6 Best YouTube Vlogging Cameras: Did you know that there are many cameras fit for starting a vlog in 2021 and beyond? Many people like you might ask what is the best camera for starting a vlog on my YouTube channel? In this article, we have all the answers.
We have done an extensive research on the types and kinds of cameras fit for vlogging. Anyone can create a YouTube Channel and anyone can start vlogging but those who want the best content are keen when it comes to getting and purchasing the best camera to get the job done. Your video doesn’t start on YouTube, it starts when you click the record button on your camera.
Check out: 30 Best Selling Tech Gadgets on Amazon Worth Buying
The question is, do you have the best camera for the ultimate vlogging experience?
Before we learn more about the best cameras to use for vlogging first,
What is vlogging?
Vlogging is simply recording your thoughts or your day to day activities using a camera. Vlogs can and should have a special theme. The theme being some aspect of your life that is either interesting and unique and people should find or see that uniqueness in your content. Once you manage to get your viewers’ attention people will choose to subscribe to your channel. The rule of the thumb, stay on your theme and keep those videos coming! You’re going to annoy and lose subscribers if you radically change your vlog topic week to week. So pick your theme and go with it. If you’re about travel, then 90% of your vlogs should be about travel stuff with 10% off topic stuff.
Some popular themes for vlogs are travel, diet, health, over coming some struggle or difficulty in your life, parenting and so forth.
Many fresh youtubers fail simply because they lose focus and go off track making their viewers lose interest and unsubscribing altogether. So, if you want to make a living out of vlogging, be sure to be good at what you do and not just being good but be consistent too!
So, why start a blog or vlog?
Content creation is taking the internet by storm and it is an excellent way of making a living out of your content! Your YouTube channel can be monetized with ads as well as affiliate marketing this way you earn as you have fun vlogging!
YouTube stars like Casey Niestat or Lost Leblanc vlog use a large camera with interchangeable lenses and an expensive microphone. Other content creators and Vloggers like Mr. Bald and bankrupt and Harald Baldr use simple cameras but their videos are great! Below is the kind of camera Harald Baldr and Bald uses!
It doesn’t matter the type or kind of camera, it simply depends on your own style, skill and the type of vlogs you want to create.
What do you need in a vlog camera?
1. Small and Light
When it comes to vlogging, the smaller and lighter the camera is, the better. Smaller and lighter cameras will give you the ultimate experience since it is light and easy to carry. You do not want a huge camera alone on a hiking venture, do you? So, the lightness of the camera will allow you to record video on the go irrespective of where you are.
On the other hand, larger setups become clunky and annoying to carry. If you have a big camera it will become a burden to carry around with you. Instead, focus on something that is portable, light.
However, this should be a personal decision. Some people prefer big cameras and expensive lens and there is nothing wrong about that. Although, it is just right to carry a lighter camera when walking around vlogging.
2. Stabilization – Digital or IBIS
When buying a vlogging camera, stabilization should be your key buying point. Stabilization comes in two forms, digital or in body stabilization (IBIS).
Digital stabilization means the camera automatically stabilizes the video footage digitally. IBIS however is mechanical and is far superior to digital stabilization. Having digital stabilization is much better than no stabilization at all.
Stabilization is what makes your videos smooth and watchable when you’re walking and talking into the camera or if you’re doing a point of view video.
Without stabilization in the lens and the camera body, your videos will be too shaky. This could affect the quality of your videos and views. You could get a gimbal, but a gimbal is not a glorified tripod. It’s a heavy, expensive piece of film making equipment that needs to be balanced and maintained.
3. Good audio
Quality Audio is very important. Most vlog setups, it’s not essential to have amazing audio as telling a story is more important. Audio is more important when doing a talking head video.
But it’s still something to take into consideration which is why we excluded the DJI Pocket Osmo from the list as the internal audio is simply unacceptable for vlogging.
4. Durability
Lastly, you would love a camera that is durable. You do not want something that breaks in the middle of a vlog. The best vlogs require you to be out in the world telling a story and accidents are likely to happen which means only durable cameras can get you through! Having a small durable camera, gets the stress out of your mind and gets creativity in your brain! You don’t have to worry so much about your camera breaking as you get important shots that can give you a viral vlog! With all that said, here are the best cameras for starting a vlog.
Best Cameras for Starting a Vlog
Here are the best cameras for starting a vlog. If you want to create additional content for your website and you want to start vlogging, these are the cameras you should consider:
- Sony X3000
- Sony ZV-1
- GoPro Hero 9
- Sony RX0 ii
- Osmo Pocket
- Canon M50
1. Sony X3000
The Best Vlogging Camera for Travel Vloggers
Wide angle lens.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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Sony FDRX3000/W Underwater Camcorder 4K, White | $435.40 | View on Amazon |
This camera came out years ago but is still our top pick for vlogging. It’s a small pocketable design that has a wide-angle lens. Great audio with mechanical stabilization so your videos are smooth and watchable.
Put this on a cheap selfie stick or pick up the tripod designed for this camera and you have an effective and affordable vlogging setup. It also comes with a tiny monitor that connects to the camera via a blue tooth connection so you can see what the camera sees.
The dedicate tripod for this camera is worth getting because it allows you to attach the monitor to it so you can see what the camera sees.
Pros:
- It is a small and light camera that fits in your pocket.
- Excellent built in audio.
- Can attach an external microphone is you want.
- Has wide, medium and narrow angles of video.
- Comes with a monitor so you can see what you’re doing.
- Comes with a water proof case that can double as a protective case.
- Good battery life for an action camera.
- Great price point.
- Can record in 4k.
Cons:
- Wind noise can be an issue with small cameras like this.
- Terrible low light performance.
- Takes a long time to charge.
However, both Bald and Harald Baldr use Sony FDR X3000. They both have millions of subscribers with it!
2. Sony ZV-1
The Best Vlogging Camera for Professionals
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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Sony ZV-1 Digital Camera with Vlogger Accessory Kit (Black) (4 Items) | $748.00 | View on Amazon |
Sony has created an outstanding pro vlogging camera with the name Sony ZV-1. It produces better image quality than the their X3000 action camera and has a longer battery life. Like the X3000, it has its own dedicated tripod (sold separately) which adds a lot of value to this setup.
This camera can shoot 4k at up to 30 frames a second or 1080P at up to 120 frames a second for slow motion. You can also vlog at 60 frames a second at 1080P which provides the most natural looking video.
It should also be noted that you can shoot up to 960 frames a second at 420P. Totally unusable for YouTube or professional use but fun to have.
Lastly, the lens on this camera is 24-70 mm. This is incredibly disappointing as 24 mm is too close and cropped in. Which is why we still have to give the edge to the Sony X3000
Pros
- Good pictures and quality
- Flip up screen.
- Small and easy to take with you.
- Good autofocus.
- Very easy to use and beginner friendly. Just turn it on and vlog.
- Not at GoPro level, but enough to make walk and talk videos or point of view videos.
Cons
- Not durable. You need to be careful not to drop this camera.
- No wide-angle option with this.
3. GoPro Hero 10
The 5k Vlogging Camera
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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GoPro HERO10 Black - Waterproof Action Camera with Front LCD and Touch Rear Screens, 5.3K60 Ultra HD... | $214.49 | View on Amazon |
The GoPro Hero 10 is an action camera that is slowly becoming the vloggers choice of camera. The GoPro is a rugged camera. You can drop it, dive under water with it, run out in the rain and so forth.
The GoPro is also small and looks like a toy so it’s easy to vlog in public or in random situations without drawing attention to yourself. Though the Hero 10 is a bit bigger than the Hero 9.
With its wide angle for point of view videos, linear mode for vlogging and incredible stabilization, this is a high-quality camera you can take with you and use in all sorts of fun ways.
Pros:
- Has a front screen to see yourself.
- Incredibly stable.
- Small, light and easy to use with a wide-angle look.
- Has time lapse and time warp which add character to your videos.
- The option to record up to 5k
Cons:
- Short battery life. You’ll need at least 1 spare battery in your pocket.
- Poor audio.
4. Sony RX0 ii
The film makers GoPro
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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Sony Cyber-Shot RX0 II 15.3MP Ultra-Compact Camera Bundle with 128 GB MicroSDXC UHS-I Memory Card... | $815.99 | View on Amazon |
High quality video and pictures.
The Sony RX0 ii is a hybrid of a GoPro and a point and shoot camera. It’s specifically designed for film makers looking to get unique shoots from different angles as well the ability to use it under water.
The video quality out of this camera is excellent. However, it lacks continuous auto focus and the lens is a 24 mm focal length. 24 mm is too close on the face when vlogging.
A lack of continuous auto focus will be a deal breaker for most reading this. Because it’s not continuous, that means when ever your subject changes, you need stop the camera and refocus.
Quite annoying if you’re vlogging as if you’re filming yourself then you switch to a point of view shot, the video clip will be blurry as you’ll have to manually refocus it every time.
The Sony RX0 is a weird camera. Some vloggers will love the audio and video quality that come out of this device as well as the flip up screen to frame yourself. But with a lack of continuous auto focus and a 24 mm lens that is a bit close, there are better options for vloggers.
Pros
- Small as the GoPro and produces better video and has better audio.
- You can take underwater videos with this.
- You can flip up screen to frame yourself and audio mic jack.
- It has stabilized video. Perfect for point of view shots or walk and talk videos.
Cons:
- No continuous auto focus. Quite annoying for vlogging.
- 24 mm is a tight shot for walk and talk videos. It’s acceptable, but would be nicer to have a wider field of view.
- Short Battery life.
- Overheats when recording in 4k.
5. Osmo Pocket
The gimbal like vlog camera
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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DJI Pocket 2 - Handheld 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer with 4K Camera, 1/1.7” CMOS, 64MP Photo,... |
$279.00 |
View on Amazon |
The Osmo Pocket is a unique alternative to action cameras on the market. It products outstanding video quality that is very stable due to it’s built in gimbal. The audio quality is also very good so long as there is no wind.
The main issue with this camera is the gimbal needs to be set every time the device is turned on. Also, it has an 18 mm lens which is a bit tight on the face. As you can’t put this device on a tripod, you’re stuck with very close up vlog where only your face is in the shot. For some, this may be a deal breaker but for others it’s not.
However, if your intention is doing a point of view kind of videos, then this camera my be perfect for you.
Pros:
- Very small and easy to use and carry.
- Excellent video and good audio in a small package.
- Lot’s of pro features like time lapse and time warp built in.
Cons:
- Video is a tight shot and too close to your face for vlogging. You will need to buy an additional wide-angle lens adapter.
- No built-in screw mount. You can’t put this on a tripod or a selfie stick.
- No external battery.
6. Canon M50
Travel and Talking Head Camera
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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Canon EOS M50 Mark II + EF-M 15-45mm is STM Kit Black | $659.00 | View on Amazon |
Good for travel or studio shots.
The M50 is a small mirrorless camera with digital stabilization. Because of the built in stabilization, it’s ideal for both vlogging and talking head videos.
The M50 you can pair with a range of lenses. Our favorite is the 11-22 mm lens. It’s wide enough for both vlogging as well as online course creation or talking head YouTube videos.
Pair this with a quality microphone and you have a small, lightweight setup that allows you to shoot in 4k (with a big crop however).
Pros:
- Digital stabilization to help minimize shaky camera footage.
- Can pair with quality microphones and wide angle lenses
- A flexible camera for vlogging and professional use.
Cons:
- It’s not as portable or durable as a GoPro or the RX0 ii.
- Minimal lens selection for Canon’s mirrorless system.
Should You Start a Vlog?
There is no better way to answer this. You can start a vlog at any time. Starting a vlog needs dedication and time. If you have these two, then you are ready to go…with a camera of course! It can be fun and a great way of making a living out of something you love…vlogging.
Lastly, embedding monetized videos onto a high traffic blog post is a great way to grow your YouTube channel and make money. It adds to the overall user experience and helps your readers connect more with you.
Best Vlogging Cameras Conclusion
According to our conclusion on the best vlogging cameras, our top pick is the Sony X3000. It’s low price point, excellent audio, tripod, 4k recording, small size with a wide angle have pretty much everything needed by a casual vlogger. Are you ready to get yours? Get it here!
In addition to the Sony X3000, we also love the M50 as it’s the most flexible camera of all. Not as good as the X3000 for vlogging, but it can go a long way in giving the user a good experience. It can do what the X3000 can’t and that’s create online courses and professional talking head videos.
Otherwise, all the cameras are great! As we said earlier, it simply depends on your style!
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Last update on 2024-07-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
