WHAT MAKES A GOOD VLOGGING CAMERA & Best Vlogging camera ?
The best vlogging camera will vary based on the features you need and the content you will be creating. Features like the Megapixel, zoom, and flash are often not very important. One important feature you must note is the performance in low light conditions.
Other features to consider include;
LENS
The first thing you need to understand about the lens of a camera is the aperture. The wider the aperture, the more light can enter the lens hence, the higher the quality of the lens. Apertures are represented using f-stops such as f/1.8, f/2.2, and so on. You should always remember that the lower the f-stop, the wider the aperture. The size of the aperture determines if the background objects will be blurred or brought into focus while filming.
SENSOR
The sensor size determines how much light a camera can capture and this size varies based on the type of camera. A full-frame camera and high-end DSLR cameras have the largest sensors available on the market making them the best for vlogging. The next best in sensor size is the compact cameras, but the quality of the video from these types of camera make it a bad choice for this venture. On the lower end of the spectrum are camcorders. These require a lot of light due to the small size of the sensor.
Identifying the type of camera you wish to purchase is a good way to know the sensor size.
STABILIZATION
Optical image stabilization is a feature which makes a camera record videos while you move around without any shaky effect. A lot of vloggers do not move around while making their videos, but this is a good feature to have in most cases.
WI-FI
Vlogging requires you to make a lot of videos which you will need to upload to the vlogging site. For this reason, a built-in Wi-Fi feature on a camera will make work faster. This is very popular among vloggers who upload to YouTube since there is an option to sync the camera to the site.
MICROPHONE INPUT
Depending on how important the information you are sharing on your vlog is to a viewer, a low-quality video may be overlooked, but the sound on any of your video must be of high-quality. When selecting a camera, you should make sure it has a microphone unit which can provide the best sound for your money. You can also pick a camera that lets you use an external microphone input. If you will be buying a camera that comes with a microphone unit, one which is front-facing works best for vlogging.
QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN BUYING A VLOGGING CAMERA
What will be the content of my vlogs?
The content of your vlog will often determine the type of camera that will suit your needs. For vloggers who want to create content on beauty or cooking, the best cameras for these contents are DSLR cameras. This is because they have better sharpness and also great colors.
How long will each video last?
The length of your videos can be from 2 minutes to 60 minutes or more. Putting a limit on the length of your videos and getting an average time can help you determine if you will need to buy an extra battery for the camera.
What is your budget?
Your budget is the major deciding factor when it comes to your final choice of camera. Starting with a low-budget camera may not always be the right option as you will need to upgrade to a better camera very soon. If you can afford it, it would be a smart choice to get the best camera available when you are starting your vlogging career.
Our picks for the best vlogging camera
Best compact camera – Canon Powershot G7 X Mark II
The G7 X Mark II is a successor to the previous Mark I and it sports a few improvements. It comes with a few new features such as a processor of better quality making it perform faster especially when you boot up the camera. It also performs better in low light conditions with improvements to the autofocus in low-contrast environments. An additional feature is a rubber grip so you can firmly hold the camera without it sliding out of your hands.
There are different options of frame rate like 24, 30, and 60fps which are supported by this camera. It is a lightweight camera which comes in a small size making it a great choice for carrying around.
This camera does not feature a microphone port in a bid to make it more compact, but the major improvement on this camera is the battery management. Compared to the previous Mark I, the Mark II can take up to 265 shots on each battery charge.
It also sports a high-quality lens and a wireless connection.
Features:
- It comes with a f/1.8 aperture rating
- The camera has a touchscreen
- It supports 20.1 MP stills
- It has flip screen
- Fast autofocus
Pros:
- There is support for 14-bit raw file
- It has a long-lasting battery
- When put on high ISO setting, the noise significantly reduces
Cons:
- There is no port for an external microphone
Canon EOS 80D
As a newer model of the 70D, the EOS 80D offers a few other features to make it a good camera if you want to take video recordings. It has some new features such as;
- Timelapse feature
- Headphones port
- Viewfinder coverage of 100% compared to 98% on the 70D
- Extended battery life
- 1080p60 recording offers slow-motion effect
Features:
- It comes with an NFC feature and also Wi-Fi connectivity
- It has a Dual pixel autofocus
- Full HD recording at 60fps
Pros:
- It has an interactive menu page
- Great in low light conditions
- Long lasting battery
- The body is very durable
Cons:
- It does not have 4K recording
- It is quite expensive
Sony a7SII
The Sony a7SII is our overall pick for the best vlogging camera. This is because it offers a lot of cool features that make it a better option when compared to the 5D Mark III.
Features
- 4k video recording
- Full frame sensor for low light conditions
- 5-axis image stabilization system
- Improved sensor and autofocus
- Smaller size
- WiFi and NFC features
Pros
- No need for an adapter to use a Canon lens
- The focal plane phase detection is fast
- It has a shutter vibration suppression
Cons
- Battery doesn’t last long