The best new generation hi-res action cameras for 4K TV playback
Cameras such as the GoPro are rugged, easy to carry and can record some amazing footage. Their main drawback has been resolution. Until now ...
Action cameras can go anywhere, anytime, and do anything. Designed for adventure, you can attach them to yourself or your equipment to capture a unique point of view video. These small, battery-operated devices often come with mounts and accessories to attach them to bike handlebars, safety helmets and body harnesses. They’re also waterproof, so are great for snorkelling, surfboarding and skiing.
There’s only one problem: resolution.
Action cameras may be designed to take video and still images anywhere you want to go, but watching them back on a 4K TV can be disappointing. That’s down to pixels. Most action cameras shoot in HD (high definition), but with the spread of affordable 4K TVs in the past six months – as well as 4K displays on smartphones, such as the Sony Xperia XZ Premium – it’s time for an upgrade.
Cue a raft of new 4K-capable action cameras designed to capture your adventures in 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. That’s quite an upgrade; while HD images are between one and two megapixels, 4K – also called Ultra HD – means a jump to just over eight megapixels.
However, not all 4K action cameras are the same. Most use a wide-angle fish-eye lens to capture as much action as possible, but the effect can be quite different depending on the camera. Similarly, don’t underestimate the apps these cameras come bundled with, not only for remote operation, but transferring and editing videos and posts ready for uploading to social media.
