GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro's mounting system is among the most widely supported in the category, which matters when the same camera goes on a window mount one day and a tripod at the end of a platform the next. The camera has built-in mounting fingers and a 1/4-20 thread, and magnetic latch mounting is available as an accessory, according to GoPro. On the maker's specification it records 5.3K at 60 fps and 4K at 120 fps, with 27-megapixel stills. GPS is built in, and the Quik app can overlay speed and altitude on a clip, which is useful for cab-ride style videos that show how fast a train is running. TechRadar's reviewer values the way you can get decent quality without diving into manual settings, with pro modes still at your fingertips.

GoPro rates the camera to 10 m (33 ft) with its doors closed, so rain and spray are within its limit. TechRadar's reviewer mounted it on a crash helmet and on an arm, and used it for go-karting in about 30-degree heat; heat dissipation was improved over the predecessor and it caused no problems. In that test the battery went from roughly 80 percent to nearly empty in about an hour of 5.3K recording with both screens and GPS on, and GoPro quotes up to 2.5 hours at 1080p, so carry spares for a long session. The burst slow-motion modes last only 5 to 15 seconds and need about as long again to process, so you could miss the next train while the camera is busy. During one fast run the mount came loose at around 35 km/h and the camera fell to the track with only scuffs, a good illustration of its toughness and a reminder to secure every mount. Film only from places you may legally stand, and never place a camera or mount on or near the running line.

Expert pick · TechRadar: TechRadar's reviewer spent a two-day hands-on and several weeks of further use, and calls the camera a polished 5.3K shooter and the action camera of choice for serious creatives. The review criticises the unchanged sensor, weaker low-light results than an Insta360 rival and the cost of lens accessories. Read the review

It suits a railfan buying a first action camera who wants a large range of mounts and a simple route to usable video. If most of your filming happens at dusk, in stations after dark or in tunnels, look elsewhere, because TechRadar found low-light footage weaker than its larger-sensor rivals.

The DJI Osmo Action 6 has a larger sensor and, per TechRadar, much better noise performance as light falls, but a smaller accessory range. The Insta360 Ace Pro 2 is described by the same reviewer as much better than the HERO13 Black at low-light video, with a larger flip-up screen.