Top Options For Recording Your Surfing
When it comes to action sports, there’s no doubt that surfing is one of the most exciting activities to share with friends and the internet. When things go great, they’re fantastic - and when things go wrong, it seems like the whole world wants to see. With so many options out there, it can be overwhelming to figure out how to best capture that footage. In this marketplace, these are your top options for recording surfing endeavors. A small, rugged, waterproof camera will be a wise investment that will go a long way!
GoPro
Far ahead of most of the options is the GoPro camera and for good reason. Aside from being the first brand to hit the market, they have pioneered the world of recording action sports. This waterproof camera is capable of recording 4K Ultra Hi-Def flawlessly to capture your experience and make it look as clear and crisp as possible!
While it’s an amazing camera out of the box, there are a plethora of accessories available that make it perfect for nearly any sport. Both direct from the store and other merchants, there’s a significant number of GoPro surfboard mounts to help get the perfect angle and capture the greatest moments out in the waves. Built in WiFi, apps for both Android and iPhone, as well as software for a laptop or PC really help sweeten the deal, bringing everything together for sharing the best clips imaginable.
If all that wasn’t enough, it’s packed in a stunningly small and tactfully designed case that really appeals to the eye. The whole setup is unobtrusive, stylish, and functional without sacrifice.
Sony Action Cam
With a proven track record of other consumer grade products, Sony began manufacturing their own waterproof camera. It may not seem like much at first glance, but the features speak for themselves. Also packing in 4K capabilities and an appealing matte finish, Sony brought it all together with a couple unique features of their own.
At the top of the list is loop recording, which enables you to continue recording even after storage space has been exhausted - at the expense of losing earlier footage. Adding onto that is an automatic highlight reel that is created of what the camera deems to be some of the best clips from your recording. Having instant gratification of being able to share that new MP4 as soon as you get out of the water can be a deciding factor by itself.
Although the range of accessories isn’t quite as robust, there are surfboard mounts available ranging from plastic composites to titanium. If the price of a GoPro is just a little too far out of reach, a Sony Action Cam is a fantastic alternative!
Pictek Sports Action Camera
Operating in the budget range is the Pictek Sports Action Camera. Coming in significantly cheaper than most other recording devices available does come with trade-offs. You can still get 1080P video quality in a waterproof camera and walk away feeling like the wallet wasn’t burned at the stake.
Go ahead and take this camera down to about 30 meters in depth without concern to capture both video and still images to get those perfect shots of your surfboard from under water. When coming back to shore, the built in WiFi can stream all of the content straight to a laptop or the app on your phone and put it in your hands to show off to anybody willing to watch.
The Pictek camera is a solid entry level camera, but lacks the branded or even aftermarket support. With the GoPro surfboard mount and Sony accessories, you’re guaranteed to have exactly what you want and where you want it. Unfortunately with Pictek, and many alternatives in the same price range, you’ll probably need to come up with your own means to fix the camera to a surfboard. While that’s not always a bad thing depending on the scene being captured, it’s a bit of a deterrent to all but the casual enthusiast.
Final Recommendations
If you’re looking for the uncontested kings of recording then look no further than the GoPro or Sony action camera. They’re both incredibly feature rich and gorgeous cameras that are sure to push the limits for years to come. It takes a lot to be at the top of your game in such a competitive niche, and you’re looking at the pinnacle with either choice. There aren't many waterproof cameras in the middle ground, so be prepared to compromise a significant amount of quality if budget is a concern!