Top 5 Uses for Your GoPro or Action Camera

They are rugged, reliable and can stay faithfully by your side when you are at your most adventurous, or should we say reckless? That said, there is more to your GoPro or action camera than brawn. The best action cameras are waterproof and made for adventure, but thanks to ever-advancing feature sets, they can also be used to enhance your ability to produce content in various situations, whether you are on the road or in the comfort of your own home.

It should come as no surprise that we always pack our action camera when there is a day by the water planned, whether that means a simple swim in the pool or a dip in the choppy and unpredictable surf.

Capturing the best underwater photos and videos largely relies on your equipment being able to be submerged in water safely, and action cameras like the GoPro Hero 12 can do this right out of the box. This particular model is 10m Waterproof, and it can go even deeper if you pair it with a dedicated underwater housing. Another feature that makes your trip to the water so fruitful includes voice commands, so you can start and stop recording and much more, even when visibility is low or you are wearing gloves or holding equipment.

You can put your action camera to use while you hit the road for several reasons. This includes the desire to record the scenic sites that you see as you take the long way home, or simply for security; in a pinch, your action camera can double as a dashcam.

No matter your choice of vehicle, you need the right action camera accessory to use your action camera to document your next road trip, which can include a handlebar mount to attach it to your bicycle or motorbike, a helmet mount, or a heavy-duty suction cup mount to mount it to your car windscreen. An action camera with the longest battery life is the best choice for long trips, while a spare battery is always recommended to prevent you from having to call cut too early.

If you are jet-setting shortly, an action camera should be considered when choosing the best travel camera for the job. As well as the ability to capture snapshots and video in super high-resolution, action cameras are tough enough to go along for the day out if the site-seeing turns into something more adventurous.

With your action camera mounted on a selfie stick or extension pole, such as the GoPro Shorty mini extension pole, you can use the extra reach to see over crowds and harness better views of the seven wonders. The vantage point achieved by this setup also makes it easier to produce great selfies with the whole wide world as your backdrop, as well as both selfie-style and POV vlogs.

You probably already know that action cameras are great for vlogging, but let’s touch on what makes them so good. When it comes to the best vlogging cameras, we look for key features such as portability, and great video and audio capture quality. The best action cameras offer this and more, with the bonus of being able to be mounted to any area or surface; viewers of your vlog always have front-row seats of the action, whether you are in the great outdoors or in your kitchen filming mouth-watering cooking videos.

An action camera with an external mic input is a high priority for vlogging. At the same time, image stabilisation is perfect for keeping your footage smooth and blur-free, even if you are vlogging while amid some breathtaking activity. Modern GoPro cameras also offer live streaming, so you don’t have to wait to share your view of the world on your favourite platform.

While this is not a long-term solution, at a push your action camera's wifi capabilities allow it to be repurposed for temporary security monitoring. While not a substitute for a dedicated security system, the ability to control the camera remotely allows you to capture footage of your home when needed, so it can be your eyes and ears while you are not around. This is ideal if you want to see what your furry friend gets up to you when you can't be there to stop them!

As always when recording for a decent amount of time, be sure to install a larger memory card and if possible a high-capacity battery in your action camera, so it doesn't call it quits before the job is done.