Do you need an action camera when smartphones are so good?

The very first camera I ever owned was the Kodak EasyShare Sport, a waterproof digital camera that could shoot 12MP photos and was rugged enough to go with me anywhere. Soon, I tried my first action camera, a GoPro Hero 3+ Silver Edition. These waterproof and action cameras weren’t just in my hands for durability, though, as they crushed the camera performance of lowly phones in the early 2010s, and they were incredibly portable.

Now, the gap between the best Android camera phones and the top action cameras couldn’t be closer. I haven’t bought an action camera in five years, and I’m curious whether they’re even necessary in 2024. To find out, I took the brand-new DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, my trusty GoPro Max, and the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE on trips and put them to the test. Here’s how it went.

Smartphone cameras offer plenty of quality

You don’t need an action cam for quality, high frame rates, or stabilization anymore

Originally, there were a few key reasons to pick up a dedicated action camera. They are often equipped with wide, fisheye lenses with large fields-of-view (FOV); some cameras, such as the GoPro Hero 13, can be retrofitted with lens mods that are specialized for a specific type of shot — like macro photography. Additionally, adventurers flocked to action cameras for their ability to shoot at high frame rates with excellent image stabilization.

Now, many of these traits are found on the best Android phones. For this test, I compared the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE with the DJI Osmo Action Pro 5 and the GoPro Max. You may know that the Galaxy S24 FE costs just $650, meaning that pro-level phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and iPhone 16 Pro will all perform better than this device. As such, if the Galaxy S24 FE can hang with action cameras, all the flagships are likely to.

The Galaxy S24 FE’s main camera is a wide lens, and it’s joined by an ultrawide with a 123-degree FOV. That’s nothing compared to the Osmo Action 5 Pro’s 155-degree FOV, but it’s plenty for most excursions. Additionally, the Galaxy S24 FE can shoot in 8K at 30 FPS, or in 4K at up to 120 FPS, which matches or beats the capabilities of the Osmo Action 5 Pro, which tops at 4K 120 FPS.

The following photos were captured with the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE:

With optical image stabilization, support for high frame rate video recording, and excellent main camera sensors, the Galaxy S24 FE can capture excellent photos and videos. In fact, Samsung’s computational photography tech helps photos turn out great as soon as a picture is captured. As you can see in the photo samples above, shots at a resort are bright, colorful, and detailed.

The following photos were captured with the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro:

The wider FOV of the Osmo Action 5 Pro is desirable for some situations, but you’ll want to crop in at other times. You’re less likely to get a perfect image straight after pulling a photo or video from the action cameras. The colors in the image samples are dull, dark, and frankly, a bit lifeless. This can be resolved with photo editing and manual color grading, but that requires additional effort.

Action cameras give you supreme durability

I know I could take my phone to a waterpark, but I won’t

By this point, I’ve come to the conclusion that the Galaxy S24 FE has the specs to create similar-looking photos and videos to an action camera. The next issue is durability, and that’s a trickier thing. Yes, the Galaxy S24 FE — like many other phones — has an IP68 water and dust-resistance rating. In theory, your phone can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes without being damaged.

I don’t recommend doing that. It’s true that an IP68 rating should protect against splashes and light submersion, but phones are certainly not waterproof. Water-resistance seals also weaken over time, especially as phones are dropped and exposed to the elements. Any time I got in the water, I reached for the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro over my phone. It led to impressive videos, like the one below, that I couldn’t feel comfortable capturing with the Galaxy S24 FE.

You could put your phone in a waterproof case or pouch, adding more to the phone’s existing IP rating. However, I still give an action camera an easy victory for durability. For anything involving water, my phone stays at home.

360-degree action cameras offer another dimension

After buying the GoPro Max years ago, I don’t want to go back

Aside from durability, there’s not much to separate basic action cameras from the top smartphones. More specialized cameras, like the 360-degree GoPro Max, offer another dimension. With the Max, I can record my entire surroundings with little effort, and it creates photos like the ones below.

The following photos were captured with the GoPro Max:

The great thing about the GoPro Max, and other 360-degree cameras, is that you can forget about framing a shot or video. These action cams let you record everything and frame it later, which helps me stay in the moment. That’s why I’m unlikely to ditch my GoPro Max anytime soon, either for a phone or another action camera, despite it being five years old.

Not everyone needs an action camera

Times have changed, and phone cameras are still fantastic

As a smartphone reviewer and action camera enthusiast, there is absolutely no doubt that my usage of action cameras has changed over the past decade. I previously used them in a wide variety of situations, from still photos to action-packed videos.

Now? A smartphone covers 95% of my photo and video needs, and my mirrorless and action cameras are tools for specific jobs. Action cameras are far from extinct, though; people who need supreme durability and waterproofing should absolutely consider using an action camera instead of their phone.

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  DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro
  

  The DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro is one of the best action cameras you can buy today, with a wide 1/1.3-inch sensor and support for 4K 120FPS video recording. It’s durable, works with a bunch of accessories, and comes with critical features like Subject Tracking. 

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  Samsung Galaxy S24 FE
  

  Believe it or not, the $650 Samsung Galaxy S24 FE has the photo and video quality to compete with an action camera on land. When you get near the water, though, you might be wishing you picked up a dedicated camera. Of course, the Galaxy S24 FE is more than just a camera — it’s also a great midrange phone.