There are three main types.  Most people go for self contained cameras, which have everything in one unit.  These are our favourite and what we’d recommend for most uses.  There are also kits and a pick and mix option

Self Contained

Self Contained action cameras are all in one unit. This means that you only have to carry around one part which contains all the on board storage or space for an SD card, batteries or a rechargeable unit, the camera for the video and a microphone to capture any sound. The main advantage of this is that it is easy to carry around and they require minimal set up. Self contained units usually are less expensive but can still record really high quality footage!

Although everything is in one unit, modern self contained cameras offer a fantastic video quality and cameras like the Go Pro HD are widely used by television companies for extreme sports footage.

Action Camera Kits

A lot of companies offer action camera kits. This is when you get a bundle of equipment to get you started with everything you’ll need. These kits usually come with a bullet camera, microphone, recording unit, a power source and all the leads you need. Getting an action camera kit can be an easy way to get a more sophisticated camera set up. Rather than with a self contained unit, these kits do require you to use cables and find places to hold the recorder and other parts, which could be a bit of a hassle at times. If you are after a set up with separate parts a kit is a good way to start as it simplifies the whole process, there are usually discounts to be had and you’ll be able to upgrade parts in the future as and when you want to.

Pick and Mix

Finally, you can pick and choose the parts you want! I’m sure there is a better term than pick and mix, but you can buy all the parts separately and make up your own set up! This is something I’d recommend doing when you really fall in love with action cameras. You can spend a lot of money on the different bullet cameras, recorders and so on, which means you can get the perfect set for you! If you’re going to be going down this route it pays to find out as much as you can about all the different bits and make sure everything will be suitable for you!

I hope you find Action-Cameras.co.uk a useful resource for action cameras. If you have any questions please contact me! If you’ve got any photos, video footage or want to review an action camera already on here (or not on here) then please do email me!