Hot shots: the best sports action cameras 

The latest ultra-HD cameras are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand but loaded with features to record every moment of an adventure: from image stabilisation to 360-degree image capture and AI-driven movie editing. Here’s our selection of the best action video cameras.

GoPro Hero9 Black

Since releasing its first camera in 2004, GoPro has gained a reputation as the benchmark brand for action cameras. This, its flagship model, has been tweaked over the years and now boasts displays on both front and back and 30 per cent extra battery life over its predecessors, as well as a removable lens so you can apply variations to suit your needs. The camera is waterproof to 10m and offers image stabilisation (meaning your footage is automatically adjusted and wobble-free). The touchscreen is intuitive and backed by hands-free voice command, and the built-in mount means no external case is necessary. Shoot in ultra-HD 5K or capture stills in 20 megapixels. £330, gopro.com

Insta360 One R 1-Inch Edition

Founded in 2015, Insta360 may be a relative newcomer but its modular One R action camera has quickly become popular due, in part, to a choice of three easily interchanged lenses, including a 360-degree option. A recent collaboration with Leica adds cool styling and a best-in-class, one-inch sensor lens (which for comparison is around twice as large as GoPro Hero9’s sensor). The resulting 5.3K video and 19-megapixel stills are exceptional quality – arguably the most superior of any action camera – and perform particularly well in low light. The camera is waterproof to 5m and has all the features you’d expect, such as auto stabilisation, but is also future-proofed in that new releases will cover its three constituent components: lens, processor and battery. £520, insta360.com

DJI Pocket 2

This handheld, three-axis motorised gimbal camera (designed to rotate smoothly and stabilise as you film) weighs a mere 117g, and with a height of 12cm slips unobtrusively into a pocket or bag. Capturing 4K video (and up to 64-megapixel photos) while on the move is made easy thanks to ActiveTrack 3.0, which has face recognition, keeping it in the centre of the image. There’s also a 4x optical zoom, mini control stick, and 140-minute battery life. One consideration is that the camera is not as well protected from the elements as some of the models included here, but this drawback is offset by the stable footage it captures, even when running. £339, dji.com

Insta360 One X2

Lightweight and discreet – at just 11cm in height and 149g in weight – this pocket-sized 360-degree camera ticks the boxes for convenience and portability. Equipped with a fisheye lens on either side to capture footage in all directions, plus a touch-sensitive colour screen that doubles up for menu selections, it’s loaded with features: 5.7K video, 18-megapixel stills, image stabilisation and changeable lens guards in the event of scratches. It’s waterproof to 10m, has 80 mins’ battery, and the supporting app offers suggested edits that reframe your 360-degree footage. £430, insta360.com

GoPro Max

With super-wide angle cameras on both front and back capturing immersive 360-degree footage, there’s no stress about having this camera pointed in the right direction – just hit record and do your thing. The Max offers pin-sharp 5.6K resolution video and 16.6-megapixel photos that, once synced with the GoPro app on your smartphone, can be reframed to a desired angle. Compared to its sibling Hero9 model, it’s larger, slightly less robust and waterproof to just 5m, but this model is fantastic as a go-anywhere camera – mount on a car, bike or surfboard to capture the action. £380, gopro.com

DJI Osmo Action

Launched in 2019, this model marked the brand’s first step into handheld action cameras. By incorporating features such as a front-facing display as well as a removable lens cover, it offered a viable alternative to GoPro’s then flagship Hero7 Black model. New updates means the Hero9 Black is now hard to beat but this Osmo Action is no slouch – it’s smaller, lighter and water-resistant to 11m. Video can be shot in wholly acceptable 4K resolution and the camera has great image stabilisation. Plus, if you use a DJI drone, life is made much simpler by pairing them with the DJI Mimo app to access and edit footage. £329, dji.com

Akakso Brave 7

This is the feature-packed camera to consider if you are on a budget. The video comes in an impressive 4K but at 30 frames per second (versus 60 for other top brands), while photos are 20 megapixel and it has image stabilisation. It’s waterproof to 10m, has hands-free voice control and an external mic option, and comes with a host of mounting options. $160, akasotech.com