Akaso Brave 7 LE action camera for vloggers review
A low-priced action camera with two batteries and a ‘selfie screen’ for vlogging on your travels
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Is the Akaso Brave 7 LE the best action camera for travel vloggers? Seriously affordable and packed with core quality and accessories a-plenty, this 4K-capable action camera with a selfie screen will appeal to anyone after an all-rounder that can help them make videos of their travels. Hot on the heels of Amazon best-sellers Akaso Brave 4, Akaso V50 Elite and Akaso Brave 6 comes the Akaso Brave 7, which comes complete with a dual-screen, 4K 30 frames-per-second video and clever image stabilization to make your trip look super-smooth. TravGear took this GoPro-beater for a spin.
Akaso Brave 7 LE action camera review: design
Weighing 108g and measuring 65x42x33mm, the Akaso Brave 7 LE boasts excellent build quality; it’s tough and drop-proof by design. It has a 2-inch widescreen touchscreen on its back and, just to the left of its fisheye lens, a 1.5-inch diameter screen that isn’t touch-sensitive.
That front ‘selfie’ screen is strictly for allowing the vlogger to get themself in the center of their video. It’s activated by a long press on the camera top’s mode button, which simultaneously deactivates the rear screen. However, the rear screen is far more adept, offering all kinds of swipes and gestures to change from video to photo, and for making choices about resolutions, exposure compensation, and playback. You can get deep into settings, or you can ignore all that; the Akaso Brave 7 LE is always easy to use and performs well on default settings. On the side is a micro USB slot for recharging and an HDMI output for routing everything to a TV or laptop. The Akaso Brave 7 LE also has built-in Wi-Fi for enabling live real-time previews on a smartphone, via the Akaso Go app.
Although the IPX7-rated Akaso Brave 7 LE is weatherproof and waterproof down to 1 meter/3 feet, a diving case supplied in the box makes it able to be used 30 meters/131 feet underwater.
Akaso Brave 7 LE action camera review: features
The Akaso Brave 7 LE is a 4K resolution action camera, but it’s not the best out there. It gets as high as 4k resolution at 30 frames per second (fps), which is good, but the GoPro HERO8 Black, GoPro HERO7 Black, and DJI Osmo Action all feature 4K video at 60 fps. If you want that 60fps smoothness on the Akaso Brave 7 LE you’ll have to go down to 2.7K resolution, which we wouldn’t recommend because the image is much softer. However, most travel vloggers are not going to notice that fps issue.
Also in the box is a packet of various handlebar mounts, cycle, and ski helmet mounts, a wristwatch remote, sticky pads, and even cable ties. It’s got everything you need for a trip.
Akaso Brave 7 LE action camera review: performance
That dual screen is so easy to use, and the provision of a tripod thread on the bottom of the Akaso Brave 7 LE makes vlogging really easy. Although it’s not a touchscreen, it’s full color, and somehow manages to squeeze in details of the camera’s battery status and recording time. Meanwhile, the included remote control wrist strap means you can start and end recording from afar. We also love the fact that there are two 1,350mAh batteries supplied for the Akaso Brave 7 LE as well as a charger that works via micro USB. You can also recharge the Akaso Brave 7 LE and its battery by using the micro USB slot on the side. Each battery means you can film for about an hour non-stop, so having two in your pocket should work well for the majority of sessions. It’s yet another travel-friendly feature.
Akaso Brave 7 LE action camera review: photos
Being able to shoot 20-megapixel photos make the Akaso Brave 7 LE a true standout – no other action camera gets anywhere near that kind of resolution. In practice, photos look colorful and contrasty, with plenty of detail, though don’t be tempted to use the zoom buttons on the touchscreen. All they do is lessen sharpness – and quite considerably so. Also, remember that the Akaso Brave 7 LE has a fisheye lens, so anything taken is going to distort straight lines. It’s most often noticeable in the corners of the photos, but the Akaso Brave 7 LE does at least have four dedicated photo modes; superwide, wide, medium and narrow. There’s also a self-timer for selfies and a continuous shooting mode that can take as many as 30 photos in a row.
Akaso Brave 7 LE action camera review: videos
The Akaso Brave 7 LE has just enough cutting-edge tech to compete. The most important is 6-axis image stabilization (IS), which Akaso claims is ‘gimbal-like’ (a gimbal being a stabilizer that keeps a camera steady as it’s being moved). With IS switched off, the Akaso Brave 7 LE produces a slightly shaky-looking video. With it engaged, everything looks smooth enough. It’s not overdone; many action camera makers try to help out their action sports-obsessed customers by creating gloopy IS systems that smooth out everything so much that video ends up looking like a drunken dream sequence. Not here; the Akaso Brave 7 LE keeps it simple but effective, applying enough IS to make everything watchable, but nothing more. It is indeed like having a gimbal, without having to pack all that bulk.
As well as straight video in all kinds of resolutions, the Akaso Brave 7 LE can also perform both video and photo time-lapse sequences.
Akaso Brave 7 LE action camera review: conclusion
The Akaso Brave 7 LE isn’t unique in the action camera market for having a front-facing ‘selfie screen’; it’s also offered by the DJI Osmo Action and the Sony RX0 Mark II. However, its 6-axis stabilization across major resolutions and ability to take 20-megapixel photos does make it a standout product. Add some smooth-looking video, excellent usability, and an enticingly low price, the Akaso Brave 7 LE is something of a no-brainer for travel.
Price as reviewed: UK £139.99 / US $139.99
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