The Best Action Cameras For Racing

High-octane racing footage requires high-tech equipment and an expensive camera setup…or does it? With the latest models of action cameras like the Insta360 ONE series and the GoPro Hero lineup, capturing amazing racing footage no longer costs an arm and a leg. Amateur racing enthusiasts and pro-drifters alike can use these nimble cameras to capture immersive 4K video footage of their clutch-kick drifts and highspeed race sequences.

Race car drifting

The bulky car-mounted cameras of yore have evolved into tiny yet powerful action cameras that offer both portability and performance. Using specialized mounts that make use of suction cups, magnets, and other mechanical clasps, you can mount these clever cameras onto virtually any part of your bike or car. You can even put them up on windshields and helmets to capture surreal first-person perspectives as you powerslide through the asphalt.

With so many good options available on the market, it’s easy to get lost in the sea of reviews and recommendations. In this article, we’ll help you narrow down an action camera that lets you record your auto-racing adventures while meeting your budget needs. We’ve included a brief set-up guide for our top pick and also listed off essential recording equipment to help you get the best out of your action camera. So strap in, hit the clutch, and get ready to drift into the world of the best action cameras for racing!

1. GoPro Hero 11 Black/Black Mini:

The latest in the GoPro Hero series, the Hero 11 Black, and its ultra-portable Mini version are our top picks for this list. These are some of the best action cameras on the market today and will definitely give you the edge for recording racing videos. GoPro has done a great job at taking all the hits of the previous gen cameras while maintaining the same form factor and design so that you can use all your old GoPro mods and accessories.

GoPro Hero 11 Black /Black Mini

Other than the Mini lacking any screens, both cameras feature the exact same design as the older models- an all-black frame with a power button and side-flap with a battery port, USB-C, and MicroSD slot. What has changed, though, is the software and sensors inside. The famous HyperSmooth stabilization and a new digital lens, HyperView, allow you to capture 4K video at 120fps. This stabilization also helps you capture crisp racing footage.

Both cameras sport a nearly square sensor making them super versatile. What does this mean? Simply put, the Hero 11 Black features an 8:7, 27MP, 10-bit camera sensor, which captures near-perfect square 5.3K content. Whether you’re posting on YouTube or Instagram, you can easily crop your racing videos to create native 4K clips in whichever aspect ratios you like!

The GoPro companion app called Quik has also been upgraded to support the improved camera software, which now offers an all-new “Easy Mode.” This mode is perfect for beginner enthusiasts who’re looking to buy their first action camera. It also has modes to improve stabilization while shooting in high quality.

Despite having better battery life and a bigger sensor, the Hero 11 Black weighs the same as its predecessor. The same dimensions also allow you to swap out and use all the old GoPro mods. The Media Mod gives you a direct HDMI connection as well as a mic input and is a good accessory for more serious vloggers. For the Mini, however, you’ll need to purchase separate mounts based on your needs.

As far as racing is concerned, both cameras provide excellent quality 5.3K and 4K video footage with the famous HyperSmooth 5.0 stabilization. They support both 2.4GHz and 5GHz wifi bands and also allow direct uploads to your mobile device via a USB-C or Lightning connection.

The Hero 11 Black Mini is 20 grams lighter and nearly 13% smaller than the Hero 11 Black, and this gives it a better form factor for racing. You can easily mount it to a windshield or helmet and capture all that sweet footage and POV videos! It does, however, make some compromises due to the smaller size. Poorer battery life, no LCD screens, and perhaps the biggest problem for motorsport enthusiasts- no GPS.

Even so, its portability and durability definitely make it a worthwhile option, and with the right mount, you can record all your racing activities from outside the car. With its scratch-resistant lens cover and at nearly $100 cheaper than the base model, the Mini is a great all-around action camera perfect for hitting that apex and wowing your audience with your moves.

If your budget allows, the standard Hero 11 Black is a worthy choice as well and lets you capture detailed Geo telemetries like GPS, altitude, speed, and elevation gain. The Geo-tagging also lets you get your live coordinates, a useful feature for any racing enthusiast.

The Good:

• Captures 5.3K footage and features HyperSmooth stabilization
• Compatible with a plethora of mods and mounts for racing

The Bad:

• The Mini doesn’t have screens nor GPS, and shorter battery life
• Pricier than most other action cameras

GPS Setup Guide For The GoPro Hero Black 11:

Once you get your GoPro out of the box, simply hold the power button for a few seconds, and the screen will turn on. The side flap can be opened by its latch and contains the provided Enduro battery, USB-C port, and MicroSD slot.

Once you’ve powered it on and inserted a MicroSD, you can swipe down to reach the settings page. You can then swipe left to reach the Easy and Pro mode settings. Here, you can adjust your video and recording settings as you like. In the settings page, reach tap on Preferences. You can now turn on the GPS.

GPS Telemetry Data Overlay

Once the camera finds a GPS and successfully connects to a GPS satellite, you’ll see the GPS Symbol on the camera display turn solid. Make sure you’re outside for the best results. Another useful tip is to wait for a few minutes after powering your GoPro on since this ensures a proper GPS connection.

To overlay GPS and Geo telemetry data on your videos, upload all your footage through the GoPro companion app. Now when selecting the edit button, you’ll see an option for adding GPS stickers. This lets you add a UI overlay for exciting telemetry data like a speedometer, altitude, g-forces, and even path and terrain.

Other Action Cameras For Racing

2. Garmin VIRB Ultra 30:

Coming in at a close second is the Garmin VIRB Ultra 30, a seriously powerful action camera with a 1.75-inch touch LCD display and a whole ton of features to help you create movie-quality action footage for your racing adventures.

To start off, it comes with a 1/2.3-inch sensor and 12MP resolution, which allows you to shoot your races in 4K at up to 30fps with amazing 3-axis stabilization. At lower resolutions, you can shoot 2.7K at 60fps and 1080p at 120fps. It also offers a smooth slow-motion mode that lets you capture surreal footage in Full HD, great for capturing sick drifts in time-stopping slow-motion.

Garmin VIRB Ultra 30 (Front)

It also hosts a variety of video shooting modes, including a Pro mode that gives you full control over customizing configuration settings. Here, you can mess with the Color Curve to switch between Flat and Vivid or change the ISO and sharpness. These let you frame the perfect shot and get the most out of your racing videos.

It also comes with a plethora of mounts, including a waterproof case, standard and vertical mount adapters, as well as extension arms. You can also purchase additional mounts to suit your specific racing needs, like a bike mount or rotating ball mount.

And now, we’ll dive into one of the most exciting features, the Garmin G-Metrix. The G-Metrix refers to a suite of advanced Geo telemetry tools and sensors that provide insane performance data like speed, elevation, heart rate, and even G-forces!

Using the inbuilt altimeter and GPS, it can easily record all your racing details like the distance covered, speed, and height, and even real-time coordinates. You can connect to the Garmin VIRB app to set these up and get an overlay of all telemetry information on your video, including torque, acceleration, and RPM!

And if this isn’t enough for you, the VIRB Ultra 30 also has Wifi, Bluetooth, and ANT+ connectivity to allow you to pair and use a host of external sensors. It also has voice control for hands-free use and other optical features like Wide Field and Zoom.

While on the pricier side, this powerful GPS-enabled action camera features a wide host of tools, mounts, and shooting modes. If you’re looking for a lightweight and versatile camera that shoots 4K video and gives detailed performance analysis for your drives, the Garmin VIRB Ultra 30 is a great choice.

Garmin VIRB Ultra 30 (Back)

The Good:

• Can capture 4K footage with lots of advanced telemetry data
• Compatible with a plethora of mods and mounts for racing
• Lightweight yet durable, and has great voice controls

The Bad:

• Video stabilization doesn’t work with 4K shooting
• Battery life isn’t great

3. Insta360 ONE RS Twin Edition:

The Insta360 ONE RS Twin Edition is a modular action camera that lets you shoot both 4K single-lens video and 360-degree video in 5.7K resolution. So whether you want to experiment with new shooting styles or stick to crisp 4K racing footage, this action cam has you covered.

The Twin Edition features three different modules, which rest atop the base battery mod. These include the 4K lens mod, the 360 video mod, and the core. The core module houses the power and record buttons, MicroSD slot, and touchscreen display. All these fit snugly onto a battery base that holds the mods while fully assembled.

Insta360 ONE RS Twin Edition

You can also purchase a bulky battery booster mod for doubling the battery life or a 4K wide-angle mod with a Leica lens sensor for wide-FOV footage. The battery booster greatly helps if you’re out on the race track for long hours.

Bike over hills and ramps or perform crazy car stunts, the proprietary FlowState stabilization technology ensures smooth footage no matter the content you shoot. The companion app also has one of the simplest yet most powerful editing tools to help your edit and post on the go. The AI-tracking software also allows for automatic subject tracking in post-production footage.

The camera is super durable and can be used to shoot up to 5 meters underwater. It also features Active HDR for shooting fast-paced, outdoor action with FlowState stabilization enabled. The in-camera settings also allow you to swipe through various modes like Slow Motion, Timelapse, TimeShift, Loop Recording, and 6K Widescreen. All of these will let you take your racing footage to the next level

With its powerful 1-inch sensor and 5K video resolution, along with all the mods, this camera has it all. With great support for mounts that’ll let you shoot while riding, this camera also lets you shoot stabilized 4K action video. If you’re looking for an all-in-one package with interchangeable lenses for all shooting modes, this action camera is your best bet.

Insta360 ONE RS Twin Edition With Its Mods

The Good:

• The 360 lens mod makes the selfie stick invisible, giving you impossible drone-like footage and third-person perspectives for racing
• AI-powered auto-editing and stitching are very intuitive and easy to use, and so is the UI of the mobile companion app

The Bad:

• Mods cannot be swapped easily, and sometimes requires removing the outer case
• Doesn’t have inbuilt GPS and requires a GPS Action Remote for telemetry data

4. Akaso EK7000 Pro:

This entry-level action camera from Akaso offers beginner racing enthusiasts a cheap alternative to GoPros, and lets you shoot 4K video at a fraction of the price! With a 2” IPS touchscreen display, the camera also features adjustable viewing angles to help you frame the perfect shot.

Akaso EK7000 Pro

The EK7000 Pro features built-in Electronic Image Stabilization to stabilize your action videos, whether it’s racing cars or bikes. This ensures smooth and steady footage, even with fast-moving subjects. The camera also allows you to capture 16MP stills.

Apart from the 4K video that you can shoot at up to 30fps, this action cam also has a wide FOV of 170°, which lets you grab a good chunk of the track in your frame. You can also edit all your footage through the Akaso Go app, which offers a bunch of tools to create immersive films.

The accessories you get with this action camera are perhaps the best part. It comes with a host of straps, ties, and mounts so that you can attach it to whatever surface you need. It even has a tiny remote control for a hands-free experience.

While it doesn’t feature GPS telemetry data or many of the special shooting modes that other action cameras offer, you have to remember its cheap price tag. The video stabilization is very good for the price, and If your main focus is shooting high-resolution 4K racing footage on a budget, the Akaso EK7000 Pro is a great choice.

The Good:

• Has wireless control options for hands-free shooting and loads of mounts and accessories
• Waterproof with good battery life

The Bad:

• Doesn’t have inbuilt GPS and telemetry instruments
• The picture quality and resolution could use an upgrade

5. GoPro Hero 10 Black:

Another action camera in the GoPro Hero series, the Hero 10 Black, has very similar features to the current flagship and our top pick, the Hero 11. With a 23MP sensor and great video quality with up to 5.3K video resolution, the Hero 10 Black is a slightly more affordable variant to shoot your racing endeavors.

The Hero 10 Black supports 1080p live streaming and also allows for ultra-high resolution 5.3K video. The HyperSmooth 4.0 video stabilization technology makes this camera very versatile for all kinds of action sports and ensures a high-quality stream to your auto-racing audience.

GoPro Hero 10 Black

The camera comes with a single removable 1720mAh battery and comes with fast charging, making streaming an easy affair. The three microphones around the camera allow you to capture audio in both raw and stereo and are good enough not to require an external mic. This is great for recording all the racing sights and sounds in great detail.

The camera is also waterproof up to 10 meters and has a solid outer covering that is perfect for enduring all kinds of outdoor abuse. Its dimensions are the same as the Hero 8 and 9, and this allows you to use the Media Mod without hassle.

Compared to the Hero 8 and 9, this action camera definitely improves upon features like stabilization, enhanced interface, and more complex software processing for your videos. But when compared to the next generation, things like HorizonLock and the various night effects are missing.

Perhaps the most important difference between the Hero 10 and Hero 11 is the sensor dimensions; the latter’s near-square sensor allows for more versatile shooting and cropping. This isn’t a huge problem for racing, though, and the detailed GPS-enabled telemetry data will leave you satisfied.

If you’re content with pristine quality 16:9 footage and don’t care about the aspect ratio or cropping, this is a great alternative to the next-gen and will save you ~$50. All things said, this is an excellent action camera that will leave you impressed and is worth considering for racing if you have the budget.

Hero 10 Black Mounted On A Bike Helmet

The Good:

• Improved UI of the touchscreen and app interface compared to older models and features Time Lapse and Serial Shot modes
• Improved Horizon leveling offering better stabilization, perfect for drifts or car stunts

The Bad:

• Doesn’t have an HDMI port and needs the Media Mod kit for full functionality
• Low light performance isn’t the best

6. GoPro Hero 9 Black:

The final GoPro action cam on our list, the Hero 9 was released in 2020 and was a big upgrade in the Hero series at the time. The first in the Hero series to offer a 23MP sensor, the Hero 9 can shoot 5.3K resolution videos with great clarity and also capture 20MP stills, letting you shoot diverse racing footage.

GoPro Hero 9 Black

The dimensions are the same as Hero 8, and this allows it to be used with the Media Mod and Max Lens Mod, supercharging your camera’s capabilities. The camera comes with a 1720mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery and is waterproof up to 10 meters.

Other than being slightly bigger, the main difference from previous generations lies in the software. The HyperSmooth 3.0 technology offers excellent video stabilization and comes with a boost mode. This means whether you’re doing a 360-wheelie on your bike or practicing the perfect apex turn, you’ll have stabilized high-res footage.

This GoPro is also the first one to introduce a front-facing selfie screen, a 1.4-inch display that can be used for cool POV footage. Along with Wifi and Bluetooth connectivity, the Hero 9 also allows for 1080p live streaming with HyperSmooth 3.0 stabilization turned on.

Other cool features like the TimeWarp offer great time-lapses, and the HDR mode can be used to create cinematic shots of your races. The camera works perfectly with the Quik companion app, but the touchscreen color display is a tad laggy.

For nearly $100 cheaper than the Hero 10 and 11, this camera offers most of the same functionality and is more affordable. If you want to shoot your racing adventures in crisp 5.3K without going broke, the GoPro Hero 9 Black offers a perfect mix of price and performance and is a no-brainer.

The Good:

• Bigger battery and sensor size compared to older models, and even captures higher quality still images
• Introduces the front-facing selfie display perfect for fixing POV
• Cool features like TimeWarp and NightMode

The Bad:

• Requires the Max Lens Mod for HorizonLock and SuperView, and the Media Mod for an HDMI/external mic connection
• Touchscreen interface is not super smooth and feels laggy

7. Yi 4K:

The Yi 4K is a mid-range action camera that offers 12MP stills and amazing 4K videos at up to 30fps, perfect for capturing your drifting and racing videos. It is lightweight and features a 2.2-inch LCD touchscreen display, letting you record and preview racing footage with ease.

Yi 4K

The built-in Electronic Image Stabilization technology lets you capture high-octane racing footage with smooth clarity and stable 4K video recording. You can also use voice commands for a hands-free experience, a useful tool for racers. If you want, it comes with a wireless remote control, and editing and streaming can be done through the Yi Action companion app.

The camera has an adjustable FOV and many shoot modes, like Slow Motion and Time Lapse, that let you capture cool time-bending racing sequences. It lets you customize camera configurations for the perfect shot. It has Wifi and Bluetooth connectivity for easy data transfers and uploads.

If you’re looking to capture solid 4K racing footage without breaking the bank and don’t care too much about extra features and GPS support, the Yi 4K is an excellent option.

Yi 4k-compatible Accessories and Mounts

The Good:

• Half the price of a GoPro with 4K video support
• Wide 155° FOV which is adjustable and lets you film wide track shots
• Special shoot modes like slow-motion and time-lapse

The Bad:

• Doesn’t provide any GPS telemetry data
• While it has a lot of compatible mounts and accessories, they need to be purchased separately

8. DJI Osmo Action 3:

After conquering the video drone market, DJI has ventured into the world of action cameras, and the Osmo Action 3 is one of their best yet. Whether you’re into extreme biking or car racing, this tough action camera with dual touchscreens will let you shoot 4K video with extreme precision, thanks to DJI’s proprietary RockSteady stabilization.

The Osmo Action 3 has a 1/1.7-inch sensor that can shoot crisp 4K video with great clarity. The stills, however, fail to impress and only allow up to 12MP images to be captured.

DJI Osmo Action 3

The camera has three built-in microphones that offer active noise cancellation, which is extremely useful for racing. The Quick-Release mount adapter uses magnets and clips to hold on firmly to your bike, helmet, or selfie stick and can even be modded to fix onto your windshield. This lets you focus on linking the race track without worrying about your camera!

The Action 3’s body is also extremely rugged and can withstand temperature extremes, works up to a depth of 16 meters, and can survive tough conditions without a problem. The rechargeable Extreme Battery is included with the camera and operates down to -20°C! It also allows for longer recording sessions.

The companion mobile app called Mimo lets you make full use of features like RockSteady and HorizonSteady, which are DJI’s unique stabilization tools. These let you capture aggressive action with great video stability in 4K. The app also lets you shoot in various modes, customize camera settings, and even includes an editor with downloadable templates.

The camera’s USB socket also doubles up as a webcam. When you plug in via the USB, you’ll get an option to choose between transferring files using it as a webcam. Apart from Livestreaming in up to 1080p, you can also use this to charge on the go.

With similar dimensions and looks to the GoPro hero series, with the added benefits of a magnetic quick-clip, amazing battery life, and great video stabilization, the Osmo Action 3 is a cheaper yet worthy alternative.

Standard Combo Kit with Quick-Release Adapter

The Good:

• Features a dual-touchscreen that lets you see both POV
• Exclusive features like the magnetic quick-clip make it easier to mount, and it’s more affordable than a GoPro
• Great battery life and has the Extreme Battery included with the kit

The Bad:

• Has a max resolution of 4K and captures only 12MP images
• Cannot use the vertical format without a frame

Other Equipment For Shooting Racing Videos:

Along with a good quality action camera, you’ll need a host of mounts and accessories to make your shooting experience easy and worthwhile. Car windshields and bike helmets will need different mounts, and you can always find branded or third-party ones for most action camera models.

Some brands like Insta360 offer an amazing GPS Action Remote, which offers easier camera control and has the ability to capture and overlay live GPS data over your footage.

Insta360 GPS Remote, Garmin Catalyst Performance Optimizer

You can also make use of something like a Driving Performance Analyzer, which is a powerful analysis tool with time-synced overlays of important driver data. These tools can show you speed, path, coordinates, elevation, and lap data and allow serious racers to visualize and analyze their performance.

And with that, we conclude our list of the best racing action cameras and some handy equipment you can consider for top-notch performance. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, these cameras and tools will let you capture your auto-racing adventures in high definition for the world to enjoy!