Step Up Your Content Creation Game With The Best Vlogging Cameras

Max video resolution: 4K (at 120 fps) | Still image resolution: 9.4 megapixels | Weight: 6.3 ounces | Live streaming capability: No | Connectivity: USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Display size: 2-inch touchscreen

Best for: Enjoying a compact, sturdy camera that captures high-quality video footage.

Pros:

• Handy 1-inch sensor
• Swivel touchscreen helps capture more angles
• Solid battery life

Cons:

• Weak still photos
• Not waterproof

The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is a vloggers’ delight. It plays on the pain points of vlogging cameras—the feature-rich ones are too big to be carried everywhere and the small ones are often barebones—and combines the best of both worlds. For instance, it packs a 1-inch sensor, the same size as the Sony ZV-1 II camera, to get more natural blur and improved low-light performance.

The Osmo Pocket 3 is the best vlogging camera for people who work solo as it’s small and compact. With that large sensor and 4K video capture, not only do you get high-quality video, but you also get features like face tracking to rotate and tilt to follow you around during filming. You can shoot for up to two hours before it needs a recharge, too. The only drawback is that it isn’t very good for photos—and it’s not waterproof, so don’t take it surfing or swimming. However, it’s great for making YouTube or TikTok videos on the go, especially if you travel frequently.

What the reviews say: One Amazon customer says, “It was so easy to learn how to start using it. DJI has great videos that show you step-by-step tutorials on how to use it. The battery life is incredible and the quality is amazing for such a small camera.”

Max video resolution: 4K (at 60 fps) | Still image resolution: 20 megapixels | Weight: 2.8 ounces | Connectivity: USB-C, Wi-Fi | Display size: 2-inch touchscreen

Best for: Capturing extreme wide-angle 4K video using a tiny camera.

Pros:

• Affordable, especially compared to the competition
• Shoots 4K video (at 60 fps) and 20 megapixel still images
• Includes a handful of useful mounts and accessories

Cons:

• Sluggish operation and touchscreen

While the Akaso V50 Elite has many similarities to the latest GoPro Hero cameras, price is not one of them. It costs about 75% less than the most of the vlogging cameras on our list, but it can shoot up to 4K (at 60 fps) video. It’s also waterproof (down to 131 feet) and offers an 8x optical zoom. Advanced image stabilization and the ability to switch between a narrow, medium or wide field of view are among its other features. At Amazon, the camera includes a handful of useful mounts and accessories—two batteries, a waterproof case, 6 mounts and more—that cost a fortune elsewhere.

The camera itself measures just 2.4 x 1.6 x 1.2 inches and weighs a mere 2.8 ounces. You can control the Akaso V50 Elite via the camera’s rear touchscreen and onboard buttons, voice commands, or from your smartphone via a mobile app. If you need an action camera that’s as versatile as a GoPro action camera without the GoPro’s price, this is the perfect option.

What the reviews say: One Amazon customer says, “I like the fact that it is small and compact. the picture quality is great and the price is excellent.”

Max video resolution: 4K (at 30 fps) | Still image resolution: 20.1 megapixels | Weight: 10.3 ounces | Live streaming capability: Yes (Windows only) | Connectivity: USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Display size: 3.0-inch touchscreen

Best for: Advanced vloggers and content creators.

Pros:

• Excellent video-centric features
• Hot shoe mount for adding accessories

Cons:

• Not designed for action footage
• Expensive

The Sony ZV-1 II has the same same 1-inch, 20.1-megapixel sensor as its predecessor, but this new model offers plenty of additional improvements. It features a new 18-50mm (full-frame equivalent) f/1.8-4 lens, which gives you a wider perspective, making it the perfect walkabout point-and-shoot still camera or for use as a vlogging camera. Most of the vloggers want lightweight, portable and easy-to-use camera that produces high-quality footage, and the Sony ZV-1 II does exactly that.

It features a lightweight body, Sony’s Product Showcase and background blur features, plus a 2.7x optical zoom. The display can still point forward or backward, making it easy to frame your shots. You can still connect an external mic to the 3.5 mm jack but the built-in microphone is plenty good. The Sony ZV-1 II can also serve as a high-end webcam for live streaming. While this camera offers just about everything a vlogger could want—it’s not waterproof or designed to be used as an action camera. This model works well one-handed with Sony’s optional Bluetooth shooting grip.

What the reviews say: One Amazon customer says, “The audio is good enough to use without a mic. The low-light performance isn’t great, but is better than my old Canon T6 by a huge margin. It’s way smaller and lighter than most and results in very long run time on my DJI gimbal. The gimbal also connects to the camera and has no lag in remote commands.”

Max video resolution: 2.7K (at 30 fps) | Still image resolution: 6.6 megapixels | Weight: 1.2 ounces | Live streaming capability: No | Connectivity: Type-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Display size: 2.2-inch touchscreen

Best for: Having a go-anywhere modular camera build.

Pros:

• Good stabilization in 2.7K
• Flip screen on the Action Pod
• Magnetic mounting opens myriad of possibilities

Cons:

• Action Pod is not waterproof

Unlike traditional action cameras, the Insta360 Go 3 is a modular camera that can go anywhere. You can take out the camera module with a single press and attach it to anything that’s made of iron, thanks to the magnets. It’s great for point-of-view (PoV) shots, especially with the pendant accessory that comes with it. In fact, our tester, Prakhar Khanna, recorded some amazing footage while playing soccer and riding bikes.

The Insta360 Go 3 records sharp, vivid 2.7k footage, with extra room to play around with the colors in post-production within the Insta360 app. It can be attached to an Action Pod for a GoPro-like form factor with a screen with intuitive controls. It doubles as a charging unit, too. For those that need a wider field-of-view (FOV) it goes as high as 134 degrees. It’s limited to a 1440p resolution but it’s fine to crop in 9:6 or 1:1 for your Reels or TikToks.

What the writers say: Forbes Vetted contributor Prakhar Khanna tested the Insta360 Go 3 for a few weeks and says, “The Insta360 Go 3 can go anywhere, and since it’s magnetic, it can attach to a wide variety of accessories or random poles and benches in public (if you want to record yourself). I like shooting in the Freeframe video mode, which allows me to reframe the scene in post-production. It’s the best compact action camera that you can buy right now.”

Max video resolution: 4K (at 30 fps) | Still image resolution: 24.2 megapixels | Weight: 13.2 ounces | Live streaming capability: Yes | Connectivity: USB-C, micro-HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5 mm audio port | Display size: 3-inch touchscreen

Best for: Creating content with the option of having interchangeable lenses.

Pros:

• Shoots 4K video at up to 30fps
• Smallest, lightest and least expensive camera in Canon’s EOS R series
• Includes electronic viewfinder

Cons:

• No weather sealing
• Lacks built-in image stabilization

The Canon EOS R50 mirrorless camera has a compact body that works with Canon’s mirrorless RF-S lenses and can capture 24.2-megapixel still images and 4K 30 fps video. This versatile camera has 651 focus points, powered by the Digic X image processor and dual pixel CMOS AF II autofocus system. Besides offering a vertical movie mode—excellent for capturing content for TikToks—it has a close-up demo mode which is a must-have feature for content creators.

The camera is lightweight and slightly smaller than the Canon EOS M50 Mark II, which uses Canon’s EF-M lens mount. The R50 works in a wide range of lighting conditions and can record up to one hour of video at a time. You get added shooting flexibility over competing models thanks to both a 2.34 million dot electronic viewfinder and a vari-angle touchscreen LCD. Canon’s Advanced A+ Assist feature automatically adjusts the camera settings for you, to help you get the best shot every time. You can buy the R50 with the RF-S 15-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens (as priced here) or you can buy the body separately for use with your other Canon lenses (an optional adapter lets you use this camera with EF-mount lenses, too). The R50 lacks the weather sealing of Canon’s pricier EOS R8, though, and it doesn’t have image stabilization.

What the reviews say: One Amazon customer says, “I have been debating on getting a camera for a few months now but I finally caved because I wanted a good camera for my wedding trip and honeymoon. Let me tell you this camera did not disappoint! My husband and I both agree this has been our best investment of 2024. The quality of the photos is insane! It is also super easy to use, a great beginner camera!”

Max video resolution: 5.3K (at 60 fps) | Still image resolution: 27 megapixels | Weight: 5.5 ounces | Live streaming capability: Yes | Connectivity: USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Display size: 2.3-inch touchscreen (back), 1.4 color LCD (front)

Best for: Capturing extremely smooth action any setting—including underwater.

Pros:

• Can shoot at up to 5.3K (at 60 fps)
• Waterproof and extremely durable
• GP-Log support for 10-bit colors

Cons:

• Multiple batteries needed for long shoots

The GoPro Hero 12 Black is the best action vlogging camera you can buy to shoot all of your stunts. You can buy a Max Lens Mod 2.0 with a wider 177-degree FOV to add more dramatic feel to your content. The Hero 12 can record longer videos than before. During testing, it went up to 80 minutes (not consecutively) on a single charge while recording at 4K/60 fps. The improved battery life is a result of redesigned the power management system and dropped GPS support.

You can now also record 16:9 content without needing to rotate the camera with Vertical mode. However, our testing found it was better to shoot in a 8:7 ratio, which gave us more room to play around with the framing in post and crop it vertically or horizontally. While you can purchase the latest GoPro Hero 12 Black for $400, we recommend going with the Creator Edition that includes a bunch of GoPro accessories aimed at creators.

What the writers say: Khanna also tested the GoPro Hero 12 Black while adventuring, and says, “At around $400, the Hero 12 Black is an easy recommendation with the addition of plethora of new features including GP-Log, better HDR, Interval Photo feature—all of which allow you to be more creative. I also appreciated the presence of the waterproof and durable design, which helped me capture some incredible footage of life underwater on the Andaman Islands.”

Max video resolution: 8K (at 24 fps) | Still image resolution: 48 megapixels | Weight: 6.3 ounces | Live streaming capability: Yes | Connectivity: USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Display size: 2.4-inch touchscreen (back), 1.4 color LCD (front)

Best for: Shooting low light action shots.

Pros:

• Excellent video quality
• Flip-up screen
• Good battery life

Cons:

• It’s quite heavy

While GoPro Hero 12 Black gets our pick for the best vlogging action camera, the Insta360 Ace Pro isn’t far behind. In fact, it beats the GoPro in several situations, but the Hero 12 Black remains more mainstream with better thir