Want to take better footage of your sick skating skills? Here are the best skate cameras for you to pick from.
All serious skaters can attest to the fact that their skills have taken a lot of hard work and sacrifices to master. Every trick you master is preceded by tens if not hundreds of bad falls and face plants before it is perfected. With this in mind, it is only rational that most skaters love to have a lot of footage of their skills. Whether to analyze your movements, share your sick moves with your friends or the world, or most importantly to gain attention and land sponsorship and events.
Because of the fast nature of the sport, a simple phone camera just wouldn’t suffice for the kind of footage you need. That would call for a more professional, specialized camera to give you quality footage you can share proudly. In this guide, we will break down the specific attributes that make up the best skate cameras and suggest some of the top choices for you.
How do you pick the best skate camera?
To answer this question, you need to ask yourself about the kinds of situations that you’ll be using your camera in. Ideally, you would require a good, reliable camera that has both the stability for a lot of motion and the quality of high resolution and professional footage. Moreover, you’ll probably be shooting videos in various times of day so you’ll need to think about lighting.
Quality
The first factor most people would consider in any camera is video quality. Your camera
needs to provide you with a pixel rate and 4k/HD video quality at least. For this you should look into camera quality of at least 10 mega pixels. All the camera suggestions in the following list will support this resolution or even higher. The best skate cameras should also give you multiple format and capture settings to give you some variety for your footage.
Stability
It goes without saying that a pivotal aspect of any skate camera you’re looking to purchase is stability. After all, you’re mostly going to be using it to shoot “high octane” activity of you and your friends moving quite fast. You want your camera to capture your every movement with optimal quality and superior resolution, with no skipping frames or motion blur. Your camera should have video and image stabilization specifications that match your needs.
Durability
You’ll be performing a lot of dangerous stunts that will not only put you, but your equipment at risk. An important tenet of any camcorder or skate camera you’d buy is its durability and ability to withstand falls and “accidents”. Most cameras we’ll suggest will come with some sort of shock proof or casing technologies that will make it somewhat resist drops.
Battery Life
The last specification important to our suggestions is battery life. You will be using your camera mostly outdoors and you’ll ideally need a camera that you won’t need to get back to recharge a lot.
Our Suggestions
1. GoPro Hero 8
You can’t go wrong with a GoPro, this mountable camera has taken the extreme sports world by storm ever since it first debuted in 2002. The latest model, the GoPro Hero 8, offers upgraded video quality and waterproof capabilities such as its latest predecessors. Its compact design, along with its sleek black body makes it an even more stylish option for your purchase.
This tiny beast is easily mountable on your gear, durable to shock, and even waterproof. This makes it a great option for shooting POV videos or if you don’t have a friend available to film you.
In terms of quality, the GoPro Hero 8 has a 12 MP lens, along with a nifty 4k, 240 fps resolution. It also offers Superphoto and HDR modes for pr0emium quality, detailed images. This greatly reduces blur, even in low light situations.
You’re also capable of taking great, utlra-wide shots with Superview mode. You can also shoot high quality video with 240fps 1080p ulta-high frame rate. The 8X Slo-Mo option gives you the ability to show optimum quality slow motion videos with intensity and details.
In terms of stability, the GoPro Hero8’s Hypersmooth 2.0 is definitely what separates it greatly from its competition. This specification provides greater stability for high movement and even offers multiple levels of stability. This gives you the ability to have clear footage with minimal blur in the shakiest of situations.
The Hero8 is also amazing in terms of durability. It’s waterproof, completely cased with shock proof casing, the perfect companion for the most dangerous stunts. Its streamlined design makes the lens even more impact resistant than the previous versions of this great camera.
Lastly, the GoPro Hero8 offers a battery that last around 50 minutes on a single charge. This makes it perfect for shooting quick, 2 minute videos. This is not optimal, however, and is the major back draw to the Hero8.
Pros
- Small and compact.
- High resolution, 4k quality video and images.
- Hypersmooth 2.0 gives the greatest stability.
- Shock proof.
- Water proof up to 10m.
- GoPro App.
Cons
- Short battery life.
- Mounted lens, can’t replace the lens.
- A bit overpriced.
2. Canon VIXIA HV40 HD Camcorder
The Canon VIXIA HV40 is the latest addition to Canon’s illustrious history in the business of cameras and video recording devices. It’s one of Canon’s flagship products in terms of handheld consumer devices that offer amazing features in terms of convenience and performance alike.
The VIXIA HV40 offers true 1920 x 1080 video quality utilizing a 2.96 MP CMOS sensor, DIGIC DV II Image Processor and an impressive 10x HD Video Lens. It offers astounding film-like shooting rates, such as 24p Native(60i), specialized Cinema modes, and 30p progressive mode. Even more impressive is the Advanced Accessory Shoe added to the camera so you can attach external lights and microphones and shoot in darker settings.
In addition to its audacious quality video, the HV40 also offers a 2.7 inch multi angle vivid widescreen LCD screen for greater visibility while shooting. Canon’s proprietary SuperRange optical image stabilization technology offers professional level correction for hand shaking and moving objects in the shooting range. SuperRange also corrects for body sway and recording from moving cars to add to the range of options for your stunt shooting.
This handheld camcorder is also relatively small for its capabilities, it’s 3.5 inches wide and just 3.2 inches high. Made from renowned Canon durable material, it offers a great option for a light camera option.
Finally, the Canon HV40 offers a lithium ion, Canon BP-2L13, rechargeable and replaceable battery. This 2700 mAh, 7.4V battery offers a battery life of up to 4 hours battery life on one charge alone. Making it a perfect option for a long outdoors shoot.
Pros
- Long Battery Life.
- 7” multi angle LCD screen.
- High resolution image quality.
- Customization of shooting options.
- Multiple dark room and flash settings.
Cons
- Durability, easily breakable material.
- Taped Recording.
3. REMALI CaptureCam 4k Ultra HD and 12MP Waterproof Sports Action Camera
The REMALI CaptureCam is a great selection for a more affordable mountable camera that doesn’t compromise on performance. The REMALI lets you capture high quality, stable, professional quality skate videos with both ease and comfort.
This mountable device offers staggering quality of footage, utilizing a 12MP quality camera taking single shots. It even offers the option of taking images with a programmed timer in the range of 2 seconds to 60 seconds per shot. In terms of video, the REMALI CaptureCam offers an affluence of options from 720p HD quality up to 1080p HD, in addition to both 2k and 4k resolution options.
It uses Anti-Shake stabilization technology to offer you stable footage that is not grainy or blurry even during the quickest frame rates. With the REMALI, you can shoot up to 25fps quality video with no decrement to quality or clarity. It also offers a 170-degree wide angle lens to shoot great wide shots with ease.
The REMALI also comes with a protective IPX8 waterproof case, which allows for up to 30m.98ft underwater footage. The case also offers great shock proof ability, which enables the camera to withstand falls and drops with ease.
Perhaps the most awesome specification of this here affordable beast is its remote abilities, allowing for remote control support and built in Wifi, allowing easier accessibility and performance.
The battery life is a little disappointing, however, with the multiple rechargeable battery packs offered last no more than a measly 45 minutes.
Pros
- Remote control strap.
- Nice looking case to carry all the accessories and mount.
- Anti-Shake.
- Built in Wifi.
Cons
- Short Battery Life.
- Lower video frame rate(25fps).
4. Contour ROAM2 Waterproof Video Camera
This sleek, mountable camcorder seemingly offers just the basics, but does it with so much quality and style that it can compete with just about any other option out there. This simple device is already waterproof up to 1 meter without any requirements for external casing.
The Contour’s sleek design makes it look great mounted on your helmet, offering great streamlining that eliminates the “clunkiness” of some of the other mountable options on this list. In addition, it comes in blue or black, giving you two equally stylish options to choose from. The ROAM2 is also very conveniently small, measuring at 2.4 inches high, 1.3 inches wide, and 3.9 inches long. Weighing a minuscule 5 ounces, you won’t be weighed down by any extra weight on your head.
The ROAM2 is made of hard, durable material that offers some shock resistance a slight grade below its counterparts. The lack of included casing in the basic package slightly compromises that, however, but you can purchase a relatively cheap separate shock and waterproof resistant case to complement that.
The most impressive aspect of this device is its control switch. The switch is designed to be big enough to be palpable through your glove and all you need to do is slide it over to start recording. This seemingly small detail, is one of its greatest appeals to most skaters, most attesting to the challenges they face controlling their video gear while wearing their skate gear.
The Contour ROAM2’s lack of size does not compromise in any way on video quality, however. You can record Full HD, 1080p videos with a fairly smooth 30 fps. This is also customizeable as you have the option of shooting at a lower 720p quality for smaller video size and higher frames per second ratio of up to 60fps. Moreover, the Contour offers a 1280x960p resolution option, named “Tall HD” mode on the camera.
While not offering stability through a fancy named technology, the Contour ROAM2 offers amazingly stable footage through design alone, as the design of its rigid stand alone and the method it attaches to the camera allows it to withstand shaky situations with astounding simplicity; producing great stable footage on some rough terrain during tests.
Adding to its amazing features, the Contour ROAM2 offers a surprisingly long battery life from its built in battery. The battery on this thing reportedly lasts up to 3.5 hours on maximum quality resolution.
Pros
- Record slider.
- Built in GPS, Bluetooth, and Wifi.
- Long battery life.
- Streamlined design.
Cons
- You have to connect to your PC to change shooting options or settings.
- Separately bought case to be waterproof in deeper ranges.
5. AKASO EK7000 4k WiFi Sports Action Camera
This selection on our list has been dubbed a “GoPro Knock-off”. It’s not surprising looking at its design and features, not only does it eerily resemble its American counterpart, it takes practically identical photos and videos and hold the same shooting options. Here’s the kicker, however, it only comes at the fraction of the price.
Following on our GoPro review, the AKASO EK7000 does not stray far from the available options. It offers 4k video resolution, time lapse, burst mode, and still photos. In addition, the AKASO EK7000 also comes with waterproof housing included, offering the depth of up to 30 meters/100 feet. It’s size is identical to the GoPro, and even uses the same mounting system.
The AK7000 offers a variety of video options. It has a, you guessed it, 12 MP camera with the ability to shoot 4k quality video with 25fps frame rate. However, you can increase the frame rate to an impressive 120 fps if you choose to compromise quality at 720p. The AKASO also offers 60fps at 1080p quality.
In terms of stability, the AKASO falls short in terms of resistance to shakiness. The frame rate seems to drop drastically on shaky terrain as well increased blur on lower light. This is true even with the EIS technology employed for camera stabilization.
Unlike the GoPro, this cheaper lookalike is of a lower quality in terms of material used. It claims to be shock resistant and the accompanying casing does aid that claim but we don’t recommend being nonchalant about drops and bangs.
In terms of battery life, the AKASO EK7000 actually surpasses the GoPro. Its battery can last up to an impressive 1 hour and 40 minutes on a full charge. It’s even more astounding when considering that this battery life still holds true on maximum 4k resolution video footage. Another noteworthy touch is that the battery is replaceable and the basic package comes with a charging dock and an extra replacement battery.
One thing the AKASO has over the GoPro is the remote control strap that comes with the package. We can’t stress how this simple addition makes a world of difference for skaters looking for push to record videos.
Pros
- Long Battery life.
- Replaceable battery.
- Built in WiFi and HDMI.
Cons
- Splash proof but not waterproof.
- No image stabilization.
Conclusion
Skating is an extreme sport worthy of being documented and documented well. Skaters go through a lot of training and constantly risk their safety for the love the sport. Documenting your tricks and stunts can be a challenging feat considering the fast paced nature and the types of stunts you pull. Whether it be for personal entertainment, acquiring sponsorship, or social media glory, the footage you shoot needs to be impeccable.
In this list, we have took you through the things you need to consider when buying the perfect camera or camcorder to shoot your skate videos. Most of our suggestions have been mountable cameras as this is the trend most skaters seem to take when shooting their skate videos. You can use any of these cameras to take POV footage (except for the Canon of course) or if you prefer to be filmed by a friend. We hope we provided enough insight to help you choose your priorities in your skate cameras even if you don’t pick one our suggestions.
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