Action camera recommendations needed

So, I’m thinking about picking up a GoPro-ish camera. What quality options are out there that aren’t $500? Or should I just spring for the GoPro? Looking to just mount it to the boat/other fun things, record, and enjoy.

Thanks!
Mark

I found GoPro not to be user friendly, at least the one I bought 4 years ago. Unless you are a camera pro, I found it too complex and spent too much time fooling with it. Too many attachments that had to be used. Editing the material I took and transferring to a DVD or adding music took hours to figure out. The end result was not that great. I purchased the GoPro as the result of watching the impressive displays in the camera store. I have seen some great movies that others have done on this site. They look spectacular. My hat is off to them on their ability to produce such a production. For a novice like me, it became far too time consuming. Simplicity is sometimes better. This is just my opinion and I'm sure others will chime in.

I had the same thoughts, for what I wanted a $500+ camera just didn't make sense. I ended up with a Nabi Square HD camera that has been perfect for what we wanted, and at $50 you aren't out much. I have used it skiing, wake surfing, tubing, boating, swimming, etc. It looks like it has been discontinued since I bought it a few years ago. Looks like there are a lot of sub $100 cameras on Amazon now that I would pick up to replace the one I have if it broke, etc. Video quality is not the greatest, but it has been good enough to throw up on the TVs at home and have decent pictures. It's probably not as good as a 4K go-pro video, but whatever...

The things that have been the most valuable to us:
1) Recording time, make sure there isn't a limit to how long it would record for. I remember seeing that stopped after 15 mins and you had to re-start the recording.
2) The waterproof housing has been awesome to have. Just hand it off to the kids and they can swim and take pics/videos, pretty fun to watch those afterwards.
3) The remote gets used all the time. I usually mount it to the tower for surfing/tubing/boating, so having a remote in my pocket makes using it super easy.
4) Mounting options, make sure you have a flexible mounting adapters for all the places you thing you want to place it. Sticker mounts, rail mounts, tripods, suction cups, etc.

I don’t want difficult to use otherwise it will just sit. Will check out a couple on amazon along the lines of the Nabi. I don’t need 4K video at all. I don’t want an unwatchable grainy mess though either.

I bought a $47 camera called Action Camera 4K, doesn’t really record 4K it’s just what it was called. It looks like a GoPro and uses GoPro mounts and such, I’m not too sure that the case isn’t a GoPro case. Has the viewing screen and an app and WiFi to control it or download/view the videos from your phone. The quality of video is really good in my opinion as well. I use iMovie to put the videos together which is easy to use. I can’t justify or find time to sit down for hours making a video, I just wanted something the kids could swim with and use on the boat and if it sunk I wouldn’t be too upset over it. I’ve been impressed with it.

If you want to use it for snow sports then go pro is the only brand that I can endorse from experience. I got my kids a couple of the knock offs from amazon to miunt to their snowboard helmets and they crap out in cold weather . Something with a remote is useful if you mount it to the boat as well.

Go used and get a go pro hero 4 silver or black. They should cost around $200. The silver because it has a built in screen (easy to frame and review footage) the black because it doesn't (long batttery life) both have great resolution. They are no harder to use than other action cameras, only two buttons. Just set it once and go.

From my perspective It's not the camera that is important at editing time and reducing editing time, it's the software. Go pro and others offer some that pick out the high movement clips, string them together and add music for the user. A good example of this where still pics are concerned that I know of is the "best of X" pics that are put together automatically on iPhones, just look for them in the photos folder. GoPro app is named go pro quick I think.

Contour roam. Used one for many years snowmobiling and the military use them as helmet cams. Works great and mounts directly to the Yamaha tower camera mount.

Within the past year I bought a $50 SJ cam GoPro knock off and a $400 GoPro Hero 5 Black. If price isn't an issue, GoPro all the way, but if so, the knock off's work just fine. I think Yi is probably the best of the knock off brands (something like $190 for a Yi 4k, and only the a/v fanatics will notice a difference in your family youtube videos ). The more expensive GoPro gives you more useful features (waterproof without case, voice commands, touchscreen, compatibility, etc, etc) and better quality video (insane resolutions and frame rates). Check out youtube for an endless number of camera comparisons.

I have several gopro cameras and wanted another unit for some stuff I was doing but did not want to spend gopro 5 money so I bought a gopro session for $149 and I won't lie I use it more than my 3+ silver or my 4 silver now its a great easy to use small camera. Best feature is the camera actually turns off and on by itself between recording this does mean there is a slight delay before it starts recording prob about 1-2 seconds but the battery lasts all day. I would recommend any one looking for a budget action camera to pick one up. I have debated buying another and pretty much retiring my hero 3+.

I agree with @robert843 , although I didn't mention it before, I replaced our GoPro 3 white and Polaroid cube with the session 2 a few months ago and it's great but expensive at $300 to$400 (I can remember which), the session one is a great deal right now at $150.

How important do you think it is to have image stabilization?

It cant hurt.

Is it worth another $150 over the session 1? I realize there is more added with the session 5 than just image stabilization.

I wouldnt pay $150 more for a session 2 over a session 1 for image stabilization. The 2 has other features that make it worth th extra money over the 1 but if you are looking for a good but relativley inexpensive camera its all about the session one. Polaroid offers or offfered their cube product for $50 but it is a toy by comparison.

Sounds good. Got the session in my cart. Thanks for all of the responses

@Ronnie is correct a lot depends on your plans if you plan to shoot with the camera in your hand Then image stabilization helps but if you plan to use a fixed mount a lot I wouldn't worry about it. I just bought a hand held three axle gimble for $127 for the hand held stuff it will work way better then the camera stabilizing. Once again though we are talking about a budget camera if you are hoping for professional quality footage and imaging you will want to spend a whole lot more then$149 but for the money I still think the session is one great camera.

Sounds good. I plan on just using it mounted. Should be here by Friday. I’m sure it will be plenty of camera for me to screw around with.