AKASO Brave 8 camera

Product Information

Ultimately, unless you are either shooting at a pro level or simply a connoisseur of image quality, you will probably be satisfied with the Akaso as against the GoPro. Sound The remote (annoyingly) takes an older microUSB cable, while the camera and battery charger take the current USB-C, a hint that the remote is something of a hangover from an older model. The mounts are very similar to GoPro items, although the system isn’t quite as robust, allowing the camera to be twisted out with relatively little force, and a good fit needs two small sets of lugs to engage – something that could be easily overlooked in more extreme use. You need perfect stabilization: Electronic stabilization is OK, but you'll get better performance by spending more. The cage seems to help protect the battery door from rain, but on the camera I have at least, water has got in, so I’d be nervous about using it on a long ride in heavy rain. In terms of cons and comparisons, the camera doesn’t handle low light as magnificently as a GoPro and you will need to work a bit harder to get acceptable night-time and dusk type shots.

Akaso Brave 8 action camera review: not the GoPro rival it

Like a brain in a box, the Brave 8 utilises the latest generation AI software for metering light on a subject’s face and there is also hands-free voice control so you can control the camera remotely quite easily. The answer comes down to what you plan to use the camera for and what level of quality you’re willing to accept. The Akaso has a claimed maximum field of view of 170°, which sounds good but in practice it’s tighter than the GoPro’s. In fact, I’m not sure how it’s measured, but the 170° field of view is slightly tighter than the GoPro’s 133.6° 16:9 wide setting, let alone its ‘Super View’ setting.

In our review, we found it more versatile and fun to use than its predecessor. With GoPro's effective HyperSmooth stabilization available across most shooting modes, it's an ideal tool for recording 4K adventures and handheld vlogs alike. Thanks to its waterproof build, it's also more durable than your smartphone. My GoPro Hero 7 is far from perfect, the battery sometimes being completely dead just a day after charging it (it seems to not properly shut down sometimes), and the odd glitch here and there. Close inspection of the footage can sometimes show over-processing in the camera, but there’s a reason that professionals use these; even the BBC World Service videographers use them as second cameras at times. The level of control and the general reliability and sturdiness help justify the higher price. You do get what you pay for. Well, the Brave 8 can capture high quality video as well as very good photos. In most lights, the videos would pass for a professional standard (professional does not necessarily mean Hollywood) and the stills are at least on a par with my iPhone 8 camera. Clips are smooth, they are clear and the colours look authentic; you may have noticed that the pixel tech used to reproduce colours in some cameras can make certain ones look a bit synthetic – no sign of that here with the Akaso Brave 8 though.

Akaso Brave 8 Review: A Cheaper Alternative to a GoPro?

The Insta360 One R changed the way I shoot action on a motorcycle, but it’s expensive and the lenses are vulnerable. If you’re serious about getting great angles with the minimum of fuss, and you can afford it, this – or the Insta360 One X2 – is my recommendation.The supplied cage makes it a little hard to press the button with gloves on; it’s more difficult than a GoPro, but easier than the Insta360 One R. Settings are adjusted via the rear touch-screen, while the buttons on the side allow you to control the digital zoom, switch WiFi on for app control (iOS or Android), or swap to the front screen, which can be particularly helpful when setting up a shot or for vlogging (though the screen is square so you only see the centre portion of the 16:9 frame). The best action cameras are compact, tough and easy to operate. Thanks to their rugged build, action cams can be used to shoot footage in the kind of scenarios where most standard cameras simply can’t survive. And because the top options offer outstanding image stabilization, action cams are ideal for recording smooth video while you’re on the move.

Akaso Brave 7 review | Budget action camera tested - Bennetts Akaso Brave 7 review | Budget action camera tested - Bennetts

Purists will be disappointed to find no 24fps option for a filmic style, but I do miss 25fps, which is what I edit all my footage in. There are many different action cameras available, and many, many more opinions on them. I can only comment on my experiences over several years of using a handful – mainly for work – and what I’ve heard from professional videographers. The Akaso Brave 8 is definitely not the smallest or lightest action camera I have tried. Its a very acceptable size but isn’t as impressively slender as pettire as the OCLU Action Camera.It’s good to see a removable lens cover on the Brave 7 – I’ve replaced it on my GoPro Hero 7 twice due to welding spatter and having it too close to an angle-grinder. The Hero 8 didn’t have a replaceable cover, but 9 nine and 10 do. The problem is that I can’t find replacement lens covers for the Akaso for sale anywhere online. The Brave Akaso 8 comes with a 1550mAh battery which will allow video recording in 4K for up to 90 minutes (the OCLU does 120 minutes). If you are one of those action camera users who wants to film every second of an all day bike road in 4k, then this will disappoint you. What bugs me about this is that even if you turn it off and on and save battery as much as possible, it will run down if you are going on a multi-night adventure without access to a charging point.