My Top 5 Compact Vlogger/Blogger Cameras
So back in 2014 I wrote a blog post about my Top 5 compact cameras for $1000 or less! This time around I'm going to talk to you guys about my top 5 compact blogger cameras for $1000 or less. As a blogger I look for 3 key elements in a camera:
- Good quality/low light capability.
- Flip screen for selfies and videos.
- Wi-Fi.
I'm going to first tell you guys what to look for in order to obtain good quality images/video and low light capability in a camera.
Image Quality:
The bigger the sensor size, the better your image quality will be. What is a sensor? A sensor is the chip that's inside the camera that records the data that makes up the image, the bigger the better is true in this case. Below is an image sensor chart that showcases the phone sensor all the way up to a full frame sensor which is what most professional photographer's use. Please relay back to this chart to see how big my top 5 camera's sensor size is in comparison to the phone. The resolution aka the Megapixels are not important unless you're printing, I wouldn't worry about a camera having 18MP vs 24MP because if you're posting these images online, chances are you will not note the difference.
Low light capability:
A lot of the times we find ourselves under very low light situations and we want our camera to be able to capture great images regardless of these low light circumstances. So be sure that the lens on the camera you're buying has a wide aperture aka a wide lens opening in order to allow more light to come in into the camera. The smaller the aperture number on the lens the bigger the lens opening will be therefore, better in lower light. Here is another chart to see how those smaller numbers on the lens (aperture) play an important role on how defocused your background (shallow depth of field) and great in low light it'll be:
Here we go:
This list goes from smallest compact camera to medium size camera (no big and bulky big options here, we have enough to carry).
If you have seen my YouTube videos and some of my higher quality selfies it was taken with this camera. Since I don't like to talk while recording this camera works fine for my needs, its small and compact and great for traveling. I usually record voiceovers for my videos, if you like to talk whilst vlogging chances are you need a mic jack input and this camera does not have it. The RX 100 III has stereo capabilities and it's definitely going to pick up more than just your voice while you are recording. Aside from that, the quality is high and as you see below it has a one inch sensor, check out the chart to compare.
- Sensor size: 1"
- Lens: 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 | 3x Zoom
- WIFI/NFC
- Built-in flash
- 1080p @ 60p, 30p, 24p
- Screen resolution: 3inch LCD 1,229k dots
- Screen flips out
- Pop Up Viewfinder
- Supports RAW
- True resolution: 20 MP
- Battery life: 320 shots
The Canon G7X II is very similar to the Sony RX100 III because they share the same quality, WIFI capability, no mic jack input and flip screen. The pros of the G7X II is that it has a longer zoom and touch screen, the reason you'd gravitate towards the Sony is because of the viewfinder which is helpful when it's too bright and you can't see the LCD screen. They're both small and pocket-able, so it's a matter of preference and what features you'd benefit from more when deciding.
- Sensor size: 1"
- Lens: 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8 | 4.2x Zoom
- WIFI/NFC
- Built-in flash
- 1080p @ 60p, 30p, 24p
- Screen resolution: 3inch LCD 1,040k dots
- Screen flips out
- Supports RAW
- Touch screen
- True resolution: 20 MP
- Battery life: 265 shots
The Canon EOS Rebel SL2 allows you to change lenses so if you want a better lens in the future you can always upgrade, you have loads of inexpensive options to choose from. It also has WIFI, mic jack input, touchscreen and a flip screen.
- Sensor size: APS-C
- Lens: 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM | 3x Zoom
- WIFI/NFC
- Built-in flash | External flash
- Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps
- Screen resolution: 3" 1.04m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
- Screen flips out
- Supports RAW
- Touch screen
- True resolution: 24.2 MP
- Battery life: 450 shots
Sony a5100 is one of my favorites from the lineup because it has our top 3 must have features like the quality, WIFI and flip screen. The APS-C quality is pretty much the highest quality you're going to get if you want a flip screen UNLESS you buy the Full-Frame Canon 6D II. However it does not have a mic jack input to add a microphone for more precise sound.
- Sensor size: APS-C
- Lens: 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 | 3x Zoom
- WIFI/NFC
- Built-in flash
- 1080p @ 60p, 60i, 24p, 30p, 25p
- Screen resolution: 3inch LCD 921,600k dots
- Screen flips out
- Supports RAW
- Touch screen
- True resolution: 24 MP
- Battery life: 400 shots
OHHHH SNAP! High in quality, WIFI, flip screen, MIC JACK INPUT and the ability to add a viewfinder onto the hot shoe. This Canon M3 has everything a vlogger/blogger could ask for and its also very small for such a big sensor. You can also change lenses on this camera to achieve different focal lengths to best fit your needs. They're up to the M6 now so feel free to research those if the updated features sound appealing.
- Sensor size: APS-C
- Lens: 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 | 3x Zoom
- WIFI/NFC
- Built-in flash | External flash
- 1080p @ 30p, 25p, 24p
- Screen resolution: 3inch LCD 1,040k dots
- Screen flips out
- Supports RAW
- Touch screen
- True resolution: 24 MP
- Battery life: 250 shots
There are also other options like the REBEL series from Canon and similar series from Nikon, much like the SL2. I didn't add them because they're bulker camera's, the SL2 is the smallest SLR there is. It's all a matter of what's right for you, if don't mind the sizes of those camera's I'd say go for it they all share an APS-C sensor.
If you'd like me to help you by doing a personal shopping/buying guide, please email me at: info@stylefeen.com (NOT FREE). I can also teach you the basics and provide you the best option's for your specific needs.
