Best Sony Vlogging Camera
Sony is one camera brand that has taken to vlogging like a duck to water.
The huge manufacturer has a wide variety of cameras that tick all the right boxes for creating high-quality videos and vlogs.
So if you’re an aspiring filmmaker or you just like to make vlogs in your spare time to share with an audience, Sony is a solid brand to try.
Here’s what to expect in this article:
- Reviews of the best sony vlogging camera
- A detailed selection guide
- Your burning questions answered in a FAQ
Without further ado, here are our top picks…
👑 Our Pick for Best Overall
⭐ Our Other Top Picks for Sony Vlogging Camera
- Best of the Best: Sony ZV-1
- Runner Up: Sony Alpha a6400
- Best Premium: Sony Alpha 7C
Best Sony Vlogging Camera Reviews
Sony ZV-1 (👑 Best of the Best)
A camera that’s specifically geared towards content creators and vloggers, the ZV-1 from Sony is an excellent video-recording device and our top pick for best Sony vlogging camera.
As a camera that has been developed exclusively with content creators in mind, the ZV-1 is loaded with useful features for capturing stunning footage on the go. If you know next to nothing about cameras (and there’s no shame in that), why not choose to invest in a camera that has all the features a content creator could ever need built-in? This is a beginner-friendly camera that also has advanced features and settings, so you can develop your photography and videography skills over time with it.
Hands-down one of the best features of this camera is that you can switch to a blurred background with a simple press of a button. This may not seem like a big deal, but if you record a lot of tutorial-style videos or on-the-go vlogs, you’ll soon realize exactly how useful it can be. What it allows you to do is blur the background on-the-fly so that you can either put yourself into clear focus to talk, or you can focus the camera in on a product if you are doing a tutorial-style video. This highlights the convenience of this camera for video-making, but the camera will also pick up faces and eyes clearly with its AutoFocus system so even if you move around or dance the camera will track you and keep you in sharp focus. The AF is fast, too, so even if you like to make fast movements or move quickly in and out of frame the quality of the video won’t be affected.
As for the audio quality, it’s excellent. You can expect clear audio even in windy conditions, so you don’t need to worry that your voice won’t come through clearly in the vlog. This is due to the directional three-capsule mic that comes with a built-in wind screen to protect the sound from the elements. There’s also a mic jack and MI shoe which give you plenty of audio options, if you’d prefer to take the sound quality into your own hands.
Features:
- 1.0 Exmor RS CMOS image sensor
- BIONZ X image processing engine
- 4K video
- Directional three-capsule mic with wind screen
- Vari-angle LCD screen
- WHY WE CHOSE IT AS OUR TOP PICK:
- This camera is loaded with vlogger-friendly features and is easy to pick and use even if you have little to no experience with cameras.
- The button to blur the background is very useful for highlighting products or your face quickly.
- The audio quality is professional-level and you should be fine to talk into the camera even when it’s windy.
- You’ll get high-quality 4K video, which is backed up with a quick AutoFocus system that recognizes faces and eyes.
Here are the reasons we picked the ZV-1 as our top pick for the best Sony vlogging camera:
Sony Alpha a6400 (🥈 Runner Up)
Our runner up pick for the best Sony vlogging camera is the Sony Alpha a6400.
This is an excellent camera for vlogging, which can shoot in 4K and has a handy front-facing screen so you can see exactly what you’re shooting at all times. This mirrorless camera defies those who would claim that the front-facing screen is a gimmick. The benefit of having a front-facing screen is clear to those who regularly vlog, and need to know what’s in frame from moment to moment. This is one of the standout features of the a6400 if you’re looking for a new camera to shoot your vlogs on. It’s convenient to hold this compact camera in a single hand and shoot from the hip without requiring a tripod or anything else to keep it in place.
But it’s the performance of the camera that impresses most. If you want high-quality 4K footage for your blogs, this camera provides that, and more. The 4K recording on its own is excellent for vlogging, but it’s when you pair this with the advanced AF system that this camera really shines. The eye AF is impressive, and will track your eyes wherever you are in the shot, so even if you look away and then look back at the camera you will still be the main point of focus. This is essential for a lot of vloggers, and is perhaps an even more useful feature for making vlogs than the 4K video recording. In fact, the AF is so good that Sony call it the ‘World’s fastest’ at 0.02 seconds. The wide 425 phase/425-contrast detection AF points make it a force to be reckoned with, and make the camera an excellent tool for video tutorials, product reviews, or vlogs.
With this camera, you’ll get an advanced APS-c 24.2MP Exmor CMOS sensor, which should be powerful enough to deliver clear stills. This is ideal if you want to create memorable thumbnails for your videos, and if you want to go on the occasional photography adventure. You can literally take the camera out into nature, snap a bunch of top-quality stills, and then flip out the 180-degree touchscreen and start recording a vlog. You can also make the most of the continuous shooting mode which goes up to 11fps, allowing you to capture fast-moving subjects like wildlife.
Features:
- Advanced APS-C 24.2 MP Exmor CMOS sensor
- Fast AF with advanced real-time eye-AF and real-time object tracking AF
- 11fps continuous shooting
- 180 degree tiltable touchscreen
- 4K video
- Wi-Fi
Sony Alpha 7C (💎 Best Premium)
If your budget is flexible, we’d highly recommend the Sony Alpha 7C as one of the best premium cameras for vlogging.
The eyewatering price tag of this camera from Sony may be offputting at first, but if you’re looking to make an investment for the long term it could prove to be well worth it. Sony claims that its Alpha 7C is the ‘world’s smallest and lightest full-frame camera’, so if you had any doubts about fitting it in your pocket you don’t need to worry. This is a top-end camera that is highly portable, so you can travel the world with it if that’s necessary for the type of content you like to create.
As with the other Sony cameras featured in this guide, the Alpha 7C boasts top-of-the-range AutoFocus, which makes it as suitable for vlogging as any camera. The real-time AF Tracking is state-of-the-art, using AI to track moving subjects, both for stills and for videos. There’s also real-time eye AF which processes eye data in the moment, so that it can evenly distribute focus across the subject’s (vlogger’s) face. There’s even an AF system designed specifically to track animals, in case you want to shoot some wildlife B-roll footage for your vlogs. This all works well with the compact 5-axis in-body image stabilization system that will mitigate the blur of shaky hand – a common problem for many vloggers.
It also has a 28-60mm retracting lens, which is what makes it so compact, so it’s a travel-friendly camera and one you don’t need to pack with a lot of accessories. Plus, the battery life is good for 740 shots or 140 minutes of video, which should be plenty for getting all of the footage you need for a short vlog-style video.
As for image and video quality, this camera excels. The Sony Alpha 7C is equipped with an advanced 24.2 MP back-illuminated 35mm full frame image sensor, which is excellent for taking sharp shots in all lighting conditions. You can record 4K video with full pixel readout and no pixel binning or crop, which puts it a level ahead of many other 4K recording cameras. If you or your viewers demand the highest quality from every vlog or video, then this camera from Sony is a wise choice.
Features:
- Advanced 24.2MP full frame image sensor
- 4K video with full pixel readout
- ISO 650-204,800
- 693 phase-detection/425 contrast AF points
- Eye, animal, and real-time AF
- 5-axis in-body image stabilization
Ultimate Guide
Buying a vlogging camera can be tricky, but fortunately Sony has adopted a content-creator-centric approach to developing some of its cameras.
To make sure you pick the right Sony vlogging camera for your needs, pay attention to the following factors.
AF and IS
If you don’t know much about cameras, then there are two acronyms you should be aware of: AF and IS.
Both AF (AutoFocus) and IS (Image Stabilization) can be incredibly useful if you want to record professional vlogs.
Luckily, most of Sony’s cameras have excellent AF systems, since Sony knows what vloggers need to produce great content. What great AF looks like is AI that can track eyes, animals, and real-time movement. This ensures that whatever the subject of the video, whether it’s a pen, a bird, or a person, it remains sharply in focus even while moving around.
Sony’s AF is also very fast, which is great if you do a lot of moving about in your vlogs. With some of its cameras, it only takes 0.02 seconds to zero in on the subject so you don’t need to worry about losing focus.
As for IS, this is important for limiting the amount of image blur caused by a shaky hand. If you vlog for an extended period of time, your arm might start to get tired. When this starts to happen, you don’t want your viewers to notice. A good IS system will counteract shakiness and help keep the footage steady.
Audio Quality
If you have excellent video footage but poor quality audio, you’ll probably struggle to build a huge audience for your content. Don’t make the mistake of underestimating the importance of audio quality for a good piece of video content.
Choose a camera that has a decent in-built camera, like some of Sony’s cameras which can even come with in-built wind shields for when you’re out and about.
You also want to get a camera that has an external mic port if you’re an audiophile, since this will allow you to hook up an external microphone for crisp audio.
Battery Life
The battery life of a vlogging camera is hugely important, since the last thing you want is to get caught out with low battery while you’re creating an epic vlog.
To determine what the optimal battery life is for your needs, think about how long you like your vlogs to be, and decide based on those figures.
For example, if you like to take care over every shot and get a lot of B-roll footage, maybe you’ll need a couple of hours to do the job from start to finish. As such, a camera with less than two hours of battery life for video might not be the best choice for you.
You should also think about whether or not you’ll want to take stills with this camera, and these will drain the battery life too, but not at the same rate as video capturing will.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sony Vlogging Cameras
Which Sony camera is best for vlogging?
We believe the Sony ZV-1 is the best vogging camera the top brand produces.
It is loaded with vlogger-friendly features, which makes it an easy camera to pick up and start vlogging with out of the box.
There’s even a button to blur the background, which will be useful for product review, tutorial, or vlog-style videos.
What should I look for when buying a vlogging camera?
AutoFocus is one of the most important factors for a vlogging camera, since without a good system, you will be in and out of focus which would be frustrating to viewers.
An in-body image stabilizer is useful for similar reasons: if you anticipate moving around a lotni your videos, it’s a worthwhile feature to have.
You also need to prioritize the audio quality, since the discerning viewer will be disappointed with poor sound.
What camera do YouTubers use cheap?
The Sony ZV-1 is in our view both the best vlogging camera for YouTubers, and the cheapest.
If you’re looking for outstanding value for money then look no further.
This camera is incredibly convenient to use and has been designed with content creators in mind so it should be easy to pick up even if you have no experience with cameras.
Are Sony cameras any good?
The very first question that many people pose when considering what vlogging camera to buy is — are Sony cameras actually good? While many will disregard this as too broad of a question, it actually bears some merit. Brand value is important when you’re thinking about any kind of expensive purchase.
With that in mind, you should know that most Sony cameras are actually manufactured in Japan, and not in China like most hardware for electronics these days. Mirrorless models, however, are made in China. When we compare these models to vlogging cameras made by other companies, we do find that Sony has a decent head start. They’ve got more software features, better stabilization, and superior autofocus.
Canon generally makes higher-quality DSLR cameras and their selection of lenses available for models. It all depends on what kind of camera you’re looking for — though most vloggers use mirrorless models for their content.
Which Sony camera is best for video?
When it comes to filmmaking and video content, the cameras that are the best in the realm of photography may not be the finest option here. However — we must point out that the Sony Alpha A7 Mark III is probably the finest camera for vlogging you can find anywhere; though it is pretty expensive, so we can’t recommend it to everyone.
Is Sony a6000 good for vlogging?
We haven’t included this on our list because professional vloggers rarely use this older model, but it’s still a great camera for any kind of video content. It has the classic Sony autofocus, 24 megapixels in its sensor, and impressive portability due to its low weight.
Which Sony Alpha camera is best?
We’d have to go with the abovementioned Alpha A7 Mark III – because it simply provides you with everything a great vlogging camera should have.
Related: Best Vlogging Tripod
Free Quiz: Find Your Ideal Gear Setup in 1 Minute or Less 📷
A Final Word From Run Gun Shoot
As you can see, Sony has more than enough to offer when it comes to vlogging cameras in its arsenal. And these are just the mirrorless models — there are heftier Sony cameras out there if you’re going to film stationary long-form content, such as studio interviews and podcasts. It really all depends on what your vlog is going to be like, but you can rest assured that Sony will have something for it.
To decide between them, you’ll need to consider the most important factors such as the resolution of the video and framerate most suited to the type of videos you’ll create.
Related: Nikon Z6 vs Sony a7iii: Which Should You Buy?
