Looking for a good action camera, ideally under $300. Lots of track days coming up! What's the best bang for my buck at that price point?
To give you the best advice, I really need to know what kind of vibration levels we are talking about and if you are planning on hardwiring the unit to the car power??? I have seen way too many people waste money on budget brands that fail after a few months because the internal components just arent rated for high G-force environments or the extreme heat of a closed cockpit. From a long-term reliability perspective, you want something with proven firmware stability and thermal headroom so you dont lose footage right when you hit your personal best.
I've been happy with my Akaso EK7000. Under $70, and it works well enough for casual track day recording. No complaints for the price!
Watch bitrate! GoPro Hero Session (used) offers great image quality, but check specs carefully.
Forget fancy. For track days, video quality matters more than brand. A used GoPro Hero 7 Black often sells around $150. Pair it with a solid external mic; audio makes a huge difference. Save the rest for track tires – those are way more crucial for performance and safety.
Before diving in, check out Akaso's Brave series. They're budget-friendly and decent quality. Just be careful; video quality varies *wildly* across brands at that price point. Read reviews!
Hey! Awesome you're hitting the track! Before even thinking about cameras, double-check your helmet rating and car's safety inspection! Seriously! A GoPro Hero *might* be okay-ish for video, but is your roll cage good?! Just sayin', safety first! Have fun, but be careful out there!