Mirrorless cameras are basically compact cameras that can record high-quality video just as well as a DSLR even in low light.
As a vlogger, even though I always appreciate the portability of a point-and-shoot, mirrorless is my go-to choice. They just hit that sweet spot between lightweight and image quality.
Thankfully, the market is not like it was when I started. Now there are many good choices for vloggers, so I’ve compiled a list of what I believe are the best ones you can choose this year. Let’s see.
Table of Contents
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Editor’s Picks
Preview | Product | Price | |
---|---|---|---|
|
Canon EOS M50 Mark II Body Black | $599.99 $489.99 | Check on Amazon |
|
Sony NEW Alpha 7S III Full-frame Interchangeable Lens Mirrorless Camera | $3,498.00 | Check on Amazon |
|
Sony Alpha ZV-E10 - APS-C Interchangeable Lens Mirrorless Vlog Camera Kit - Black |
$799.99
$698.00 |
Check on Amazon |
|
Panasonic LUMIX G100 4k Mirrorless Camera for Photo and Video, Built-in Microphone with Tracking,... |
$749.99
$497.97 |
Check on Amazon |
1) Canon EOS M50 Mark II – Best for All Budgets
The Good
- 4k recording
- Latest vlog camera
- Lots of vlog-friendly features
The Bad
- Cropped 4k recording
- Relatively short battery life
- No IS
This is the second of the M-series line of Canon mirrorless cameras to have a fully articulating LCD touchscreen and the first one to use the company’s new DIGIC 8 processor.
This upgrade allows the M50 Mark II to have a better and faster autofocusing system which covers a significantly wider area than other Canon cameras like the M6. For reference, the latter has only 99 AF points while the M50 has 143 AF points.
This camera truly has it all for vlogging: flip-out screen, external mic port, APS-C sensor—which is the same size DSLRs use— and it’s light and easy to carry around.
Of course, there’s also the fact that the Canon EOS M50 Mark II is the first M-series camera to have the capability to shoot 4K at 24/25p which is already a great deal considering its relatively affordable price point.
Just be warned that 4K shooting with the M50 Mark II entails an added crop factor further decreasing its field of view. This means that it’s not the best for 4k recording.
Another thing to take into account is that it lacks image stabilization. However, this seems to be the norm with Canon cameras because most of their lenses already come with optical stabilization.
This seems to be Canon’s approach: making their cameras lighter and smaller and have stabilization in the lens. But this isn’t the best approach for vloggers. We need the in-body stabilization because it’s simply better. We move way more than most filmmakers, so we need the extra stabilization.
Still, this is a good camera for vlogging. It won’t have the best stabilization you can find, but its autofocus is one of the most reliable out there and it’s so easy to carry with you.
Recommended lens: 15-45mm kit lens
Recommended SD card: Lexar Professional 633x 128GB SDXC UHS-I Card
2) Sony a7S III
The Good
- Amazing for low light (Full-frame sensor)
- Stunning 4k video at 120p
- Great image stabilization
- External mic input and flip screen
The Bad
- Expensive
- Heavier than most Mirrorless cameras
The Sony a7S III is everything a mirrorless made for shooting video should be, and that’s why we call it the King of Mirrorless.
It’s —almost— perfect for vlogging. The only downside is the weight. It’s not the heaviest mirrorless, but it’s far from being a lightweight camera with its 699g (1.54 lbs).
This is due to its massive full-frame sensor. It’s one of the lightest cameras of this type out there.
The full-frame sensor can achieve absolutely stunning videos. It makes it possible to achieve a really strong and beautiful Bokeh effect —the blurry background— that everyone loves. And no matter what the lighting situation is, you’ll end up with a useful video.
It can record 4k video up to 120 fps, which allows you to record super slow-motion videos in 4k.
Image stabilization is one of the most impressive features. It has an in-body 5-axis IS that can be combined with certain Sony lenses to achieve the smoothest video. This level of stabilization can only be achieved by other cameras with a gimbal.
The downside? As we said, it’s not the lightest and most comfortable camera to carry around. And, of course, it’s not cheap at all. For most vloggers, this is definitely an overkill. But if you have the budget, this camera is just the best mirrorless for video out there.
Recommended lens to get: 28-70mm f/3.5-f/5.6
Recommended SD card: SanDisk 128GB SDXC Extreme Pro
3) Sony Alpha ZV-E10
The Good
- Top quality 4k for a fair price
- Great continuous autofocus
- Flip Screen
- Hot-shoe and mic port
The Bad
- No in-body stabilization
After releasing one of the best vlogging cameras in history, the ZV-1, Sony decided they had a good enough response to justify making a mirrorless version of the same camera.
In my opinion, it’s not quite as good, but it does have its own advantage: a much larger sensor for low-light recording, a more intense Bokeh effect, and interchangeable lenses.
The main reason why I don’t think it’s better it’s because it lacks the in-body stabilization that we need so much. Instead, they gave us electronic stabilization, which adds a crop to the image that nobody likes.
Thankfully, Sony has arguably the most reliable autofocus system out of all brands. Also, the built-in mic is good enough to record without needing an external mic — although you still have the option to use one.
Besides this, Sony has included some vlogger-friendly features like an easy background blur control button to activate the Bokeh effect we all love.
If it weren’t for the lack of in-body stabilization, this would be my favorite vlogging mirrorless camera.
4) Panasonic G100
The Good
- Made for video (mic. port, flip screen, hot shoe)
- 4k recording
- Affordable and really small size
The Bad
- Not the best for low light (micro four-thirds sensor)
- No IBIS
Similar to Sony, Panasonic has recently started releasing vlogging-friendly mirrorless cameras. The Panasonic G100 is one of their first attempts to attack this market.
The best thing about the camera is the price. For less than $800, you can have a mirrorless that is almost as small as a point-and-shoot camera, and you can attach lenses to it.
However, I think Panasonic needs to work a bit more in getting to know vloggers and their needs. It’s not a bad camera, but the autofocus is not nearly as reliable as Sony’s and Canon’s eye-tracking and dual-pixel systems. Also, the camera also lacks in-body image stabilization.
Sometimes external mic port and the flip screen are not enough to be a good mirrorless for vlogging.
We still like it because of how small it is, but we’d rather go for another camera that has either stabilization (impossible at this price point), or more reliable autofocus.
Also, the 4k recording is welcome, but it’s almost unusable. If you want to vlog while walking around, you’ll need to use the electronic stabilization, which adds a huge crop when in 4k mode.
5) Panasonic GH5M2: The Most Complete Youtube Camera
The Good
- Made for video (mic. port, flip screen, hot-shoe)
- Best 4k/60 quality, can record in 6k anamorphic
- Excellent stabilization
The Bad
- Really heavy for a mirrorless
The GH5M2 is the handy jack of all trades. The problem is, that it’s quite heavy.
So if you want exclusively a camera that you can take out with you and record your day, this one probably isn’t the best option.
It has a flip-out touchscreen, all its controls are well-placed, and changing settings is extremely fast and easy.
It also captures beautiful image quality in 4k at 60fps and even in 6k anamorphic, something that makes the newest LUMIX cameras pretty unique and strong competitors.
In terms of dynamic range, it has little to envy the Sony, and its image stabilization is even better if you use the dual IS 2.0, which is compatible with a handful of lenses.
This allows the camera’s in-body and in-lens stabilization to work together to achieve smooth videos while moving. This is an awesome feature for vloggers. But even if you don’t have compatible lenses, you can still use the 5-axis image stabilization.
You can’t use this camera the same way you’d use the Sony. It is still useful at night, but the image quality is not nearly as clean, and it’s impossible to shoot in total darkness.
It features a Micro Four Thirds sensor, which cripples its capacities in low light. The sensor neither allows you to achieve a shallow depth of field as you would with an APS-C camera and let’s not say a full-frame. But this sensor is what allows these cameras to deliver such an outstanding quality (when in bright light) for this price.
Recommended lens: 12-60MM, F3.5-5.6 ASPH
Recommended SD card: SanDisk 128GB SDXC Extreme Pro
6) Panasonic G9 – Also Good for Photography
The Good
- Made for video (IS, mic port and flip screen) and tons of features
- 4kp60
- Great for both photo and video
The Bad
- A bit heavier than the rest (excluding the GH5)
The Panasonic Gh5 was considered the Panasonic king for video.
That was until November 2019, when Panasonic released a firmware update for its G9, and it made its focus incredibly reliable for video too.
Now we have two cameras that are basically just as good for video, but what’s better is that the Panasonic G9 is also amazing for photography.
If you don’t want a camera to use exclusively for video, and you feel a little artistic and want to also take amazing photographs, then the Panasonic G9 is a great choice.
This is the one I currently use for both my videos and photography, and I couldn’t be happier with it.
It can record 4kp60 video and has a slow-motion mode of up to 180fps.
It has also a burst mode for photography up to 60fps, which makes it really useful for action, and wild photography.
The autofocus tracking is also reliable. And in fact, it’s even good for sports and wild photography.
It’s also reliable for YouTube videos when you use the face detection mode.
The only downside is that it is a micro-four-thirds, so it’s not as good as an APS-C camera for low light, and the bokeh effect is a little harder to achieve.
But it has everything else that you need for video (Dual I.S., flip screen, mic and headphones jack, hot shoe…).
With 658g, it’s still heavier than what I like, especially for handheld recording, but it’s not as bad as the GH5.
For lighter options, the Sony a6400 might be better for you.
Recommended lens: 12-60MM, F3.5-5.6 ASPH
Recommended SD card: SanDisk 128GB SDXC Extreme Pro
7) Sony a6400
Sensor | APS-C |
---|---|
Image Quality | 2160p30 (4k) |
Weight | 403g (1.45 lb) |
Flip Screen | Yes |
External Mic Port | Yes |
Stabilization | No |
Price | $848.00 |
The Good
- Top 4k quality
- APS-C sensor
- Mic jack, IS, hot shoe
- Small and lightweight
The Bad
- No in-body stabilization
If I had to mention the main thing that this camera does better than its competitors here, is its continuous autofocus. It honestly has no other like it. If you want a reliable autofocus, this camera is the go-to for vloggers.
It is an APS-C sensor camera, so you will also get good low-light performance, although not as close as its full-frame cousin, the A7 III.
I should also mention that it is a lot cheaper than the cameras you’ve seen up until this point. And still, it can record crisp 4k video, although only up to 30fps. It can also record 1080p up to 120fps for slow motion.
The last thing you will love is that it is a lot lighter and smaller than the others. This is especially good if you have weak arms. It’s hard to carry a camera while recording vlogs for an entire day. The size of this Sony makes it a lot easier.
Still, it does have some downsides. It doesn’t have in-body image stabilization. Ouch! It would’ve been perfect if it did.
It isn’t a big deal, the problem is that you need to get a lens with optical stabilization if you want to record while walking around.
And of course, you won’t achieve an image as smooth as the previous cameras featured here, especially like the Panasonic cameras with Dual I.S.
But it is a really high-quality camera for the price, and it is as light as a mirrorless can get.
You just need to get the right lens if you want to take it out with you, but this won’t be a problem if you record on a tripod at home.
Recommended lens: 16-50mm Lens f/ 3.5-5.6
Recommended SD card: SanDisk 128GB SDXC Extreme Pro
8) Panasonic G7: Another Affordable Vlogging Mirrorless
The Good
- 4k video
- Flip screen, hot shoe, mic jack
- Good price
- Lightweight
The Bad
- No in-body image stabilization
- Smaller sensor (micro four-thirds), which makes it worse than others for low light and bokeh effect
I like to think of the Panasonic G7 as the budget version of the GH4 or GH5.
This is a camera that was made for video recording, like the other latest releases from Panasonic. It has everything you’d want in a vlogging camera that can record in 4k.
The only exception is the lack of image stabilization, but as an interchangeable lens camera, you can get a lens with OIS. The included kit lens has it installed.
It is lighter than the A6500 without a lens, even though it’s slightly bigger. It also features a hot-shoe mount that lets you use a shotgun microphone on it.
The autofocus feels a bit slow, but it does not do an excessive amount of hunting. It can’t be compared to the a6500’s autofocus, but we are talking about a camera that almost doubles its price.
Taking into account its price tag, this one is amazing for video blog recording. You can’t have a good interchangeable lens camera that can record 4k25p for cheaper than this.
And it’s extremely hard to find a camera that has all the features that make video recording easier for this price. Maybe the reason is its Micro Four Thirds sensor, which is not as big as Sony’s sensors, but they do a pretty good job at taking advantage of this by adding more features.
Recommended lens: 14-42mm kit lens
Recommended SD card: Sandisk Extreme Pro – Flash Memory Card – 64 GB – SDXC UHS-I
9) Panasonic G95
The Good
- 4kp30
- Flip screen
- Lightweight
- V-Log Profile for video
The Bad
- Smaller sensor (micro four-thirds), which makes it worse than others for low light and bokeh effect
This camera is similar to the Panasonic G9, including its price, but it has some key differences.
For starters, it isn’t as good for photography as the other model, and this allowed Panasonic to design it with a more compact and lighter body.
It also includes the V-Log profile that is only available for the G9 for an extra price.
This makes it obvious that this camera was made for video, unlike the G9.
If you’re not familiar with it, the V-Log profile allows for better colors in video mode if you know a bit about color grading.
On the other hand, the slow-motion is only up to 120fps, instead of 180fps.
Since this one is not for photography, it doesn’t include the 6k photo mode, no focus bracketing and other features (including fewer focus points), that make this a slightly less professional camera, but makes it more affordable and luggable for people that only want it for video.
Recommended lens: 12-60mm F3.5-5.6
Recommended SD card: Sandisk Extreme Pro – Flash Memory Card – 64 GB – SDXC UHS-I
Will has been a full-time content creator since 2014. He’s an audio, video, and tech hobbyist dedicated to reviewing products and giving you the best tips he knows to grow your audience.