The Buyers guide to...Best cameras for YouTube

Much of the specification on the Sony ZV-1 is familiar from the Sony RX100 series of compact cameras, but there are a few notable differences to make it better for vlogging.

No surprise then to learn that the ZV-1 has a 1-inch type stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor with 20.1 million effective pixels. That’s a comparatively large sensor for a compact camera and, as we’ve seen with cameras like the Sony RX100 VII, it brings advantages for image quality.

In addition, the Exmor RS CMOS sensor brings phase-detection focusing – which is usually faster and more decisive than contrast detection. The ZV-1 has a total of 315 phase detection AF points which are available for use in stills and video mode.

Being aimed squarely at vlogging enthusiasts, the ZV-1 offers 4K in-body movie recording with full pixel readout and no binning, Log & Gamma options, even slow-mo at up to 1000fps. Sony has also considered audio and offered videographers a number of options, such as the built-in 3-capsule microphone that uses tech from Sony’s advanced camera systems. There’s also a Clear Voice function that can reduce background noise while making human voices clearer. The camera even comes with a dead cat windshield to cut down on wind noise. There’s also a 3.5mm mic port on the ZV-1 so you can connect an external mic.

Overall, the Sony ZV-1 delivers everything that a vlogger could wish for in a compact camera, and it comes with Sony’s excellent AF system. There are features to help inexperienced videographers get good results, the exposure can be controlled automatically or manually and there’s a built-in ND filter plus Log and Gamma control. It makes it easy to produce great 4K video but lets you take control when you want to. It all adds up to a very enticing camera for vloggers and is one of the best cameras for YouTube that you can buy.

Read our Sony ZV-1 Review

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II makes a relatively modest update on one of Canon’s most popular mirrorless cameras. Inside it has the same 24Mp APS-C format sensor paired with the same Digic 8 processing engine.

Like its predecessor, the Canon EOS M50 Mark II can shoot 4K video at up to 24p but there’s an additional 1.5x crop applied to the framing and the autofocus system relies on contrast detection. Switch to Full HD or stills shooting and the phase detection system that is enabled by the Dual Pixel sensor design becomes active.

The key upgrades made for the Mark II are eye tracking in both stills and video mode, vertical video recording and the ability to stream live to YouTube video a smartphone hotspot.

Find the best deals on the Canon EOS M50 Mark II at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Read our Canon EOS M50 Mark II Review

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III sits below the OM-D E-M1 Mark III in Olympus’s interchangeable lens camera lineup. It has a smaller body, which makes it a great choice for vloggers and videographers. It also produces nice images and the stabilisation system is incredible, enabling you to hand-hold the camera and get sharp images with exposures measured in whole seconds.

Olympus has upgraded the video capability of the OM-D E-M5 Mark III in comparison with the Mark II model. The new camera is capable of shooting C4K 24p video at up to 237Mbps or 4K 30p, 25p, 24p video at 30p 102Mbps.

What’s more, Full-HD video can be shot at up to 120p for slow-motion playback.

Further good news is that there’s a Flat picture mode. This isn’t as flat at the Log mode introduced by the E-M1X, but it gives a bit more scope for post-capture grading.

There’s also a mic jack built-in, rather than in an optional grip and the video autofocus performance has been improved.

Overall, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a little powerhouse of a camera. With its superb image stabilisation system you can shoot excellent quality video footage without the need for a gimbal.

Read our Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Review

Nikon includes the SmallRig Vlogging Mounting Plate for Nikon Z50 Camera LCN2525 in a Vlogger Kit with the Z50 and 16-50mm lens, and together this makes a great system for vloggers to work with. The  kit also includes a Rode VideoMicro microphone and Manfrotto Pixi mini tripod.

The SmallRig plate screws onto the bottom of the camera and has a lip or ridge along its front that’s shaped to fit around the Z50, holding it in place and preventing it from twisting around. Meanwhile the Pixi can serve as a tripod or gimbal, and the Rode VideoMicro helps you achieve professional audio quality.

The camera itself can shoot 4K video at 30p, or slow motion fans will appreciate its Full HD at 120fps capability.

There’s a mic input to enable better quality sound to be recorded via an external mic. It’s also possible to create Time-lapse videos in-camera.

The Z50’s small body size and ergonomic grip, coupled with the SmallRig kit, make it ideal for vlogging or filming on the go.

Read our Nikon Z50 Review: updated for Vlogging

The Fujifilm X-S10 is the first in a new line of X-series cameras from Fujifilm. It’s aimed at experienced DSLR users who are looking to switch to a mirrorless camera but who don’t fancy the traditional exposure controls of models like the Fujifilm X-T4 and X-T3.

Inside the X-S10 there’s the same 26.1Mp APS-C format X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor as X-Processor 4 as is in the Fujifilm X-T4, which means it can capture the same quality images. It also means that the X-S10 has 425 individually selectable AF points available for use with its hybrid autofocus system – and it’s a snappy performer.

The X-S10 has in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) on board and it can deliver up to 6EV shutter speed compensation.

Further good news about the X-S10 is that its touchscreen is mounted on a vari-angle hinge, which makes it ideal for vlogging and shooting selfies. It can also shoot good-quality uncropped DCI 4K video (4096 x 2160) at 29.97/25/24/23.98fps. Internal recording maxes out at 8-bit 4:2:,0 but if there’s an external storage unit connected via HDMI it’s possible to record in 4:2:2 10-bit. A 3.5mm microphone port is built in and a USB-C adapter is included in the box to connect headphones.

You can find the Fujifilm X-S10 on Amazon UK and Amazon USA

Read our Fujifilm X-S10 Review

At £329 the Osmo pocket has been priced aggressively and is aimed at today’s growing YouTube and Instagram generation.

However, if you’re a relatively normal individual and want a decent video camera to have some fun with the family or friends, the Osmo Pocket should also definitely be considered.

Inside is a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, 12mp effective which is fronted by a f/2.0 lens with an 80º FOV. ISO range is between 100-3200 for both video and stills.

Video is recorded in 4K Ultra HD at 24/25/30/48/50/60p and in Full HD at 24/25/30/48/50/60/120p. Movies are captured in MP4/Mov and still JPEG, DNG or both. Files are stored on a MicroSD up to 256GB.

It features an electronic shutter with a range of between 8s – 1/8000s. Still, photo modes include Single Shot, Panorama, Timelapse, Motionlapse.

You’ll also find Mechanical image stabilisation, and a 875mAh battery supplies the Pocket with 140 minutes of power and takes 73 minutes to charge.

The Osmo Pocket is small, measuring just 121.9 x 36.9x 28.6mm and weighing in at 116g.

The feature list is impressive, and the connection through to the Mimo App greatly extends the functionality. And the fact that the design is modular, enabling you to add extras such as the jog wheel, phone adapter or plug in an external mic also boosts the abilities of this small device further.

• Read our full DJI Osmo Pocket review

Read our DJI Osmo Pocket review

Along with a few quite advanced features, the Sony ZV-E10 has quite an attractive specification for novice vloggers, including some clever options such as Background Defocus, which enables quick switching between a blurred background and a sharp background, and FacePriority exposure, not to forget Sony’s superb autofocusing system.

The Sony ZV-E10 has a 24.2-megapixel APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor and a BIONZ X image processing engine. It also has some of the vlogging-specific features found on the ZV-1 compact camera.  There’s also the “Product Showcase Setting” mode that sets the camera to change the focus automatically from the subject’s face to an object being held to the camera.

There are also some advanced video features such as 4K (3840 x 2160) video shooting and Full HD Slow Motion at up to 120). Plus, electronic image stabilisation with Active Mode for stable video recording when walking and shooting hand-held. Further, the ZV-E10’s advanced autofocus technology provides fast, precise AF with tracking and there’s a high-quality audio system.

It may come as a surprise to discover that the ZV-E10 doesn’t have sensor-shifting in-body image stabilisation. Instead it relies on lens-based stabilisation for stills and electronic stabilisation for video. The latter can be set to Standard or Active, or it can be turned off.

Acknowledging that audio is a critical part of vlogging, the ZV-E10 has three means of recording sound. Firstly, there’s the on-board directional 3-capsule mic that’s optimised to pick-up voices in front of the camera. Like the ZV-1’s mic, this can be covered with a tiny dead kitten that slips into the multi-interface shoe.

Mentioning the multi-interface shoe gives a clue to the second microphone option. It’s compatible with a selection of Sony mics for camera-mounted recording. Lastly, there’s a 3.5mm port available for connection an external mic, be that a lavalier, a wireless mic such as the Rode Wireless Go II or a shotgun mic.

Sony has also included a 3.5mm headphone jack for clear audio monitoring. What’s more, the ZV-E10 is capable of streaming live when its connected via USB-C to a device connected to the internet.

Read our Sony ZV-E10 Review

When Fujifilm split its flagship X-H series in two directions, the big headline of the X-H2 was its 40-million-pixel sensor for capturing high-resolution stills. But of equal billing – and more interest to budding YouTubers – is its 8K video capability. YouTube doesn’t support 8K yet, of course, but recording in 8K let’s you create ultra-high-quality 4K footage in post-production.

Along with that you can also shoot 6.2K video at up to 30p, DCI4K at 60p, 4K at 30p and Full HD at 240fps for slow-motion video.

The Fujifilm X-H2 can record continuously for up to 160 minutes in temperatures up to 25C, and you can extend this time to 240 minutes with the optional X-H2 clip-on fast.

There’s also F-Log and F-Log2 colour profiles for those who want to grade their footage. The latter extends the camera’s dynamic range to more than 13 stops.

Add in the camera’s IBIS, which frees you to shoot handheld in many situations, and its ultra-bright vari-angle touchscreen, and the X-H2 is the ideal camera for YouTubers looking for a flexible option.

Read our Fujifilm X-H2 Review

While it doesn’t make a dramatic upgrade on the GH5, the Panasonic Lumix GH5 II puts ticks in lots of boxes. It’s a very capable video camera and ideal for modern content creators who don’t need a higher resolution sensor.

Inside the Panasonic GH5 II is the same 20.3Mp sensor as is inside the GH5 but it has new AR (Anti-Reflective) coating that reduces flare and ghosting. It’s also coupled with the Venus Engine 10 processing engine that’s in the Panasonic Lumix S1H – the company’s full-frame video-centric mirrorless camera.

This combination enables the GH5 II to capture 10-bit 4:2:0 C4K (4096 x 2160) video at up to 60fps and 200Mbps or 10-bit 4:2:2 C4K at up to 30fps and 400Mbps. If an external recorder is connected via HDMI, it’s also possible to record C4K 4:2:2 10-bit 60p video externally while simultaneously recording in 4:2:0 to the card in the camera.

There’s also a selection of 4K and 6K anamorphic modes.

Although the GH5 II cannot shoot raw video, V-Log L is pre-installed which means that it’s possible capture very flat footage that’s well-suited to grading. Helpfully, there’s a Log Assist mode so you can assess the footage more easily when you’re shooting in V-Log L. It’s also possible to display a waveform or vector scope to guide exposure.

Panasonic has enhanced the GH5 II’s live streaming capability and it can stream via a wired or wireless connection to a router or a smartphone running Panasonic’s Lumix Sync app. Panasonic has also promised a firmware update by the end of the year to enable wired RTP/RTSP streaming.

Its vari-angle screen is also ideal for vloggers.

Read our Panasonic Lumix GH5 II Review

While Canon didn’t really market the PowerShot G7 X Mark II at vloggers, it proved a popular choice with those users. It has a magical combination of a comparatively large sensor, a bright lens with a useful focal length range equivalent to 24-100mm, a flip-up touch-screen and a compact form. It’s ideal for slipping in your pocket to take everywhere and for using at arm’s length.

With the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III, Canon didn’t make a huge upgrade on the previous camera, but there are a couple of features that should further appeal to vloggers and YouTubers.

Firstly, whereas the Mark II’s maximum video resolution is Full-HD (1920 x 1080) at 59.94 / 50 / 29.97 / 25 / 23.98 fps, the PowerShot G7 X Mark III is capable of shooting 4K video 3840 x 2160 at 29.97 / 25fps without cropping.  In addition, it can shoot Full HD (1920 x 1080) footage at 119.9 / 100 / 59.94 / 50 / 29 .97 / 25 fps. Those upper frame rates make high-quality slow-motion video possible.

The clincher, however, is that the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is able to live-stream video. That’s big news. Instead of having to shoot on your phone or use a complex set-up, you can shoot directly to Youtube using a dedicated camera.

There’s also a clean HDMI output should you want it. Another key advantage of the G7X III for videographers is that it has a 3.5mm mic port.

It may be diminutive, but rest assured this is a powerful camera for video and one that should serve any aspiring YouTuber well.

Read our Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III Review

The world’s most popular and best action camera is also one of the best cameras for YouTube beginners. Why? It’s simple to use. You can control the camera via the GoPro app on your smartphone, or even use your voice.

And the with the Hero11 Black you get a giant upgrade in the form of a new, larger sensor and an upgraded HyperSmooth 5.0 digital image stablization technology that rivals even the best gimbal stabilizers. Couple this with the big upgrade from last year’s Hero10 Black, the GP2 processor, which delivers more power, and the Hero10’s boost to framerate options and an uplift in video resolutions, and you have a very powerful recording tool in a pocket size body.

What’s more, there’s a huge ecosystem of GoPro accessories that will allow you to capture cool POV shots from different angles. And for filming on the go, GoPro’s Hypersmooth image stabilisation technology is second to none.

Read our GoPro Hero11 Black Review

Read our Insta360 GO 2 Review