The best camera for vlogging in 2023

You’ve come to the right place to find the best camera for blogging, YouTube, or making other videos. When I joined YouTube in 2006, I started making videos to show how to do things and review gear. I’ve learned a lot about video production and what features vloggers, especially those who work alone, value most over the last 17 years. I’ve always looked at new cameras from both a still photography and a video viewpoint.

On this page, I’ll list the cameras and devices that I think are the best for vlogging, ranging from the least expensive to the most expensive.

NEWS October 2023: With a good-sized sensor, a gimbal for great stabilization, confident focusing, and good audio accessories, the newly released DJI Pocket 3 looks like it could become one of the best vlogging cameras. Keep an eye out for a report coming soon!

Vlogging cams that we recommend

Before you buy a new camera, you might want to think about blogging with your phone. If it has good video quality, it might work just fine. But if you want to take your phone’s quality to the next level, I strongly suggest shooting with a gimbal for smooth results and connecting a good microphone for good sound. There are many gimbals for phones, but the Zhiyun Smooth Q is one of the best. For sound, the Rode VideoMic Me (for phones with 3.5mm jacks) or the VideoMic Me-L (for iPhones with Lightning ports) is the best choice. Read below to see Ben’s review of the Rode VideoMic Me-L and learn more about how to vlog with your phone and an external mic.

The best cheap video camera

The DJI Osmo Pocket 2 is one of the best cameras for filming overall, and it’s also one of the cheapest and smallest. It uses the company’s experience with gimbals to give you the stabilization of a much bigger system in a small, portable device. The Osmo Pocket 2 has a small sensor, so it won’t be as good as the others below in low light or blurring the background. However, it’s important to note that it’s mounted on a very small gimbal that will work better than most optical and sensor-based stabilization systems. It has a small screen, but it works fine for short videos. You can also connect your phone to get a better look and faster access to the settings. With the push of a button, you can turn the camera around to face either away or toward you. The USB C charging port on the base can be turned into a microphone input with an extra part, which works great with lapel-based lav mics. However, the small camera means that the video can become noisy in low light. It can also record 1080 or 4K video. Overall, it is a good choice for the affordable price of around 350 dollars or pounds and is perfect for people who value stabilization and portability over the promise of a bigger sensor and lenses that can be switched out. Find out how much the DJI Pocket 2 costs at Amazon, Amazon UK, B&H, Adorama, WEX, and Calumet.de. You could also buy a copy of my book “In Camera” or buy me a coffee. Thank you!

At a lower price range, the GoPro Hero 9 Black is the other main option for vlogging. It looks like a tough action camera, but its digital stabilization makes it very good for vlogging and other camera work, especially if you add the optional Media Mod for an external mic input. Read my review and Ben’s review of it below.

The best mid-range camera for vlogging

If you want better quality and more options than the sensors in a phone, GoPro, or the Omso Pocket, you’ll have to spend $500 to $800 on a budget camera with interchangeable lenses. All of the models I recommend come with an optically stabilized lens, have good-sized APSC or Four Thirds sensors for good quality in low light, have screens that face forward, and have reliable autofocus and microphone inputs.

The two from Canon that I like the most both have 24 Megapixel APSC cameras and reliable Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus. The Canon EOS 250D/Red Rebel SL3 is the cheapest. It’s a DSLR with a fully articulated touchscreen that’s great for vlogging in live view. For a bigger view, you might want to pair it with the EF-S 10–18mm STM zoom. For a little extra money, you could get the Canon EOS M50, a mirrorless camera that’s smaller and, in my opinion, cuter than the 250D/SL3. For a better view, you might want to pair it with the EF-M 11–22mm STM lens.

Keep in mind that the M50 can shoot in 4K, but it has a big crop and weak focusing, so I’d only think of it as a 1080p or Full HD camera. These two Canon cameras have great colors and tones right out of the box, and I recommend them both for vlogging at this price. For more information, read my reviews of the Canon EOS 250D/SL3 and the Canon EOS M50.

The Panasonic Lumix G80 and G85 may not have as good autofocus as the Canons, but they have built-in stabilization and can record useful 4K video. Plus, they’re on sale a lot. Now that the G90 and G95 are out, you can get them. For more information, read my review of the Lumix G80 and G85. Fujifilm and Panasonic cameras can also use a wider range of lenses than Canon EOS M cameras, which is helpful if you want to build a bigger system for both pictures and video.

The Sony A6400 is one of the best quality choices for the money. It has great video quality, unlimited recording times, confident autofocus, a screen that angles up to face you, and a microphone input, though most of the screen will be blocked if you put something important on the hotshoe. But it doesn’t have stabilization built in, so you’ll need an OSS lens or a gimbal to keep things steady. See my review of the Sony A6400 for more information. If you don’t mind a lower-resolution lens, no picture profiles for grading, and a body that isn’t weather-sealed, you could save money by getting the Sony A6100 instead.

Which small camera is best for vlogging?

If you’re looking for a compact camera for vlogging, the Canon PowerShot G7X III is a good choice. It has a 20-megapixel, 1-inch sensor, a screen that flips up to face you, a nice bright lens with a built-in neutral density filter, a microphone input, and you can even live stream YouTube over WiFi. The contrast-based autofocus isn’t as good as the other models we’ve recommended here, so it’s better for vlogs. For more information, read my review of the Canon G7X III. Also, keep an eye out for deals on the Canon G7X II, which is a great starter camera but doesn’t have a mic input.

If you can afford it, the Sony ZV1 is one of the best pocket vlogging cameras on the market. It has the lens and sensor of the RX100 VA, but no sight. Instead, it has a fully articulated screen, mic input, and better built-in mics. The lens is also very bright and has a neutral-density filter built right in. In the movie below, I show how the ZV1 for vloggers and video makers stacks up against the full-frame A7C.

There is a more expensive camera called the Canon PowerShot G1X III that has a 24-megapixel APSC sensor and all the same great features as the EOS M50. It has a fully flexible touchscreen, great autofocus, nice colors, and an ND filter built right in. It doesn’t have 4K or a microphone input, but the hotshoe makes it easy to attach an external recorder. You can fit the G1X III in your coat pocket, and it has the sensor of a bigger camera. But if you don’t mind carrying something a little bigger, you could save money on an EOS M50 and get a microphone input and the ability to swap lenses. Read my full review of the Canon PowerShot G1X III or watch my live test below.

The best high-end camera for vlogging

Panasonic has some great choices with a 20 Megapixel Four Thirds sensor, which is a little smaller than APSC but bigger than 1in. This sensor is great if you need 4K and professional video features. The Panasonic Lumix G9 is mainly advertised as a still camera, but it can also record high-quality 4K video at up to 60p. It also has a fully flexible touchscreen and stabilization built in. For more information, see my Panasonic Lumix G9 review. The Panasonic Lumix GH5 is one of the few cameras that can beat it for video. It’s still one of the most powerful pro video cameras at an “affordable” price; see my review of the Panasonic Lumix GH5 for more information. Keep in mind that both Panasonic bodies use contrast-based focusing, which I found to be less reliable for video than phase-detect or dual-pixel CMOS AF.

The Olympus OMD EM5 III is a good choice if you’re happy with the Four Thirds camera but want more reliable phase-detect autofocus. It takes great-looking video (even 4K), has a touchscreen that can be moved in all directions, and may have the best built-in stabilization on the market. Read my review of the Olympus OMD EM5 III to learn more.

You can also move to full-frame sensors at this price point, which work better in low light. The Canon EOS RP is one of the least expensive. It has the same sensor as the 6D II but a smaller body and a screen that can be moved in all directions. Read my review of the Canon EOS RP to learn more.

Also, think about the more expensive Canon EOS R, which is another mirrorless camera with a fully flexible screen that can face forward. However, its 4K video is severely cropped, so the full-frame sensor only works well with 1080 video. For more information, see the sample of my vlog below and my review of the Canon EOS R.

With a full-frame sensor, IBIS, and a fully articulated screen, the Sony A7C is also a great choice. However, I found that the kit zoom held it back, so if you’re serious about filming, get a different lens as soon as possible. The Sony FE 20mm f1.8 would be great for vlogging and general filming.

To shoot with a high-end camera, the Sony A7S III is hard to beat, but we’re not talking about those here. Read my review of the Sony A7S III to learn more.

The best thing about vlogging

The best way to improve the sound quality of your movies is to use an external microphone and place it as close to you as possible, even if you’re recording in a quiet room. Many people who make videos get good results with a shotgun-style microphone on a hotshoe, like the Rode VideoMic Pro+. But I’ve grown to really enjoy the freedom and quality of portable systems with a lapel mic that can be worn on a collar right under your chin. The Rode Wireless Go is one of the cheapest, smallest, and most innovative choices. It has a wireless range good enough for all vloggers and a mic built right into the transmitter unit, which will change the way you vlog, especially if you walk and talk in noisy places! Watch my film review below.

Making sure your footage is stable is the next step to improving its quality. Unless you’re lucky enough to be shooting with a camera that has above-average stabilization, this means using a gimbal. The Zhiyun Webill Lab is one of the best deals for small to medium-sized cameras, but you can also choose models with smaller or heavier loads if you’d like. Keep in mind that the Sony ZV1, A7C, and A7S III all record gyro data on their clips, which lets you stabilize them after the fact, though you have to crop them. For examples, see my ZV1 vs. A7C review.

This is the end of the guide. If you found it helpful, don’t forget to buy me a coffee to keep me going as I write my reviews!