AKASO EK7000 Review: The $70 4K Action Camera (Is It Too Good to Be True?)

If you search for "Action Camera" on Amazon, the first result isn't a GoPro. It is the AKASO EK7000, a $70 camera boasting "4K Video" and over 39,000 reviews.

To put that in perspective, the newest GoPro Hero costs $399. The DJI Osmo Action 4 costs $299.

How is AKASO selling a 4K camera with a waterproof housing, a remote control, and a dozen mounting accessories for $70? I bought one to find out.

The Truth About Budget "4K"

The box says 4K. The menu says 4K. But the footage does not look like 4K.

Budget action cameras like the EK7000 use a technique called interpolation. The camera's sensor actually captures video at a much lower resolution (usually 1080p or 2.7K), and the internal processor artificially stretches the image to 4K dimensions. The result is "4K" footage that looks muddy, soft, and pixelated when viewed on a large monitor.

The Fix: Stop shooting in 4K. If you drop the camera's resolution down to 1080p at 60 frames per second, the footage dramatically improves. The motion is smoother, the image is sharper, and the file sizes are smaller.

Where They Cut Corners

To hit a $70 price point, AKASO had to make sacrifices:

1. Audio is non-existent. The internal microphone is terrible. When you put the camera inside the included waterproof housing, the audio becomes completely muffled. Do not buy this if you need to capture dialogue.
2. Stabilization is weak. GoPros use advanced algorithms to make bumpy mountain bike rides look like they were shot on a drone. The EK7000 has very basic Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS). It will smooth out a walk, but it will not save a shaky downhill run.
3. Low light is useless. Action cameras need sunlight. If you use the EK7000 indoors or at dusk, the footage will be covered in heavy digital noise (grain).

Why It Still Gets 4.4 Stars

So, if the 4K is fake and the audio is terrible, why do 39,000 people love it?

Because it is disposable.

If you attach a $400 GoPro to the outside of your car and it falls off on the highway, your weekend is ruined. If you attach a $70 AKASO to your car and it falls off, it is a minor annoyance.

This camera is for parents who want to give their kid a waterproof camera for the pool. It is for mechanics who want to stick a camera inside an engine bay. It is a "crash cam" for filmmakers who need a dangerous angle without risking their primary gear.

The Verdict

Do not buy the AKASO EK7000 if you want to start a professional travel vlog.

But if you need a cheap, rugged, waterproof camera that includes every mount you could possibly need right in the box, the EK7000 is an unbeatable value. Just remember to set it to 1080p.

• Buy the AKASO EK7000 on Amazon