You may have been following your favorite YouTubers for a while, and are thinking that you could do that.
Or you have a great idea for a channel, and know it could find an audience. Or you may simply want to start a vlog, sharing your thoughts and experiences with the world.
No matter what you want your channel to be about, you’ll need a decent camera. And, if you’re just starting out, you may be watching your budget.
At A Glance: Our Top 5 Picks For Cameras For YouTube Vlogging
Today we’ll look at the best cameras for vlogging, along with a guide to help you choose the camera that meets your needs and your budget, whether you’re a beginner or want to step up your YouTube game.
The Studio Genie is dedicated to helping streamers and YouTubers or anyone looking to have their own home studio. The author, Felicity Martinez, have been helping out streamers and YouTubers for years.
The goal is to provide a free resource for anyone looking to build a quality home studio. The reviews below are a result of hours of research and analysis. We provided the pros and cons and ranked each product to help you make a quick decision.
QUICK OVERVIEW: Our Top Picks for Cameras for YouTube Vlogging
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
BEST OVERALL  | CANON EOS M50 MIRRORLESS
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
 | GOPRO HERO8 BLACK HOLIDAY BUNDLE
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
 | DJI OSMO ACTION CAMERA
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
 | SONY CYBER-SHOT DSC-RX100 III
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
 | BLACKMAGIC DESIGN POCKET CINEMA CAMERA 4K
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
Best Camera for YouTube Vlogging Reviews & Recommendations For 2020
Canon EOS M50 Mirrorless Vlogging Camera Video Creator Kit
Benefits
The Canon EOS M50 was designed specifically for vloggers, and comes in a kit that includes the EOS M50 mirrorless camera and the Rode VideoMic GO directional microphone, with a 32GM SD memory card.
The EOS M50 captures 4K video, has Canon’s famous Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus for fast and accurate autofocus, and has a vari-angle touchscreen LCD that lets you shoot from any angle.
CMOS autofocus automatically tracks your subjects, and automatically detects eyes for clear portraits and selfies. The big 24.1MP APC-C CMOS sensor shoots well in low light, and has combination optical and digital stabilization.
The EOS has interchangeable lenses, a lightweight body, and both an on-body microphone port and a hot shoe for shotguns.
Drawbacks
In 4K mode, the camera adds a 1.7x crop on top of the APS-C crop, and 4K mode disables the Dual Pixel Auto Focus. For optimal autofocus, it’s best to use the 1080p/60fps video recording mode.
There are vlogging cameras with better battery life, and the battery cannot be recharged via USB.
Extra Features
This kit comes with the Rode VideoMic GO shotgun microphone, a rugged directional microphone that weighs just 73 grams.
It offers crisp, clear sound with a tight pickup that isolates the subject and reduces background noise. It has an innovative integrated shock-resistant mount that protects your audio from shocks and vibrations.
It plugs in with a 3.5mm jack, and doesn’t require a battery or additional power source.
With the exceptional autofocus, good low-light shots, 4K and 1080p video, and the ability to add and shoot with additional lenses, the Cannon EOS M50 is an extremely versatile vlogging camera.
With the Canon Image Transfer Utility, you can automatically and wirelessly transfer files for backup and uploading.
Buying Advice
The Cannon EOS M50 is a great vlogging camera, but it may be worth price-checking various bundles.
The video creator kit includes the Rode VideoMic GO, which is a great microphone, but Cannon offers bundles that include various lenses and accessories that may be a better investment for you.
Technical specifications
- Sensor: 24.1MP APS-C
- Resolution: 4K with 1.7x crop
- Weight: 12.4 ounces
- Stabilization: Combination IS
GoPro Hero8 Black Holiday Bundle
Benefits
The GoPro Hero8 Black Holiday Bundle comes with the Hero8, the Shorty tripod, a head mounting strap, a 32GB SD card, and 2 rechargeable batteries.
The GoPro Hero8 captures 4K UHD 2160p video, with a smaller, streamlined design and innovative folding fingers that let you quickly switch mounts. The Hero8 is impact resistant and has a side door for fast battery changes.
GoPros are famous for their image stabilization, and the Hero8 has HyperSmooth 2.0 with multiple levels of stabilization and in-app horizon leveling. The Hero8 also has improved HDR for incredibly detailed action shots.
GoPro’s TimeWarp 2.0 allows you to capture stabilized time lapse videos, adjusting speed based on motion, lighting, and smart scene detection. LiveBurst records 1.5 seconds before and after your shot, so you can choose the best frames and clips to share.
The camera has built-in microphones that reduce wind noise, for natural audio, along with mic inputs for better audio.
Drawbacks
Battery life is normally about 50 minutes in 4K mode, but decreases over time. GoPros are great for action shots and outdoor adventures, but the fisheye-style footage may not be great for every vlogger.
Extra Features
The GoPro Shorty is a mini extension pole and tripod. Folded down, it’s just 4.6 inches, that extends out to 8.9 inches. The legs can be folded out to stand on surfaces in tripod mode.
Buying Advice
As with the Canon EOS M50, the GoPro Hero 8 is offered in a wide range of bundles and configurations.
We prefer this bundle because it comes with the Shorty and a backup battery, but other bundles have different accessory configurations: You may want one with the rugged carrying case, or the waterproof camera body.
Technical specifications
- Sensor: 12MP GP1
- Resolution: 4K
- Weight: 4.5 ounces
- Stabilization: HyperSmooth 2.0
DJI OSMO Action Camera
Benefits
The tiny DJI OSMO is an action camera designed for every adventure, without weighing you down. It has dual screens on the front and back, with clear, responsive displays.
The DJI OSMO lets you capture 4K HDR videos, or shoot 8x slow-motion, or gorgeous time-lapse footage.
This camera is waterproof and temperature resistant up to -10℃, so it can go from the mountains to the beach and shoot up to 11 meters underwater.
It also has RockSteady image stabilization, voice control, and a companion app to customize settings and features.
Drawbacks
Unless you buy a support package, the camera and accessories don’t have a warranty or support.
You have to register on the app and create a user account before you can use the camera, and the app requires permissions that some people find intrusive.
There is no way to use an external microphone with the DJI OSMO, and DJI has proprietary cables that require specialized accessories.
Third party manufacturers have made microphone accessories for the camera, but they are specific to each version of the DJI OSMO (microphone adapters that work for the OSMO Pocket do not work with the OSMO Action, etc.), and may require additional accessories for the microphone adapter.
Currently the CYNOVA audio adapter is the most reliable and complete option.
Extra Features
The DJI OSMO base camera package comes with a camera frame, flat and curved adhesive mounts, q quick-release base, battery and battery case, a locking screw, and a USB-C cable.
Buying Advice
The DJI OSMO is a great little waterproof, cold-resistant action camera, and captures gorgeous 4K HDR footage. Because of the way that OSMO accessories work, it’s worth remembering that over time this camera will probably cost more than you think.