In an era chock full with vloggers and YouTubers, ensuring your content looks fantastic can set you apart. Fortunately, long gone are the days where attaining good quality vlog footage meant carrying around a huge amount of cumbersome gear.
Today, you can obtain fantastic quality footage ready for YouTube or streaming in a package almost as small as a matchbox. That said there are still some trade-offs between size and functionality.
Here we’ll run down a few of the top cameras for vlogging, amid other styles of content creation, while also equipping you with the knowledge of a few must have features.
Features to Prioritise.
The best camera for making videos most certainly depends on the style of video you are making. This cannot be stressed enough. Some Vloggers will record videos at home with a permanent setup, while others rely on being mobile and able to whip their camera out at a moment’s notice.
But regardless of which camp you’re in, there are a couple of features you’ll want to ensure your camera has:
- A Front-Facing Screen. This will make sure you can frame up every shot easily and, well, it’s pretty difficult to shoot yourself without it, especially on the go!
- Autofocus. Let’s face it, focusing is hard. And it’s especially hard when you’re holding the camera in one hand already. So, make sure you have autofocus, and that any lenses you purchase are also compatible with autofocus.
- A Microphone Input. Camera audio is not great; and neither is having to set up an external recording device. Having a microphone input will allow you to get top quality sound at a moment’s notice, especially given the wide array of small, vlog-ready microphones on the market. It’s also worth noting that you’ll most likely want a hot shoe mount so the microphone can sit atop the camera.
- HD+ Quality. Whether you want 4K video or not is up to you but ensure your chosen device will record to at least 1080p.
I’s also worth noting that you are likely going to need to choose from a handful of compromises if you are looking for the ultimate portable camera. The foremost of these is that the most portable devices are unlikely to have interchangeable lenses.
With these qualities in mind let’s dive into our top four picks.
Sony A6400: For a Traditional Setup
Featuring a great front-facing screen, 4K video, a great eye-autofocus system, and interchangeable lenses, the Sony A6400 is one of the most feature-rich cameras you can get for under £1000. Being a mirrorless camera, it is slightly thinner than the older standard of DSLRs but you can expect needing the same kind of peripherals to get the most out of it on the go.
But due to it’s feature-rich body, you’re able to achieve a real lot with this camera which may help your vlog stand out from the crowd.
There are also a handful of other worth options in the Sony A6000 range, for those looking to spend either more or less.
The only real downside is the shape and design which feels slightly outdated.
Sony ZV-1: Compact and Feature-Rich
Quite similar in offerings to the Sony A6400, but in a smaller body and with a fixed lens, the ZV-1 is a great balance for Vloggers looking to achieve a lot with a small package. Fitting neatly into a pocket, this 4K camera is equipped with a hot shoe despite its small frame, ready to house a quality mic or mini LED.
Like the A6400, the ZV-1’s autofocus also hits the mark, although it’s in-camera stabilisation doesn’t quite suffice alone, meaning a quality gimbal is almost certainly necessary for those on the move. Fortunately thanks to its small form factor, it’s likely that your gimbal of choice will be able to be slightly less cumbersome as well.
It’s clear that the ZV-1 is also directly aimed at Vloggers.
DJI Pocket 2: For the Movers
It’s fitting that the DJI Pocket 2 is so small, as it is quite a niche camera. Consisting of a small screen, a gimbal arm, and a lens, this is the pick for those always on the move who need an incredibly small, yet stable, package.
Although it is capable of 4K UHD up to 60fps, it’s worth noting that the image quality here is slightly weaker than the previous offerings, struggling more with noise in very bright highlights and low-light.
However, the ease of use, convenience and stabilisation shouldn’t be overlooked for those looking for a tiny package—I mean, it weighs just over 100 grams!
Go Pro Hero 9 Black: Small, Rugged and Stream-Ready
In 2021, Go Pro needs no introduction, but back in 2004 when the Hero was released few of us thought it’d ever transcend its niche.
While this version retains all its rugged versatility, it also caters well for vloggers thanks to its front-facing screen, fantastic image stabilisation and incredible fidelity—bosting up to 5K resolutions. The Hero 9 Black can even Live Stream in 1080p!
This, without a doubt, makes it the most versatile camera for vloggers per inch.
However, if you’re a vlogger with a home studio, don’t let its features attract you to a camera which, ultimately, doesn’t suit your needs. Because it doesn’t feature interchangeable lenses and lack a number of the features found on a traditional camera, to permit its astounding form factor, it is not the vlogging machine for everyone—despite its features being extremely appealing to all.
A Wealth of Choices
While these four are among our favourites, it’s worth noting that the market is completely brimming with vlog-ready cameras, so if these do not fit your budget don’t fret. Be sure to take another look at the necessary features before diving int your research and know that, thanks to there being a huge market for it, you’re bound to find the perfect Blogging camera for you.