Photo: William Brawley Finding the perfect camera for travel is often a Goldilocks scenario. You generally want something relatively small and lightweight so that it's easier to carry around.
However, you still want flexibility and good image quality to capture your travels successfully. Some people bill GoPros and other action cameras as ideal options, but you may wonder if they are actually worth buying for travel.
Benefits of GoPro cameras for travel
GoPros are very compact and easy to use.
Photo: William Brawley
There are certainly qualities that make GoPros ideal for travel. First and foremost, they're tiny; it's easy to throw your GoPro in a small bag or even your pocket without having to worry about its size and weight. No matter how light you're traveling, you probably have room to bring a GoPro along.
Action cameras are designed for adventures, so they're built to be extremely durable. They can handle lots of falls, drops and bumps and are generally waterproof to depths of several meters without any extra protection, so you won't run into issues whether you accidentally drop it in a stream or purposefully take it snorkeling.
GoPros are also easy to use with minimal options in the settings menu. You can start taking photos or videos without thinking much about settings. They are relatively easy to use, even if you don't know anything about cameras. If you want something to simply point and shoot on your adventures, GoPros are a good option.
Downsides to using a GoPro as a travel camera
GoPros are good at capturing sweeping views, but not at highlighting specific subjects.
Photo: William Brawley
Unfortunately, there are also plenty of GoPro qualities that make them less than ideal for travel. First, action cameras use ultra-wide-angle lenses that capture broad, sweeping views. While they often offer multiple fields of view settings (how much of the scene is captured), even the narrowest options are still quite wide.
While that broad view is ideal for some situations, it isn't good for many others. It will make everything look further away from you, which isn't what you likely want for many travel photos or videos. Unless you can get close to your subject, or are simply trying to capture an entire scene, GoPros won't give you the images you're after. Plus, it's not the best choice if you want to take flattering portraits or selfies.
Partly because of the wide-angle lens, GoPros aren't good at capturing detail by default. They can only focus as close as 30cm (12"), have a fixed aperture and don't allow you to choose where the camera is focusing. They will essentially capture everything in the scene in focus, so you won't be able to highlight smaller details or clearly isolate your subject from the background. The latest models are compatible with a macro lens accessory that allows you to focus as close as 11cm (4. 33"), but that involves an extra piece of equipment you need to buy and keep with you.
GoPros aren't going to give you very flattering selfies, but are useful for quick snaps.
Photo: Mitchell Clark
GoPros aren't good in low-light situations, partly because of their small sensors. Shooting in dim conditions will introduce a lot of noise, taking away from image quality. It will also limit when and where you can take photos or videos, which can be frustrating.
Despite their video focus, GoPros can take photographs, though they won't provide the greatest experience or image quality. Your phone will give you better results with more flexible options in terms of the look of the images as well as a more familiar field of view. After all, most phones offer multiple cameras with different focal lengths and specific modes for portraits, macro and more.
Finally, while the lack of settings makes them easier to use, it limits your control over the visual style of your images and videos. If you want to manage things like exposure and focus points to dictate the style of the image, a GoPro isn't for you.
Is a GoPro good for travel?
Photo: William Brawley
The short answer to whether GoPros (and other action cameras) are good for travel is: It depends. If your type of travel is highly adventurous and requires a durable, compact device, then a GoPro will be a good choice. Likewise, if you are mostly concerned with documenting your trips and don't want to think about settings or having control over the style of your images and videos, then bringing a GoPro on your trips would be smart.
However, if you want more control over your photographs and videos, want to capture more than broad views, need the flexibility of shooting in a variety of lighting conditions, or mostly take still photos, you're better off with a different travel camera.
. dpreview.com2025-5-20 16:00
