The 4 Best Vlogging Cameras and Gear 2023

Apr 27, 2024

We’ve updated this article to include the most recent picks from our other guides.

Vlogging, or video blogging, is a way for you to share your life and interests with the world, potentially making money while you do it.

From cooking to travel, makeup to hair care, pugs to parakeets, to whatever you’re into, chances are, someone else is too.

The most popular platform for vlogging is YouTube, at more than 2 billion users. With enough viewers, you can monetize your videos, which gives you a share of the advertising profits.

You don’t have to enter the vlogging world with the idea of making money, but that potential is there. You can treat your channel like any other social media site, sharing your adventures and interests with friends. Eventually, though, with a bit of luck, work, and some compelling content, you can pass the magical 1,000-subscriber threshold and start making money from your hobby.

But first, you need a vlog. And to record a vlog, you need a camera, at the very least. We’ve put together a list of gear and some tips to help you begin, starting with a camera you probably already have, and working your way up through more expensive options as both your vlog and your experience grow.

I, Geoff Morrison, have been a professional writer and photographer for 20 years. I’ve written extensively about cameras for multiple publications, and for most of the past decade I’ve been a digital nomad, doing travel writing and photography for outlets such as Wirecutter, CNET, Forbes, and The New York Times.

Though I’d worked with video before, I was just getting into vlogging on my YouTube channel when I did the research and testing for this guide. While I know a lot about cameras, I reached out to the creators behind several YouTube channels, including Fact Fiend and Sailing Uma, for their thoughts, which we’ll discuss in the next section.

Previous updates for this guide were written by Wirecutter’s editor of camera coverage, Phil Ryan, who covered cameras and other photo-related products over 15 years for CNET and Popular Photography.

Vlogging can be a lot of fun, and if that’s the only thing you want from it, all you need is an idea and a video. However, if you want to make money, it is unquestionably a job. Many YouTubers get burned out facing the constant hustle of producing new videos that must perform, or else they lose their income. All that is to say, you’ll need to treat it like a job way before you’ll get paid like it’s a job.

What you don’t need is a lot of expensive gear, at least not to start. Your first videos likely won’t be seen by many people other than your family and friends. It will take time to streamline your process, get used to being on camera, figure out if this is something you really want to do, and so on. Spending $3,000 up front to learn that you don’t want to be a YouTuber is not a great investment. Start with the gear you have, learn the job, and then upgrade your gear. If your old videos embarrass you with their quality—and they almost certainly will—you can always remove them later.

But don’t take my word for it. One of my favorite channels is Sailing Uma, for which two recent college grads, Kika and Dan, bought an aging sailboat and fixed it up, learning how along the way. They’ve been supporting themselves with YouTube videos (and Patreon) as they’ve sailed around the world for the past six years. At this writing, their channel has 412,000 subscribers and nearly 60 million views. I reached out to them and asked what they would say to someone just starting out. Their response: “The most important step is to just get out there, and do the best you can, with what you have at that point in time. With experience, you’ll learn what works and what doesn’t, and what gear fits into your own style and workflow.”

Their videos now are gorgeously produced, and it’s just the two of them. As far as gear goes: “To some extent, gear does matter,” Dan told me via email. “But like my high school shop teacher used to tell me, ‘a good carpenter never blames his tools.’ Over the years we developed our own style, experimented, and slowly evolved our gear to help make our creative process flow smoother.”

I highly recommend their “A ‘Master Class’ in Advanced Video Selfies” video, which shows how they made this beautiful travel/day-in-the-life video.

I also contacted Karl Smallwood, another of my favorite YouTubers. His channel, Fact Fiend, has 736,000 subscribers and over 290 million views at this writing. He’s able to support himself and a small staff from the channel’s income with his laid-back but highly informative videos about random facts. His reply: “We’ve never particularly cared about visuals and instead focused on audio when upgrading and purchasing equipment, as more people than you’d expect listen to videos as background noise and, in our experience, people are more likely to forgive janky visuals than bad audio.”

A good mic is a crucial purchase, and we’ll discuss those for use with phones and with cameras below.

In the end, what makes a vlog successful is largely how much effort and time you’re willing to put into it, regardless of what you’re shooting with.

As the adage goes, the best camera is the one you have with you. This is true for vlogging, as well. The best way to get started is using what you have on hand, even if that’s “just” a smartphone. Your phone, even if it’s a few years old, can record videos that will look fine on YouTube.

The benefit of using your phone, or whatever camera you already have, is that you can get used to the process of making vlogs before you spend lots of money on equipment for an activity you might not end up enjoying. It’s also easy and fairly inexpensive to upgrade the quality of what you can get out of your existing camera with some basic accessories, which we’ll discuss in a moment.

Upgrading your camera, when you’re ready, can result in better-looking video and help you get shots and clips not possible with a phone camera. In some cases, our pick for the best action camera is a logical option. As for other cameras, there are a few features important for vlogging that aren’t things we specifically focus on for our camera guides:

Generally, in assessing cameras for this guide, we also looked for portability. Canon and Nikon DSLRs we like might seem to be obvious options, and if you already own one of them, they are a good choice, given their excellent photo image quality. However, they’re quite heavy and generally lacking in image stabilization, so if you plan on moving around at all with your vlogs, they’re not a great option. If you’re only ever going to stay in one place and produce cooking videos or makeup tutorials, for example, they can be suitable. In many cases, though, the video from a DSLR isn’t as good as what our vlogging picks produce, so if you’re planning to rely on a DSLR, just make sure it records video as well our recommendations below do.

If you want better images than your smartphone can capture and are looking for a DSLR, we think that Nikon’s D3500 is the best option.

In the five years we’ve been researching and testing cameras for vlogging, we’ve checked out nearly 50 mirrorless cameras, which are smaller than DSLRs, from brands such as Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Olympus, and Panasonic. None have offered the combination of features and price that our picks have. Many of the cameras in the mirrorless category are far more expensive than our picks, while others are bigger and heavier. Crucially, most of them either don’t record 4K video or don’t offer image stabilization, and in many cases, both features are unavailable. Many mirrorless models are otherwise excellent cameras in their own right, though, so if you already have one, it will work great for vlogging, and spending money on an upgrade probably isn’t necessary.

If you are planning on streaming to Twitch or a similar service instead of uploading individual vlog entries to YouTube, our picks wouldn’t work well for you. Most of them aren’t designed to handle a constant flow of video beaming directly to a server somewhere, and they are hard-coded to limit video clips to 30 minutes or less. If you are looking for something that will help you make your own Let’s Play channel, a webcam will serve you better.

If you’re wondering about camcorders, we address them in their own section.

The DJI OM 5 is the first gimbal we’ve tried that feels like it’s made for everyone. It stabilizes video shot with even the shakiest hands, while integrating useful features like a selfie stick.

May be out of stock

Assuming you already have a phone you like (and if not, check out our picks for the best smartphones), a few accessories can improve the quality of any phone’s video. The first is a gimbal. These motorized handles counteract your arm and hand movement to stabilize the phone so that you can record smooth video with no distracting bouncing. The latest version of a technology once available only in the form of ultra-expensive Hollywood Steadicam rigs, modern phone gimbals offer exceptional stability for around $100. It’s easily the best upgrade for your videos if you’re moving around at all, even just walking.

The DJI OM 5 is the best phone gimbal because of its approachability, useful accessories, and ability to help you record ultra-stable video. It creates far smoother video than what a phone can do internally or what you can do in apps that process your footage after you shoot it.

The GorillaPod works as a small tripod and a selfie stick, and it can grip surfaces for a variety of placement options.

For many videos, you might not want to be holding your phone/camera at all. Placing the phone on a desk, counter, or anywhere you’re recording a video is always, pun intended, handy. Doing so gives you many additional creative options, not to mention the freedom to use both hands. (For those of us who like talking with our hands, it’s vital.) For something small that can work as a handle and can grip fence poles, benches, railings, and lots of other objects for stability, we like the Joby GorillaPod 1K Kit. It’s light and highly adjustable, and it can grip onto things with its ball-jointed legs. It can also work as a short selfie stick.

To connect your phone to the tripod, you’ll need the Square Jellyfish Metal Spring Tripod Mount, which has a rotating mount that can hold any size phone comfortably and can serve as a stand on its own.

If you want smoother, more professional-looking video from your smartphone, the Insta360 Flow is the best gimbal.

Joby’s GorillaPod 1K Kit and the Square Jellyfish Metal Spring Tripod Mount are the best choices to steady your smartphone when shooting photos and video.

More than anything else, bad audio will alienate your potential viewers faster than anything you could do with visuals. No less a luminary than George Lucas himself once said, “Sound is half the experience in seeing a film.” Even if you plan on recording only indoors, a good microphone will make your voice more prominent and more professional sounding, and it has the potential to reduce room noise and echoes.

You have many microphone options, and which one will work best for you depends a lot on how you’re going to vlog and where. Just about any brand-name mic will sound better than the one built into your phone. Here are some options we like for use with phones.

The Blue Yeti offers clear, full sound and easy connection to any computer.

If you’re sticking to vlogging at your desk, check out our favorite USB mic, the Blue Yeti. The Yeti has been our pick since 2013 and has come out on top during every retest of available microphones. In our testing the Yeti produced clear and rich recordings and preserved the natural vocal warmth of our testers’ voices. This is a microphone that both amateurs and professionals turn to for their voice or music work, and one that will last for years. Note, however, that it’s a full-size, wired, desktop microphone, so if you plan on recording video on the go, this model won’t work well.

The VideoMic Me mounts to your phone to give you better sound with minimal fuss.

If you want something simple that attaches to your phone, check out Røde’s VideoMic Me. It will soon come in three flavors: the Me-L for Apple phones, the Me-C for Android phones with USB-C (coming in late May 2021), and a version for any phone with a headphone jack. It has a cardioid (heart-shaped) pickup pattern to better separate your voice from background noise. On the back is a headphone jack so you can monitor or listen to your recordings without removing the mic. An included furry “dead cat” wind reducer helps keep your voice clear outside when it’s breezy.

Each version also comes optionally in a kit that includes a grip, an LED light, and a furry wind reducer. To hear how the VideoMic Me sounds and how the overall kit performs, check out my review of the Vlogger Kit on YouTube.

Compact, light, yet able to record stabilized 4K video, the ZV-1 represents a great step up for the beginning vlogger.

When you’ve gotten comfortable with vlogging and are ready to step up your video quality, we recommend the Sony ZV-1. It’s designed as a vlogging camera, with the ability to record 4K video at 30 frames per second, 1080p video up to 120 fps, and even ultra-slow slow-motion at 1,000 fps, though at a much lower resolution (912×308, saved as a 1920×1080 HD video). It even records stereo audio with a clever top-mounted directional mic. The flip-out screen lets you easily frame selfie shots, and the built-in optical image stabilization smooths out your movements.

The ZV-1 is capable of recording better video than a phone for two main reasons. The first is the 1.0-inch Exmor RS CMOS sensor, which is significantly larger than any image sensor found in a cell phone. This sensor allows the camera to capture more light, which means it will produce less noise and an overall better image in low light. The second reason is that the ZV-1 pairs that sensor with an f/1.8–2.8 Zeiss lens, which lets a lot of light fall on the sensor despite its compact size. It also offers a smooth 2.7x zoom, giving you a wide angle and a reasonable telephoto. It isn’t as wide as what you can get from a typical cell phone camera, but at arm’s length you should be able to fit your face and shoulders in the frame, especially if you use any sort of selfie stick or handgrip.

Best of all—and something fairly rare among reasonably priced cameras that can record 4K video—the ZV-1 has a flip-out screen, so you can easily see how your shot will look from nearly any angle.

Numerous software features built into the camera make it great for vlogging, as well. For starters, with the touch of a button, you can enable a soft bokeh blur to separate you or your subject from the background. In addition, the fast autofocus will quickly lock in on you, a separate subject, and back to you. It will also identify your face and stay focused on you if you move around in the frame.

Although we still recommend a separate mic, the ZV-1’s internal mic works quite well and even comes with a furry windscreen “tribble” to keep wind noise at a minimum. A 3.5 mm microphone input and Sony’s MI Shoe mount on top allow you to add an external mic.

The body itself is nicely designed, too, with well-placed grips so you can hold the camera securely multiple ways. Plus, it’s small enough to easily fit in a jacket pocket or purse.

One of my main concerns during my testing of the ZV-1 was that it would turn on in my bag or pocket due to the lack of any sort of lock on the lens or on the power button. When turned on, the camera extends, or tries to extend, its lens. I’m sure that given enough resistance, it would stop trying—I didn’t want to risk breaking it to find out what those limits were—but regardless that’s additional wear on the mechanism. The lack of any sort of lock is peculiar. To be safe, I removed the battery, which is annoying but does bring peace of mind during transport.

Any new camera brings a learning curve, especially for anyone not used to a “real” camera. The menus and buttons on the ZV-1 aren’t as intuitive as they could be. You’ll be able to learn them, but factor in doing so before your first big shoot. Although you can touch the screen to focus, you can’t adjust any settings there, a baffling decision on Sony’s part; you have to use the buttons and wheel. Alternatively, you can use Sony’s phone app (iOS, Android) to adjust the settings.

In bright light the screen might be hard to see, depending on your sunglasses. The camera also gives you no way to monitor your audio levels, as the ZV-1 lacks a headphone jack.

When recording 4K video, the camera applies a slight crop, and if you use Active Steadyshot stabilization mode, it crops slightly more. The effect is significant enough that unless you have, as one friend of mine put it, freakishly long arms, you might not be able to hold the camera body and get a reasonably framed selfie shot. However, as long as you use a grip or tripod like the Joby GorillaPod 1K Kit or Sony’s own Bluetooth controller and tripod, you should be fine, for the most part.

Lastly, there’s the matter of price. The ZV-1 was $750 during the writing of this guide. For the features it offers and its overall performance, that is a very good price—we found many other cameras in our research that offered less for more money. However, $750 is still a lot if you’re unsure vlogging is for you. If you already have a camera capable of 1080p, that’s definitely what you should start with before you spend on the ZV-1.

Offering high-resolution, highly stabilized video with a forward-facing screen and a waterproof body, the Hero10 Black is perfect for outdoor, active vlogs.

The GoPro Hero10 Black is our favorite action camera for two main reasons: image quality and stabilization. Both of these factors make it an excellent vlogging camera if your vlog includes any sort of energetic outdoor activity. Maxing out at 5.3K resolution, the Hero9 offers far more detail than other action cameras do. That resolution lets you crop down the footage to zoom in (the camera itself lacks optical zoom). Its super-smooth stabilization means you likely don’t need a gimbal for steady shots, even when the camera bounces around during recording. It’s waterproof down to 33 feet (10 meters). Audio performance is also good, thanks to a group of built-in microphones, though in most cases you should consider an external mic.

The image quality isn’t what you’d get with a larger-sensor camera such as the Sony ZV-1 or especially the Sony α6600. However, the Hero10 Black creates a vibrant, detailed image in bright light and works fairly well in low light. No action camera can handle true low-light situations, so if you’re usually in dark caves, poorly lit abandoned buildings, and the like, consider a bigger camera with a larger lens, if carrying one isn’t a serious issue.

The two most useful features of the Hero10 that help make it a great vlogging camera are its forward-facing screen and its multiple field-of-view options. The color forward-facing screen is small but lets you easily set up selfie shots. As for the “lens” options, you can choose from wide, linear, and narrow. The lens itself lacks zoom—software handles the difference—but the options allow you to frame yourself and your adventure in more ways than you can with most action cameras.

GoPro’s app, called Quik (iOS, Android), offers a variety of editing options, letting you trim and create videos without third-party editing software, though of course you’ll have better results if you have a more elaborate video editor.

One important GoPro accessory that’s worth the investment for any vlogger is the Media Mod. This kit includes a plastic frame that encloses the camera with a built-in microphone and two mounts for either a wireless mic or a small LED light. On the back of the frame are a 3.5 mm audio input, a Micro HDMI port, and a USB-C port (since the frame covers the camera’s USB-C port). Because the frame’s bottom is open, you still have access to the GoPro’s foldable mount. You can hear how the mic sounds and see how everything fits together in my YouTube review.

Although the Hero10 Black is an excellent action camera, it is still an action camera. It doesn’t offer any sort of optical zoom, and the digital lens modes merely crop in on the image, so you’re essentially stuck with a wide-angle lens for every shot.

This APS-C mirrorless camera offers excellent image quality with 4K video but is larger and far more expensive than our other picks.

When you’re ready to upgrade your production values once more, the Sony α6600 offers the best combination of image quality, stabilization, and price. It’s really only for vloggers who have gotten their process down, perhaps already have a monetized channel, and know for certain that better video quality is what will move them to the next level. If that’s you, the α6600 can shoot 4K video and slow-motion; it also has a flip-up screen, and you can use it with any number of E-mount lenses from Sony and third-party manufacturers. The APS-C sensor is larger than the one found on the ZV-1 and significantly larger than what you get in phones and action cameras. This means it should produce less noise in low-light situations, offer a higher dynamic range, and create a more professional-looking image overall.

Thanks to the α6600’s mirrorless design, it’s far smaller and lighter than a DSLR, making it easier to hold away from your face for extended walk-and-talk vlogging sessions. Unlike many DSLRs, the α6600 was made for video: Its resolution maxes out at 4K, or 3840×2160, at 30 frames per second. It also supports 1080p60, as well as slow motion up to 120 fps.

In addition, the α6600 has far longer battery life compared with the ZV-1. Sony estimates over two hours of recording time per battery, and of course you can always get another battery to swap in (and you should).

We tested the α6600 with Sony’s own 18–135mm f/3.5–5.6 OSS lens, which has optical image stabilization. The generous zoom range, from a wide 18mm to a tight 135mm (for reference, most smartphone lenses are about 28mm), seemed to be ideal for a variety of vlog moments, and the zoom itself was smooth enough to use in a shot. In our guide to E-mount lenses, we also liked the Sony E 18–200mm f/3.5–6.3 OSS LE. It too has optical image stabilization, as well as a slightly longer zoom. Note that if you’re planning to keep your camera handheld, you’ll need a wider-angle lens than you might expect. If you don’t think you need a zoom, we’ve previously recommended the 20mm f/2.8 pancake lens, which offers the added benefit of being small, lightweight, and less expensive than the zooms.

While this camera’s image quality is noticeably better in terms of detail, color, and contrast, that comes at a price. Typically the α6600 is more than double the cost of the ZV-1, and that’s without a lens. For beginning vloggers, the price tag represents a significant outlay for something that might not justify itself. The quality isn’t more than twice as good for YouTube videos. As mentioned above, the α6600 makes sense only for an experienced vlogger or someone who wants a fantastic camera in its own right that also happens to take great video for their vlog.

The rear screen doesn’t rotate out to the side as the one on the ZV-1 does. Instead, it uses a complex mechanism to cantilever out and then flip up. It’s made of metal but feels delicate. The design is also not quite as convenient as that of the ZV-1’s screen, which can pivot to far more potentially convenient angles.

Otherwise the only issue is size. The ZV-1, the Hero10 Black, and your phone are all lightweight and easy to carry. The α6600 is small and light for what it is, but it’s a lot bigger than those alternatives—smaller than a DSLR but way larger than a point-and-shoot. If you plan on carrying the camera for lots of selfie walk-and-talks, your arm will get a workout.

A few key accessories will improve your video and sound quality, and by extension, how “professional” your vlog looks and sounds.

A solid, adjustable tripod can be an invaluable tool for many situations. The Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263AB100 offers a trick that makes it perfect for many vloggers: the ability to extend horizontally to better position a camera over a desk or counter, for example. Its legs can also pivot wider than those of most tripods, letting you position the camera lower to the ground. You could also use this for vlogging with your phone (though that’s a bit overkill), as long as you add something like the Square Jellyfish Metal Spring Tripod Mount.

If you’re planning on staying in one place for your vlogs, such as at a desk and talking to the camera, the Blue Yeti is an excellent USB microphone and one of our longest-tenured picks.

For audio on the go, the Røde VideoMic Go is an affordable directional microphone that doesn’t take up too much space in a bag. When Phil Ryan tested it for the previous version of this guide, he found it an ideal mic for vlogging. And other reviewers have said the same. Jaron Schneider, in his review for the site Fstoppers, writes that the VideoMic Go “produced nearly identical sound quality to the original Videomic” when shooting within 2 feet of the subject, as is often the case in vlogging. Eric Reagan, in his Photography Bay review, says, “If you want better audio than what your on-camera mic delivers, there are few options that are as simple and affordable as the Rode VideoMic GO.”

The only downside to the VideoMic Go is that it attaches to the camera, so you have to be attached to it, as well. For more freedom of movement, Røde’s Wireless Go offers a receiver that attaches to your camera and a transmitter that doubles as a microphone. You can also connect a lavalier mic. The Røde Wireless Go II adds a second transmitter, if you’re part of a vlogging couple or if you regularly interview people. It can also record internally.

Lastly, editing: To really create a compelling, professional-looking video, you need to learn how to work with video-editing software. This lets you add titles, insert graphics, combine multiple clips into longer videos, cut boring parts, and so on. It’s vital. You can find a variety of free options, including iMovie, which is included with Apple devices. A full list of available editing apps is beyond the scope of this article, but it’s worth the time to find one that works for you. It might not be the best option for everyone, but I decided to teach myself editing on Adobe Premiere Pro, which, to appropriate a phrase by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, is like “building a sandcastle with a bulldozer” for my videos. I figured, if I was going to learn, it would make sense to learn with something professionals use.

If you want to shoot sharp photos while using a slow shutter speed, we think the Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263AB100 tripod is the best choice.

After our tests of 30-plus mics over eight years, the Blue Yeti remains our favorite USB mic for people who want an easy, noticeable upgrade over built-in mics.

If you haven’t shot much video before, you might not know that a compact, mirrorless, or DSLR camera is typically limited to about 30 minutes of recording time for a video clip. (This is because video cameras are subject to higher import duties in some regions, notably the EU.) If you want to record for longer stretches than that, you have to opt for a camcorder (or a Panasonic camera, since that company simply pays the duty). This might make some potential vloggers think that a camcorder is a better option for their needs, but it really isn’t.

One reason is that 30 minutes is a long time when it comes to video. In all likelihood you’ll want to keep each installation of your vlog shorter than 30 minutes in length. It’s rare that a vlog entry lasts longer, and even rarer that one would be longer than 30 minutes in a single, uninterrupted shot. It is much more typical for a vlog post to consist of clips that are each five minutes or far less, strung together to make a final video.

Another reason is that with a camcorder you lose the great still-image capture that comes with the best vlogging cameras we’re recommending here. Even if you only rarely drop still images into your videos, you’ll be able to use your camera to capture stills for use outside of your vlogging.

Furthermore, the sensors in most reasonably priced camcorders aren’t as large as those in our picks, aside from the one in your smartphone. The larger sensors in our picks for the best vlogging cameras are better suited to capture great video and stills across a wider array of situations.

Casey Neistat, How To Vlog, YouTube, June 16, 2015

Raymond Nguyen, My Camera Equipment: What I Use To Film My Vlogs, YouTube, September 14, 2015

Ben Budiman, Super Light Travel Vlogging Equipment, YouTube, October 26, 2016

Ben Brown, The New Vlog Camera, YouTube, January 13, 2016

Jaron Schneider, Fstoppers Reviews the RODE VideoMic GO In-Line Power Microphone, Fstoppers, February 6, 2014

Eric Reagan, Rode VideoMic GO Review, Photography Bay, January 24, 2014

Geoffrey Morrison

Geoffrey Morrison is Wirecutter’s former AV editor, current editor-at-large, and a travel writer and photographer. He covers action cameras, gimbals, travel backpacks, and other gear. He has been to all 50 states and 60 countries, and he is the author of Budget Travel for Dummies and the sci-fi novel Undersea.

Phil Ryan

Phil Ryan is Wirecutter’s senior staff writer for camera coverage. Previously, over 13 years he covered cameras and other photo-related items for CNET and Popular Photography. As the latter's tech editor and then senior tech editor, he was responsible for maintaining and refining the lab testing for cameras, and as the main camera tester, he used and wrote reviews of many of the cameras released in that timeframe.

by Geoffrey Morrison and Signe Brewster

If you want smoother, more professional-looking video from your smartphone, the Insta360 Flow is the best gimbal.

by Arriana Vasquez, Erin Roberts, and Signe Brewster

Joby’s GorillaPod 1K Kit and the Square Jellyfish Metal Spring Tripod Mount are the best choices to steady your smartphone when shooting photos and video.

by Arriana Vasquez and Erin Roberts

The best instant camera for taking high-quality, retro-cool photos is the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12.

by Tim Barribeau and Ben Keough

Like anything, lenses and cameras need to be cleaned, and this gear will help you clean them properly.