One of the things a successful Vlogger needs, besides awesome ideas and a mastery of the techniques involved, is a really good camera. But where does one start?
As Canon has such a good lineup of cameras, I have rounded up some of the best Canon Vlogging cameras, so you too can benefit from them.
Canon vs Nikon vs Sony – Which is best?
I really try hard not to get involved in the brand wars that some video creators get excited about. That doesn’t mean, though, that I don’t have favorites. Because I do. As a public service to everyone reading this website, however, I try not to let my personal preferences get in the way of a valid review without prejudice.
All that behind us now, there is no doubt that there are some cameras that are better for certain videographers. Maybe it’s a personal preference, or a feature set, or a quality issue, but I think many preferences are for valid reasons.
For instance, entire message boards are filled with threads comparing Nikon vs Canon vs Sony. Other brands that gather avid proponents include Fuji, Panasonic, Pentax, and Olympus. For good reasons, too.
Besides their superb line of professional video cameras, many of Canon’s consumer model digital still cameras include full featured, high quality video recording.
How I found the best Canon Vlogging cameras
When looking at what cameras to use for Vlogging, I have some basic criteria to consider. These same points apply regardless of camera brand. Different cameras will fulfill these desires at different levels. Here are some basic things to check when shopping for the best Canon Vlogging cameras.
- Video Quality. Of primary importance for vlogging, since a vlog is a video blog. Not every digital camera with high quality imaging systems are fully capable of high quality video recording. Some cameras are actually deliberately limited in regards to video recording. So, the best Canon vlogging cameras will be those that have full video recording quality enabled.
- Lens. If it’s a built in lens, the lens range and f-stop need to enough to cover everything we’re needing from it. Alternatively, if the lens is limited in range, it could be because of the choice to optimize it for extremely high resolution for the best quality images. This is acceptable also, but it is a choice to seriously consider, whether to opt for range and versatility or for higher quality imaging. Interchangeable lenses opens up a wide range of options.
- Sensor. Sensor size can be sometimes be more important than how many MP it has. Generally speaking, a larger sensor offers more quality overall. But, there are compromises to consider. Larger sensor size can also mean a larger camera. Getting the highest resolution for whatever sensor size is a good goal.
- Viewscreen. For video recording, a clear and easy to see view screen is essential. Having the ability to flip out in one direction or the other is a great additional feature. Being able to fold out the view screen allows for comfortable video recording.
- Portability. There is actually a thing, in my opinion anyways, as being too small. The best Canon vlogging cameras have achieved a balance of being the right size for the intended job. Not too big and not too small.
- Battery Life. Video recording, using the view screen, and just basic operating for minutes on end uses a lot of power. An efficient use of battery power makes the best Canon vlogging cameras advantageous for long term vlogging.
- Price Value. I will say up front that Canon is not a brand known for being the least expensive models on the market. They are almost always an excellent value compared to other cameras either of the same price range or feature set.
Top 5 Best Canon Vlogging Cameras!
1. Canon EOS Rebel T6 Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm EF-S f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens
Canon’s Rebel T6 is an APS-C size sensor DSLR that has interchangeable lenses and a full range of features for video recording. This model comes in at my number one spot as it ticks all of the above mentioned criteria and is friendly on the wallet
One of the first things to say about this camera is the fact that it is a DSLR with interchangeable lenses. It most usually comes with a kit lens, the 18-55mm lens. This lens covers a range from moderate wide angle, through normal, to a very modest telephoto, and it also has close focusing ability. Lens quality is very good.
Some snobby videographers tend to sneer at kit lenses, but I love them. Let me tell you why. The sneering tends to come from the fact that kit lenses are manufactured to be cost effective as a lens to include with the camera, hence the “kit” designation.
So, they are often made with a lot of polycarbonate resin barrels and other parts. I don’t know of any current kit lenses that use plastics in the optics, but even if there were plastic lens elements. Today’s design and manufacturing techniques would render a very high quality product.
As for the Image sensor, it is quite large for a 18 MP APS-C sized. For my videos, I got great video quality which I was proud to upload to YouTube. The highest definition you can get is 1080P which is the standard for YouTube in 2018. Low light performance with the APS-C sized sensor is also phenomenal.
When it comes to the display screen, there is a 3″ LCD screen on this camera, but it is fixed, no swing out or tilt. As for the downsides of this camera, this would have to be the only one I came across. But I could live with out it considering the great price.
Overall I was very pleased with using this Canon EOS Rebel T6. This is easily one of Canons best entry level camera for video creators that ticks a lot of the boxes. There is also the option to add a battery grip and external microphone for ultimate video domination. Highly recommended!
2. Canon EOS M50 Mirrorless Camera Kit w/EF-M15-45mm and 4K Video
Vloggers wanting even higher quality will enjoy this mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (ILC) since it is capable of true 4K video. An 24.1MP APS-C sized sensor combined with 4K video means that video will have some of the highest quality video available. It is more expensive than the T6, but for those wanting or needing the increased quality, it’s not much more.
This EOS M50 camera features a variable angle touchscreen LCD, which has a flexible tilt range ideal for high-angle and low-angle shooting. Tap the screen during Live View and the EOS M50 will quickly lock focus to that location in the image.
Touch gestures can be used for zooming in or swiping through videos you’ve taken, and easily accessing menu and quick control settings. Any Vloggers used to a smartphone for their videos will find these features familiar. Making the learning curve for this camera rather shallow.
This Canon EOS M50 also has a very good electronic viewfinder (EVF) that can be used in still or video modes. Battery life is better than using a DSLR in video mode, but it still goes through a full charge in a short time (2-3 hours). The batteries are small and inexpensive, so that problem is easily remedied.
As for the quibbles with this camera, I only one. Being mirrorless, the lenses for DSLR cameras require an adapter. Not an issue if this is your first ILC type of camera. But Vloggers or photographers with an array of lenses already will have to use an adapter if wanting to use any of those EF lenses. Nonetheless, EF-M lenses are superb lenses and are small and lightweight.
Overall this is a great camera that I would highly recommend for those who are after great video quality in a compact device. Cant go wrong with this one!
3. Canon EOS 80D Video Creator Kit
How much image quality do you need? Because the Canon EOS 80D DSLR is one of the best APS-C sensor DSLRs around, in terms of absolute image quality. It’s 24.2MP and DIGIC 6 processor captures stunning footage and is a goto Vlogging camera for creators such as Casey Neistat and David Dobrik.
Included in this kit is a 18-135mm lens which is a very nice zoom range for an APS-C camera. At 135mm, we are pretty far into the telephoto end of zoom lenses, while 18mm is a very respectable amount of wide angle. While Vlogging, I was almost always using a focal length between 18mm-24mm.
As for the aperture of the lens, it is variable between f/3.5-5.6. While its not the widest aperture available. It still is great for low light recording.
When it came to the battery life for my Canon EOS 80D, I was receiving about 3-4 hours of constant use. This included doing a few time lapses, photos and of course video recording. However I would recommend getting extra batteries as it sucks when you run out of juice towards the end of a video!
Surprisingly, there is no 4K video mode, but with the superb image sensor and processor, coupled with the focus precision and enhanced audio quality, I didn’t seem to miss it too much. Price, size, and weight are all up with this model, reflecting the intended prosumer level of use intended.
Sound quality and focusing precision are also enhanced in this kit. One item is the RODE VideoMic Go auxiliary microphone. The VideoMic GO is a lightweight, easy to use directional microphone that picks up clear audio in front of it. Reducing surrounding sound and isolating your subject from background noise. Also the built-in shock mount reduces noise from handling and a foam windshield reduces wind noise.
Secondly is the PZ-E1 power zoom adapter. The PZ-E1 opens creative opportunities for both video creators and photographers by enabling easy, smooth zooming to quietly capture the subject. It is a specific item only for this with the 18-135mm kit lens. Virtually eliminating zoom noise enhances the video end result.
Wrapping it up, this Canon EOS 80D is easily one of the best Canon Vlogging cameras on the market at the moment. Canon took everything for the 70D, and you guessed it, made it better! While this camera is not cheap, it certainly delivers in almost every way!
4. Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II Digital Camera w/1 Inch Sensor and tilt LCD screen
Coming back down in size and weight is this Point and Shoot style camera with a built in 4.2x zoom lens. It may be designed in the P&S compact camera style, but this camera delivers a lot of bang for that size.
As for the lens, it is a 24-100mm lens with a large aperture of f/1.8 which is unreal! This came in very handy of bokeh and shallow depth of field shots. Image stabilization is also part of the feature set combined with continuous auto focus which makes this camera a delight to record with.
A 20.1MP 1” sensor, coupled with the marvelous built in lens allows for imaging and Vlogging in very low light levels while still delivering awesome results. A multi angle touch control viewscreen rounds out a full feature set, making this one of the most versatile small cameras available.
It’s definitely not cheap, and I wish it had a little more zoom range. But I really enjoyed using this compact camera for both still photography and videography.
5. Canon PowerShot SX620 Digital Camera w/25x Optical Zoom
This 20.1MP compact point and shoot camera is the smallest and least expensive camera on my list of best Canon Vlogging cameras. Besides the small size and very reasonable price, anyone stepping up from smartphone videography will be very pleased with the 25x built in zoom lens.
Its lens isn’t very fast, but low light performance is still very good with this tiny camera.
Viewscreen is fixed, but very large and bright to see in full outdoor sunlight. Other features that will make smart phone videographers feel good about stepping up is NFC and Wi-Fi- connectivity.
Detected scenes are analyzed using predefined shooting situations (32 predefined shooting situations for still images, and 21 predefined shooting situations for videos). The camera then makes optimal settings to help facilitate incredible image capture, whether you’re shooting stills or video. All you have to do is frame your shot and go.
Conclusion
Canon makes great dual use cameras. The cameras in this review will capture stunning images, as well as delivering high video for vloggers and other videographers. For now anyways, these are the best Canon cameras for vlogging. If you would like to learn more about Canon products. You can check out my list on some great Canon lenses here.
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