Although GoPro started the action camera trend, that doesn't mean they're the only ones. There are many cheaper, affordable and functionally similar action cameras on the market. The AKASO Brave 7 LE action camera is one of them. If you're looking for an action camera and you're on a budget, check out this AKASO Brave 7 LE action camera review and see if it's right for you.
AKASO Brave 7 LE is an upgrade from its previous Brave 6 Plus. Functionally they are similar. The biggest difference between the two models is the addition of a front display to allow you to easily take selfies.
Measuring 64mm x 43mm x 26mm, it's about the same size as a GoPro action camera. Coupled with a waterproof case and plenty of accessories, it's easy to take (or mount) anywhere you go.
At the top is the Shooting and Mode button. The Shoot button is used to simply start video recording or take photos. A long press of the capture button allows you to switch between different capture modes, such as loop recording, time lapse, slow motion, speed up, burst, self timer or long exposure. The Mode button allows you to switch between video/photo mode. A long press on the Mode button will switch from the back screen to the front screen.
On the back of the camera is a 2-inch touchscreen. The front screen is 1.6 inches wide but not touchscreen.
A remote control that you can wear on your wrist is also included. This is useful in situations where your camera isn't easily accessible, like on your headset. There's a dedicated button for photo taking and video recording, and no syncing is required.
When the camera is on, a quick press of the button starts photo/video recording. Another press (on the video button) will stop the recording. You can press the shutter button during video recording. This will stop video recording and take an image immediately. However, it does not resume video recording after that.
The action camera uses a removable battery, and there are two batteries in the box, so you can change them when one is empty. The battery charger can charge both batteries at the same time, saving you time and effort.
There are all kinds of pliers provided. You can mix and match different adapters to attach the camera to various devices/platforms.
As with the AKASO Brave 6 Plus, the Brave7 LE can record video at 4K 30fps/2.7K, 60fps/1080p, 120fps/1080p, 60fps/1080p, 30fps/720p, 240fps/720p, 120fps/720p and 60fps. For images, it supports resolutions up to 20MP.
Brave 7 LE is also IPX7 waterproof. With the waterproof case, you can take it to go diving at depths of up to 40M deep.
With its internal Wi-Fi, you can connect your phone to it and control it remotely via the AKASO Go application. The integrated HDMI port also allows you to connect it directly to your TV.
First of all, the build quality of Brave 7 LE is solid. It's small and portable but doesn't feel too light as a toy.
As mentioned in the Brave 6 Plus review, the lens is very wide. The field of view can also be adjusted from super wide mode (170°) to "Wide" (110°), "Medium" (90°) and "Narrow" (70°).
For shooting, you can choose between single, burst, time lapse, self-timer or long exposure.
Outdoors and in daylight, the image is generally crisp and clear, although quality suffers when you start zooming in.
At maximum zoom, the image becomes pixelated and grainy.
Indoors or in low light conditions, the image quality also begins to decline.
For video shooting, you can choose between normal, loop recording, time lapse, slow motion and fast motion. Shooting video at 4K 30fps produces fairly crisp and smooth video. Image stabilization plays a big role here. However, when switching to slow motion, it automatically switches to 720p 120fps. On a small screen it looks good, but on a larger screen you may start to see the poor quality of the video.
The front screen, when used for selfies, is a nice addition, although the screen can be a bit small for a large group selfie.
AKASO Go, its companion mobile application (iOS, Android), allows you to connect your phone to the camera and control it remotely. You can also view the photos/videos on your mobile phone.
To make it work, you have to press the power button to activate the Wi-Fi network on the camera. Next, on your phone, switch or connect to the Brave 7 Wi-Fi network, then run the AKASO Go app and connect to the camera.
Once connected, you can use your mobile phone as a viewfinder and remote control for the camera. You can also adjust camera settings from the mobile phone.
The AKASO Brave 7 LE is priced at $139.99, which is $20 more than the Brave 6 Plus. The extra $20 gets you a front display for selfies and a 6-axis gyroscope that can stabilize footage and correct vibration. For less than half the price of a GoPro, you get a 4K action camera with almost the same features and accessories. I don't know if you can find a better deal than this.
To round up this review, I find AKASO Brave 7 LE to be a decent point-and-shoot action camera that you can easily afford.
The front screen is an added feature that makes this camera better than others on the market and one thing that makes this camera more useful than its predecessors.
If you're looking for an action camera and GoPro is out of your budget, this is an action camera you should definitely consider.
This is a sponsored post and was made possible by AKASO. The actual content and opinions are the sole views of the author who maintains editorial independence even when an article is sponsored.
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