Vlogging is becoming increasingly popular and thousands of consumers are grabbing their smartphones to make videos of their daily life. Whether you are posting your vlogs on YouTube, Instagram, Vimeo, or any other video platform, you should invest in a high-quality vlogging camera.
A dedicated high-performance vlogging camera will enhance your video creation and even though using your smartphone can work, it’s not an ideal piece of equipment for creating vlogs. So, what's the best camera for the job? Well, here are our top five picks when it comes to vlogging cameras.
1. Sony RX100 VII
The Sony RX100 VII was designed with vloggers in mind. With Sony's most notorious AF/AE tracking, it is capable of 60 AF/AE calculations per second and 20fps blackout-free shooting. It has a 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 lens and a 20.1-megapixel 1-inch sensor, providing flexibility, a wide aperture and stunning image quality. Though very compact, RX100 VII includes a standard 3.5mm microphone input jack enabling the use of high-end microphones for professional audio.
It comes with 4k in-body movie recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning in high bitrate. The camera also supports recording in a vertical format and clips in this format can be transferred to smartphones and played back as is. Plus, to make sure you are getting your best angles, it has a 180-degree flip screen. The Sony RX100 VII is available for $1199.99.
2. Sony a6600
With an ISO range of 100-32000 (expandable to ISO 50 –1024009), the latest Sony a6600 has incredible low-light performance. For stability, it offers a 5-axis in-body image stabilization system that results in a 5.0-step shutter speed advantage which is a necessity when taking videos hand-held. It also comes equipped with Sony's incredible AE/AF tracking and a 24.2-megapixel sensor.
For the first time on an ASP-C sensor, it has an industry-leading long battery life with the Sony Z Battery, allowing you to record longer without having to change the battery. In addition, to make sure you see what you're recording, it comes with a 180 degree tiltable LCD screen. The Sony a6600 is available for $1399.99.
3. Canon G7X III
While not as feature-packed as the Sonys, the G7X Mark III can still record in 4K. The only thing is, it places a 10-minute limit on each recording. The f/1.8-2.8 maximum aperture range is ideal when working in difficult lighting conditions and when it comes to stabilization, it has an Optical Image Stabilizer. Also incorporated in the camera is a 3.0" 180° tilting touchscreen.
Like mentioned above, it supports 4K 30p/FHD 120p video and also has a 20.1-megapixel sensor. If you're looking for quick and easy transfers, it is both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi compatible. Obviously audio is important, so for better audio options, it has external microphone support. Live streaming is also available for YouTube, you'll just need to have an active YouTube account and a CANON iMAGE GATEWAY account. The Canon G7X III is available for $749.99.
4. Canon M50
The Canon M50 comes with improved Dual Pixel CMOS AF and Eye Detection AF to keep moving objects reliably in focus. Its 24.1 megapixel (APS-C) CMOS Sensor with an ISO range of 100-25600 will give you enhanced image quality and low-light capabilities. It also comes with a 3.5 microphone jack for external audio options and a vari-angle touchscreen.
The 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 kit lens is the perfect every-day lens with a great focal range and an open aperture for low-light. For quick transfers, it has built-in WiFi, NFC, and Bluetooth technology. The Canon M50 is available for $629.
5. Go Pro Hero 7
One major plus to using a GoPro as a vlogging camera is its incredible electronic image stabilization. It's simply the best we’ve ever seen. Not only that, but it records 4K video at up to 60 frames per second or 1080p up to 240 for slow-motion playback.
To work around the audio, with the microphone adapter, you can add an external mic to upgrade your quality—we suggest using the RODE Video Micro. In addition to the mic, you should get some sort of handle, for example, the Go Pro Handler. Even though it doesn't have a Vari-angle or Tilt-Shift LCD screen, using the GoPro App enables you to view what you are seeing right on your phone. For one of the most inexpensive in our lineup, the GoPro Hero 7 is currently available for $399.99.