What's the best vlog camera for beginners?

Amazingly, people ask me "What's the best vlog camera for beginners?" more than any other question right now. Which makes sense, I suppose, as would-be creators are keen to up their game from shooting on a camera phone.

But picking the best vlog camera for beginners – or for experts, as a matter of fact – is surprisingly challenging, because it feels like every company is pitching their cameras as content creation devices these days.

Still, there are three cameras in particular that I think are perfect if you're starting your journey in the world of vlogging…

The best vlog camera for beginners

For total newcomers coming straight from a smartphone, the PowerShot V10 is my top pick. Not only is it smaller than your phone (in fact, it's the size of a pack of cigarettes), it's just as simple to use; just prop it up, with its built-in kickstand, flip up the screen so it's facing you, hit the big red record button, and start filming. It's as simple as that!

It packs a small but capable 1-inch sensor, with 20.1MP of resolution, capable of cranking out very respectable 4K 30p of FullHD 60p video. Its 19mm equivalent lens is nice and wide for vlogging, so you have lots of space in the frame, and the face tracking autofocus is very impressive so you're always nice and sharp.

Perfect for beginners, it's completely automatic straight out of the box – though you can start tinkering with manual options if you want to take a bit more control. If you're just starting out, this is the one I'd go for.

Read my full Canon PowerShot V10 review

I was one of the first people in the world to handle this camera when it was launched in Japan (literally – I stood in a queue and everything!) and it keeps on impressing me.

It features a large 1.4-inch sensor with 22MP of resolution, shooting gorgeous 4K 30p video that's oversampled from 6K. It can also shoot 4K 60p with a crop, and FullHD up to 120p for slow-motion footage. It also packs the best autofocus on this list, boasting Canon's phenomenal subject tracking for both people and animals.

The built-in 16-50mm zoom lens is the ideal range for vlogging, enabling you to shoot at arms' length and still have plenty of room in your frame. It focuses incredibly close, too, keeping subjects in focus just 5cm in front of the lens – perfect for reviews or tutorials where you hold things up to the camera!

Read my Canon PowerShot V1 review

Okay, this is a much more advanced camera – but it packs one incredible trick that will make beginners' lives (and content!) so much better.

The ZV-E10 II offers a huge APS-C sensor with 26MP of resolution – which delivers crisp 4K 30p footage and, if you don't mind a crop, 4K 60p as well. It's an interchangeable lens camera, which means that you'll need to buy a lens separately – which adds to the cost, but also gives you plenty of creative options.

So what's the incredible trick? It's called Auto-Framing, and it acts like a virtual cameraman (see the below image). Turn this mode on and, even when your camera is completely stationary, it can track you as you move or walk around by cropping into the frame. Perfect for adding production value and camera movement to your content!

Read our full Sony ZV-E10 II review

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Take a look at the best cameras for vlogging for all users, along with the best lenses for vlogging if you already own a camera.