Budget Action Cam Recommendation Needed

Phinehas

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I'm new to action cameras and have been trying to do research for a purchase, but am feeling a little overwhelmed by the options.

What I'm looking for:
* Something under $100
* Doesn't need to be 4K
* Best video quality for the price at 1080p/30 or 1080p/60 is a priority (smooth video is important, but slow motion isn't as big a deal)
* Would like it to take very good stills as well (again, taking price into consideration)
* Leaning toward Sony CMOS simply because I trust the name brand, but could be convinced otherwise
* Initial use will be for snorkeling, so underwater performance is important
* Good battery life is important (>2 hours would be ideal)
* Image stabilization is a definite plus
* WiFi is a plus as an alternative to physically moving the memory card
* Low light performance is not a high priority
* Audio quality is not a high priority

From what I've researched so far, it seems like the Yi 88001 might be a decent fit, but please let me know if there is a better alternative or a cheaper one that doesn't sacrifice quality. The Yi 88001 doesn't appear to have some of the nicer (though less important) features like image stabilization or Wifi.

Also, a big hesitation with the Yi 88001 is the lack of an LCD display. I'm a little concerned about not framing my shots well or not capturing what I expected. (This may be mostly paranoia on my part, since I haven't used an action cam and haven't built up any trust in my ability to just point and shoot.) On the other hand, an LCD display might not be all that useful when snorkeling, and I understand that it would likely have a negative effect on battery life. Any advice or insight you could give on this issue would be helpful.

Any suggestions on mounting for snorkeling? It seems like the typical headband setup would be difficult to pull of with a snorkeling mask. Is just holding the action cam my best bet? Or is there a good alternative for attaching it to my head so that the cam sees what I'm seeing?

Any recommendations for memory cards to pair with the camera?
 
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After some more research, it looks like the SJCAM M20 might be another good option. Any insights on this action cam would also be appreciated.
 
For around a $100, you could also look at the GIT2 or the GIT2P (narrower FOV version with no fisheye distortion). 2160 @ 24 FPS, 1440 @ 30 FPS and 1080 @ 60 FPS. Both come with a LCD display and gyro stabilisation. Battery is good for 90 minutes in full HD mode, one or two spare batteries are anyway a good idea as you wouldn't want to run out of juice in between and wait for it to charge back up.
 
Thanks for the response!

The GIT2 Pro looks like a good option. On paper, it seems very comparable to the SJCAM M20 when it comes to the CMOS, capabilities, features, etc., but the M20 is $40 less. What is it about the GIT2 Pro that would justify the price difference?
 
Thanks for the response!

The GIT2 Pro looks like a good option. On paper, it seems very comparable to the SJCAM M20 when it comes to the CMOS, capabilities, features, etc., but the M20 is $40 less. What is it about the GIT2 Pro that would justify the price difference?

Better - gyro, low light performance, audio, firmware updates and support.

True 60 FPS in low light, doesn't drop frames (firmware V. 1.6 onwards).

User customisable video settings.

External mic support.

Colours, exposure and WB can be compared from videos on YT, will boil down to personal preference.
 
Thanks for your insight. I went ahead and ordered the Git2 Pro. I wish the Git2P were an option, because I like the idea that it can flatten out the fish eye effect, but I don't want to wait until March since we are going on vacation in February and I want the camera for that.
 
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