Action Cams are the New Camcorder Action cameras are small, lightweight, wearable, mountable, portable, and sometimes waterproof camcorders. They're useful because you can mount them to pretty much anything—from skateboards, surfboards, and bicycles, to helmets, body parts, and even your pets. GoPro Hero8 Black They've all but replaced traditional camcorders in the marketplace. Family historians and budding cinematographers now use a GoPro or similar camera for wide shots and vlogs, while home movies are shot with smartphones and newer digital SLRs and mirrorless cameras. And action cams also have a place in professional work. You'll certainly want to use a camera with a big sensor and interchangeable lenses when you can, but modern action cams capture video that's good enough to intercut. Think about shots that show the interior of an exploding car, a seemingly common event in dramatic television—they're probably shot with a GoPro.