Akaso Brave 7 Review (Hands-On Test With Video & Picture Examples)

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Rob Johnston

Editor & Article Writer for Outdoor Wilds

Akaso Brave 7 Review (Hands-On Test)

Read my Akaso Brave 7 review to see what I think of the cameras overall performance.

I have included both video and photo samples to view which hopefully will help you decide if the Brave 7 is worth considering further.

For those looking for a camera that records quality 4k at an affordable price then it may just be ideal for your action camera needs.

Lets now find out what I thought about the Akaso Brave 7.

Last update on 2024-04-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Specifications

The camera body itself is rated at IPX8 which means it can handle being submerged upto 5 metres or 16 feet in depth without the need for an additional external waterproof housing.

I’d suggest only using the Brave 7 for close to the surface water activities such as snorkeling, kayaking or surfing. 5 metres is not very deep when you compare it to a Gopro which is rated at 10 metres.

There’s plenty of video resolution and frame rates to play with. 4K 30 frames per second being the highest res, and the good news it’s actually native 4K and not interpolated. Slow motion is available at 1080P 60 fps and 720P 120 fps being the slowest available.

Two video codecs are available to record footage, H.264 & H.265, the latter being the more compressed. I’d suggest using the latter especially if SD card storage is at a premium due to its far more efficient compression.

EIS 2.0 or electronic image stabilization as its more commonly known is available when recording video which I talk further about later in the shooting video section.

A quick mention in regards to voice control. It does work to a point. There are the usual commands to record either video or take still pictures and power the camera ON/OFF.

I did find it hit and miss in terms of how often it worked. All is not lost as the Brave 7 can be remotely operated via the remote control which comes supplied or via the smartphone app.

Accessories

As you can see from the list above, the brave 7 comes with an impressive array of accessories.

Notably there are 2 batteries supplied plus a very useful remote control which can be strapped to your wrist or backpack for example.

1 x Camera Frame

1 x Remote Control

1 x Battery Charger

2 x 1350mAh Batteries

2 x Helmet Mounts

1 x Lens Cloth

1 x Handlebar Mount

5 x Straps

5 x Zip Ties

1 x USB Cable

2 x Adhesive Pads

1 x Quick Start Guide

There are the usual mounts for bike handlebars, tripod and bike helmet. You will have to use the camera frame to attach to the mounts as the camera body itself has neither a ¼-20 thread insert or folding fingers as we saw introduced on the Gopro Hero 8.

A curved adhesive mount is also lacking which is used to attach the camera to motorbike and ski helmets. Although these can be picked up for very little additional cost.

Design & Build Quality

First impressions when handling the camera for the first time out the box is one of solid build quality. The metal body has a rubberised type anti-slip coating around the sides of the camera which gives the feel that you’ve got your hands on a well constructed camera.

For those into vlogging there are dual color screens, a touch screen at the rear, plus a smaller square shaped screen to the front which allows you to frame correctly when recording a vlog.

Switching between the screens is done by physically holding the lower of the 2 buttons on the side of the camera body for a couple of seconds.

In total there are only 3 physical buttons on the camera body. As mentioned above 2 at the side for operating the 3 x zoom, plus the lower button for switching screens, plus the Power / Record button on the top facia.

The battery compartment can be found at the base of the camera which can be opened by holding and sliding the latch. The micro SD card slot and USB-C port is found inside a second smaller compartment (See above picture).

Features

The Akaso Brave 7 is well featured for a mid range action camera. I’ve covered alot of the features already before I move onto the all important video and picture modes.

An external mic is supported. Currently, only the official Akaso lavalier microphone which plugs into the USB-C port works. The mic also comes with a foam wind shield and lapel clip.

Camera Controls

Modes for both video and photo are accessed using the color touch screen. The images of the menu for both are shown above.

By selecting one of the modes displayed you now have access to the functions for each. For example, you can set the time lapse duration and interval in the separate settings menu.

Photo Burst Mode allows you to set the number of still images captured once the shutter has been pressed from 3 shots right up to 30 shots. This is great for capturing fast moving action such as skiing or mountain biking.

Touch Screen

I found the touch screen to be very responsive to touch and easy to navigate overall. Compared to other more expensive action cameras I’d say the color touch screen is on a par.

The live preview of what the camera lens is viewing is sharp with good color reproduction and has enough illumination to be read in strong sunlight.

Remote Control

The Brave 7 comes with a remote control (See picture above). The remote provides basic control of the camera.

This is very useful when you have the camera mounted on a helmet or perhaps on the bow of a kayak away from the cockpit.

its possible to switch between video and photo mode, start recording video or take a still picture. Plus the ability to switch the camera ON/OFF to save battery power.

The LCD screen displays number of video minutes recorded or the number of photos taken, depending on the mode selected.

Smartphone App

Along with the remote that comes with the camera a free downloadable app for both iOS and Andrioid is available.

The app requires you to register your details and connect the camera via Bluetooth.

Once your setup you can switch between modes for both video and photo. there is a live preview from the camera lens.

Having a live preview is very useful when setting up the camera in difficult to see points of view (POV).

For example, if you were to set the camera on the ground to film a shot of a bike tyre riding through frame. It makes it easy to set the camera angle up prior to shooting the scene.

Finally, there is a video editing option as well, which is quite extensive. Options to add captions, filters and so are available.

Shooting Video

For most of you perhaps the most important aspect of any action camera is the video mode. The Brave 7 comes with an impressive array of resoltions including native 4k at 30 frames per second.

1080P can be filmd at 30,60 and 90 frames per second (fps) and if you drop down to 720P there is super slow motion at 240 fps.

I found the quality of the video to be very good indeed, especially the EIS 2.0 electronic stabilization.

I’ll let you decide for yourself by taking a look at the video on our Youtube channel all filmed using just the Akaso Brave 7 handheld.

It was an enjoyable experience filming with the Brave 7 and I think you’ll agree the end results are quite impressive.

Taking Photos

Photo mode is far less important than shooting video for many action cam users it has to be said.

The Brave 7 comes with plenty of features in photo mode including a long exposure mode to allow you to shoot light trails from vehicles and such like.

I’ve included a number of sample still pictures below.

As you can see colors are fairly natural in default setting and the resolution is more than acceptable at 20MP.

Sample Photos

Batteries & Charging

Two 1350mAh batteries are supplied along with a separate charger as shown above in the picture.

You can also charge the battery by plugging into the USB-C port found next to the micro SD card slot.

Battery life wasn’t remakable to be honest. You’ll certainly use best part of both batteries charge if your filming for half a day at 4K resoultion. This would drop of course if the outdoor temperature was colder when out skiing for example.

Final Thoughts

I was impressed with the Akaso Brave 7, especially the 4k video and the EIS 2.0 stabilization.

For anyone looking to shoot 4K video then its definatey worth considering.

The downside was that the audio quality was poor, however there is an external mic available from Akaso.

Stiil pictures were average, but then again action cameras generally don’t perform well in this area.

For those looking to take their action camera underwater I’d suggest looking at the DJI Osmo Action as an alternative or perhaps a used GoPro Hero 7.

Last update on 2024-04-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

If you do decide to go with the Brave 7 check out my “How To Set Up” Guide to help you get started.