However, in the past, it's been hard to reproduce the immersive sensations of thrilling outdoor activities.
Sports enthusiasts began filming or snapping their adventures long before action cams hit the tech scene. The problem was the cameras they used were impractical, got damaged easily, were not water or shock-resistant and produced poor-quality photos and videos. There were, obviously, some high-quality action cams on the market, but they came with a hefty price tag.
The arrival of social networks and video shorts (especially in the world of sports) was a game changer that boosted the technological evolution of the action cam. Today, action cams are no longer reserved for extreme sports enthusiasts base-jumping from a dizzying height! You can treat yourself to an action cam to film yourself enjoying recreational sports or simply for the pleasure of creating smooth videos and engaging content! Amateur photographers and videographers will all find live-action cams that suit the type of shoot they're after, be it a video of your mate's wedding or an aerial shot of a herd of animals that you spotted during your holiday!
In practical terms, action cams look just like small cameras: compact, resistant and sometimes waterproof. Most action cams can be equipped with additional accessories, for example, a mount that attaches it to your bike's handlebars. And, of course, there's a wide range of models to choose from: at Kodak, we have action cams designed for water sports, air sports as well as other outdoor activities.
What makes the action cam stand out is a stabiliser that ensures crystal-clear resolution. Indeed, the reason why early models produced low-quality, blurry videos was due to a lack of stability. Nowadays, Kodak action cams are equipped with a stabiliser that lets you film yourself in all conditions and get smooth, sharp results.
Action cam specs: what are they for?
When choosing an action cam, it's important to understand what the device's specs do. This means you'll get a model that perfectly meets your needs.
Photo and video resolution
Choosing the right resolution is essential. When you shoot movement, image quality is the make or break when it comes to that Insta-worthy action video or shot.
And great image quality depends on the resolution and frame per second rate.
For video resolution, you'll find action cams with HD, Full HD, UltraHD or 4K resolution. Each type of resolution is associated with a "number of frames per second" (fps): the higher the fps, the "faster" the camera, meaning smoother sharper results when filming at speed. At Kodak, you'll find Full HD 1080p models, as well as devices with True 4K 3840x2160 video picture quality. For example, the Kodak PixPro SP360 action cam offers 1080p video resolution at 30 frames per second. Other models like the Kodak PixPro SP360 4K have 4K resolution for crisp, highly-detailed images, regardless of the environment (on land, in the air, underwater).
