Step Up Your Content Creation Game With The Best Vlogging Cameras

DJI Osmo Pocket 3

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.”

Best Budget Action Vlogging Camera

Shoot 4K Video At 60 FPS Without Breaking Your Wallet

Akaso V50 Elite

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.”

Best Compact Vlogging Camera

Small But Mighty, With Zoom Lens

Sony ZV-1 II

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.”

Best Vlogging Camera For PoV Shots

Wear It Biking, Hiking And More

Insta360 Go 3

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.”

Best Compact Mirrorless Vlogging Camera

Small Yet Mighty

Canon EOS R50

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!”

Best Action Vlogging Camera

Waterproof, Weather Resistant And Durable

GoPro Hero 12 Black

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.”

Honorable Mention: Leica Lens Magic

Insta360 Ace Pro

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 third-party accessories support. The Insta360 Ace Pro has a brilliant lens quality that can shoot high quality videos, including in 8K at 24 fps.

The 16-mm full frame equivalent lens with f/2.6 was codeveloped with Leica. For instance, the Insta360 action camera shoots better low light videos than its GoPro counterpart. Our tester was impressed by the color quality on the videos shot on the Ace Pro; they look pleasing without being artificially oversaturated. The dynamic range is great and it captures true-to-life skin tones, which can be a miss on other action cameras.

What the writers say: Khanna also tested the Insta360 Ace Pro and says, “The video quality on Insta360 Ace Pro is very good. It’s an all-scenario action camera with amazing stabilization for adventure shots. I like it better than the GoPro Hero 12 sometimes, especially with the big flip-up screen.”

Best 360-Degree Vlogging Camera

Captures Video At Up To 5.7K

Insta360 X3

Best for: Capturing 360-degree action video.

Pros:

Shoots 360-degree video
Durable and waterproof
Can remove optional selfie stick from content

Cons:

Selfie stick sold separately, unless you purchase the Get-Set or Ultimate Kit

The Insta360 X3 offers an entirely different design than the GoPro cameras, but like GoPro Hero 12 Black, this camera is waterproof (down to 33-feet) and very durable. It’s versatile, capable of capturing stunning 360-degree HDR video at 5.7K resolution, traditional video at up to 4K and still images at up to 72 megapixels. On one side of the camera is a 2.3-inch touchscreen; use the screen whichever way works best while filming. When shooting traditional video, the Insta360 X3 captures a 170-degree field of view at up to 4K (30 fps).

If you use Insta360’s own selfie-stick, as you’re shooting, the camera automatically removes the optional selfie stick from your filmed content. This feature allows you to capture content in a stunning third-person perspective, so it looks like the camera is floating around you. Combine this feature with the camera’s image stabilization and horizon lock to capture smooth and level content. The Insta360 X3 can capture time-lapse video at up to 8K, and slow motion video at up to 4K at 120 fps. Rounding out the camera’s features are voice control; USB, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth data content transfers; and the ability to capture directional audio—in stereo—using four built-in microphones.

What the reviews say: One Amazon customer says, “After transitioning from GoPro to Insta360, I’ve found a newfound ease in capturing moments. As a non-professional user, the seamless ability to shoot both photos and videos in 360 degrees, coupled with impressive resolution, solidified my decision to switch. Insta360 has provided a level of comfort and versatility that I hadn’t experienced with GoPro.”

At Forbes Vetted, we’ve published many expertly researched consumer tech articles. These include many camera roundups for different needs.

This story was overseen by consumer tech and electronics editor Rebecca Isaacs, who has been covering all-things consumer tech for over five years now.
In particular, this story was written by Prakhar Khanna, a consumer technology expert with over seven years’ experience covering the latest devices. In addition to recommending the best vlogging cameras, Prakhar also focuses on mobile devices, including the top pick for the best smartphone you can buy right now, the Oneplus Open. His bylines include Digital Trends, CNET and more.
The co-author of this story, Jason R. Rich, has reviewed countless other devices like the best GoPros and the best mirrorless cameras.
We know tech tends to become quickly outdated. To keep this piece fresh and accurate, it’s regularly updated. It was most recently published in April 2024 to add many new models, including the GoPro Hero 12 Black, the Insta360 Go 3 and more.
For this product roundup, we consulted with magician and social media content creator Day Mori. In addition to hosting a popular YouTube channel and entertaining more than 700,000 people on TikTok and Instagram, he regularly performs magic at the famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, California and at high-profile corporate events around the country.

How We Chose The Best Vlogging Cameras

We first combed through reputable brands and bestselling vlogging cameras to narrow down our choices. Our writers and editors have years of experience writing about a broad range of cameras, and where applicable, expert Prakhar Khanna provided his hands-on testing for our picks. Some of his insight includes testing the GoPro Hero 12 Black and the Insta360 Go 3 vlogging cameras.
We consulted with magician and social media content creator Day Mori to help us determine the best vlogging cameras. We also reviewed each vlogging camera’s specs and features to determine which products stood out from the pack.
Because everyone’s needs are different, we made sure to include a variety of options, from 360-degree cameras like the Insta360 X3 to the best overall pick, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. All of our top choices received at least a 4+ star rating across various sites to make sure you’re getting a top-quality vlogging camera.

How To Choose The Best Vlogging Camera

The key to choosing the perfect vlogging camera is to consider how, where and when you expect to use the camera most. Will you be sitting indoors and speaking directly to the camera from a short distance away, or will you be running around vlogging your action-packed adventures? What is the climate like where you’re filming or streaming? We break down what you need to consider to get the best vlogging camera for your needs.

To make your video content look its absolute best, you want to shoot it in the highest resolution possible. This means 4K at either 30 or 60 frames per second (fps), with 60 fps typically being a better option. If you need to shoot slow-motion video, shooting at 120 fps or even 240 fps will be beneficial.

Some of the newest cameras, like the GoPro Hero 12 Black, offer the ability to record at up to 5.3K resolution at 60 fps, but most online streaming/social media service don’t yet support it. You can always reduce your content’s resolution to 1080p, for example, while editing (during post production) or when uploading to a social media service.

“I typically record at 1080p, because this keeps the video file sizes more manageable when editing, storing and then uploading them to the various social media services,” said Day Mori, a magician and social media content creator.

For the average vlogger, a camera with both a front- and rear-facing viewfinder screen is extremely useful, especially if you’ll be recording yourself. The size of the camera’s display will determine how easy it is to frame your shots and see what you’re filming.

Meanwhile, the size of the rear (often touchscreen) display will impact how easy it is to set up the camera by adjusting its various shooting modes or settings. It also allows you to see more detail when reviewing your filmed content directly from the camera before you transfer it to your mobile device or computer.

Especially if you plan to hold the camera in one hand while filming, or you often shoot while out and about, having a lightweight and compact camera will come in handy. Pay attention to how easy it’ll be to hold the camera for extended periods while it’s connected to a selfie stick, handgrip or gimbal. If you travel a lot, consider the space and weight your camera requires to carry around with you.

For cameras with a fixed lens, you want versatility—the ability to shoot close-range, mid-range and wide-angle shots using the digital zoom feature built into the camera. If the vlogging camera you select offers interchangeable lenses, make sure you purchase at least one or two lenses based on your typical shooting requirements. The more options you have while shooting, the easier it is to capture your creative vision in a way that’s compelling for your audience.

According to Mori, “When I’m filming magic for social media, I like to have a wide-angle lens so I can capture as much as possible in the shot, since it’s reality and you never know what’s going to happen. I try to capture myself and people in my audience within many of my shots. A wide-angle lens makes this possible.”

Rule number one as a vlogger is to always have extra, fully charged camera batteries on hand. You never want to miss being able to shoot time-sensitive content in the moment simply because your camera battery died. While you should pay attention to the average battery life a camera’s manufacturer boasts, in the real-world, shooting time can vary. Besides having two or three extra batteries on-hand, also invest in a multi-battery charger (if available). This can speed up your battery charging time.

While all cameras offer some type of USB port that allows you to use a cable to connect the camera directly to your computer, many offer wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth—typically a more convenient option for transferring content from your camera to your mobile device or computer for editing and publishing online.

If you’ve ever thought about streaming live on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram or Twitch, for example, look for a vlogging camera that touts streaming support. This means being able to connect your camera directly to your internet-connected computer or mobile device and being able to go live in the easiest way possible.

When you’re first starting out, you probably don’t want to spend too much on your vlogging camera, especially since there will be a bunch of other gear you need to invest in as well—such as a light and a microphone. However, as you build up your audience, you need to up your game by offering pro-quality video production.

Start off by going with what you can afford now, and you can invest in better and newer equipment as your needs evolve and your audience grows.

What Is The Best Vlogging Camera For Product Demos?

If you’re a vlogger, content creator or YouTuber who regularly does product demos to reviews, we recommend a camera that offers a “Product Showcase” setting. When active, the camera can automatically and smoothly shift its focus from you to a product or object you hold up in front of you. And when you put that product down, the focus transitions back to you. These days, you can find a Product Showcase setting in a variety of cameras, including the Sony ZV-1 II, our top choice for a compact vlogging camera.

What Is The Best Vlogging Camera For Outdoor Action?

Again, it all depends on the filming conditions, whether you’ll be filming yourself engaged in an activity and what type of action you’ll be filming. For outdoor action, we durable vlogging camera, like the GoPro Hero 12 Black, Insta360 Go 3 or Insta360 X3. These cameras are compact and durable.

A more traditional point-and-shoot vlogging camera, like the Sony ZV-1 II, works great outdoors, but it’s best for less harsh shooting conditions. Just make sure you have the right collection of mounts and accessories to use the camera in the specific shooting conditions you’ll be in.

Step Up Your Content Creation Game With The Best Vlogging Cameras

DJI Osmo Pocket 3

Best Budget Action Vlogging Camera

Shoot 4K Video At 60 FPS Without Breaking Your Wallet

Akaso V50 Elite

Best Compact Vlogging Camera

Small But Mighty, With Zoom Lens

Sony ZV-1 II

Best Vlogging Camera For PoV Shots

Wear It Biking, Hiking And More

Insta360 Go 3

Best Compact Mirrorless Vlogging Camera

Small Yet Mighty

Canon EOS R50

Best Action Vlogging Camera

Waterproof, Weather Resistant And Durable

GoPro Hero 12 Black

Honorable Mention: Leica Lens Magic

Insta360 Ace Pro

Best 360-Degree Vlogging Camera

Captures Video At Up To 5.7K

Insta360 X3

How We Chose The Best Vlogging Cameras

How To Choose The Best Vlogging Camera

What Is The Best Vlogging Camera For Product Demos?

What Is The Best Vlogging Camera For Outdoor Action?

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