3 Things: Action Cams

Ever since 2004, when the first action camera came out, we’ve been seeing the world faster, wilder, and gnarlier than ever. Action cameras, used properly at least AND put in situations 99% of the population would never try, offer a unique glimpse into different worlds. Extreme sports, top of mountains, under the ocean with sharks, even zipping through the air in a squirrel suit–nothing is off-limits anymore. The GoPro, DJI, Sony, and of course our favorites Insta360, have all produced some amazing technology that just seems to keep getting better and better with every release.

However, because of action cams’ aggressive availability and accessibility, there’s a lot of content out there that’s mostly underwhelming and honestly, sometimes really bad. We’re not picking on things here and since we’re all about making things better–here are (what we think) 3 things to remember, consider, and ultimately do when it comes to action cams.

#1 WHERE YOU MOUNT IT

Just like with video production as a whole, everything you do BEFORE shooting, BEFORE you even edit, BEFORE you post, everything before everything is just as important as the footage itself.

And the very first thing you do with an action camera? Decide where to mount it.

Let’s quickly talk about the 4 most popular mounting spots, but first, watch the video above and ask yourself: can you tell where it’s mounted?

1. On top of the helmet — Mounting your camera up here is great because it’s out of the way and gives you a wide, elevated view. The downside? Sometimes the footage feels too high, and you might not always know exactly what you’re capturing. Plus, there’s a risk of snagging it on low branches, which is never fun!
2. Under the visor — This spot is awesome because it’s right by your eyes, giving you a fast, low-angle view that moves with your line of sight. But if your camera is too big, it can get in the way or be a bit distracting.
3. Chin mount — A favorite for many, the chin mount is balanced, secure, and follows your vision without blocking anything. However, since it’s close to your mouth, you’ll likely hear your own heavy breathing in the footage – which can get a bit annoying. The video above, is an Insta360 X4 mounted on the chin of a full-face helmet.
4. Chesty — This is one of the most dynamic spots. It shows off your cockpit, and it’s super easy to check and adjust the camera whenever needed. The only catch? If the mount isn’t tight enough, it can get shaky and ruin your footage – unless you’re using something like the Insta360 Ace Pro with top-notch stabilization.

The video below was shot from the chest by one of the rowdiest riders in our team, Miguel Sanares (also our head of biz dev), and the Insta360 Ace Pro held its own and kept it as stable as possible (while keeping it fun)–loose chesty strap, no filter, all mountain.

#2 WHAT YOUR SETTINGS ARE

This one is a doozy. There are literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of ways to set up your action camera. We’re talking frame rates, resolution, exposure, stabilization, color profiles (8-bit? 10-bit?), FOV, aspect ratio… it’s a lot to wrap your head around. But here’s the good news: we’re talking ACTION. Think: flying down a mountain on your bike! So, let’s cut through the noise and focus on what’s going to make your footage feel epic.

Let’s keep it simple, yeah?

FRAME RATE: This is your “fps” – frames per second. We’re all about 60fps here. Why? Because it’s the gold standard for sports. It’s sharper, more dynamic, and just has that extra “pop” that makes everything feel crisp. (For the record: 24fps is for film, 30fps is for broadcast, and 60fps? Sports and video games!)

FOV or Field of View: Basically, how much you can see in the shot. The wider, the better! There’s a reason camera makers are always pushing for wider lenses. You want to capture everything so the viewer can experience the full rush. Plus, a wider FOV shows off the steepness and speed of mountain biking – two of the best parts!

RESOLUTION: We could argue about this all day, but just shoot in 4K. Yes, most of what we watch is streamed at 720p, maybe 1080p, but starting at 4K ensures that even when it’s compressed or downsampled, your footage still looks awesome. And sure, 8K is out there, but who’s got that kind of storage space? 4K is the sweet spot.

ASPECT RATIO: This one’s flexible and depends on where your video is going. If you’re making reels, go vertical. If YouTube is your jam, stick to landscape. Easy peasy! But the best way? Use the Insta360 X4 and just press record, reframe it after in ANY aspect ratio, and voila–MAGIC!

The rest is preference, color profile will depend on how much color grading you want to do, the Insta360 Ace Pro has the most built-in color profiles of any and all existing action cameras out there, and there’s enough variety to keep you going. Stabilization should be at MAX unless you want a bit of shake to add more “feeling” to your footage.

Here’s Marc aka Marc the Biker aka Coach Empi riding down Patiis Hardline with the Insta360 Go 3.

#3 HOW YOU EDIT IT

AUDIO: Not everyone gets to experience what we do when we’re blasting down a mountain, dodging trees, flying over rocks, and feeling the rush of speed. A huge part of that experience is what we hear. The sound of tires ripping through dirt, the clunk of hitting rocks, the “thud” after a drop, even the hum of our hubs mid-air—it all adds to the vibe! Slapping music over that? Kinda ruins it, in my opinion. Now don’t get me wrong, I love some good hip-hop or metal as much as the next guy (and yeah, sometimes we add it for the algorithm), but please, at least leave some trail sounds in there! Balance is key.

COLOR: Filters are cool, LUTs are even cooler. CapCut? Awesome. Adobe Premiere? Even better. If you have the time to edit, start with color. If you can shoot in flat and 10-bit, great—makes color correction easier. But honestly, most action cams already come with solid color profiles built-in. The Insta360 Ace Pro has presets we love, like the Bike or Outdoor ones—perfect mix of vivid colors and natural lighting. The goal? Keep your footage looking close to the real thing. Don’t go overboard with filters (unless that’s your style—then go wild!).

EDITING: This is highly objective and depends really on what you’re going for, what you want to express, and how you want people to feel while watching your videos. For me personally, I really love long, one-take shots: just pure and flow-y riding for 2-3 minutes (or even longer), that’s perfect for me and I love watching stuff like that. Bernard Kerr and Matt Jones do that a lot, and those are two of my favorite riders and channels.

Keep the cuts clean and in rhythm and please, don’t ever use transition effects like crossfade or dip to black or even at all. Just keep it as clean, cut to cut, as possible. Find the pulse of your video and edit to that.

EXPORTING: Yeah, I know—we’re just posting on social media, so why should we bother with bit rates and resolution, right? Well, here’s the deal: you don’t have to care, but if you want your videos to survive the brutal downsampling and compression that happens on these platforms, it pays to shoot BIG.

What does that mean? Simple—shoot and edit at 4K (or higher) and export with a high bitrate. Why? So even after all the compression behind the scenes, your video still looks sharp and crispy in 4K. Trust me, mobile internet speeds can handle it these days. This isn’t 2010! So, shoot big, export big, and back up your files if you’re running out of space.

IN THE END IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU

At the end of the day, these are just suggestions based on how we like to shoot and edit. Everyone’s got their own style, habits, and ways of doing things, and honestly, that’s what makes this community so awesome. The mix of all our unique approaches is what sets us apart!

So keep shooting, keep creating, and don’t forget to tag us in your work with #SmileWhileSending. Let’s keep pushing boundaries and making amazing stuff together. See you out there! We leave you with a video shot with the Insta360 Ace Pro, chin-mounted, in Teban:

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