Sound Advice: GoPro makes best action cam, but there's a much cheaper option

Q: You've never written about GoPro or other action cameras. I have been looking for one and am confused about which to buy. Any advice?

A: I've been through this myself recently. There has been reader demand for action cam recommendations.

I took a Segway tour of Rome in November and realized how neat it would be to have a video of the experience. A few months later, I got to drive high-performance cars around a racetrack and realized I had missed another excellent opportunity. I figured it was time I bought an action cam for myself and started having fun with it.

I looked at many manufacturers but kept coming back to GoPro. It's the undisputed leader in action cams, and the product is well supported. The cameras have built-in Wi-Fi that links to a smartphone app to control the camera, help with composition and review footage. There are many sturdy mounts available.

What I found problematic was deciding which GoPro camera to buy. The entry-level HERO3 White Edition is $199, the midrange HERO3+ Silver Edition is $299 and the top-of-the-line HERO3+ Black Edition is $399. Like Bose and Apple products, you won't find discounted prices anywhere.

I spent a lot of time reviewing footage from all three. I wasn't at all impressed with the footage from the White and quickly ruled it out.

The Silver footage was noticeably better, and I was about to buy it. Then I heard the siren song of the Black Edition.

Realizing I was about to spend $400 on a new toy I might not use that much, I kept looking, hoping to find a diamond mixed in all the junk out there. I found it in a $78 action cam called the SJ1000.

When I read about it, I had the same feeling I had when I wrote about the $8 keychain video camera I launched on a model rocket years ago. Readers flipped over that recommendation.

The SJ1000 can be found on Amazon and eBay for $78 or less. It records great-looking 1080p footage. Although it doesn't have Wi-Fi, it does have a standard built-in screen like a digital camera, which the GoPros lack.

The biggest — perhaps only — significant complaint I have heard about the SJ1000 is its mounting system. It comes with a waterproof housing and lots of mounts, but the mounts are not sturdy. This isn't an insignificant problem given the purpose of an action camera. Then again, lots of people are using the SJ1000 and making great videos from it.

You can find links to the SJ1000 and sample footage at www.tinyurl.com/manwvy5.