The best wearable action camera for 2024
There aren't many truely wearable action cameras on the market but our guide will cover the best options available and also suggest some other ideas that could suit you.
Featured wearable action cameras
Best wearable overall
Insta360 Go 3SJump to chapterBest quality footage
DJI Osmo Action 2Jump to chapterPocket camera
SJCam C110 PlusJump to chapterCheapeast thumb camera
Sixmou i3Jump to chapterLightweight 4K camera
GoPro Hero (2024)Jump to chapter
Insta360 Go 3SJump to chapterBest quality footageDJI Osmo Action 2Jump to chapterPocket cameraSJCam C110 PlusJump to chapterCheapeast thumb cameraSixmou i3Jump to chapterLightweight 4K cameraGoPro Hero (2024)Jump to chapterThe best wearable action camera overall
Insta360 Go 3SAmazing quality in a tiny package
The Go 3S is an amazing pocket action camera offering of 4K video in a very small package. With the ActionPod pairing, it becomes a more traditional action camera with extended battery life and a flip screen.
Specifications
- Weight: 1.38oz / 39.1g
- Waterproof: 33ft / 10m
- 4K video: 30fps
- 2.7K video: 30fps
- Pixels: 12MP
- Battery life: 38min at 1080p
- Battery extension run time: 140min at 1080p
- Battery extension weight: 3.4oz / 96.3g
- Approximate price: $360
- Pros
- Tiny footprint
- 4K video
- Modular design with ActionPod
- Cons
- Not waterproof with ActionPod
- Storage not extendable with SD cards
Reasons to buy the Insta360 Go 3S
- Lightweight and mountable anywhere The Insta360 Go 3S's tiny size and weight make it great for sports where every gram counts such as road cycling or trail running.
- Great for vloggers and point of view videos The Insta360 Go 3S is the perfect tool for vlogging, interviews and POV footage thanks to it's light weight and magnetic clip. Snap it to your clothes and record.
- Modular design The Go 3S becomes a traditional action camera when paired with the ActionPod. The ActionPod extends the camera's battery life and includes a flip screen.
Reasons to avoid the Insta360 Go 3S
- Storage and battery limitations The Insta360 Go 3S does not support SD cards and you will have to rely on it's internal storage. Furthermore, it has a small battery when used without the ActionPod. You might want to consider a classic action camera like the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 if you need longer runtimes and extended storage.
- Not waterproof when used with the ActionPod The Insta360 Go 3S has a dedicated diving case but it is not designed to be used with the ActionPod which limits storage and battery life when filming underater. If you plan on snorkeling or scuba-diving, you might want to consider other options like the Insta360 X4 or the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro.
The most capable wearable action camera
DJI Osmo Action 2Top tier performance, but wearable
The DJI Osmo Action 2 is an extremely modular action camera which delivers incredible 4K120fps footage while still remaining wearable. Thanks to it's magnetic attachement system, you can mix and match modules to transform it to suit every use case you can imagine. It's successor, the DJI Osmo Action 3, has abandonned this modular design, so the Action 2 remains DJI's current wearable camera.
Specifications
- Weight: 1.98oz / 56g
- Waterproof: 33ft / 10m
- 4K video: 120fps
- 2.7K video: 120fps
- Pixels: 12MP
- Battery life: 70min at 1080p
- Battery extension run time: 160m at 1080p
- Battery extension weight: 2.26oz / 64g
- Approximate price: $200
- Pros
- 4K120fps footage
- Wearable
- Lightweight
- Cons
- SD card only with extra module
- Modules are not waterproof without case
- Not freeze-proof
- Overheating issues
Reasons to buy the DJI Osmo Action 2
- A real wearable The Action 2 is sold with a magnetic necklace, it's lightweight and compact and won't impede your movement when weared.
- DJI's Quick Release mounts The Osmo series cameras feature DJI's Quick Release mechanism, making mounting and dismounting very quick and convenient.
Reasons to avoid the DJI Osmo Action 2
- Overheating issues You should only expect to record very short clips at 4K120fps as the camera overheats quickly with those settings. If you need to record longer 4K120fps videos, you should consider the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro.
- Not waterproof with modules You cannot use the Action 2 with modules and the dedicated diving case, limiting it's storage and run time. If you plan on snorkeling or scuba-diving a lot, you could consider the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro or Insta360 Ace Pro 2.
An affordable pocket camera
SJCam C110 PlusPocket sized with average performance
The SJCam C110 Plus is an affordable pocket action camera offering 4K video and includes many accessories out of the box. It is also cold resistant down to 14°F / -10°C, which makes it usable for winter sports and in cold weather.
Specifications
- Weight: 2.79oz / 79g
- Waterproof: -
- 4K video: 30fps
- 2.7K video: -
- Pixels: 20MP
- Battery life: 130min for 4k 30fps
- Battery extension run time: -
- Battery extension weight: -
- Approximate price: $100
- Pros
- Many accessories
- Freeze-proof
- SD card included
- Cons
- Average performance
- Average quality build
- No screen
- Heavier than competition
The Cheapest thumb action camera
Sixmou i3Small and light but average
The i3 is a thumb sized action camera that features 4K video recording. It's an all-in-one package with many accessories for people looking for a cheap wearable camera. It's lightweight and very simple to use and makes it an affordable alternative to the more expensive but also more capable Insta360 Go 3S.
Specifications
- Weight: 1.27oz / 36g
- Waterproof: -
- 4K video: 30fps
- 2.7K video: -
- Pixels: -
- Battery life: 90min for 4k, 150min for 1080p
- Battery extension run time: -
- Battery extension weight: -
- Approximate price: $70
- Pros
- Light & small
- Lots of accessories
- SD card included
- Cons
- Average performance
- Average quality build
- No screen
A lightweight action camera
GoPro Hero (2024)Not as small, but light and mountable
The Hero (2024) is GoPro's new entry level action camera, offering very decent performance at less than half the price of their flagship GoPro Hero 13 Black. The resulting product is extremely simple, with only 3 modes (video, slomo and photo), but for most casual usage, it's 4K video will be good enough to capture the fun and action of the moment and share it with your friends.
Specifications
- Weight: 3.03oz / 86g
- Waterproof: 16ft / 5m
- 4K video: 30fps
- 2.7K video: 60fps
- Pixels: 12MP
- Battery life: 75min at 4K30fps
- Battery extension run time: -
- Battery extension weight: -
- Approximate price: $180
- Pros
- Simple & straightforward
- Lightweight
- Replaceable lens guard
- Cons
- Limited functionality
- Stabilization only in app
- Only waterproof down to 16ft / 5m
- Battery not removeable