Gadgets: Ultraportable action cameras

GoPro popularized the action-ready, ultraportable little cameras that make already exciting exploits look amazing.

But faced with new competition at lower prices, maybe GoPro has gone too pro for most consumers.

The company recently announced three new camera models: an entry-level camera simply called the Hero ($130), the Hero4 Silver ($400) and the Hero4 Black ($500). Despite the nod toward the entry-level with Hero, it's clear that GoPro's attention is on the higher-priced cameras and their deluge of high-end features.

The GoPro cameras capture video in HD and even 4K resolution. The Hero4 Black, in particular, is capable of truly cinematic video quality. But they all take high-resolution still images and offer multiple manual controls for color and exposure.

Film producers, photographers and videographers are extremely excited about the new GoPro cameras. Everyone else, though, may feel a little overwhelmed.

Stiff competition is coming from more basic options, too. A new video camera from Polaroid — yes, that Polaroid — called the Cube costs $100 and is a tiny, brightly colored box with one button on top for operation. It's closer in spirit to the base-model Hero.

To justify the extra $300 you pay for the Hero4 Silver, you have to use a lot of advanced features. And the truth is, most people will probably stick to the basic options. In those cases, there is not a huge difference between it and the Cube.

There's no display, so you just have to hope for the best, but its ultrawide viewing angle usually makes things come out all right.

Video quality is inferior to the GoPro, but it's still high-definition. It takes still pictures at just 6 megapixels, which isn't great — although slightly better than the Hero, GoPro's base model, which is 5 megapixels.

But the Cube is friendly. It has a magnet on the bottom so you can stick it to a metallic surface like a golf club. You could also stick the Cube to the refrigerator, so it's ready at a moment's notice.