Black Friday and Cyber Week are around the corner, so what better time to talk about the best cameras for bloggers wanting to up their game? Whilst many are able to create truly beautiful images by just using their mobile phone, some may want to delve more into the world of photography and invest in their first professional camera. A camera that is easy to understand and use, is reliable and that ultimately takes great quality images.
Here’s the Dukes Avenue roundup of the best cameras for bloggers (and vloggers), highlighting our preferred choice, as well as recommending others at various price points.
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A Camera Equipment List for Bloggers & Vloggers
The Best Cameras for Bloggers
Olympus Pen-F
Our most recommended piece of camera equipment is the Olympus Pen-F.
Editor’s Note: This was the very first piece of camera equipment I purchased and almost three years later, it remains my favourite. I’m not going to pretend I am a fully trained photographer, nor that I know all the features of the Pen-F. What I do know is that it has the functions that I need and they were relatively easy to learn with a few YouTube videos and some trial and error. I love that it has a really sleek retro and sophisticated look to it, almost like a modern antique kind of style that I just find so elegant. It’s extremely robust and in the time I have owned it, I never had any problems!
The only downside that I am aware of is that you can no longer shoot in raw format, only RAW + JPEG. The quality of a JPEG generated from a raw format image is admittedly much better, however it hasn’t bothered me enough to want to change camera. This might be something that you want to think about though if you plan to use your photos as wallpaper or other large formats.
Aside from silver, it is also available in black. No matter the colour though, the Pen-F comes with built-in WIFI which is incredibly handy. Users can upload the images straight from their camera to Lightroom without having to remember to bring the wires. The high speed sequential shooting function is another of my favourite features and is what was used to capture these movement shots. The in-body image stabilization system also makes life so much easier, along with the vari-angle touch LCD which allows you to shoot from a variety of angles.
Admittedly, the Pen-F may be slightly pricey for a simple blogging camera and social media purposes, so here are some other great alternatives that you may want to consider that won’t break the bank:
- Sony Alpha A6000 (also referred to as Sony a6000)
- Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ90
- Canon PowerShot SX620
M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO
As a complementary lens to the Olympus Pen-F, we recommend the M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO wide-angle lens.
Editor’s Note: For my 30th birthday last year, we headed to the UAE. I remember being in Dubai, standing in front of the Burj Khalifa and getting pretty frustrated that no matter what angle I was shooting in, I just couldn’t get the whole building in the frame. It was only then that my husband said to me ‘to get that in the shot you need a wide angle lens’. A wide angle what? And so, I did what everyone would do nowadays and asked around on forums, and the most common answer I got was the M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO.
As with most lenses, it isn’t cheap. It took me almost a year to take the plunge and purchase it but I am so glad I did. The lens is a total game changer and I can now happily take wide-angle shots without compromising the quality of the images. It’s also great for night-time photography and low light shooting conditions.
Best Vlogging Cameras
Canon EOS M50
If you’re looking for a camera that is great for both blogging and vlogging, and one that comes as a reasonable price, we highly recommend the Canon EOS M50.
Editor’s note: Significantly cheaper than my Olympus, and whilst I would say that I prefer the Olympus for photography, I definitely prefer the Canon for taking videos. With high-resolution video footage and four times the image quality of Full HD, I find the sound is superior and the excellent auto-focus makes it easy to take video content on the go.
Like the Olympus, it also has a vari-angle touchscreen and built-in WIFI. Additional features include a Dual Pixel CMOS AF, a 24-megapixel CMOS sensor, a great battery life and can shoot up to 10 fps continuous shooting. If more of an adventure blogger or extreme sport content creator, you may find that mirrorless cameras and DSLR camera are slightly less versatile and more bulky. If looking for something compact and easily portable, consider these options:
- GoPro Hero7
- Sony RX100 VII
- DJI Osmo Pocket Gimbal (see below)
DJI Osmo Pocket Gimbal
Editor’s Note: This is absolutely genius. I haven’t used it to its full potential yet but everyone I’ve shown it to couldn’t believe how a camera so small could take such high quality videos. I know that a couple of people I spoke to about it actually went out and bought it. This cute little gimbal easily fits into your clutch bag, allowing you to take it out with you wherever you go. You can also connect it to your phone so that you can see what you are filming directly on your mobile phone.
Additional Accessories
Tripods
Aside from the larger ticket items listed above, you might want to pick up a few accessories to cap everything off, including these two tripods: Hama Star 75 and JOBY GorillaPod 325. The first is a collapsible floor length tripod and the second is a mini tripod that’s great for carrying whilst on the go or wanting to film at a desk.
Memory Cards
Aim to build a little collection of memory cards, both standard and micro, and take them with you whenever you travel or head out on a photoshoot. You never know when you’re gonna run out of space.
External Microphone for Vlogging
Last but not least, you may want to invest in a RØDE VideoMic Pro-R On-Camera Microphone. The sound recording of the Canon and DJI are pretty good, but if ever users want to up the level of their sound recording, then it is definitely something to consider.
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If you’re interested in starting your own blog, be sure to check out our articles on Why It’s Never Too Late to Start a Blog and the 10 Mistakes Amateur Bloggers Should Avoid!
Editor’s Note: If you’d like to read more about my journey into becoming an online business owner, I’ve written a whole article about why you too should never give up on your dreams.
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