Great review! I'm a new GoPro 9 user as of a few days ago, and had two different Akaso Brave 7s over the past month. I really wanted to keep the Brave 7, but I just couldn't get past it's HORRIBLE audio quality. The first Brave 7 I bought, I thought I had gotten a faulty one so I returned it for a replacement. The sound quality sucked on the replacement too so I returned it and got a refund. I bought the GoPro 9 a few days ago and I'm not all that impressed. Yeah, the image quality and sound is good, love the GPS as well, but this camera is SUPER buggy! I've had this camera for only 5 days and I've already had to do 6 battery pulls to get it to reset itself because of freezing, not being able to change the resolution or the menu system not working right. Yesterday it crashed while filming and I lost an entire 10 minute video. The menu system on the Brave 7 is 10 times better than the GoPro's... I can't STAND those little icons in the GoPro's menu system instead of actual words. I'll give the GoPro a few more weeks before I decide whether I'll return it or not. As of right now, the Akaso gets a bigger thumbs up from me for AT LEAST being reliable and always working.
Really awesome video! Thanks. This has given me a lot to think about, and I really liked you included an alternative to both, that is respectfully priced. I've heard some people compare GoPro to Apple a little, in that they include features in their earlier models, they then make you pay extra for in more expensive later models, like replaceable batteries. I didn't realise they did the same with the app, reducing features in an Apple-esq manner.
Absolutely awesome detailed and informative review! I just got into the AKASO brand of action cameras with the entry level AKASO EK7000 which is a surprisingly good camera for the price point! The AKASO Brave 7 LE is my next purchase now that I’ve gotten into the brand. This camera is perfect for what I need and why should I pay hundreds more for a camera that does practically everything this one does, plus I get a ton of accessories!! Also, my external mic works very good with the EK 7000 and the app works fine with my iPhone! I look forward to more video content like this, thank you! 👍🏾
You're a great reviewer. One thing I can't find with any of these GoPro clones is one that when you invert the video, the onscreen display also inverts to match it. Can you tell me if this model flips the onscreen display when you enable video flip (if it has that feature)? This is important if you have to mount your action camera upside down.
Upvoted for hitting on the points I think matter. I'm still left disappointed in the action camera options of 2020/2021 though. Choosing my 4K semi-pro camcorder was a lot easier. You did a review last October about the Hero 9 needing serious firmware upgrades. Last month I watched a review and the poor guy had the Hero 9 shut down on him a few times during the segment while he was using it. "See? There it did it again." He went to another action camera to continue. Seriously? A flagship camera at top price? Mostly I want something for motorcycle road touring and I'll be doing a lot of desktop editing later, prepared to synch the sound from dedicated audio recorders but I still want an external mic to the camera. Anything that will accept an aftermarket ND filter adapter would be good. I'm still using a WASP and an ION Air Pro I've had for 5 years, a little worse for wear but functioning.
We have very high hopes for the next iteration of action cameras. The DJI Osmo Action 2 and Insta360 One R 2 will likely be very good cameras. No word yet on when those are coming, but their original versions are already giving GoPro some serious competition.
I loved this video thank you. I have recently restarted my UA-cam channel and i got given a Brave 7 for my birthday. I really want to make it work, but I’m battling hard to like it. Great video thanks.
I think the GoPro is still the choice if you have the funds, but where I think the alternatives can't be beaten these days is if you might need a second camera view for your filming or in certain situations where there is a higher risk of losing your 'good' camera. The definitely are worth the money. No idea why anyone would give this video a thumbs down though. Nutjobs!
I got my Akaso Brave 7. My only complaint is the internal microphone, like you stated. Finally, pulled the plug to buy the external microphone. Hopefully, it works...
You didn't say anything about Akaso having a super remote control device with a display and you can control this camera remotely. This is a bonus that outpaces all the more expensive action cameras.
If the remote included in the package s important to you, then yes. But I value higher image and sound quality more, and GoPro has a remote too, so IMO the GoPro is overall still better.
@@Gemini_Connect ... GoPro is way too expensive. Which puts this company at the very end. For me, it's money wasted away. Akaso is ahead of them in every aspect.
@@Gemini_Connect If I shoot a video through the window on the train which is traveling at a speeds of 160 km/h, does the image becomes jittery or stays sharp as when you are using GoPro 8 or 9? Thank you.
Hoping you can help me out. I'm looking to purchase the akaso brave 7 (version 2). And have some questions. 1. Do you know of a head mount strap for it? I see ones for the brave 7 LE but apparently those don't work for the normal 7 (no idea why). I absolutely cannot find anyone selling one that works with the brave 7... makes no sense! 2. Does it have Bluetooth and if so, would that allow me to be able to mount the brave 7 say on my head mount strap (if I can locate one) and connect the brave 7 to bluetooth to my cellphone and be able to see LIVE video of exactly what the camera is being able to see? I'd want that so when on my head that I can ensure it's capturing what I am wanting it to capture. Thanks very much
Excellent video. You are very good. The content is well organized and complete. Thanks. What a fantastic deal is the akaso but no good for me because of the lousy sound. If the sound was good, I would get one. So close but so far. Too bad and there is a hero 10 now.
Lady i have to say you did a excellent job 👏 👍 👌 with this video and i have seen some videos. I'm hesitant about buying the Akaso yessss for the sound, i 👂 the Brave 7 LE updated has a better sound you definitely have to do a video. Again great video and info.
Akaso Brave 7 is good mam..I like it ..but sound and colour are good in gopro hero 9..DJI also good..Both are amazing cameras..In India cost of electronics are high
There’s a new remote for the 9??? Review please! This Akaso would be perfect for what I’m doing, especially that side button for zoom. But it’s not like it has bad audio...it has NO audio! And it won’t take an external mic that works? Hard to get around that little shortcoming, but it’s still tempting if someone wanted to use it for simultaneous B footage. EDIT: I just found your review on the remote!
Yeah, the audio problem baffles me. I even wrote to Akaso including audio samples, asking if the low audio levels were intentional. They didn't respond, but they did add a disclaimer in the product description warning people about the audio. The GoPro Remote video is here, for anyone else seeing this comment :) ua-cam.com/video/ft18bfHHcuU/v-deo.html
Audio off the brave should be fixed, it had something to do with do waterproofing internal case, it shifts over the micro . They should have fixed that on new shipped models
Is the battery/SD card door removable while being used in the case? Want to use it in a case without having a door dangling off the side and to keep the look clean
I agree,Gopro extra battery,battery charger,and remote will drain your wallet.For $160,probably not worth buying knowing how bad the sound is on the camera.Love your reviews and comparisons!!
Excellent breakdown. I got a brave 7 and experienced the same situation with regards to the audio. I’m no expert on the situation, but I’ve heard firmware updates have helped some. I received their latest and it didn’t help me. Discouraged to say the least. Is a firmware something that could realistically help the audio reach the point to “useable” in the future?
Man, that's too bad. I thought this cam was going to do well. It looked good. The stabilization looked choppy, but I was willing to still give it a chance. However, the sound quality is unacceptable. I think the sound problem can be fixed with a firmware update. I really want a GoPro cheaper alternative.
more about mirrorless please. Fujifilm XT-200 in UK new sell for 510£ in some places. something about mirrorless in the budget. I have one, but to use one getting boring.
We had the XT-100 but we gave it to Martin's brother. Having had X100s, X-Pro2, X-H1 and X-T3, the XT-100 was disappointing. We'll be buying new Fuji next year. In the meantime we can review some lens
@@Gemini_Connect yes, but isn't that the same thing as doing on the lens angle? I mean those things don't have motors that are moving a lens trains around... There is no optical zoom involved
Could they copy the old GoPro packaging any more? Akaso claims their lens is 170°, compared to the 151° on the GoPro, and yet the FOV is clearly narrower. This either means their EIS crop is very large, or they are not truthful about the specs. Is the Btave 7 lens cover plastic instead of glass, like in their earlier cameras?
Lol, more like could the Akaso copy the Osmo Action any more? I sometimes can't tell those 2 cameras apart when holding them. I would guess the EIS crop isn't factored into the 170 degree angle. I can't tell if the lens cover is plastic or glass, but it feels very solid.
@@Gemini_Connect yes, but the Osmo Action is really a copy of the formula GoPro developed and refined. Cosmetically it’s a little different with the round cover glass, but the whole camera architecture (the rectangle with a lens in one corner, versus formats like Concur’s lipstick style, or Sony’s lens at the end style), overall features, and elements like waterproof without a housing, are copied from GoPro. In any case, I was talking about the jewel case originally.
I think that gopro 9 should have done the same as with gopro7 .... so they can go for white, silver and black ... the first white to be cheap and with a couple of more advanced options than gopro8 ... so silver is a little better from white ... and black with full options and much better than these two...
GoPro hasn't done that since the Hero 7. I think they're releasing cameras too often. If they switched to every 2-3 years, it would make more sense to have multiple versions of a camera again.
Whats wrong? akaso did not have engineer, QC test their new product before production? how is this possible to have this micro quality in 2021 even on a budget camera? even the external micro sucks.
@@Gemini_Connect I so regret buying the 9s... they are horrible. I have everything basically set to off and cannot film anything at 4K linear 30fps without them overheating. They should have never put these out. Also, now option for 2.7k is so stupid, unless you buy the mod. Picture quality feels worse than the 7... not sure what it is. Audio is worse too. Also, now I can't even add the wind sock or it overheats in 25 minutes instead of 40 minutes without it.
@@Gemini_Connect pfew 😁 thank you Suzi, I understand lot of people like the 7 but afterall is an old model and newer ones seems to come with some new better features. Thanks again team awesome 👌
Your reviews of action cameras & gimbals are so comprehensive, clear & helpful. My favorites! Thank you 😊
No doubt the gopro gives u better quality but wow the akaso 7 is amazing for its price !( btw the audio was fixed so that's not a throw back anymore)
If you're not into mountain biking, jumping off cliffs, etc, the cheap one is fine.
Great review!
I'm a new GoPro 9 user as of a few days ago, and had two different Akaso Brave 7s over the past month. I really wanted to keep the Brave 7, but I just couldn't get past it's HORRIBLE audio quality. The first Brave 7 I bought, I thought I had gotten a faulty one so I returned it for a replacement. The sound quality sucked on the replacement too so I returned it and got a refund.
I bought the GoPro 9 a few days ago and I'm not all that impressed. Yeah, the image quality and sound is good, love the GPS as well, but this camera is SUPER buggy! I've had this camera for only 5 days and I've already had to do 6 battery pulls to get it to reset itself because of freezing, not being able to change the resolution or the menu system not working right. Yesterday it crashed while filming and I lost an entire 10 minute video.
The menu system on the Brave 7 is 10 times better than the GoPro's... I can't STAND those little icons in the GoPro's menu system instead of actual words.
I'll give the GoPro a few more weeks before I decide whether I'll return it or not. As of right now, the Akaso gets a bigger thumbs up from me for AT LEAST being reliable and always working.
Is the audio on the Akaso fixed now?
The DJI action 3 with new firmware is brilliant.
Akasco 50 has an external mic port which makes the audio capture much better. Appreciate the in-depth review.
Thanks for the tip Richard 🙏
Really awesome video! Thanks. This has given me a lot to think about, and I really liked you included an alternative to both, that is respectfully priced. I've heard some people compare GoPro to Apple a little, in that they include features in their earlier models, they then make you pay extra for in more expensive later models, like replaceable batteries. I didn't realise they did the same with the app, reducing features in an Apple-esq manner.
Thanks, you told me everything I really need to know because I'm a totally newbie with this kind of camera.
Absolutely awesome detailed and informative review! I just got into the AKASO brand of action cameras with the entry level AKASO EK7000 which is a surprisingly good camera for the price point! The AKASO Brave 7 LE is my next purchase now that I’ve gotten into the brand. This camera is perfect for what I need and why should I pay hundreds more for a camera that does practically everything this one does, plus I get a ton of accessories!! Also, my external mic works very good with the EK 7000 and the app works fine with my iPhone! I look forward to more video content like this, thank you! 👍🏾
You're a great reviewer. One thing I can't find with any of these GoPro clones is one that when you invert the video, the onscreen display also inverts to match it. Can you tell me if this model flips the onscreen display when you enable video flip (if it has that feature)? This is important if you have to mount your action camera upside down.
Yes, the Akaso does indeed flip for upside down mounting.
Upvoted for hitting on the points I think matter. I'm still left disappointed in the action camera options of 2020/2021 though. Choosing my 4K semi-pro camcorder was a lot easier. You did a review last October about the Hero 9 needing serious firmware upgrades. Last month I watched a review and the poor guy had the Hero 9 shut down on him a few times during the segment while he was using it. "See? There it did it again." He went to another action camera to continue. Seriously? A flagship camera at top price?
Mostly I want something for motorcycle road touring and I'll be doing a lot of desktop editing later, prepared to synch the sound from dedicated audio recorders but I still want an external mic to the camera. Anything that will accept an aftermarket ND filter adapter would be good. I'm still using a WASP and an ION Air Pro I've had for 5 years, a little worse for wear but functioning.
We have very high hopes for the next iteration of action cameras. The DJI Osmo Action 2 and Insta360 One R 2 will likely be very good cameras. No word yet on when those are coming, but their original versions are already giving GoPro some serious competition.
I saw another unboxing video for the Akaso Brave 7 that advised not using the sound reduction and the sound is very good!
Brilliant demo/ Info again guys! Thank you!
Thank you Paul!
I loved this video thank you. I have recently restarted my UA-cam channel and i got given a Brave 7 for my birthday. I really want to make it work, but I’m battling hard to like it. Great video thanks.
Thank you for the review. I'm banking on Brave 7 as it is affordable. Is Samsung Evo Plus Class 10 Compatible?
I think the GoPro is still the choice if you have the funds, but where I think the alternatives can't be beaten these days is if you might need a second camera view for your filming or in certain situations where there is a higher risk of losing your 'good' camera. The definitely are worth the money. No idea why anyone would give this video a thumbs down though. Nutjobs!
Thanks for watching! I agree that GoPro or even the Osmo action are definitely worth the money if you can afford them ❤
Curious if you turned on the external mic option in the camera when you tried the Akaso external lav mic? I know I had to do that with my V50X.
I got my Akaso Brave 7. My only complaint is the internal microphone, like you stated. Finally, pulled the plug to buy the external microphone. Hopefully, it works...
You didn't say anything about Akaso having a super remote control device with a display and you can control this camera remotely. This is a bonus that outpaces all the more expensive action cameras.
If the remote included in the package s important to you, then yes. But I value higher image and sound quality more, and GoPro has a remote too, so IMO the GoPro is overall still better.
@@Gemini_Connect ... GoPro is way too expensive. Which puts this company at the very end. For me, it's money wasted away. Akaso is ahead of them in every aspect.
Your camera and audio on this intro is perfect!
Instead of a GoPro my $400 camera is a LUMIX FZ300 but that Akaso would be a nice addition. I also have a TASCAM recorder.
Thank you for a great video.
Could you please tell me if Brave 7 image quality is good at high speed shooting (160 km/h).
Thank you.
I'm not quite sure what you mean by high speed shooting.
@@Gemini_Connect If I shoot a video through the window on the train which is traveling at a speeds of 160 km/h, does the image becomes jittery or stays sharp as when you are using GoPro 8 or 9?
Thank you.
Brilliant once again.I love your video.
Thank you for watching Supram!
Hoping you can help me out.
I'm looking to purchase the akaso brave 7 (version 2). And have some questions.
1. Do you know of a head mount strap for it? I see ones for the brave 7 LE but apparently those don't work for the normal 7 (no idea why). I absolutely cannot find anyone selling one that works with the brave 7... makes no sense!
2. Does it have Bluetooth and if so, would that allow me to be able to mount the brave 7 say on my head mount strap (if I can locate one) and connect the brave 7 to bluetooth to my cellphone and be able to see LIVE video of exactly what the camera is being able to see?
I'd want that so when on my head that I can ensure it's capturing what I am wanting it to capture.
Thanks very much
Excellent video. You are very good. The content is well organized and complete. Thanks. What a fantastic deal is the akaso but no good for me because of the lousy sound. If the sound was good, I would get one. So close but so far. Too bad and there is a hero 10 now.
Lady i have to say you did a excellent job 👏 👍 👌 with this video and i have seen some videos. I'm hesitant about buying the Akaso yessss for the sound, i 👂 the Brave 7 LE updated has a better sound you definitely have to do a video. Again great video and info.
Akaso Brave 7 is good mam..I like it ..but sound and colour are good in gopro hero 9..DJI also good..Both are amazing cameras..In India cost of electronics are high
It's nice to have a variety of action cameras at different price points to choose from. The cheaper ones are getting a lot better in quality!
@@Gemini_Connect ya you are right
the first sample video showed the narrow view of akaso. what technical setup was this on?
Thanks for the video. Does this have an HDMI out?
Akaso does not, Gopro does.
Very thorough review, thanks!
Great comparison. Love it
Can you share about the tips of protect camera when travelling? My gopro have a lot of scratches on the surface :((
A screen protector and body protector would help - ua-cam.com/video/ERF_7LupWPk/v-deo.html
Thanks. Very informative.
Thanks for video. I'm not action camera fan, but I love your comparison videos 👍
Thanks for watching! Remind me -- what cameras do you use?
I use Sony 6400
Is the audio OK for just doing tutorials? Any other mic options?
There’s a new remote for the 9??? Review please!
This Akaso would be perfect for what I’m doing, especially that side button for zoom. But it’s not like it has bad audio...it has NO audio! And it won’t take an external mic that works?
Hard to get around that little shortcoming, but it’s still tempting if someone wanted to use it for simultaneous B footage.
EDIT: I just found your review on the remote!
Yeah, the audio problem baffles me. I even wrote to Akaso including audio samples, asking if the low audio levels were intentional. They didn't respond, but they did add a disclaimer in the product description warning people about the audio.
The GoPro Remote video is here, for anyone else seeing this comment :) ua-cam.com/video/ft18bfHHcuU/v-deo.html
Thanks for reviewing... 👍 Nice video.
Audio off the brave should be fixed, it had something to do with do waterproofing internal case, it shifts over the micro . They should have fixed that on new shipped models
Is the battery/SD card door removable while being used in the case?
Want to use it in a case without having a door dangling off the side and to keep the look clean
It's removable for GoPro. Not for Akaso.
@@Gemini_Connect okay thanks
Just subscribe. Really love your video.
Nice preview
The Akaso 50 has external microphone port so sound can be much better than the Brave model
I agree,Gopro extra battery,battery charger,and remote will drain your wallet.For $160,probably not worth buying knowing how bad the sound is on the camera.Love your reviews and comparisons!!
Thanks for watching Paul 😊
I heard there's a updated version of brave 7 fixed sound issue and better stability maybe I want to try that since it's low budget cam ^^
@@sangsreview3297 the new version fixed the audio issue
Why did you introduce a dji at the end?
Unfortunately, for most cheap action cams the battery is usually poor. Low capacity and you have to swap it out frequently.
Excellent breakdown. I got a brave 7 and experienced the same situation with regards to the audio. I’m no expert on the situation, but I’ve heard firmware updates have helped some. I received their latest and it didn’t help me. Discouraged to say the least. Is a firmware something that could realistically help the audio reach the point to “useable” in the future?
Yes, firmware could likely fix the audio issue. The problem is we don't know if and when the firmware will come.
@@Gemini_Connect Thanks for the reply. I guess I’ll just patiently wait until akaso is able to fix it. The audio is just so bad as is.
Man, that's too bad. I thought this cam was going to do well. It looked good. The stabilization looked choppy, but I was willing to still give it a chance. However, the sound quality is unacceptable. I think the sound problem can be fixed with a firmware update. I really want a GoPro cheaper alternative.
Yeah, the sound is the big deal breaker. I was surprised it was so bad. Hopefully a firmware update will fix it. 🙏
Great video💯👍
Thank you for watching! 🙏
more about mirrorless please. Fujifilm XT-200 in UK new sell for 510£ in some places. something about mirrorless in the budget. I have one, but to use one getting boring.
We had the XT-100 but we gave it to Martin's brother. Having had X100s, X-Pro2, X-H1 and X-T3, the XT-100 was disappointing. We'll be buying new Fuji next year. In the meantime we can review some lens
@@Gemini_Connect any mirrorless will be interesting. X-H1 seems very good camera
I got the 7000 and it supports an external speaker.
Can you please make a video for reviewing the new Insta360 Go 2??
We're trying to get ahold of one. When we do, we'll review it.
@@Gemini_Connect thank you.
Hi.. If i use other better external mic like boya on akaso brave 7.. It will solve audio problem?
I'm not familiar with that mic. The Akaso does not have a mic jack.
@@Gemini_Connect it have usb c mic.. But dont know compatible with akaso or not..
I haven't had any luck with USB-C mics.
Great video. For me, sound quality is more important than picture quality. So I will get the gopro.
Is the "ZOOM" really just changing the "lens angle"? ...
It’s cropping into the image, so it degrades the image quality.
@@Gemini_Connect yes, but isn't that the same thing as doing on the lens angle? I mean those things don't have motors that are moving a lens trains around... There is no optical zoom involved
Could they copy the old GoPro packaging any more?
Akaso claims their lens is 170°, compared to the 151° on the GoPro, and yet the FOV is clearly narrower. This either means their EIS crop is very large, or they are not truthful about the specs.
Is the Btave 7 lens cover plastic instead of glass, like in their earlier cameras?
Lol, more like could the Akaso copy the Osmo Action any more? I sometimes can't tell those 2 cameras apart when holding them. I would guess the EIS crop isn't factored into the 170 degree angle. I can't tell if the lens cover is plastic or glass, but it feels very solid.
@@Gemini_Connect yes, but the Osmo Action is really a copy of the formula GoPro developed and refined. Cosmetically it’s a little different with the round cover glass, but the whole camera architecture (the rectangle with a lens in one corner, versus formats like Concur’s lipstick style, or Sony’s lens at the end style), overall features, and elements like waterproof without a housing, are copied from GoPro.
In any case, I was talking about the jewel case originally.
I think that gopro 9 should have done the same as with gopro7 .... so they can go for white, silver and black ... the first white to be cheap and with a couple of more advanced options than gopro8 ... so silver is a little better from white ... and black with full options and much better than these two...
GoPro hasn't done that since the Hero 7. I think they're releasing cameras too often. If they switched to every 2-3 years, it would make more sense to have multiple versions of a camera again.
Whats wrong? akaso did not have engineer, QC test their new product before production? how is this possible to have this micro quality in 2021 even on a budget camera? even the external micro sucks.
Yeah, it's surprising. Hopefully a firmware update can fix it.
No. They just sell Cameras. :)
try to put akaso brave 7 is gopro 7 please
Unfortunately The sound is terrible for akaso 😩
Such a bummer 😕
my akaso 7 sounds fine. use foam around camera for wind reduction. Sounds fine.
back screen on while your using the front screen..... Sucking that battery dry lighting up a screen that you are not using ....
why does the akaso even have a mic at that point. might as well just take it off and give me 20 bucks off
Totally agree!
I know it's the same brand,, but the GoPro 7 Black is the best camera they ever made. The 9 is the worst.
The Hero 7 was pretty epic. Planning to an updated review on the Hero 7 soon!
@@Gemini_Connect I so regret buying the 9s... they are horrible. I have everything basically set to off and cannot film anything at 4K linear 30fps without them overheating. They should have never put these out. Also, now option for 2.7k is so stupid, unless you buy the mod. Picture quality feels worse than the 7... not sure what it is. Audio is worse too. Also, now I can't even add the wind sock or it overheats in 25 minutes instead of 40 minutes without it.
I'll be damn lol now I'm even more confused 😂, Suzi? Any suggestion on that topic? 7,8 or 9?
@@kostadinustavalkov1902 GoPro Hero 9 is still our top choice because we prefer the best image resolution and quality possible.
@@Gemini_Connect pfew 😁 thank you Suzi, I understand lot of people like the 7 but afterall is an old model and newer ones seems to come with some new better features. Thanks again team awesome 👌
Don't buy akaso...go get an osmo action...far better...it's 200usd
The audio and the app are horrible. I'm returning mine.
It's a bummer. Try the Osmo Action instead. A bit more expensive, but better all around.
GoPro is not the king anymore, today it’s better to compare it to DJI Action 2/3
Made comparisons to the more recent action camera releases, and the Hero 11 Black is still better than any top competitors, including the OA3.
Agree that AKASO sound is unusable, so I’ll just add music to my cycling vids and spend the $ difference on more Nike gear!
akaso brave 7 is way better. it's amazing. Waterproof, doesn't crash like go pro
Agreed, the sounds of the screen taps is AWFUL. Sounds like a phone dial tone ugh