Vlogging is a a great way to produce regular content for YouTube and social media. Since making a vlog is a pretty solo venture, it can be difficult to gauge the kind of shot you’re getting. The solution(and one that many vloggers use) is to use a vlogging camera with a flip screen.
In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the best models out there and help you narrow your choice down from the myriad of available vlogging camera models out there.
Best vlogging camera with flip screen: top picks
1. Canon 70D
The Canon 70D is not the newest camera model but it is incredibly popular and mainly due to its reliability. As a dSLR camera, it is very flexible and you can expand it with accessories as your needs change and evolve.
It’s also not very expensive, which is a huge plus.
The biggest advantage with the Canon EOS 70D is the dual-pixel autofocus system which makes the entire focusing system very smooth, even when the focus shifts from one subject to the next.
This means the video you shoot with the EOS 70D will almost feel as if it was shot with a camcorder and not an SLR!
Canon EOS 70D Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
- 20.2 MP APS-C CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5+
- 19 point cross-type AF System
- Up to 7 fps shooting
- ISO 100-12800, expandable to 25600
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF for fast focus in live view and video
2. Canon Powershot G7X Mark II
The Powershot G7X is a comparatively compact camera with a flip screen. It’s super useful for using both in your studio or on the go.
You can record full HD 1080p video at 60 frames per second. The 3 inch touch panel LCD screen can be seen even from a good distance, and you simply change all the settings you need to adjust from the touch panel itself.
There’s also a 4.2x optical zoom you can use to get up close onto subjects. Overall, the Powershot G7X Mark II is a great entry-level vlogging camera with flip screen that won’t break the bank for your first purchase and it can grow with you.
Eventually, you can use it as a secondary camera if you decide to upgrade to a higher end model.
3. Canon XA11
The Canon XA11 is a super high end camera with extremely professional features and lots of possibilities for expansion. You can think of it as a mix between cinema-level cameras and prosumer cameras. If you’re just starting out, you may find that this camera will overwhelm you.
But if you’re looking to step up your game, this is definitely a way to step it up.
With a massive 1/2.84″ sensor, this camera will capture everything with astonishing detail. You can shoot Full HD video at 60 frames per second.
There’s also a 20x HD zoom lens to get really up close and personal.
4. Panasonic Lumix GH5
The Lumix GH5 is a step up from the other cameras in this list in the sense that it can shoot 4K video. If 4K is a priority for you, then you should go for the Lumix GH5 without another thought.
With the ability to do 60 FPS at such a high resolution, the resulting video will be extremely detailed and smooth.
It also sports a really good image stabilization system, and the mirrorless lens means faster image capturing.
- Professional photo and video: 20.3 Megapixel micro four thirds sensor with no low pass filter to capture sharp images with a high dynamic range and artifact free performance
- Splash or Freeze Proof Design: Freeze proof to 10 degrees the durable magnesium alloy body withstands heavy use in the field; Splash or dust proof construction with weather sealing on every Joint, dial and button
- Dual image stabilization: 5 axis dual image stabilization corrects all lenses, including classic lenses not equipped with O. I. S, to eliminate Blur and nearly eliminate body and lens shake in both photo and 4K video recording
- 4K video capture: Records silky smooth 4K 60P by 50P (QFHD 4K: 3840 x 2160 ; MOV or MP4) video with internal 4: 2: 2 10 bit 4K video recording, Plus exclusive 6K photo and 4K post focus records photos up to 60Fps
- Connectivity and Ports: 3.5 millimeter audio port, connect to devices with USB 3.0, an external monitor or external Recorder with a full size HDMI port; Available Twin SD card slots (UHS II U3 compatible)
5. Canon EOS M50
The Canon EOS M50 is marketed by Canon as a vlogging camera! The EOS M50 has a touch-sensitive flip screen that you can use to change settings on the go and make sure the shot is as you want.
You can shoot 4K video at 25 FPS, and 1080P Full HD video at up to 120 FPS for slow motion video effects!
However, don’t really depend on this camera for 4K – it just does 25 FPS and the quality is a little disappointing. For 4K video, you should stick to something like the Lumix GH5.
Additionally, the Dual Pixel autofocus system which we mentioned in the EOS 70D review only works in 1080P and not 4K.
If you’re not looking to shoot higher than 1080P and just starting out, the EOS M50 is a good choice – I suppose that’s why it’s specifically marketed as a vlogging camera since it would be appealing to folks just getting started.
Canon EOS M50 Mirrorless Vlogging Camera Kit with EF-M 15-45mm Lens, Black
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF for fast, accurate autofocus that helps you get the photo you want right as the moment happens
- 241 Megapixel APS C CMOS sensor and the DIGIC 8 Image Processor delivers incredible color, clear details, and stunning range
- Vari angle touchscreen LCD has a flexible tilt range ideal for high angle and low angle shooting, and reviewing your photos
- Built in high resolution electronic viewfinder features approximately 2,360,000 dots to see high amounts of detail when capturing
- Use the EOS Utility Webcam Beta Software (Mac and Windows) to turn your compatible Canon camera into a high-quality webcam
6. Canon Powershot G7X Mark II
The final camera on our list is the Powershot G7X Mark II. It’s a compact camera which means no interchangeable lenses and a smaller sensor, but Canon have still managed to pack a 1 inch sensor which will get you some pretty decent video.
Don’t expect any cinematic production quality here, but for starting out, this vlogging camera with a flip screen definitely does the trick. You can shoot Full HD 1080p at 29 or 60 FPS, but no 4K.
The 3 inch screen provides plently of real estate to see and compose your shot clearly.
The audio quality is pretty decent and I’d say good enough for vlogging, but you won’t be able to hook up an external mic.
- The advanced video capabilities of the PowerShot G7 X Mark II camera can capture moments in the quality they deserve
- Features a large 1.0 inch, 20.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor that helps capture high quality images and videos with a wide dynamic range. Autofocus system features tile autofocus and manual focus. Operating temperature is 0 to 40 degrees Celsius. Note charging time varies considerably depending on the remaining battery power
- An aperture value of f/1.8 at the wide angle and f/2.8 when fully zoomed to a factor of 4.2x (24-100 millimeter), this lens equipped to capture a variety of situations with precision
- High resolution, 3.0 inches LCD monitor that tilts up 180 degrees and down 45 degrees is ideal for self portraits and capturing pictures at high and low angles with ease
- Built in WiFi for on the go convenience and the ability to easily post your images to select social networking and media sites
Vlogging cameras with flip screen: a buying guide
Let’s go over some of the basic factors you want to look for when getting a vlogging camera.
Brand
In the camera world, brand is a really important factor. Some of the bigger players have been in the business for a long time for good reason: they produce solid cameras year in and year out and their names are synonymous with quality.
That does not mean that smaller manufacturers are no good, though. Some newer players have come out with really good cameras that even give the bigger brands a run for their money.
Build quality
Most vloggers will not be sitting in a studio all day long. They’ll be out and about and filming in a wide variety of locations. If you fall into this category(as most lifestyle vloggers do), you’ll want something that’s rugged and compact enough to carry everywhere.
If you are a one-man(or woman) show then you’ll need something that is a jack of all trades.
Cost
Ah, cost. Sometimes the number one factor in a buying decision! Cameras are not cheap, but even then, they fall under a wide spectrum. You have super high end cameras that have a ton of bells and whistles, then you have the medium range cameras which fall into the Goldilocks category, and then you have really cheap cameras which you should stay away from.
There’s an old adage that rings true every time: buy cheap, buy twice.
That said, you don’t need super expensive equipment for making good vlogs. Jeb Gardener, a really popular YouTube channel shot all of his videos using an iPhone 6 and voiced over all the audio. When you watch his videos, you won’t even realize that he’s using an iPhone.
With that said, if you’re on a super tight budget, I recommend you pick up a good smartphone gimbal and just use your phone to shoot videos.
Vlogging camera types
dSLR cameras
dSLR cameras are the golden standard of digital photography. There are a few situations where other kinds of cameras are useful, but dSLR cameras are just so flexible that they can be used in pretty much every situation. A lot of professional vloggers use dSLR cameras to shoot video and photos.
By changing the lenses and adding a variety of accessories, you can really make these cameras very versatile and all-round.
Finally, many good dSLR cameras have flip screens so you can place the camera in front of you and flip out the screen so you know you’re getting a good shot.
The only disadvantage these cameras have is that they can get a little bulky and you will not be able to use them for action shots. But that’s what GoPros and action cameras are for, right?
With the right lenses, your dSLR will be able to handle a wide variety of lighting conditions and capture good colors.
Mirrorless cameras
Mirrorless cameras are close cousins of dSLR cameras. Essentially, the design and overall look and feel are similar to dSLR cameras, but they’re smaller and weigh less because there are less moving parts.
In a dSLR camera, a mirror flips up and down when you take a photo. Mirrorless cameras, as you can guess, do not have the flipping mirror so they’re able to be manufactured more compact.
The sensor is still pretty high quality, and mirrorless cameras are also compatible with many different kinds of accessories.
Mirrorless cameras are much smaller than DSLR cameras, thus they also weigh a lot less.
Related
Point and shoot cameras
Next up are point and shoot cameras. Point and shoot cameras are very compact, can usually fit in your pocket, and are lightweight.
They won’t have a sensor as good as that of a dSLR or mirrorless camera, but in some use cases, you may not be able to tell the difference between video shot on a point and shoot and video shot on a dSLR.
Point and shoot cameras are limited because they can’t be expanded with accessories. There is no way to change out the lens, and you’re stuck with the focus, aperture, and zoom that the manufacturer has put in.
You should also be able to stick a point and shoot camera on to a selfie stick and shoot video like that, too. If you’re new to vlogging and don’t want to break the bank, point and shoot cameras are a good starting point.
However, you may feel that you’ve outgrown the performance of point and shoot cameras very soon.
Even then, it’s a good complementary camera to have for certain shots where you don’t want to lug around a larger camera.
Video cameras
Once you’re in the realm of super professional vlogging, it’s time to consider picking up a dedicated video camera and perhaps hiring a camera guy as well!
Dedicated camcorders can capture colors and motion much better than other cameras, and there are a myriad of settings that are available to you. Most modern video cameras capture 4K video and by extension full hd 1080p, too.
It may be overwhelming to handle using a professional video camera by yourself whilst shooting your vlogs, though.
Matching your vlogging to your camera needs
Not all vlogs are equal, just as not all vlog cameras are equal! It really depends on how you are planning to use it and where you’ll do most of your shooting.
Shooting on the go
Some vlogs such as lifestyle or travel vlogs are shot on the go and in a variety of locations. Even if you’re just in your home and doing your everyday work, you’ll find yourself repositioning the camera many times for getting different shots.
If you’re traveling, then you’ll need to be even more aware of the weight of your camera. It has to be compact enough to carry with you everywhere you go. While you can certainly check in a heavy camera, you may not enjoy carrying it around as you’re hiking from place to place!
In these situations, I’d suggest picking up something that’s lightweight, like a point and shoot or a mirrorless camera. Lifestyle and travel vlogs don’t require an extremely high degree of video quality, so taking a few (small) shortcuts there is forgivable.
Note: Travel vlogging also requires a long battery life, or the ability to easily switch out batteries!
After all, GoPros have relatively tiny sensors but some of the most epic travel videos have been shot with GoPros.
Shooting in a studio
If most of your vlogging is done in a studio – like if you were running a tech vlog or a beauty vlog, then you may want to invest in a higher quality camera from the get go.
You’ll also want the ability to add accessories like a microphone.
A good quality dSLR or mirrorless camera will do the job beautifully. For close up shots, you can switch out your lenses to be able to get the correct level of focus, and for shots where you’re sitting at a desk, you can use a regular lens.
Since you’re shooting indoors, you’ll also want something that’s more light sensitive. Especially if you are just starting out, you don’t want to break the bank with investing in expensive studio lighting!
Vlogging camera features to consider
Resolution
At the very least, you need a camera that is capable of shooting Full HD 1080p and at least 30 fps. If it can do 60 fps, it’s even better as you’ll get a smoother video.
If you’ve got the budget, you may as well go for a 4K compatible camera as we’re moving towards 4K everywhere eventually and this way you can future proof your investment.
ِAnother advantage of shooting in 4K is being able to take a large video file and crop it into 1080p resolution, or compress it to 1080p for an overall higher quality recording.
Frame rate
In most situations, a higher frame rate is better. 60 FPS will result in a video with very pronounced and life-like movements. Fast movements may look a little sharp, much like the video you’d see in a movie theatre in 3D.
For basic video shooting, a 25-30 FPS camera will do the trick.
Focus
Since many vlogs are quite dynamic in the sense that there is a lot of movement, you need a camera that can focus fast enough and keep up with the movements without it showing up in the video.
In one of my older dSLR cameras, when I tried to shoot a video, the video picked up the lens constantly adjusting itself and clicking to try to focus correctly.
Some advanced cameras have auto-tracking that can pick up on moving subjects and focus on multiple points.
Sensor size
As a rule of thumb, the larger the sensor, the better the video quality as more light is captured by the camera. One pixel also ends up being larger in a larger sensor.
Think of it this way: a 1/4 inch 16 megapixel sensor will have to pack 16 megapixels in 1/4 inches, whereas a 3/4 inch 16 megapixel sensor packs the same amount of pixels in 3/4 of an inch.
This will also help in capturing better low light images.
Interchangeable lenses
This is quite straightforward: some cameras like dSLRs have the option to change out lenses, whereas others have fixed lenses.
Since we’re actually talking about flip screen cameras, there are indeed dSLRs that have flip screens and interchangeable lenses, but they tend to cost quite a bit more.
A 50mm lens is quite versatile and should fit the bill for most use cases, so even if you get a dSLR with a 50mm lens in the box, that should serve you well until you want to upgrade to a newer lens.
Having an all-round lens as your go-to solution will also mean there is less equipment to carry in most situations, which can be a huge advantage especially if you are a travel vlogger.
Image stabilization
Optical image stabilization is a really useful technology built into most mid range and high range cameras. The purpose of optical image stabilization is to eliminate any unwanted shakes that the camera may pick up from your hand movements.
The result is a much smoother video than what you could have achieved before.
Weight
For travel vlogs and vlogs on the move, it’s pretty obvious that camera weight is goign to be a huge factor.
In these situations, it boils down to usage. If you’re on the go most of the time, then you’ll want to have a really lightweight setup to not tire out from carrying the camera around both in your bag and in your hand when filming.
As your vlogging career grows, you can certainly invest in two or more cameras: a large camera for in-studio shooting and a smaller camera to take on the go.
Battery life
Modern digital cameras are actually very powerful computers packed into a compact package. So you can’t expect the batteries to run for a long time. Good photographers and vloggers will always carry extra batteries in their bag, as well as a portable charger.
You’ll be hard pressed to find a really good camera that also has a very long battery life. This is just a reality of the digital camera that you have to live with.
Water resistance
Again, this is dependant on the type of vlogging you’re planning. Travel vloggers will want to look for water resistance or even a waterproof rating in their vlogs camera.
This way you’re not worried about getting caught in a storm or some splashes of water here and there. dSLR cameras are usually not waterproof by nature, so for a waterproof camera, you’ll have to look into somthing compact.
WiFi
WiFi is a neat functionality built into many cameras nowadays and the best vlogging cameras will have WiFi. By nature, vlogs can tend to be on the go and all over the world, so being able to transfer footage from your camera to a computer as easily as possible(or even direct to your phone or the cloud from the camera) is a super advantage to have.
Zoom
Some people tend to place zoom very high up on their feature list but to be completely honest, most vlogs where the main focus is you won’t really need excessive zooming.
If you’re cooking, painting, or really demonstrating anything, a limited zoom will do the trick. However, if you’re working on small components like electronics, then a good zoom lens is a worthwhile investment since you want to get up close to show the small details.
Travel vloggers may also wish to have a zoom lens so that they can show far off objects.
For zoom, you have two options: if you’re going the compact camera route, get a camera that has a good zoom built in. Otherwise, get a camera with interchangeable lenses and just switch out to a zoom lens whenever you need to.
Shooting modes
Digital cameras have the advantage of being able to do a lot of processing within the camera itself as light enters the image processor.
As a result, many cameras can actually adjust settings on the fly in auto mode. The camera measures light, movement, focus, and other things to optimize the image in the best way it can.
Of course, auto mode is a convenience for quick shooting. In many cases, advanced users will prefer to set their own custom settings.
A good auto mode is a super feature for beginning vloggers, though.
Useful accessories to pick up
1) Tripod
For any kind of studio shooting, a tripod is a must have. You can simply position the tripod in front of you, flip the screen to face you so you can see what’s going on, and you’re good to go.
The tripod will hold the camera nice and still and for any kinds of vlogs where you’re just talking at the camera, this is perfect.
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2) Stabilizer or gimbal
For any kind of moving shots like walking, jogging, or even out of a vehicle, a stabilizer or gimbal is a must-have accessory.
The gimbal can lock the camera in position in 3D space and the motors will cancel out any unwanted movements. This way, you can always get silky smooth video.
- Lightweight & Compact – Opening possibilities for filmmakers and content creators in almost any situation, Ronin-SC was built to go anywhere.
- Tracks the Action – The Ronin app, and Ronin-SC work together seamlessly to achieve smooth, precise gimbal movement at all times, allowing you to focus more on creating the shot that matches your vision.
- Dynamic Stability – Even in action-packed scenes, Ronin-SC gives a perfectly stable shot. Continuous stabilization makes Ronin-SC more effective in fast follows, sudden motions, and even complete changes in direction.
- Automated Features – Ronin-SC offers a suite of advanced capturing features to unleash your imagination.
- Easy to Handle – The buttons and trigger are easy to reach for every essential control. A flared battery grip makes extended holding easier and slip-resistant, letting you capture moments throughout the day.
3) Extra batteries
Extra batteries are a no-brainer, really! Shooting a video for YouTube takes a long time, and you’ll often be shooting for hours on end.
In order to be able to shoot continuously without interruption, you’ll want to have some batteries on hand to swap out and continue shooting.
For battery recommendations, it depends on the kind of camera that you use, as there’s no one size fits all option.
4) Memory cards
It’s also useful to have some extra memory cards on hand for the same reason that you want batteries! This post is a useful guide to see how much video a typical memory card can hold.
