Top 5 Best Camcorders for YouTube Vlogging in 2024

Ever since I started recording videos for YouTube, I never liked camcorders.

But they can still be a good option. In fact, one of the biggest YouTubers—PewDiePie—has been using camcorders since he started.

So who am I to judge? I will explain briefly the reasons why I don’t like them in this post. But I will also give you some of the best camcorders you can get this year if you still want to go for them.

Now let’s start.

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Top 5 Camcorders for YouTube

CameraWeightResolutionPrice / Our Rating
Canon G50
Canon VIXIA HF G50 4K30P Camcorder, Black
1.25 lb4kp30 $1,294.00
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Canon VIXIA HF R80
Canon VIXIA HF R80 Portable Video Camera Camcorder with Built-in Wi-fi, Full HD CMOS Sensor, 3.0-inch Touch Panel LCD, Digic DV 4, and 57x Advanced Zoom, Black, Approx. 8.5 oz Body Only
1.3 lb1080p60 Price not available
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Panasonic HC-V770
Panasonic Full HD Video Camera Camcorder HC-V770, 20X Optical Zoom, 1/2.3-Inch BSI Sensor, HDR Capture, Wi-Fi Smartphone Multi Scene Video Recording (Black)
1.65lb1080p60 *4k optional* $319.97
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Canon VIXIA HF G21
Canon VIXIA HF G21 Full HD Camcorder
1.98 lb1080p60 Price not available
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Canon XA15
Canon XA15 Professional Camcorder, Black
1.7lb1080p60 $1,798.00
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Is a Camcorder Good for YouTube Vlogging?

Camcorders are made for video recording, so they come with the whole package for a good price:

  • Good size and weight
  • External microphone port
  • Optical image stabilization
  • Flip screen

“Then, why don’t you like them, Will?”

See, my biggest problem with them is that they have such a tiny sensor.

This makes them lose a lot of image quality in low-light conditions.

You need to be in control of your lighting if you want to record with them.

This is not a problem if you have a lighting studio at home, which is pretty cheap and easy to set up.

However, if you need to take your camera out, you better not record indoors or at night because the results will be awful.

When you’re recording your day, you never know when you’re going to end up recording in low-light environments, and that’s a problem camcorders face.

If you still like the idea of getting a camcorder for vlogging, let’s see what good options are there right now. If you would prefer to look at other kinds of cameras instead, this top list of the best types of cameras for vlogging will help you.

1) Canon VIXIA HF G50

Canon VIXIA HF G50 4K30P Camcorder, Black

The Good

  • Can record 4k video
  • 2.4 hours of recording in a charge
  • XLR audio inputs with manual controls

The Bad

  • You can good a good mirrorless for the same price
  • Not the best camera for low light

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If you’re looking to step up your video game by upgrading to a professional-quality camcorder, the Canon VIXIA HF G50 is a great camera to invest your hard-earned money in.

Camcorders’ relatively smaller image sensors may not be as powerful as those of DSLRs or mirrorless cameras but the G50’s CMOS Pro Image Sensor can give you ultra-sharp and highly detailed 4k video quality that will take your vlogs to a new level.

You’d think that being one of the few camcorders able to record in 4k, it would be bulky and difficult to carry. But the exact opposite is true. It’s one of the lightest cameras on this list.

It also offers versatility for you artistic videographers out there. Aside from the ability to shoot full HD at 1920×1080, it has a native 60p recording option that allows you to record slow-motion video.

It further proves itself to be one of the best camcorders for making Youtube videos with its amazing built-in optical image stabilization system. With various image stabilization options, it produces footage with less motion blur and distortion-free videos even when you’re shooting handheld.

2) Best Camcorder for YouTube Beginners: Canon VIXIA HF R80

Canon VIXIA HF R80 Portable Video Camera Camcorder with Built-in Wi-fi, Full HD CMOS Sensor, 3.0-inch Touch Panel LCD, Digic DV 4, and 57x Advanced Zoom, Black, Approx. 8.5 oz Body Only

The Good

  • High image quality for a cheap price
  • Really small and luggable

The Bad

  • Extra cost for WiFi and internal memory
  • Bad low-light performance

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I’m featuring here the Canon VIXIA HFR80 because it is the best camcorder for youtube beginners since it offers a really nice balance between quality and price.

The Canon VIXIA HF R lineup has been the best vlogging camera family for years. This year’s model, the HF R800, still comes as a great deal. It offers everything a YouTube vlogger needs: it records 1080p video at 60fps (35Mbps), its battery lasts longer than any other camera within the price range, and it has a fully articulating screen and external microphone input.

The HF R800 comes in three versions: the R800, R80, and R82. These are ordered from the cheapest to the most expensive version. I’m featuring the R80 in this article because it comes with wireless (Wi-Fi and NFC) and 16GB internal storage without much price difference from the base model.

However, you can get the HF R800 if you want a cheaper version without a wireless connection and internal memory.

Here’s an overview of each model:

So, basically you can choose between the optional features you like the most.

Note that all of them record directly to mp4 at 35Mbps, which is an easier format to edit with really good quality.

I’d say this is the safest bet for your wallet. You can get it now and keep it for when you upgrade to a much more expensive camera.

It’s still very useful for outdoor recording.

Just avoid a cheap camcorder like this if you need to record a lot indoors or during the night—although I’d say avoid a camcorder if you need to take your camera to indoors without proper lighting.

3) Panasonic HC-V770 – Best Image Quality for a Good Price

Panasonic Full HD Video Camera Camcorder HC-V770, 20X Optical Zoom, 1/2.3-Inch BSI Sensor, HDR Capture, Wi-Fi Smartphone Multi Scene Video Recording (Black)

The Good

  • Available 4k version
  • High bitrate recording
  • Small and lightweight
  • Slow-motion recording 120 fps

The Bad

  • Menu, UI and navigation could be improved
  • Low battery life

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The Panasonic HC-V770 is also a good filming camera for YouTube vlogging because of its good price and high bitrate recording.

Also, to this date, it is one of the very few camcorders that offer 4k recording. Although this is only optional.

You will notice that it is more expensive than the Canon HF R80, but the 1080p video is recorded at a higher bitrate (50 mbps instead of 35 mbps). This means much higher quality video.

In fact, there’s no other camera on this list that can record better video quality. Fun fact is that this one is not even the most expensive one.

It can also go up to 120 fps so you can record real slow-motion video with it.

It still shows good low-light performance for its price; recording indoors shows a lot less noise. This is due to its nice 1x 6.03 Megapixel 1/2.3″ MOS sensor.

This camera is the best choice for the money if you can spend more than what the Canon VIXIA HF R80 costs.

Finally, these are all its most interesting features for YouTube vlogging:

If you want to hear a bad side, the battery life is probably the main problem, as it only allows up to 1 hour of recording on a single charge.

It is still a camcorder, so it’s not as good for low light as APS-C DSLR and mirrorless cameras, but it is one of the top choices if you want a camcorder.

4) Canon VIXIA HF G21

Canon VIXIA HF G21 Full HD Camcorder

The Good

  • Fully manual mode
  • Good in low light for a camcorder

The Bad

  • Expensive for a camcorder

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This camera is the most expensive one on this list, but it’s the only semi-professional camera.

It is the best handycam for YouTube videos if you want to start recording like a professional; this is because the Canon VIXIA HF G21 has great image quality in good lighting conditions, but it also performs decently for a camcorder in low light.

It still has a smaller sensor than a DSLR, but it has a full manual mode and a luminous lens.

It’s an entry-level professional camera that offers *almost* the best quality you can get with a camcorder (sadly, the next step is really far away in price, and it’s probably only recommended for professional broadcasting).

The thing is that with this camera you can set manually aperture, exposure, focus, and more. If you know about cameras, you’ll understand the advantage of being able to set the camera however you want it to record.

This is what professional YouTubers like about this camera.

But besides this, you also get 1080p60 video recorded at 35mbps in mp4, around 2 hours of recording in a single charge and wireless connection.

In conclusion, this camera is one for indie filmmakers and serious YouTubers. This is why you will see this camera (and the G20) being used by many YouTubers, especially for tech channels and product reviews.

5) Canon XA15 – The Serious Youtuber Camera

Canon XA15 Professional Camcorder, Black

The Good

  • HD/SD-SDI output, XLR input and manual controls
  • 2.4 hours of recording in a charge
  • Can record 1080p24 video

The Bad

  • Expensive
  • Not the best camera for low light

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Being launched together with the XA11 as part of Canon’s XA line of compact professional camcorders, the Canon XA15 shares a lot of features with the XA11.

The Canon XA11 is similarly equipped with the same 1/2.84-inch, 2.9-megapixel HD CMOS Pro Image Sensor, the same improved low-light features, and optical image stabilization options.

But the main difference between the two is that the Canon XA35 is equipped with an HD/SD-SDI output which is used to directly connect the camcorder to other professional video devices. This feature is primarily targeted at news media producers but will also be useful for any professional videographers out there.

The Canon XA15 also allows you to record uncompressed video footage if you want to ensure only high-quality video output.

One downside of getting the Canon XA15 though is its expensive price. Despite being almost identical to the XA11, the XA15 retails for about half a thousand dollars more. And of course, being a professional camcorder the XA15 falls into the same size and weight pitfall as the XA11 making it not so ideal for on-the-go adventure vloggers.