FAQ About Wearable and Action Cameras
Seeing is believing. That's why an action camera's purpose in life is to be taken to the extreme and live to tell the tale. Your tale. Like that time you wrapped a bungee cord around your ankles and nosedived into a canyon, just because someone called you a chicken.
What is an action camera?
An action camera records your experience from the centre of the action and from your own perspective. Action cams are rugged, lightweight, mountable, wearable, and sometimes waterproof. In short, they're designed to tag along for the ride, whether that ride is mountain biking, surfing, skydiving, or any other activity that will impress your friends and rack up tons of love on your social media feeds.
What is a 360 camera?
A 360 camera is just like a standard action camera except that it records in all directions -- up, down, and all around. The footage that a 360 action camera captures is also dynamic, which means that during playback you can move the focal point to "look around" within the footage itself. This kind of sport camera is great because it captures all the angles of your activity all by itself, letting you focus on steering your mountain bike safely down that rock-strewn gully or perfectly time the roll-in of that next big wave.
What features do I need to consider when buying an action camera?
Depending on the environments you'll be shooting in you may way to get an action camera that's water-resistant. Some action cams can also be placed in a waterproof housing for use underwater. Video quality and image quality are other big factors. Action cameras with 4K resolution are available for those who want to show off their stunts in mesmerizing detail. Integrated WiFi is a great feature if you want to transfer clips quickly to a smartphone in order to upload directly to YouTube and social media.
What are the must-have action camera accessories?
If you want to attach your action camera to your bike's handlebars or turn your action cam into a helmet cam, check out different mounts that secure the camera safely in place. Action camera selfie sticks are also useful and can really put you in the centre of the action that's happening on screen. If you're going to be in the mountains or on the beach all day, a spare battery pack can provide some extra juice to capture that late-afternoon impromptu stunt.