Action cameras are now established as one the most powerful and indispensable weapons in the arsenal of any adventure traveller, adrenaline chaser, or irritating vlogger. Since the original GoPro exploded onto the gadget scene, a lot of pretenders have sprung up and overall the tech has come a long way.
One of the most consistent Action Camera makers and a serious rival to the Kingdom of GoPro is Akaso who have now released sequential generations of action cameras, each one a bit better than the last.
In this post we are going to road test and review their latest offering, the Akaso Brave 8. We will examine what features this epic piece of kit offers, what it could be used for, and crucially whether it is worth the investment.
So, let’s get this Akaso Brave 8 review on the road!
Before You Go Any Further…
Word Up Cameraheads – The Akaso Brave is all good and well but it is NOT the best GoPro alternative out there. At all. Not be a long stretch.
Instead, if we had to choose just one GoPro alternative action camera then it would be the OCLU Action Camera. It boasts all the GoPro goodness for under $200.
Check it out by hitting the button below.
View on OCLUWhat Is The Akaso Brave 8 Action Camera?
The latest of the Akaso action camera series, the Akaso Brave 8 is a lovely camera that packs in a lot of great, useful features and comes with some very handy accessories. It makes a cracking, cheaper alternative to the latest GoPro cameras all the while delivering very similar results.
For most users, the Akaso Brave 8 will do the business and offer more performance potential than the average snapper will ever need. However, serious action camera aficionados or professionals will notice the difference and would probably be better off with a GoPro.
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Join REI Today!Akaso Brave 8 Action Camera Specs
Dimensions: Size: 63x45x36.5mm
Weight: 114.5g (With Battery)
Water Proof: 10 metres
Battery: 90 minutes at 4k
Who Is The Akaso Brave 8 PERFECT For?
- If you are after a high spec, versatile, low profile camera for multiple uses then boom!!! The Akaso Brave 8 offers a very high (almost pro) level of video imaging.
- The range of accessories that come with this make it a great action camera for skaters, bikers and adrenaline-adventure type people
Who Isn’t the Akaso Brave 8 right For?
- You probably know this already but it’s not a camera for photographers. Whilst the Akaso Brave 8 can take still pictures, this aint its best use. You can take equal quality snaps with modern smartphones and if you need pro-stills then go grab a great DSLR camera.
- If you are skint, then don’t buy this camera. Whilst it’s cheaper than a GoPro and is fairly priced for its spec, it is just not a bargain-budget option.
- Finally, pro shooters will probably find that the Akaso Brave 8 ever so slightly falls short of their requirements. If you are professional then go for a latest gen GoPro instead. Afterall, you can’t beat the real thing can you now?
Akaso Brave 8 Action Camera; Design & Features
If we are talking about useful features that customers actually want and need, then the Akaso Brave 8 delivers the goods.
It can shoot highly impressive 4k/60 video as well aso capture 8k timelapse and x16 slow-motion clips. In terms of still photos, it takes 48MP which is decent for an action camera but obviously not as good as a DSLR.
The boldly beautiful Akaso Brave 8 comes with built-in image stabilisation, and offers waterproofing down to depths of 10 metres or 33 feet without even needing an additional case!
Like a brain in a box, the Brave 8 utilises the latest generation AI software for metering light on a subject’s face and there is also hands-free voice control so you can control the camera remotely quite easily.
Right, aside from the Brave 8’s impressive built-in functionality, what else does it have? Unusually, the camera comes with several handy accessories in the box as standard meaning you don’t have to drop another £100 on extras after already spending big on the camera.
The accessories in question include the usual various mounts, a case, and a remote control in case you can’t or won’t use the voice Add in The Akaso Brave 8 also offers the scope to connect it directly to your iOS or Android phone for file sharing and editing.
Video Quality
Features, schmeatures, we all know that any camera ultimately lives and dies on its image quality which in the case of any action cam, means video quality. We’ve already set out the technical specs (4k/60 video, 8k timelapse and x16 slow-motion clip) but how do images captured by the Akaso Brave 8 actually look?!
Well, the Brave 8 can capture high quality video as well as very good photos. In most lights, the videos would pass for a professional standard (professional does not necessarily mean Hollywood) and the stills are at least on a par with my iPhone 8 camera. Clips are smooth, they are clear and the colours look authentic; you may have noticed that the pixel tech used to reproduce colours in some cameras can make certain ones look a bit synthetic – no sign of that here with the Akaso Brave 8 though.
We mentioned the built in image stabilisation and it does seem to be doing its job reducing the excess jitteriness that tends to come with action videos.
In terms of cons and comparisons, the camera doesn’t handle low light as magnificently as a GoPro and you will need to work a bit harder to get acceptable night-time and dusk type shots.
Ultimately, unless you are either shooting at a pro level or simply a connoisseur of image quality, you will probably be satisfied with the Akaso as against the GoPro.
Sound
For me, sound quality has long been the achilles heel of action cameras but then again, as a music producer and audiophile I would say that. So for me, it’s a pretty important thing to mention on my Akaso Brave 8 review.
The Akaso Brave 8 allows users to record audio in two modes; Stereo or Human Voice.
Stereo Audio is what we will call “normal” recording mode and is supposed to offer a true, unfiltered rendition of what is being recorded (**digital products don’t really do “true” recording but that’s a whole other post).
Human Voice Mode is designed to record monologues etc (great for the aforementioned irritating vloggers but not so great for those who have to listen to their tedious ramblings) and it uses compression, filtering and noise reduction to boost your voice and cut background ambience. Whilst it does a fairly solid job at cutting excess noise, some users feel it makes their voice sound a bit “flat”. You can tweak this in post production if you know your way around sound production software.
Battery
To be honest, these days pretty much every action camera on the market offers a battery lifespan that caters for most uses. However, the battery on the Akaso Brave 8 is a bit on the average side.
The Brave Akaso 8 comes with a 1550mAh battery which will allow video recording in 4K for up to 90 minutes (the OCLU does 120 minutes). If you are one of those action camera users who wants to film every second of an all day bike road in 4k, then this will disappoint you. What bugs me about this is that even if you turn it off and on and save battery as much as possible, it will run down if you are going on a multi-night adventure without access to a charging point.
Still, you can always try to pick up a spare battery if this bothers you.
Size & Weight
- Size: 63x45x36.5mm
- Weight: 114.5g (With Battery
The Akaso Brave 8 is definitely not the smallest or lightest action camera I have tried. Its a very acceptable size but isn’t as impressively slender as pettire as the OCLU Action Camera.
If you wear it on your helmet all day, you might feel a slight neck strain by the end of the day. As for how it compares to GoPro, well GoPro models in this class are weighing in quite similar – it seems the latest gen of image stabilisation is coming with a price tag attached of a few extra grams.
Now, you could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.
So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card! REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉
Buy on REI!Best Uses For the Akaso Brave 8 Action Camera
In this section of my Akaso Brave 8 review, we’re going to look at exactly what kinda usage the camera excels in.
The Akaso Brave 8 action camera is great for capturing those high octane shots. My friend took it paragliding and caught a superb, 9 minute video of his take-off, descent and comedy crash landing.
It can easily be fitted using the in box accessories and attached to bicycle handle bars before you go for a ride or wedged not your helmet before you go our skateboarding.
Of course, if you are not an adrenaline junkie then you can use it for simply pointing out of the bus window and capturing the landscape rolling by or simply take it up and down the high street to capture the bustle.
We are planning to use ours film DJ sets and crowd reaction next month in Goa at the legendary and still awesome trace parties. Vloggers also love the Akaso 8 as it allows them to talk clearly whilst strolling around.
The Akaso Brave 8 also takes good pictures. However, if you are hoping for professional quality stills, sweeping mountain shots or twilight and night vision, then you will need to get a proper DLSR instead.
Akaso Brave 8 Action Camera: Price
Quick Answer – $279.99
So, at $279.99 the Akaso Brave 8 is far from cheap but still a good chunk cheaper than the latest GoPro. There are cheaper cameras out there but obviously if you want to save on cash then you lose out on specs.
It is fair value for what it can do and you can get all the accessories included which marks a change from some other manufacturers.
However For me, the Akaso Brave 8 perhaps occupies a slightly awkward price point in that, it’s too expensive for most casual, action camera dablers but at the same time hard core action cam enthusiatas and industry pro’s will probably prefer to stump up the extra $100 for a GoPro. Know what I mean?
Pros & Cons of the Akaso Brave 8
In true TBB style, our Akaso Brave 8 review comes with this handy comparison table!
- High quality video and decent stills
- Has a human voice option for horrible vloggers
- Can be remotely controlled
- Comes with accessories
- Some users found it very buggy
- Battery could be longer
- Not quite pro quality images
Which Is The Best Akaso Camera?
AKASO EK7000
- > $
- > Waterproof up to 98 ft. with case
- > Affordable
AKASO V50 Elite
- > $$
- > Ships with spare batteries
- > 170-degree wide-angle lens
AKASO Brave 4
- > $
- > Ships with two batteries
- > Comes with 19 different mounts
Can’t Beat The Real Thing?
Let’s be honest here, whilst some of these GoPro alternatives are great products, you really cannot beat the real thing. Just like with Coca-Cola, the original GoPro is still the best and if you can stretch to it and find the extra bucks, may be a sound investment. A proper GoPro will serve you well for miles and miles and years and years of adventuring.
There are other imitators on the market too and we hope to get our hands on them to properly test them out against GoPros and the like. Another option to consider is the Geek Pro camera, which we will be writing about too.
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Final Thoughts on the Akaso Brave 8
If you are after a good action camera but can’t afford a GoPro, then the Akaso 8 is not a bad shout at all. It will offer good enough video and sound quality for most uses with the exceptions of pros and video geeks. The battery life is long enough for most occasions (but not perfect) and the camera comes with all the basic accessories.
All in all I will continue to use this camera as it does more than enough for what I need and I for one am quite happy with it.
I hope you found our review tolerable! See you on the road.
And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!
