Last updated on December 7th, 2023
Finding the best camera for YouTube is no easy task. You want to show the world that you are a professional or hobbyist and show your craft the best way possible.
How else are you going to show off your talents? From beauty to renovations, to extreme sports, there’s a camera for everyone who wants to make it big on YouTube.
Overall Best Camera for YouTube
Sony RX100 VII Premium Compact Camera with 1.0-type stacked CMOS sensor
First on our list for the best camera for YouTube is the Sony RX100 VII premium compact camera. This compact camera is perfect for your YouTube videos due to its superb image quality.
Features & Specifications
- The zoom lens has a high-magnification of 24-200 mm2 for the best image quality. You can achieve maximum resolution and clarity.
- The remarkable telephoto capability is achieved in a pocket-size camera, perfect for your adventures.
- Complimenting the zoom lens is the .02-second .3 lightening-fast AF and real-time tracking along with real-time eye AF.
- Get enhanced image stabilization.
- It comes with an external microphone jack so you can make high-quality cinema-like videos.
- Get a smooth 4K video even while walking in “Active” mode image stabilization.
- Capture the most professional audio for movies and vlogs with the input15, 2.5-mm input.
- Get continuous shooting with its set interval of 1 to 60in the Interval Shooting19 function.
- This camera has the most innovative speed and image quality with the new 1.0-type stacked CMOS image sensor and BIONZ X image-processing engine.
- The high-res LCD monitor tilts up to 180 degrees and tilts down to 90 degrees with one easy push.
- Comes with an XGA OLED Tru-Finder with a resolution of 2.35 for high-contrast, bright, and detailed viewing.
- Get real-time tracking for stills and movies.
What Customers Say
Customers like you love this best camera for YouTube for blackout-free shooting. The ‘steady shot’ feature makes vlogging while in motion super easy and high-quality. This is by far the most powerful camera to fit in anyone’s pocket, perfect for YouTube videos.
Best Camera for YouTube on a Budget
GoPro HERO7 Black
Next on our list of best cameras for YouTube is the GoPro HERO7. With this camera, you get a hyper smooth experience that corrects camera shake and gives you a high-quality video on a budget.
Features & Specifications
- With HyperSmooth, you reduce shake and increase the quality of your videos.
- Features TimeWarp for a super stable time-lapse video as you move from scene to scene.
- You can even increase the speed up to 30x so you can share longer moments with less time.
- Live stream at 720p on social media and YouTube with HyperSmooth stabilization while going live.
- It’s waterproof at up to 33 feet and can withstand rugged adventures and climates.
- Intelligently apply HDR with SuperPhoto. Tone mapping and noise reduction optimize your shots for you.
- Use voice control for those hands-free moments while videoing and vlogging.
- Take 4K60 video and 12MP photos.
- Slow things down up to 8x with Slo-Mo video.
- Settings are intuitive with three main capture modes and streamlined settings.
- Includes a warranty.
What Customers Say
For the best budget camera for YouTube, you get a lot. Especially with the amazing quality of HyperSmooth, making rocky trails and other adventures a breeze to capture. Customers like you love what high-quality camera you get while still being at a budget-friendly price.
Runner-Up Best Camera for YouTube
Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III
The runner-up for the best camera for YouTube is the Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III. Create videos that are ready for mobile and to be shared on social media easily. With the Vertical Video feature, easily mix-up shot length and camera angles for the most unique videos.
Features & Specifications
- You can create videos that you can live stream with live stream video services.
- With a tilt LCD, you can get angles selfies and 4K uncropped video.
- Record 4K video at a frame rate of up to 30p and get captivating videos.
- Comes with a 20.1 Megapixel and 1-inch stacked CMOS sensor.
- Comes with DIGIC 8 image processor so you can shoot in low-light fast.
What Customers Say
Customers like you love that this best camera for YouTube can completely replace any regular cellphone for YouTube videos. Via Bluetooth, you can transfer images right away. Just use an SD card dongle and copy the files over to your device.
Honorable Mentions
DJI Osmo Pocket
Our next best camera for YouTube is the DJI Osmo pocket camera. With this camera, get cinematic stunning videos that adjust to your movements.
Features & Specifications
- The 3-axis gimbal helps adjust to your movements on time to get the perfect shot without all the shake.
- Get a good grip with the single-handed design of the sandstone handle. It’s non-slip and sweat-proof.
- It comes with a universal port that connects Osmo Pocket to your smartphone easily.
- The accessories help you film the way you want to film.
- Get multiple mounting brackets so you get more shooting options.
- With a maximum length of 500mm, the extension rod is retractable to reach greater heights.
- It comes with a waterproof case that is water-resistant up to depths of 60m.
- Get two mounting brackets for more accessories.
- Control the remote over a wireless connection for the most flexible shooting.
What Customers Say
Customers like you love this best camera for YouTube because the quality is brilliant. You’ll especially love the gimbal and how small and good quality it really is.
DJI Osmo Action
The next best camera for YouTube, the DJI Osmo Action, makes our list for its amazing features. The dual screens are available to capture everything.
Features & Specifications
- With the DJI Osmo Action, you get dual screens. One front screen is so vivid that you can frame yourself in your shots. There’s a back screen with a clear and responsive display.
- Spend less time on equipment and more time shooting your YouTube videos.
- With RockSteady technology, you get stable and shake-free videos, no matter what adventure you go on.
- Shoot 4K videos on every adventure with the ½.3” CMOS sensor, 12MO, wide-angle 145-degree shooting.
- 8x slow motion with 1080p resolution and 240fps gives you condense time and movement in time-lapse for the best results.
- Waterproof up to 36 feet with a temperature-resistant (as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit) seal and hydrophobic coating on the touchscreen.
- It comes with the DJI Osmo Action, camera frame, curved adhesive mount, flat adhesive mount, locking screw, battery case, battery, and USB-C cable.
What Customers Say
Customers love this best camera for YouTube because it is known as one of the best action cameras on the market. You’ll get a lot of use out of this camera, and it will continue to get better as firmware updates come out.
Sony Alpha a6400 Mirrorless Camera
This best camera for YouTube is the Sony Alpha a6400 mirrorless camera. Being an advanced APS-C camera, it has a 24.2 MP Exmor CMOS sensor and the world’s fastest AF speed at .02 seconds.
Features & Specifications
- This camera comes with advanced real-time eye AF and real-time object tracking AF.
- There’s also a wide 425-phase contrast detections. The AD points over 84% of the sensor and up to 11 fps continuous shooting.
- It comes with continuous autofocus and auto-exposure, 4K HDR video.
- You get a 180-degree tiltable touchscreen LCD.
- Wirelessly transfer files easily with remote control. Micro USB cable included.
What Customers Say
Customers like you love this best camera for YouTube for traveling. Throw the camera in your bag and carry it around all day with ease. Go hiking with it, or explore a big city. The options are endless when you decide to purchase this camera.
Sony ZV-1
This best camera for YouTube is the Sony ZV-1. Create video and vlog content easily. The Sont ZV-1 was made specifically to help you create inspirational content.
Features & Specifications
- The camera is 20.1MP stacked back illuminated with a 1 inch Exmor RS CMOS sensor with DRAM.
- It includes a large aperture 24-70mm F1.8-2.8 ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T lens.
- The camera comes with fast hybrid AF, real-time AF tracking, and real-time eye AF3.
- The camera easily allows you to switch quickly between two modes including defocused background bokeh.
- Focus from face to object with its product showcase setting transitions.
- With Face Priority AE, you get faces that are bright when shooting in darker, dim, or backlit conditions.
- Comes with a rechargeable battery pack, wind screen, micro USB cable, strap, and wind screen adaptor.
What Customers Say
Customers like you love this best camera for YouTube for beginning their adventures in filming videos. Customers like you also love discovering all the amazing features while using the camera as they begin their hobby.
Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Camera
The next honorable mention for the best camera for YouTube is the Sony Alpha a6000 mirrorless camera. This camera, much like the earlier Sony Alpha, is made to inspire you to create lovely YouTube videos.
Features & Specifications
- This camera is lightweight, so you get to take photos in action.
- Capture fast and candid shots in an instant while out on your adventures.
- The new 24.3 megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor creates amazing enlargements and details. 179 AF points and 11 FPS.
- Select the right shooting mode and camera settings with two easy-to-use dials on the rear-mounted control wheel.
- The bundle includes the camera with a 16-50mm OSS lens, 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 PSS E-mount lens,, a 40.5mm 3-piece UC, CPL, FLD filter kit, a 128 GB memory card, DSLR accessory kit, HDMI to micro HDMI cable, battery and dual charger pack, the Corel photo, video, and art suite version 3.0, and a 12-inch spider tripod.
- Record full HD videos in 1080/23/60P. The ISO range is 100-25600 for low-light photos.
- Share photos in an instant with a tablet or smartphone via Wi-Fi and NFC.
- Comes with a USA manufacturer’s warranty.
What Customers Say
Customers love this pick for the best camera for YouTube because it’s such a value bundle. Beginners and intermediate users like you can get so much out of having all the capabilities and accessories to create beautiful videos.
Panasonic Lumix GH5 4K Digital Camera
The next best camera for YouTube is the Panasonic Lumix GH5 4K digital camera. This is a professional camera to capture brilliant videos and photos.
Features & Specifications
- The 20.3 megapixels micro 4/3 sensor with no low pass filter allows you to capture the sharpest of images with a dynamic range.
- The design is splash-proof and freezeproof to 10 degrees. That’s because it’s made of a durable magnesium alloy body. It’s able to withstand rugged use and the weather sealing keeps everything intact.
- The 5-axis dual image stabilizer corrects lenses including classic lenses.
- O.I.S. eliminates blur and camera shake for stills and videos.
- Capture beautiful 4K videos with the 4K 60P/50P and with internal 4:2:2 10 bit.
- Record up to 60FPS with the 6K photo and 4K post focus.
- Includes a 3.5mm audio port to connect devices with USB 3.0. It also includes an external monitor and external recorder with a full-size HDMI port with twin SD card slots.
What Customers Say
Customers like you love this best camera for YouTube because it’s a life-changer. You will love the way it stabilizes videos and photos for excellent filming. You will also love having a dual card slot handy for a long day of filming videos.
Canon EOS 90D
The next best camera for YouTube is a great value, especially for beginners. The EOS 90D camera helps you capture high-speeds, like at sports events.
Features & Specifications
- The camera has a 32.5 megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor, a powerful DIGIC 8 image processor, and records videos at 4K and 30p for the most stunning photos and videos.
- The sensor’s design is light-capturing for clear and high-res images.
- Get fast continuous shooting.
- With a 45-point all cross-type AF system, you get fast and precise focus on a whim.
- With the dual pixel CMOS AF and eye-detection AF you get fast and accurate autofocus that is natural and clear.
- The camera comes with two multi-controller buttons on the back of the camera so you can control functions quickly even while shooting.
What Customers Say
It is too early to tell just yet but this seems to be shaping up to be what I was looking for birding, nature and macro photography.
It may also become my travel camera as well since it is not very heavy and with two EF-S lenses it does not take that much space in the backpack.
October 2019 update:
As of now only Canon DPP recongnizes RAW images (had to be upgraded) but I suppose this will change soon enough.
This is okay for now but I hope DxO Photo Lab will add it to their camera lineup soon.
Still happy with the camera. Big upgrade from 70D for birding.
Canon EOS M50
Our next best camera for YouTube is the Canon EOS M50 mirrorless vlogging camera kit. Made for an aspiring, novice, and intermediate vloggers, this camera kit is a perfect value.
Features & Specifications
- The camera comes with a dual pixel CMOS AF. This gives you fast and accurate autofocus to get shots as they happen.
- Get brilliant color, details, and range with the 241 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and DIGIC 8 image processor.
- Get a high and low angle shooting with the vari-angle touchscreen LCD with a flexible tilt range.
- Get every detail while shooting with the built-in high-res electronic viewfinder.
- Comes with an EOS utility webcam beta software.
- Shoot 4K UHD 24p for a cinematic look. Also, shoot in full 1080p for smooth slow-motion with high-speed 120p in HD.
What Customers Say
Customers like you love this best camera for YouTube because it is lightweight and has a high build quality. The quality of this camera is amazing; get punchy colors in JPEG and videos with this kit.
Canon EOS M6 Mark II
This best camera for YouTube is the Canon EOS M6 Mark II mirrorless digital compact camera and kit. Get a compact mirrorless camera design that gives you high-quality optics.
Features & Specifications
- The camera has a 32.5 megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor and a DIGIC 8 image processor.
- Get high-speed shooting and high-quality features that give you sharp and creative videos and photos.
- Get the most detailed, sharp, and inspiring photos and videos from this camera. The 32.5 megapixels and CMOS sensor give you high-res images, even in low light.
- The dual pixel CMOS AF comes with face tracking and eye autofocus for the fastest autofocus. Record 4K video for a cinematic experience.
What Customers Say
Customers like you love the ability of this best camera for YouTube to take macro photography professionally. Get highly detailed videos that show everything being high-resolution.
Sony a7 III
Next on our list of best cameras for YouTube is the Sony a7 III. With an advanced 24.2MP BSI full-frame image sensor, this camera is top-of-the-line for photographers looking to make the leap to YouTube.
Features & Specifications
- Features a 1.8x readout speed and advanced 24.2MP back-illuminated 35mm full-frame image sensor.
- This camera is compatible with Sony E mount lenses.
- Has a 15 stop dynamic range and 14 bit uncompressed raw.
- ISO 50 to 204,800.
- Bluetooth connectivity (iOS and Android 4.0 or later).
- Silent up to 10fps.
- Mechanical shutter and AE/AF tracking.
- Battery life up to about 610 shots from the viewfinder and 710 shots on the LCD monitor.
- 200 minutes of battery life for video.
- Includes phase detection of 692, 93% image coverage 425 contrast AF points.
- The focus sensor is an Exmor R CMOS sensor
What Customers Say
According to customers, this best camera for YouTube does the job when it comes to in-body stabilization, AKA SteadyShot. Legacy and non-stabilized lenses will work perfectly well and not shake. For a basic model, you get an advanced camera for YouTube.
Panasonic Lumix G9 4K
The next best camera for YouTube is the Panasonic Lumix G9 4K camera. It’s a 20.3 megapixel and is also a high-resolution Jpeg/RAW in-camera image.
Features & Specifications
- You get a micro four-thirds sensor including no low-pass filter so you can capture sharp images with confidence.
- Sharp images with a high-dynamic range and an artifact-free performance are possible with this camera.
- The body of the camera is made of durable magnesium allow and can withstand a lot of wear and tear.
- The dial and button are constructed to be splash and dustproof.
- The camera is freeze-proof at temperatures as low as -10 degrees.
- Dual image stabilization on this camera is a leader in its class. The 5-axis dual image stabilization will correct any lens including classic lenses.
- Blur including body and lens shaking are eliminated with OIS during shooting stills and 4K video recording.
- Features 4K 60P video, 4:2:3 10 bit, and slow-motion effects.
- Features 4K 60P recording and 10bit high-speed video recording and slow-motion effect as well as full HD.
- Connect headphones through a 35mm audio port.
- Comes with a USB 3.0 to connect with external monitors and external monitors with a full-size port and twin SD card slots.
What Customers Say
Customers like you love this best camera for YouTube because the body is small enough to take on adventures and pull out to record YouTube videos. The great design and OLED make this camera well worth getting for recording YouTube videos.
What Cameras Do YouTubers Use?
YouTubers use all kinds of cameras, from DSLRs to GoPro cameras. The best cameras for YouTube on this list are some of the same cameras that YouTubers use for their videos.
The Sony RX100 VII premium compact camera is an example of a high-quality camera that a YouTuber might use. The best choice for you may not be the choice of someone else, but what it boils down to is choosing what you prefer best and at the right budget.
For instance, if you are an adventurer, you might choose a GoPro over something that can break while out on rugged terrains. Think about your lifestyle before deciding on what’s best for you.
What’s the Best Affordable Camera for YouTube?
The best affordable camera you could use for making videos on YouTube is the GoPro HERO7. With so many great features at an affordable price tag, it’s really a no-brainer.
When you’re considering affordable options for cameras, it’s best to think of the camera’s lifetime value.
How long will the camera last? What kind of adventures will you be filming? How many years do you expect to get out of your camera? Does the affordable camera give you the quality you’re looking for?
Do You Need a Good Camera for YouTube?
You need a good camera for YouTube because you need something to work with your content. If you’re a beauty blogger you might need something best for selfies or close-ups. If you’re an extreme sports enthusiast, you might need something that can withstand the elements.
If you plan on shooting lots of videos you will also need a good camera. Choosing a long-lasting camera that has all the qualities you need for your content is key.