Know of a waterproof action camera comparable to GoPro?

[Ashley Frohwein‏]

Hey, TPFRers.

I'm in the market for an action camera, which I'll use almost entirely for filming my fishing exploits. Problem is, I'm cheap (and relatively poor), so I cannot afford a GoPro.

I don't even know what features I need, other than that I want a waterproof one. (Ideally, the camera itself will be waterproof, and won't need to be put in a waterproof case.) I should spend the extra cash for 4k and a decent amount of storage (which is how much?), right? Otherwise, I'm clueless. 

The most promising looking option I've found via Googling is the EK7000 4K Action Cam. Anybody tried it, or know of something better?

Many thanks for any info you can provide.

[HeaveToo‏]

I have the older model of the link that I am sending you.  It is an excellent camera with good quality for a good price.

https://www.gearbest.com/action-cameras/pp_243426.html

Here is a video that I shot with it:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqDQ1VHNwVM&t=72s

[Ashley Frohwein‏]

Great video. Thanks for the recommendation. 

[Andrew Sarcinello‏]

I don't have experience with anythiing other than GoPro but you are correct that high quality video footage takes up a TON of storage.  Filming on the highest resolution setting on GoPro, about 2.5 hrs of footage fills up a 16 GB memory card. If you find you want to film nonstop all day you'd probably want a 64GB card, keeping in mind the battery will likely need to be recharged or swapped out with a backup fully charged one to film that long. So battery life/ease of charging should also be something you consider.

[Ashley Frohwein‏]

Thanks, Andrew! Great info/points.

[Connor Donovan‏]

Definitely go for 64GB or the 128GB if you can find them on sale.  

Also budget some money for the accessories. Backup batteries are a must, especially for cold weather.  The best accessory I've used is a shooting stick, the type with a notch to rest your gun on. It collapses/extends.  Unscrew the gun resting notch and use a camera adapter mount for the action cam.  The pointy end sticks into the ground well if you want to set it and forget it.  I've used it for underwater shots, as a boom above the water and above people, stuck in the ground for time lapses and video.  It's fantastic.