Whenever we review a lens, we look at its video as well as its photographic capabilities. Things like audible focusing noise and focus breathing are issues we check for as they can compromise a lens’ usefulness for video. We also look for positive features for video shooters, like click-less aperture rings. The lenses on this list represent a broad cross-section of those that have impressed us the most for video work.

As well as options for different mounts, we’ve also made sure to include plenty of budget-friendly lenses, as not all vloggers have the budget for expensive gear. If you’re still building your setup, check out our guide to the best cameras for video and vlogging. We also have a practical guide to how to shoot video for YouTube with your camera, and for making your sound as good as it can be, check out our run-down of the best-value audio accessories for video.

The best lenses for video: our quick list

Want to cut to the chase? Here’s a quick glance at the best video lenses featured in this article: 

• Canon RF-mount: Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM – buy now
• Nikon Z-mount: Nikkor Z 17-28mm f/2.8 – buy now
• Sony FE-mount: Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS – buy now
• Nikon Z-mount (DX): Nikkor Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR – buy now
• Micro Four Thirds: Panasonic 10-25mm f1.7 Leica DG Vario-Summilux ASPH Lens – buy now
• Sony FE-mount: Sony FE 24-50mm F2.8 G – buy now
• Micro Four Thirds: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS Pro – buy now
• L-mount: Panasonic Lumix S 18mm F1.8 – buy now
• Sony E-mount: Sony E 11mm F1.8 – buy now
• Fujifilm X-mount: Fujinon XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR – buy now
• Multiple mounts: Samyang 85mm T1.5 VDSLR AS IF UMC II – buy now
• Sony FE, L-mount: Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art – buy now
• Fujifilm X-mount: Fujinon XF 18-120mm F4 LM PZ WR – buy now

Read on to learn more about the best video lenses to buy, according to our expert reviewers and testers…

Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM

At a glance:

• Mount: Canon RF
• Focal length: 50mm
• Lens construction: six elements in five groups
• Max aperture: f/1.8
• Closest focusing distance: 30cm
• Price: $199 / £184

Canon’s ‘nifty fifty’ lenses have been highly acclaimed for years by photographers using the brand’s DSLRs to shoot stills and video, but with Canon’s introducing a full-frame mirrorless range with cameras like the EOS R6 and EOS RP, a new version was needed. The result is the RF 50mm f/1.8 STM – a lens that balances price, size and a fast maximum aperture beautifully to produce a must-own optic for Canon video shooters.

Measuring 69.2×40.5mm and tipping the scales at only 160g, this lens will balance nicely with cameras like the EOS R6 when paired with a gimbal like the Ronin-SC. The 50mm will give a natural perspective close to that of the human eye and the lens features Canon’s STM motor technology for fast autofocus that will be quiet and won’t pick up on your audio track.

The RF 50mm enables videographers to capture frame-filling footage of smaller subjects thanks to a closest focusing distance of 30cm and features Canon’s Super Spectra Coating to enhance quality. The 50mm lens is also great for talking head video.

Read our Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM Review

Nikkor Z 17-28mm f/2.8

At a glance: 

• Mount: Nikon Z
• Focal length: 17-28mm
• Lens construction: 13 elements in 11 groups
• Max aperture: f/2.8
• Closest focusing distance: 19-26cm
• Price: $1,197 / £899

The Nikon Z system now includes plenty of cameras with impressive video spec, from the mighty Nikon Z9 and its 8K 30p recording capabilities, to the affordable and vlogger-friendly Nikon Z30. There’s no shortage of excellent Z-mount lenses to choose from when it comes to crafting a video setup, but we’ve opted for the well-balanced Nikkor Z 17-28mm f/2.8. More affordable than you’d expect a zoom with a constant f/2.8 aperture to be, the lens is weather-sealed with a robust construction. There aren’t many on-body controls to speak of, though the focus ring can be assigned to control a preferred function when autofocus is engaged.

While the Z 17-28mm doesn’t have Nikon’s premium S-Line designation, we found it to be a very respectable performer nonetheless. Sharpness is consistent throughout the aperture range as well as the whole of the zoom. Focusing is very quick and practically silent. Flare is controlled-for very nicely too, so you shouldn’t have too many problems shooting into the light. It’s a lens that mostly just works, and keeps out of the user’s way.

The only real issue that might give some video shooters pause is the lack of built-in image stabilisation. If you’re using a full-frame Nikon Z camera, this won’t be a problem as you’ll have the camera’s built-in IBIS. The APS-C models, including the vlogger-focused Z30, lack stabilisation, meaning you’ll likely need to invest in a gimbal.

Read our Nikon Nikkor Z 17-28mm f/2.8 review.

Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS

At a glance: 

• Mount: Sony FE
• Focal length: 24-105mm
• Lens construction: 17 elements in 14 groups
• Max aperture: f/4
• Closest focusing distance: 38cm
• Price: $1,298 / £929

This stalwart, do-everything zoom for full-frame Sony cameras has been around since 2017, and it’s still an excellent choice for Sony shooters looking to capture video. The broad, flexible zoom range running all the way from a wide 24mm to a telephoto 105mm means you’re covered for the vast majority of shooting situations you’re likely to encounter, while the constant f/4 aperture means you’re never forced to stop down when zooming in. It’s also impressively lightweight, at 663g, is much more affordable than professional zooms, and has optical stabilisation.

All very well, but how does it perform? Well, we first published our review of this lens in 2017, and have revisited it a few times since then – and we’ve always come away impressed. Optically, this lens is still an absolute stunner, delivering excellent sharpness all the way through its zoom range, from corner to corner. The kind of compromise you normally have to put up with when picking a 24-105mm instead of, say, a 24-70mm just isn’t evident here, and it’s very hard to imagine a Sony user who wouldn’t be happy with the performance of this lens.

The autofocus is fast, reliable and – crucially – silent, so you won’t have your video’s sound compromised by whirring motors. Switch to manual focus and you’ll also find an excellent experience, with a smoothly rotating focus-by-wire ring. Both this and the zoom ring rotate smoothly and have rubberised coverings that grip well. One thing worth being aware of for video users is that the zoom ring is on the small side, which can make it a bit trickier to pull off smooth zoom transitions while recording. This isn’t a ruinous issue – and practice definitely makes perfect. It’s just something to be aware of.

Proof, if proof were needed, that great design has real staying power, this seven-year-old zoom lens represents fantastic value for Sony FE-mount users. For an all-in-one lens to capture great video content in a range of situations, it’s hard to think of a better option than this.

Read our full Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS review.

Nikon Nikkor Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR

At a glance: 

• Mount: Nikon Z (DX)
• Focal length: 18-42mm (equivalent)
• Lens construction: 12 elements in 11 groups
• Max aperture: f/3.5-5.6
• Closest focusing distance: 19cm
• Price: $357 / £304

If you’re using one of Nikon’s APS-C mirrorless cameras for video, like in particular the vlogger-friendly Nikon Z30, then it’s a good idea to get hold of some of the few DX-format lenses the firm has available. This is because they are more affordable than their full-frame counterparts, and designed with the smaller sensor format in mind. The Nikkor Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR is touted specifically as the vlogging lens for DX-format Z-mount cameras, and as such, should be a priority to pick up if you’re shooting video on a Z30, Z50 or a Z fc.

In testing, we appreciated the lightweight design of this lens, which makes it excellent for run-and-gun vlogging. The power zoom design means it stays balanced when zooming in and out – useful when the lens is mounted on a gimbal. We found the focusing to be consistently fast, only starting to struggle when light levels got seriously low, and quiet enough not to produce any noise that will be caught on video, realistically. The focus transitions while recording video are pleasingly smooth, and the built-in stabilisation is effective. This is a lens that’s clearly been designed to try and make vlogging as easy as possible, and succeeds pretty well.

Read our Nikon Nikkor Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR lens review.

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25mm F1.7 ASPH.

At a glance: 

• Mount: Micro Four Thirds
• Focal length: 20-50mm (equivalent)
• Lens construction: 17 elements in 12 groups
• Max aperture: f/1.7
• Closest focusing distance: 15cm (AF), 12cm (MF)
• Price: $1,798 / £1,799

An enduringly popular Micro Four Thirds lens, the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25mm F1.7 ASPH covers a useful equivalent focal range of 20-50mm equivalent. With a constant aperture of f/1.7, it’s a highly capable lens in low light, and Panasonic has also stuffed it with plenty of features to appeal specifically to video shooters.

These include a mechanism to minimise focus breathing – changes in focal length that occur when an object is brought sharply into focus. It also has stepless aperture control, and a micro-step drive system in the aperture control that keeps exposure adjustments smooth when the brightness of a scene changes. Focusing is silent, too, thanks to the inner focus drive system.

Even though it’s on the pricey side, this has proved a favourite lens among Micro Four Thirds vloggers. So much so that Panasonic later introduced something of a spiritual successor, the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 25-50mm f/1.7, for those who want a tighter focal length.

Sony FE 24-50mm F2.8 G

At a glance:

• Mount: Sony FE
• Focal length: 24-50mm
• Lens construction: 16 elements in 13 groups
• Max aperture: f/2.8
• Closest focusing distance: 19-30cm
• Price: $1,098 / £1,149

One of the major advantages of Sony’s E-mount lens ranges, compared to other full-frame systems, is that it’s simply been going a lot longer. This means that the basics of the kinds of lenses most users are looking for have long been covered, and more niche options have started to appear. Case in point, this standard zoom lens for full-frame and APS-C cameras, which covers a fairly narrow zoom range of 24-50mm (or 36-70mm on APS-C). Photographers might not be too impressed by such a limited range, but for video shooters, it’s pretty perfect.

As such, the lens has been well-optimised for video. Its aperture ring offers a clickless mode that enables smooth exposure transitions; the barrel has an AF/MF switch for fast swapping between focusing modes; and the autofocusing system performs brilliantly for video, as we discovered in our testing. Switch on Sony’s famous Face Detection mode and the system will keep track of faces in the frame uncannily well – useful for keeping track of your key subjects. The Focus Breathing Correction prevents zoom creep when changing the focal distance; it incurs a minimal crop, but nothing anyone’s going to be bothered by

Optical performance is predictably excellent. The lens is somewhat reliant on corrections for curvilinear distortion and barrel distortion, but these corrections work well and you’re never realistically going to have any reason to turn them off. The constant f/2.8 aperture also allows you to open up wide to create shallow depth of field. Overall, this travel-friendly lens is an ideal companion for Sony-using video shooters.

Read our review of the Sony FE 24-50mm F2.8 G

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS Pro

At a glance:

• Mount: Micro Four Thirds
• Focal length: 24-200mm (equivalent)
• Lens construction: 17 elements in 11 groups
• Max aperture: f/4
• Closest focusing distance: 15cm
• Price: $1,400 / £1,199

This superzoom for Micro Four Thirds cameras has a claim to being one of the best lenses of its type ever made. Over the generous equivalent focal range of 24-200mm, it maintains sharpness impressively well, making it genuinely useful right the way through that range. If you’re a run-and-gun vlogger or filmmaker who wants to be able to shoot at different perspectives without constantly swapping lenses, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS Pro is something of a godsend. Plus, at a little over 500g, it’s not so prohibitively heavy that you won’t be able to carry around for a day-long shoot (one of the benefits of Micro Four Thirds).

The optical stabilisation on this lens also merits particular praise – it’s amazingly effective, especially when paired with Olympus or OM System cameras that allow for Sync IS to further boost the system up to 7.5 stops of compensation. It makes the far end of the telephoto zoom much more useable hand-held than it would be otherwise, further strengthening this lens as a proposition for vloggers.

We gave this lens the full five stars in our review. It’s undeniably an expensive proposition for a superzoom, but it stands head and shoulders above similar lenses for other systems.

Read our Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS Pro review.

Panasonic Lumix S 18mm F1.8

At a glance:

• Mount: L-mount
• Focal length: 18mm
• Lens construction: 13 elements in 12 groups
• Max aperture: f/1.8
• Closest focusing distance: 18cm
• Price: $898 / £799

Another wide-angle, fast-aperture prime, but this time it’s for the L-mount, and is engineered to work well with Panasonic’s Lumix S full-frame mirrorless cameras. The Panasonic Lumix S 18mm F1.8 is something of a unique prospect in the L-mount family. Similar alternatives exist, particularly from Sigma, but they tend to be much more expensive and considerably heavier, like the superb but weighty Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A.

With a focal length of 18mm and an aperture of f/1.8, the Lumix S lens is well-suited for general day-to-day vlogging. It delivers plenty of sharpness where you want it, and silky bokeh in the defocused areas of an image. It has also been designed with videographers in mind and there are plenty of clever, useful features to this effect. For instance, the lens includes a mechanism that suppresses focus breathing, meaning it can automatically rack focus smoothly, without appearing to zoom in or out.

It feels like a natural companion for the lighter members of the Lumix S family: the Lumix S5 or Lumix S5 II. But it’ll pair well with any member of the range, and deliver a fast and silent video-shooting experience.

Read our Panasonic Lumix S 18mm F1.8 review.

Sony E 11mm F1.8

At a glance:

• Mount: Sony E (APS-C)
• Focal length: 11mm (equivalent: 16.5mm)
• Lens construction: 12 elements in 11 groups
• Max aperture: f/1.8
• Closest focusing distance: 15cm (12cm in manual focus)
• Price: $548 / £499

Sony’s APS-C mirrorless range offers plenty to tempt video shooters, including dedicated vlogging cameras like the ZV-E10 II. A good lens to pair with these cameras is the Sony E 11mm F1.8 prime, a fairly straightforward lens that’s lightweight, reliable and delivers one of the widest angles of view you can get on the Sony APS-C system.

It’s clearly marketed towards vloggers. We tested it out with the original ZV-E10 and found it balanced well, weighing just 181g. It’s plastic, but the mount is metal and it feels reasonably robust. Having a physical AF/MF switch is a nice touch, and the manual focusing ring is pleasant to use, with smooth movement. Autofocus, meanwhile, is swift and near-silent – just what you want.

We found sharpness levels to be consistently very good – best as usual when you stop down. Opening the lens up wide to take advantage of the F1.8 aperture also results in very attractive imagery, with lovely round bokeh. There’s a little vignetting, but not enough to be a serious worry. This is a dependable, affordable little lens that’s a much better choice than a kit zoom for vlogging on Sony’s mirrorless APS-C range.

Read our full Sony E 11mm F1.8 review

Fujinon XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR

At a glance:

• Mounts: Fujifilm X
• Focal length: 10-24mm
• Lens construction: 14 elements in 10 groups
• Max aperture: f/4
• Closest focusing distance: 24cm
• Price: $999 / £879

Fujifilm users who want to shoot video have a narrower lens selection than those who use other brands. However, the XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR is a lens that comes recommended by Fujifilm as one of the best X-mount lenses for video, and it considerably impressed us in our review. It’s durable and weather-resistant, which is useful for on-location shoots, and its sharpness impresses throughout the zoom range.

The manual focusing experience – an important consideration for video – is first-rate on the XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR. The ring is finely grooved, with a fluid feel, and you can take precise manual focus control by rolling your thumb over it at any time.

A lightweight lens, the XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR provides an equivalent focal length of 15-36mm when mounted to one of the X-series APS-C mirrorless cameras. It’s a highly credible all-purpose lens for video, and any Fujifilm user with an inclination towards video should think about giving it some space in their kit bag.

Read our Fujinon XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR review

Samyang 85mm T1.5 VDSLR AS IF UMC II

At a glance:

• Mounts: Nikon F, Canon EF, Pentax K, Sony E, Sony A, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds
• Focal length: 85mm
• Lens construction: 9 elements in 7 groups
• Max aperture: T/1.5
• Closest focusing distance: 110cm
• Price: $3999 / £412

If you are starting to take video seriously, this dedicated cine Samyang optic is worth a look, given its price. Available for Nikon F, Canon EF, Pentax K, Sony E, Sony A, Fujifilm X and Micro Four Thirds mounts, the Samyang 85mm is a manual focus optic that features 9 elements in 7 groups including an aspherical element.

The lens features an aperture (A) ring, although on a cine lens the aperture is prefixed with T instead (for example T/1.5) and there’s also a wide geared focusing ring, that will allow videographers to pair this up with a follow focus system, enabling precise adjustments to the focus setting.

Sporting a dust-proof design, the lens also offers Samyang’s Ultra Multi Coating (UMC) technology for better image quality and to provide protection from flare. Other features include an 8-bladed aperture to make the most of the bokeh created from that fast T/1.5 maximum aperture and a 72mm filter thread.

Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art

At a glance:

• Mounts: L-mount, Sony FE
• Focal length: 85mm
• Lens construction: 15 elements in 11 groups
• Max aperture: f/1.4
• Closest focusing distance: 85cm
• Price: $1,099 / £979

The exceptional optical performance of Sigma’s Art series has been well-known for a while now, but what you may not be aware of is that the Art series shares a lot in common with the construction of Sigma’s Cine lenses, making them perfect for filming video without the additional price-tag.

The 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art gives videographers a lens that can capture tighter scenes and the maximum f/1.4 aperture will create an incredibly shallow depth-of-field that’ll bring a cinematic feel and a higher production value to your movies.

The 85mm f/1.4 Art lens packs in no less than five Special Low Dispersion (SLD) elements to deliver that optical quality but there’s far more to this lens than the glass because the lens also features a de-clicked aperture ring, enabling users to change aperture and balance exposure levels during a live take.

The AF system employs a stepping motor, which is optimised for both phase and contrast detection. Despite these pro features, the 85mm isn’t a lump and weighs in at 630g while offering a familiar filter thread of 77mm, which allows users to add ND filters to further control exposure levels.

Boasting dust and splash resistance, the 85mm f/1.4 Art also features an oil-repellent coating and the build features a mix of aluminium and TSC (Thermally Stable Composite) to keep the construction strong, yet light.

Read our Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art Review

Fujinon XF 18-120mm F4 LM PZ WR

At a glance:

• Mounts: Fujifilm X
• Focal length: 27-183mm (equivalent)
• Lens construction: 15 elements in 12 groups
• Max aperture: f/4
• Closest focusing distance: 60cm
• Price: $899 / £779

An impressively wide-ranging all-in-one zoom, the Fujinon XF 18-120mm F4 LM PZ WR is a great idea on paper, a one-size-fits-all lens to take everywhere. How does it measure up in the real world? Well, in our review we were overall quite impressed. The lens is not without its problems, but it does deliver something unique in the X-mount range and will suit vloggers and video shooters who want to be prepared for all eventualities.

Weighing under 500g, the XF 18-120mm lens slots into a kit bag without causing much fuss. The aforementioned zoom range is hugely useful; some video users might wish for a little more width at the short end, but it’s still a commendable achievement. One unfortunate thing to note for video use is that the zoom mechanism is quite noisy, as is the autofocus. In most cases, it won’t be an issue, but if you’re shooting somewhere with very little ambient noise, odds are it’ll be picked up.

This power zoom lens isn’t the sharpest, but it does a good job in the optimal settings – zoom in a little and stop down to around f/5.6.

Read our full Fujinon XF 18-120mm F4 LM PZ WR review

What makes a good lens for video?

A big, wide-focus ring

There’ll be times when you’re filling scenes with a shallow depth-of-field when you’ll want to take more control over the focusing system and switch to manual focus (MF).

In these scenarios, you want to have as much physical control over the lens as possible.

Thus the lenses to avoid are ones that have impossibly thin focus rings that are very unergonomic and hard to get precise control over.

Instead, look out for optics with a big, wide focus ring that you can get a good grip of.

Better still, focus rings with a pronounced rubberised texture will further aid your hold and prevent your digits from slipping off the focus ring.

A de-clicked aperture ring

An aperture control ring enables users to change the aperture setting via the ring on the lens, rather than needing to fiddle about with the camera body’s dials or menus.

This is important because when you are capturing footage, you’ll be using a set shutter speed, such as 1/100sec.

So, in order to balance an exposure level, you’ll want to adjust the aperture instead (although you can also use ISO and ND filters to balance exposure too).

Some aperture rings are ‘clicked’, which means you feel a physical click or step as you turn the ring.

It’s more advantageous for a video-friendly lens to have a de-clicked aperture ring, that will turn freely without resistance, allowing you to balance the exposure more easily.

Stabilisation

Shaky footage is no good to anybody and while there are other options to stabilise footage – namely in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) within a camera body or the use of a gimbal so the videographer can move around while keeping the camera steady – using a lens with Image Stabilisation technology adds to your ability to keep things steady.

Most IS-enabled lenses offer the user the ability to switch the stabilisation off and on, giving the user even more control.

For the ultimate in stabilisation, pairing an IS lens with a camera body with IBIS will extend the compensation limits.

Lightweight dimensions

Big, heavy lenses are OK for video as long as you are happy to lock off the camera on a tripod, but this usually delivers static and uneventful, uninspiring footage.

If you are going to capture motion by using the camera on a gimbal, or other device, then you want to reduce the load on the gimbal motors… this means using a lightweight and compact lens.

Pancake optics are ideal – for example, Sony’s 16mm f/2.8 not only measures just 62×22.5mm but also tips the scales at a mere 67g, making it a gimbal-friendly choice for videographers on a budget.

Advanced coating

When shooting video, you’ll more than likely want to shoot a lot of ‘contre-jour’ (literally shooting ‘against the day’) shots when you shoot into the light to capture backlit subjects.

These high-contrast lighting situations can flummox inferior lenses and produce huge amounts of flare and specular highlights.

When looking for a lens that you can use for stills and video, make sure it has a decent level of coating to protect against these issues.

A fast maximum aperture

For those beautiful, shallow-depth-of-field shots that add a heavy layer of cinematic style to your footage, you’ll need a lens that offers a fast maximum aperture.

Regular kit lenses often have a variable aperture so at best, you may be able to use f/3.5, but if you zoom in, you’re more likely to have a maximum aperture of f/5.6, which won’t give you the shallow depth-of-field you’re looking for.

Instead, look for lenses that have a maximum aperture of f/2.8 or faster.

A standard to mid-telephoto focal length

One common mistake many photographers make when moving into video for the first time is to select a lens that’s too wide.

Of course, there will be times when a wider angle view will suit the scene, but going too wide all the time can leave subjects in the frame looking too small and lost.

A standard or mid-telephoto focal length, such as 50mm, is a great place to start as this focal length is similar to the natural perspective of the human eye.

A fast motor

Picking a lens with the right motor system is crucial when selecting a video-friendly optic.

Sluggish motor systems will not only struggle to keep up with a moving subject in the frame, but they will also create ‘lens hum’, which can be picked up on your microphone and ruin your audio.

By contrast, a lens with a fast, modern motor system will be quiet, fast and accurate… thus leading to more usable footage.

Familiar filter thread size

ND filters can prove useful when shooting videos as well as stills.

With your shutter speed locked in at 1/50sec or 1/100sec, it can be easy to overexpose a frame, particularly if you wish to employ a fast aperture like f/1.4 to create a shallow depth-of-field.

A video-friendly lens with a familiar filter thread size (such as 67mm, 72mm or 77mm) will mean you probably already have a ND filter (whether it be a screw-on or via a filter holder) that you can use to balance your exposure level.

Is 50mm a good lens for video?

Yes, it certainly can be! As you can see in this guide, we have included 50mm lenses. Providing a fairly naturalistic perspective, 50mm lenses offer a field of view roughly equivalent to that of the human eye. They also have the major advantage of being cheap to buy. Most of the major camera systems offer an affordable 50mm lens (or rough equivalent) in their stable, with a maximum aperture of around f/1.8 to help you produce shallow depth of field and make the most of available light.

A 50mm lens provides a narrower field of view than some vloggers prefer, with 35mm and 24mm lenses being commonly used to get plenty in the frame. Some also like using a zoom for the versatility it offers. However, if you just need an affordable, capable lens that works, a 50mm is definitely a good choice.

Text by Matty Graham, with contributions from Jon Stapley.

Further reading:

• How to record great quality videos with your camera
• Find the best cameras for video, vlogging and YouTube
• Best video editing software, including free tools
• Best external camera screens

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The post The best lenses for video in 2025 appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

If you want to create video that looks and sounds professional, a dedicated vlogging camera is a crucial investment. You can vlog on smartphones – many people do, and you can check out our rundown of the best smartphones for video to learn more about what they’re using. However, a dedicated camera will offer you so much more in ergonomics, versatility, features and video quality. There are simple physical limitations to a smartphone – think sensor size and lens choice – that make a dedicated camera ultimately superior. For more on this, take a read of our guide to making a video for YouTube. We also have a handy guide to how to get started with vlogging.

The following list is based on the findings of our reviews, where we put some of the best mirrorless cameras and best action cameras through their paces.

This guide consists of the vlogging cameras that have most impressed our reviewing team. Beneath the main entries, our writers have added some extra suggestions. We’ve included plenty of cheap and user-friendly options as well as the high-end stuff, so anyone looking for their first ever vlogging camera will find something here. Our explainer section at the bottom of the page where we run through the key technical terms is also a worthy read.

For the best deal on the best vlogging cameras for video and YouTube, here you will find the best of them: our ‘Buy now’ buttons are setup to automatically take you to the best prices from trusted retailers. Plus you’ll find a list of other retailers below each camera, so you can find the right deal for you.

• Best vlogging camera overall: Sony ZV-1 Mark II – buy now
• Best hybrid stills and video camera for enthusiasts: Fujifilm X-S20 – buy now
• Best 4K Micro Four Thirds camera: Panasonic Lumix GH7 – buy now
• Best cheap vlogging camera: Canon PowerShot V10 – buy now
• Best camera for vlogging on the go: DJI Osmo Pocket 3 – buy now
• Best for action and adventure: GoPro HERO 12 Black – buy now
• Best full-frame video camera for 4K: Panasonic Lumix S5 II – buy now
• Best for camera for filmmaking: Blackmagic Pocket Cinema 4K – buy now
• Best video camera for beginner YouTubers: Nikon Z30 – buy now
• Best weather sealed compact mirrorless camera: Olympus OM System OM-5 – buy now
• Best Canon APS-C camera: Canon EOS R10 – buy now
• Best cheap 4K camera: Sony ZV-E10 II – buy now

Best vlogging camera overall: Sony ZV-1 Mark II

At a glance:

• 18-50mm equivalent f/1.8-4 lens
• 4K 30p or Full HD 120p video recording
• ISO 125-12,800 (ISO 80-12,800 extended)
• 24 fps continuous shooting
• 3in fully articulated touchscreen
• Price: $898 / £869

Based on the popular Sony RX100 series of cameras, the original Sony ZV-1 was aimed squarely at vloggers. The 1” size 20.1 million-pixel sensor offers a big step up from those currently shooting with a smartphone, while keeping the camera small and light enough to carry everywhere. The 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 (equivalent) lens may not have been as wide as some would like for handheld vlogging, though, and that’s one of the key new features in this brand new Sony ZV-1 Mark II.

The ZV-1 Mark II is clearly aimed at video more than stills photography. There’s no mode dial, meaning it is a little more fiddly to switch between the various video and photography modes. That said, the simplified operation makes it a good entry point. Modes such as Product Showcase and Background Defocus make it easy for those wanting to shift focus to present a product to the camera or blur a background.

Audio-wise, the camera has a three-capsule microphone and comes with a wind jammer. The ZV-1 Mark II offers good stereo sound recording straight out of the box, particularly if you are recording whilst speaking to the camera. There is a 3.5mm mic input on the side with a hot shoe on the top, and with a side-mounted screen mounting, a mic doesn’t get in the way of viewing the image. It is worth noting that there is no headphone jack for monitoring the audio, as there would be on a more advanced camera.

With 4K video at 30fps, HD video at up to 120fps, High Frame Rate mode capable of up to an incredible 1000fps, Time-lapse recording, a built-in ND filter, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth control and vertical video for recording to Instagram and TikTok, there is plenty here to get you started in video. When you get more advanced, the camera also has the S-Log Picture Profiles that will help match footage with more professional Sony video cameras.

The 18-50mm equivalent wide-angle zoom on this camera is perhaps its key feature, making it much better than the original for filming yourself handheld at arm’s length while keeping in the background too. It also has a very useful touchscreen interface, another improvement on the original.

Read our full Sony ZV-1 Mark II review

Best hybrid stills and video camera for enthusiasts: Fujifilm X-S20

At a glance:

• 26.1MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS 4 (BSI) sensor
• 7-stop in-body image stabilisation (IBIS)
• Up to 6.2K/30P, 4K/60p, 1080/240p video
• ISO 160 – 12,800 (standard), ISO 80 – ISO 51,200 (extended)
• Price: $1,299 / £979 body only

The original Fujifilm X-S10 was an interesting design shift for Fujifilm, swapping its trademark exposure dials for a more conventional mode dial and control layout to appeal to a wider market. It’s a compact and powerful camera that’s still on sale and still well worth buying – but its replacement, the Fujifilm X-S20 really raises the bar and, while more expensive, we think it’s easily worth the extra. For what it does, it’s actually very good value.

The Fujifilm X-S20 uses Fujifilm’s existing 26MP X-Trans sensor but hooks it up to a faster processor and a faster UHS-II card slot to bring substantial improvements to the video capabilities – not to mention a huge increase in buffer capacity for burst mode shooting. And while the X-S20 looks practically identical to its predecessor, its slightly larger grip houses a bigger battery with an extremely impressive 750-shot capacity. That’s practically DSLR territory.

There is so much to like about this camera as a video too, including 4K capture up to 60p and advanced ‘open gate’ 6K shooting for more advanced filmmakers. Fujifilm has also improved the in-body stabilisation to offer up to 7 stops of shake compensation. To get IBIS at all in a camera this compact is pretty remarkable. In fact the X-S20 is a bit of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It might look like a ‘beginner’ camera – it is one of the cheapest in the current Fujifilm range – but it’s very far from that. Not only is it a very good stills camera backed up by a good lens range, it’s also a powerful video camera that can go toe-to-toe with many more expensive rivals.

Read our full Fujifilm X-S20 review

Best Micro Four Thirds 4K camera: Panasonic Lumix GH7

At a glance:

• $1,998 / £2,000 body-only
• $2,598 / £2,410 with 12-60mm F2.8-4
• 25.2MP BSI-CMOS Four Thirds-type sensor
• ISO 100-25,600 (standard)
• Up to 75fps shooting
• 3.68m-dot, 0.8x OLED viewfinder
• 3in, 1.84m-dot fully articulated/tilting LCD
• 5.7K 60fps, C4K 120fps, FHD 240fps video 
• 5-axis in-body stabilisation, 7.5 stops

The Panasonic Lumix GH7 is the latest in the firm’s long-running line of video-centric Micro Four Thirds cameras. Fifteen years after releasing the original GH1 – the first ever mirrorless model capable of recording video – the GH7 finally gains the update that users have been requesting for ages: phase detection autofocus. This has had a transformational effect on the firm’s other recent cameras, so its inclusion in the GH7 is genuinely exciting and should make it one of the best Panasonic cameras yet.

The sensor includes Panasonic’s Dynamic Range Boost, which employs parallel readouts to deliver a promised dynamic range of 13 stops in both stills and video. This goes some way to alleviating one of the perceived disadvantages of the Micro Four Thirds sensor. However, this feature isn’t active when shooting at 60fps or faster, or at shutter speeds slower than 1/15sec.

For video, the GH7 offers a vast range of options in resolution, frame rate, aspect ratio, colour depth, encoding schemes and file formats. You can shoot anything from ‘open gate’ 4:3 aspect ratio 5.8K at 30fps, though 17:9 5.7K at 60fps and C4K at 120fps, to 16:9 Full HD at 240fps. If there’s any option in between you want to use, it’s sure to be available – Panasonic’s spec sheet lists no fewer than 160 possible combinations.

Read our review of the Panasonic GH7.

Best cheap vlogging camera: Canon PowerShot V10

At a glance:

• 20MP 1-inch type sensor
• 19mm equivalent f/2.8 lens
• Up to Full HD 60p, 4K 30p video
• Digital image stabilisation
• $349 (camera only) / £399 (£429 for advanced vlogging kit)

The Canon PowerShot V10 immediately catches the eye. Shaped quite differently to a conventional camera, it’s currently something quite unique; an interesting innovation from Canon. Working on the assumption that conventional vlogging cameras are not particularly easy to hold in a front-facing orientation, even with flip-down or flip-around screens, the V10 fits in the palm of one hand, with a 19mm equivalent lens that makes it easy for the user to film themselves.

While it does shoot stills, this is a video camera first and foremost. It sits comfortably in the hand, the record button falls right under the thumb, and can record in Full HD 60p or up to 4K 30p – though as we found in our testing, the latter comes with some pretty brutal time limits due to overheating. The V10 weighs just 211g, and has a front-facing screen for easy monitoring – though anyone who’s used to recording on a modern iPhone or Samsung phone will probably find it jarringly small.

Is the Canon PowerShot V10 a successful experiment? In some ways, yes, but not all. Its custom form for hand-held vlogging certainly makes more sense than a conventional camera shape, which is awkward to hold in a backwards orientation. However, the stabilisation is digital, not optical: and while this will do for dealing with normal hand-held camera shake, you’ll quickly discover its limitations if you attempt to use the camera while walking. There are also a few operational oddities (why is it so fiddly to change frame rates?) that will likely be ironed out either in firmware updates or in the next model that comes along – assuming one does.

While it’s not perfect, the Canon PowerShot V10 is a noble and interesting experiment, and is well worth investigating if you don’t like the idea of trying to film yourself with a conventionally shaped camera. Hopefully there’s enough take-up to warrant Canon producing a PowerShot V20, as this is a promising idea that could use some refinement.

Read our Canon PowerShot V10 review.

Best portable vlogging camera: DJI Pocket 3

At a glance:

• 1-inch CMOS sensor
• ISO 50-6400 (movie mode); up to 16,000 in ‘Low Light Video’ mode
• 3-axis motorised stabilisation
• Up to 4K 120fps
• Price: $519 / £459 standalone; $669 / £588 for Creator Combo

DJI’s ‘Pocket’ cameras have carved out quite a niche to secure their enduring popularity in the vlogging community. The essentially unchanged formula is a small, 4K-capable camera and fixed lens, attached to a motorised 3-axis gimbal for super-smooth stable shooting. For run-and-gun filmmakers and vloggers, this is a much more cost-effective option than it would be to buy a standalone camera and a handheld gimbal. This remains true even though the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is notably more expensive than the previous Pocket 2.

This hike does come with improvements, though. Most significantly perhaps is the larger sensor. Previous Pocket cameras used a 1/1.7-inch type sensor, whilehere we get a larger 1-inch sensor; the type that generally found in premium compact cameras. This is great for video quality, particularly in low-light shooting situations (the Osmo Pocket 3 has a dedicated Low Light Video mode). The other major improvement is the much larger and clearer LCD screen. The tiny screen on the Pocket 2 was often more an annoyance than anything. This one can also be easily rotated to facilitate vertical shooting.

Indeed, shooting in vertical mode is generally a very smooth process on the Osmo Pocket 3, reflecting the fact that more and more people are consuming content this way (much as many people – including our editor – wish they weren’t). The resolution and video quality of the Osmo Pocket 3 isn’t quite up to that of many of the interchangeable-lens cameras on our list. However, the convenience and shooting versatility it offers put it in a league all of its own.

Read our DJI Osmo Pocket 3 review.

Best vlogging camera for action and adventure: GoPro HERO 12 Black

At a glance:

• 27MP sensor
• ISO 100-6400 (video)
• Hyper smooth 5.0 stabilisation
• Up to 5.6k 60fps, 4K 120fps, 2.7K 240fps
• Price: $264 / £349 [$546 / £549 for the Creator edition]

You may well know what a GoPro Hero camera is. This main line of these diminutive action shooters has remained fundamentally unchanged across 12 iterations – a small, wearable, waterproof camera that produces great-quality video. Over the years we’ve seen addition of such useful features as the famous HyperSmooth Stabilisation system, and the previous Hero 11 cameras introduced a new larger 8:7 sensor that made it easier to capture footage in different aspect ratios (including vertical, for TikTok and its clones). These features are of course present and correct on the Hero 12 Black, the newest iteration.

So what exactly does this latest GoPro bring to the table? The big addition that GoPro has been touting is the better battery life – specifically in its high-intensity modes (i.e. high resolutions and frame rates). This has mostly been achieved via software, and in our review we did find that the 1720mAh Enduro battery held up pretty well over long bike rides and the like, especially when we left it running in the same mode for long periods. When we chopped and changed between different modes, the battery dropped more quickly. We also found that the camera became quite warm, despite GoPro’s claim to have improved overheating.

Ultimately though, the Hero 12 Black does everything the adventurous vlogger needs it to. It creates brilliant-looking footage that’s bright and punchy, and the addition of expert features like Timecode Sync and the Log colour profile make it more attractive to the serious video content creator.

Read our full review of the GoPro Hero 12 Black

Best full frame video camera for 4K: Panasonic Lumix S5 II

At a glance:

• 24.2MP full-frame sensor
• ISO 100-51,200 (standard)
• C4K 60p video recording
• 5-axis in-body stabilisation
• Price: $1,598 / £1,349 body only

Starting 2023 with a bang, Panasonic unveiled an updated full-frame mirrorless camera we’d long been waiting for – a Lumix model with phase-detection autofocus. That’s right, the trusted but dated contrast-detect Depth from Defocus system was finally cast away into the annals of history. The Lumix S5 II is all the better for it. It’s so much faster than previous Lumix S cameras, in both video and stills.

While full-frame cameras from Sony et al climb vertiginously in price, Panasonic is being canny in keeping this model below the $2000 / $2000 mark. It makes for a hugely compelling option for vloggers and videographers with a budget, but not the funds commanded by the likes of the Sony A7S III or the Sony A1.

As we noted in our review, the flexibility and versatility offered by the Lumix S5 II for video is simply staggering. And thanks to a clever built-in fan mechanism, it can effectively record indefinitely without overheating (which feels like a response to the much-publicised heating travails of the Canon EOS R5). You’re really only limited by card space or battery power, which is great for a hard day of intense recording.

The aforementioned autofocus system also benefits from the must-have feature in all new cameras – subject-detection that can recognise humans and animals and lock onto them. The in-body stabilisation is rated up to five stops of compensation, and the Lumix S5 II can output 6K 30p video in addition to its suite of 4K options.

Without a doubt, this is a highly capable vloggers’ and videographers’ camera, ideal for shooting in pristine 4K.

Read our full Panasonic Lumix S5 II review

Best filmmaking camera: Blackmagic Pocket Cinema 4K

At a glance:

• Four Thirds Sensor
• ISO 100-25,600 (movie mode)
• Up to 4K 60fps, Full HD 120fps
• Anamorphic shooting
• Price: $995 / £1,139 body only

If you are an aspiring filmmaker, then the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema 4K may be a great camera to start shooting. It is a very affordable camera for filmmakers, with many advanced features prioritising image quality above everything else.

It features a Four Thirds size sensor that has an impressive 13-EV of dynamic range so that you can capture lots of highlight and shadow detail. It can also save footage in ProRes or Blackmagic Raw 2.0 formats, meaning a considerable amount of colour detail is captured to enable image editing in post-production.

The Pocket Cinema 4K can record footage in 4K DCI (4096 x 2160) at 60fps or the even wider 4K 2.4:1 format (4096 x 1720) at 70fps. The camera can also shoot 2.8k anamorphic footage at 80fps. Those that want slow-motion footage can shoot at 120fps in Full HD resolution.

The Micro Four Thirds lens mount means that there is a vast amount of quality lenses, new and used, at affordable prices. It is worth noting though that there is no sensor or digital stabilisation. The Pocket Cinema 4K relies on any optical lens stabilisation, so it is better suited to being on a tripod or gimbal than being used handheld. Autofocus isn’t the fastest, so it suits a more static environment where you can manually focus a lens on a subject.

The Pocket Cinema 4K features a substantial 5-inch touchscreen perfect for navigating menus, focusing precisely, composing your shot and reviewing your footage.

As a fully-fledged cinema camera for filmmakers, the Pocket Cinema 4K has all of the inputs and outputs you would expect and some you might not. There are slots for CFast or SD cards to be used for storage, and you can even record directly to an SSD via the USB 3.1 port. For audio, there’s a 3.5mm mic input and a Mini XLR input for professional microphones that require phantom power. It also allows you to monitor the audio via a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Although it may seem overkill to have such a powerful camera for shooting YouTube, for its price, it offers the best image quality for those recording reviews or demonstrations. It is also the perfect entry point for anyone that wants to begin a career in filmmaking.

Best vlogging camera for beginner YouTubers: Nikon Z30

At a glance:

• 20.99-million-pixel APS-C CMOS Sensor
• ISO 100-25,600 (movie mode)
• 3” 1.04-million dot Vari-Angle touchscreen
• Up to 4K 30fps, Full HD 120fps
• Price: $607 / £699 body only

The Nikon Z30 is a small, affordably priced entry point to Nikon’s Z system. Designed and marketed as a vlogging camera, it has a great basic set of features. It does lack a few headline features – for instance, there is no sensor-based stabilisation, although Nikon does have optically stabilised lenses. A good one is the NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR, which is available in a kit with the Z30 for around $750 / £840. There is also eVR, or Electronic Vibration Reduction, which is Nikon’s form of digital stabilisation for video. For more, check out our picks of the best Z-mount lenses for Nikon in 2025.

All the features you expect for getting started with vlogging are present, including a vari-angle screen for recording yourself, and a microphone socket. There is no headphone socket for monitoring audio. Still, there are other great features, including a recording time of up to 125 minutes (battery-dependent). The camera uses the entire width of the 20.99-million pixel sensor to shoot 4K without any crop.

Although it lacks some of the more advanced features and recording options of other cameras in this line-up, its price makes it a significant step up for those shooting with a smartphone or compact camera.

Read our full Nikon Z30 review.

Best weather-sealed compact mirrorless camera: OM System OM-5

At a glance:

• 20.4MP Four Thirds sensor
• ISO 200-6400 (extended: L64-25600)
• 30fps shooting
• 4K 30p video, 120p full HD
• Price: $1,000 / £1,199 body only

The OM System OM-5 is essentially a refresh of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III; which was an excellent camera already. It’s a Micro Four Thirds model that uses a somewhat smaller sensor size than APS-C cameras, yet is very popular in the video community. It is also used in Panasonic’s highly regarded Lumix G cameras, like the Lumix GH6, and the new GH7.

The OM-5 is not designed specifically for video – its video features can pretty much be matched by cheaper alternatives. The difference is that it has an electronic viewfinder and fully articulating rear screen, along with some very powerful stills photography features that make it perfect for those who need to produce both still photographs and video with the same kit; perhaps swapping from one minute to the next.

The in-body image stabilization is about as good as it gets, and while the video capture tops out at 4K 30p, you can shoot at up to 120p in full HD resolution. The E-M5 also comes with a built-in log profile for those who need to carry out some more advanced colour grading later on.

Perhaps the key characteristics of the OM-5 for vlogging are its small size, its robust weather-proof construction and the wide choice of both zoom and prime lenses available, which are typically smaller and lighter than those for APS-C or full frame cameras.

Read our full OM System OM-5 review

Best Canon APS-C camera for vlogging: Canon EOS R10

At a glance:

• 24.2MP APS-C sensor
• ISO 100-51,200
• 23fps shooting
• 4K 30p video
• 2.36m-dot EVF
• 3in vari-angle LCD
• Price: $879 / £899 body only

If you’re making your first step up to mirrorless from a smartphone, the Canon EOS R10 is one of the smartest choices you can make. As we found out when we subjected the camera to a full test and review, the EOS R10 is impressively feature-packed for a sub-$1,000 / £1,00 camera.

It’s lightweight, it’s easy to use, and there are a fair few smart features that should endear it to vloggers. A small but welcome thing – the video record button is prominently situated in just the right place on the top plate where it’s easy to press while pointing the camera back towards yourself at arm’s length. The 3in, 1.04m-dot fully articulated touchscreen has a side-hinged design that make it easy to flip forward to face yourself.

There have been some cutbacks to make the camera as small and affordable as it is (compared to the rest of the EOS R series, at least). The one that will most affect vloggers is the lack of in-body image stabilisation, which means you’re reliant on lens-based IS (which can’t correct for roll around the lens axis) or Digital IS (which incurs a 1.1x or 1.4x crop on your footage). Neither solution is ideal. Other than this small niggle though, the EOS R10 is a well-priced and well-balanced vlogging option.

Read our Canon EOS R10 review.

Best mid-range 4K vlogging camera: Sony ZV-E10 II

At a glance:

• 26-million-pixel APS-C Exmor R CMOS sensor
• ISO 100-32000 (standard), 100-102,400 (extended)
• 3” articulated touchscreen
• Sony E Mount
• Up to 130min battery life
• Lens stabilisation + digital stabilisation and optional post-production stabilisation
• Up to 4K 60fps, Full HD 120fps
• Price: $998 / £924

The original Sony ZV-E10 was the first mirrorless member of Sony’s vlogger-focused ZV line-up, allowing for the use of E-mount lenses. In July 2024, Sony released its successor; the ZV-E10 II. The good news is that it borrows its APS-C sensor from cine specialist, the Sony FX30. This enabled a slew of filmmaker-focused features for the new model. The bad news? You’ve guessed it – the ZV-E10 II comes at a significant price hike from the original ZV-E10 – that camera will currently set you back around £500; the ZV-E10 II retails around £950. So, is it worth it?

If your budget stretches to the ZV-E10 II, you’ll be rewarded with the ability to capture 4K 4:2:2 10-bit All-Intra footage at 60fps, oversampled from 5.6K (or drop to 30fps to oversample from 6K). The footage looks brilliant, with 10-bit colour depth, and you can zhuzh it up as you like with Sony Picture Profile settings like S-Cinetone. More significantly though, the ZV-E10 II now has a LUT import feature, allowing you to import colour profiles as you see fit and apply them to your footage. As we said in our first-look review, this is a brilliant feature in particular for up-and-coming filmmakers who want to experiment with different looks and emulate the styles of their heroes.

Video autofocus is as excellent as we’ve come to expect from Sony – make sure to pair the camera with one of the best Sony lenses (it can be bought with an upgraded version of the serviceable PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens) to take full advantage of it. The improved battery also means better recording times than the original ZV-E10, while also necessitating a larger handgrip that adds a bit to the bulk, but makes the camera much more comfortable to hold. An acceptable trade-off, in our view.

If your budget reaches this far, you’ll find this to be an excellent mid-range vlogging camera. If not, the original ZV-E10 represents excellent value for money.

Read our Sony ZV-E10 II first look review.

Additional budget and beginner vlogging cameras to consider

The team at AP test and review loads of vlogging cameras – more than we could comfortably fit into this guide! If you’re on a budget, or a beginner, here are a few extra wallet-friendly and beginner friendly options that our review team think are particularly worth your consideration.

Best vlogging camera for beginners: Panasonic Lumix G100 ($600 / £550 with 12-32mm lens)

Panasonic designed the Panasonic Lumix G100 (read our review here) with vlogging specifically in mind. Consequently, it has a 3inch 1.8M-dot vari-angle touchscreen that can be flipped around to face forwards and OZO Audio tracking by Nokia. The latter can work in tandem with the camera’s face-detection system to track a subject around the frame and decide which of the three internal microphones to use. The microphones can also be set to Auto, Surround, Front or Back depending upon where the most important sounds are coming from. It works well provided that there’s no wind around but there’s also a 3.5mm mic port.

Other nice features include a Rec Frame Marker, that shows the framing for different aspect ratios to help you to compose footage for a variety of platforms including Instagram stories; in-body stabilisation; and V-Log L that produces low-contrast, low-saturation footage.

As well as making the footage more gradable, it’s easier to match it to video from other cameras. There’s a slight crop applied to 4K footage on top of the 2x focal length magnification factor caused by the G100’s Four Thirds type sensor. That means that the 12-32mm lens actually looks a little longer than the 24-64mm effective length that it is for stills photography. However, it’s just about okay for handheld vlogging, especially if you mount the camera on Panasonic’s optional DMW-SHGR1 Shooting Grip. Angela Nicholson.

Best vlog camera: Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III ($800 / £749)

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II was a surprise success amongst Youtubers, so for the Mark III version, Canon made vlogging a key focus. Consequently, the G7 X Mark III can shoot 4K (3840 x 2160) video at 29.97/25fps without cropping. That means when you get the full width of the 24-100mm (equivalent) stabilised lens, which is important if you’re holding the camera at arm’s length and pointing it towards yourself.

Further good news is that the maximum aperture range is f/1.8-2.8, which enables some blurring of the background when you shoot wide open. Handily, there’s also a 3-stop ND filter built-in that helps you to use the widest apertures in bright conditions. A collection of autofocus modes enable you to get the subject sharp. Significantly, these include Face Select and Track which works well in video mode, putting a box around your face when spotting you. You can see this as the 3in 1,040,000-dot touchscreen tilts up through 180° making it visible from in front of the camera.

There’s no viewfinder though. As usual, there’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity onboard, but uniquely, the G7 X Mark III can live-stream direct to your YouTube channel. To do this, you need to create a free image.canon account, then input the relevant information and tap the connection details into your camera.

Then, provided that you have a decent Wi-Fi signal (or a hotspot from your network-connected smartphone), you’re free to stream. All of this would count for nothing if the PowerShot G7 X Mark III didn’t produce high-quality results but thanks to its 20.1MP 1in type stacked CMOS sensor, it delivers excellent stills and video. It has a sensitivity range of ISO 125-25,600, but ideally, keep to ISO 3200 or lower. Angela Nicholson.

Fujfiilm X-S10 ($1,425 / £1,285 with 18-55mm lens)

Even though Fujifilm has now released the X-S20 featured above in our round-up, the mirrorless Fujifilm X-S10 (read our review here) is still widely available, and makes for a great choice for anyone looking for a slightly more budget-friendly route into vlogging on the Fujifilm X system. The X-S10 can be bought in certain territories as part of a ‘vlogger kit’, bundled with an XC 15-45mm lens, an SD card, a GorillaPod flexible tripod and a RØDE shotgun mic – all of which will set you up nicely to get started with vlogging.

The X-S10 is one of the more affordable Fujifilm cameras, but it still packs in plenty of vlogger-friendly features like a fully articulating rear screen, a pretty respectable IBIS system that provides up to 5.5 stops of compensation, a 3.5mm mic slot and the ability to plug in monitoring headphones via the USB-C connection. It shoots 4K 30p video that looks excellent straight out of camera, benefiting from Fujifilm’s excellent colour science.

The sequel camera, the X-S20, is unquestionably the better option for video. It offers 6.2K 30p for a starter, as well as longer recording times and AI-powered subject-detection autofocus. However, all this inevitably comes at a cost, and the X-S20 accordingly has a price hike of around $200/£200 if you’re buying new – and you could probably save even more cash getting a second-hand X-S10. Either way, you’re getting a mirrorless camera that’ll produce punchy and vibrant footage, and the X-S10 is definitely worth considering as an introduction to vlogging on the X system. Jon Stapley.

How to choose the best vlogging camera

Here are the key specs to think about when selecting your camera for vlogging, videography, and YouTube.

What resolution do I need?

One of the first things to look for is video resolution. Nearly every camera on the market should be shooting at 4K resolution. 4K televisions and screens are commonplace, and we are starting to see cameras that will shoot in 8K or higher. If you are beginning to vlog or shoot for YouTube, however, there is currently no real need for you to be shooting in 8K; it is complete overkill.

Do you even need 4K for social media? Probably not, since a lot of social video is shared at full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution. However, shooting in 4K does allow you to crop for any social media platform and will give you editing flexibility later.

What frame rate should I use?

Frame rate is how many images, or frames of video, the camera can record in a second. The more frames, the smoother the footage, and it also allows you to slow the footage down without it looking jerky. Hollywood movies are typically shot at a frame rate of 24fps, whilst PAL TV is 25fps with the US NTSC format at 30fps. Higher frame rates are a multiplier of these, so you will commonly find 50fps and 60fps and 100 and 120fps.

By recording at 120fps and then creating a video that is shown at 30fps, you will have a 4x slow-motion effect. So, if you are interested in shooting slow-motion footage, the higher the frame rate, the greater the slow-motion effect. For an excellent slow-motion effect, look for at least 120fps.

What kind of stabilization do I need?

If you are shooting cooking or craft tutorials, you can use a tripod. For more on how to choose the best tripod for you, check out our ultimate guide to tripods as well as our picks for the best tripods to buy. However, if you are using the camera handheld for vlogging or filmmaking on a family holiday, un-stabilised video can look shaky and almost unwatchable.

Lens or sensor-based stabilisation will help keep the footage looking steady. Some cameras will also use digital stabilisation. Digital stabilisation crops into the frame and shifts the recorded area to smooth camera movements. A combination of all three types of stabilisation can keep handheld footage free of all but the most dramatic of movements.

For cameras that don’t have stabilisation, a motorised three-axis stabiliser, also known as a gimbal, is a great way to create smooth footage.

Do I need a microphone for better audio?

People often say that poor footage can be forgivable, but poor audio can make a video unwatchable. For the most part, this is true. While you’ll be hard-pushed to find a camera that doesn’t have built-in microphones for recording audio, these will only be fine in ideal conditions, such as in a quiet environment.

For the best possible audio, using an external microphone is a must. Make sure your camera has a microphone input socket, which will usually be a 3.5mm socket on the side of the camera. This socket will allow you to add a microphone, which will usually be held on an accessory shoe on top of the camera. However, be aware that this may block or hinder the use of a front-facing screen.

What about the screen?

If you are planning on filming yourself, you will need to look for a camera that has a screen that can be turned so that it faces you whilst you are recording. Generally, these come in two types – articulated from the side or flipping up from the top. Both have their advantages.

Top-facing screens look more natural if you look at the screen rather than the front of the lens. However, if you want to mount a light or microphone to a hot-shoe, it may prevent you from using the screen. Side-facing screens will leave the camera’s top free for mounting microphones and accessories. Still, if you find yourself presenting to the screen, it can look unnatural as your eye-line will always look off to the side. In summary, remember to talk to the lens, not the screen!

For those who aren’t filming themselves, a simple tilting articulation helps shoot at different angles, making your videos look more dynamic. If you find the screen on the camera too small, then you can look at external camera screens or alternatively some phones like the Sony Xperia Pro can be used as external monitor.

Power and battery

Shooting a video can drain a battery very quickly. While battery life shouldn’t be a deciding factor when buying a camera, it is worth noting so that you can plan to purchase an additional battery, or two or three, if you are out shooting video all day.

Something else is to look for charging. Most cameras will charge through a microUSB or USB-C connection, with many of these also able to be powered by USB whilst still recording. A simple USB power bank could give you hours more recording by either keeping the battery charging when not in use or by being able to power your camera, though be aware that some cameras need newer USB Type C PD (power delivery) which is found only on newer/better power banks.

What about sensor size?

As in photography, the sensor is probably the defining feature of a video camera. As a (very) general rule, the larger the sensor, the better the image quality will be. A full-frame sensor will have a greater dynamic range, lower noise levels and better image quality at higher ISO sensitivities than a smaller sensor of the exact resolution.

So, shooting with a camera with a full-frame sensor will produce better results than shooting with the smaller sensor of a smartphone. The downside is a larger sensor will mean a bigger camera and larger lenses, which may not be ideal if you want something small for vlogging. See our guide to APS-C vs full-frame sensors for more on the differences between the two, or take a look at: Does sensor size matter for video?

What lens do I need for video?

Depending on your vlogging and video needs and of course your budget, you either look for a zoom lens that will cover everything, or a variety of fast primes and zoom lenses that you can swap between. If you are shooting solely video content you might consider swapping for cine lenses. however if you really need a cine lens to shoot video, is another question.

Probably it goes without saying that a fast aperture lens will allow you to capture beautiful shallow depth of field shots and a cinematic style.

Some important points to keep in mind are: the size focus ring for better grip and more nuanced focus control, a de-clicked aperture ring to balance exposure more easily, IS-lenses with built in stabilisation, advanced coating to deal with high contrast scenes, and a fast and quiet motor to be able to keep up with movement.

Read our detailed tips on what makes a good lens for video in our guide to the best lenses for video.

Text by Richard Sibley, with contributions from Jon Stapley, Angela Nicholson.

Finished with our guide to the best cameras for video? Don’t miss our in-depth guides to shooting video, including 9 common video problems and how to fix them, as well as our no-nonsense guide to how to get outstanding audio in your videos.

Further reading:

• Best smartphones for video
• Best accessories for video
• Best camera phone accessories for photography and video
• Best external camera screens

Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

The post Best vlogging camera for video and YouTube in 2025 appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

This list consists of the top editing programs available now, as chosen by our expert review team. We haven’t just chosen the professional options though — we have a whole section dedicated to programs that are completely free to download and use, including even some that can work entirely inside your internet browser.

At the bottom of this post is a quick explainer of the key things we look for when picking the best video editing software. For a closer analysis of how the top picks compare, read our breakdown of DaVinci Resolve vs Adobe Premiere Pro: which is the best video editing software – and check out our guides on how to make great video recordings with your camera and the best cameras for vlogging and videography for more advice on improving your video and filmmaking.

Best video editing software: our quick list

Here’s our quick list of the best video editing programs to download, along with links that go straight to where you need to go…

Best free video editing programs:

• Best free video editing software for filmmakers: DaVinci Resolve – visit website
• Best free video editing software for Mac: Apple iMovie – visit website
• Best free video editing software for Instagram: Adobe Premiere Rush – visit website
• Best mid-range video editing software: ACDSee Luxea Free Video Editor – visit website
• Best free video editing software for TikTok: CapCut Desktop – visit website
• Best browser-based video editing software: Canva – visit website

Best paid-for video editing software in 2025:

• Best video editing software for beginners: Adobe Premiere Elements – visit website
• Best video editing software with AI tools: CyberLink PowerDirector – visit website
• Best professional video editing software: Adobe Premiere Pro – visit website
• Best subscription-free video editing software: DaVinci Resolve Studio – visit website
• Best professional video editing software for Mac: Apple Final Cut Pro – visit website

Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of each program to figure out which is right for you; our guide to the best video-editing software in 2025…

Best free video editing software in 2025

These programs can get you started in video editing at no cost, with some ‘freemium’ tools offering an upgrade path to more features, such as a paid upgrade to a full version or, more likely, via a subscription.

Best free video editing software for filmmakers: DaVinci Resolve 19

• Pricing: Free (DaVinci Resolve Studio is the paid version and costs $295 / £235 – scroll down for more)
• Platforms: Mac and PC
• User level: Intermediate/Professional
• Website: www.blackmagicdesign.com

DaVinci Resolve was one of the best-kept secrets of video editing software, yet more and more people are adopting it. This is a free version of the professional DaVinci Resolve Studio program that has almost all the features and is entirely free. There are no watermarks, time limits or other restrictions beyond a maximum export resolution of 4K UHD, and 60p frame rate.

While we’ve mostly focused on desktop-based programs for this guide, it’s worth noting that there’s also an iPad version, which works pretty well if you have a tablet powerful enough to handle it (an iPad Pro is a good bet), and is also free to download and use.

No other free video editor can even approach DaVinci Resolve’s power, though there is a lot to learn. New users will need to spend some time with the training videos to properly get to grips with what it can do. Each new version gets additional features and tools, and there are advanced audio processing options, including options to improve voices.

Aspiring filmmakers need a comprehensive and well-featured video editing tool. Making a film can drain one’s resources, which only enhances the appeal of DaVinci Resolve as a solution. The main thing that DaVinci Resolve requires, more so than other programs, is time and patience in learning how to use it. YouTube tutorials can be very helpful in this – and you’ll have all the tools you need to take your projects from raw footage to final cut, without having spent a single penny!

Best free video editing software for Mac: Apple iMovie

• Pricing: Free
• Platforms: Mac and iOS
• User level: Beginner/Intermediate
• Website: www.apple.com

Apple iMovie doesn’t get a lot of respect from ‘serious’ filmmakers, but it should. Though it only supports one video track and a couple of audio tracks, you can add a wide range of titles, captions and motion graphics effects. And, as well as recording voiceovers, you can tune the audio with preset EQ effects.

There are basic but effective colour grading tools – iMovie even offers image stabilisation, which is rare outside of mid-range or professional video editors. iMovie is easy to use, completely free without restriction and comes as standard with Macs and iOS devices. As you might expect, there’s no Windows version, though.

Best free video editing software for Instagram: Adobe Premiere Rush

• Pricing: Free/$9.99, $35 per annum / £21.98 a month
• Platforms: Mac and PC/mobile
• User level: Beginner
• Website: www.adobe.com

Premiere Rush is a kind of lightweight video editor designed for quick YouTube or social videos rather than serious filmmaking. Nevertheless, it has the tools that beginners and intermediate users should need: with up to three additional video tracks, three additional audio tracks, and a large selection of ready-to-go motion graphics templates and other design resources. It’s a good choice if you need a basic, free editing package for producing content for Instagram or a similar social media platform, as realistically you’re only going to need to create short clips with a few tracks.

You can start with a free plan – all you need is an Adobe ID – and upgrade to a premium plan if you want more cloud storage, more assets, project synchronization across devices, and more. There is a Premiere Rush plan, but it also comes with a Premiere Pro or an Adobe All Apps subscription.

Best free mid-range video editing software: ACDSee Luxea Free Video Editor

• Pricing: Free (with branding)
• Platforms: PC
• User level: Beginner/intermediate
• Website: www.acdsee.com

Luxea Free Video Editor is a very effective mid-range editor from a company best known for its photo editing software. It offers unlimited tracks, screen capture, free content packs and more. Best of all, it’s free – though there is one drawback, in that the free version adds a branded intro and outro to exported movies.

Luxea Free Video Editor can get you going but for much more control and no watermarked intro/outro, it’s worth considering Luxea Pro Video Editor 7 which costs $49.99 a year; while currently offering $29.95 for a Lifetime Licence (albeit that upgrades need paying for with this package).

Luxea does not offer as much support for beginners as some programs, and it’s not a serious professional tool either. But for Windows users bemoaning the lack of a free iMovie-style program for their platform, Luxea could be the ideal alternative.

Best free video editing software for TikTok and beginners: CapCut Desktop

• Pricing: Free (Pro version available for $8 per month or $75 per year)
• Platforms: Mac and PC, mobile, web
• User level: Beginner
• Website: www.capcut.com

CapCut is a free video editing tool owned by ByteDance — the Chinese tech company better known for being behind video-sharing app TikTok. As such, CapCut syncs rather well with TikTok and is an ideal free choice if you’re looking to create video for the platform. Free to download for Windows and Mac, the desktop version offers more advanced functionality than the popular mobile app version that features in our best video editing apps guide.

It’s replete with automated tools designed to make editing smoother and easier, and as such it’s a good free choice for beginners. The auto-transcription functionality is particularly effective, so if you need to do a lot of captioning for your videos, or find which bits you can cut, it could be a real timesaver. As is very common these days, the makers desperately want you to know that the software is stuffed with AI features, including the ability to generate video wholesale.

CapCut also makes it easy to export video in a variety of aspect ratios for sharing to different platforms, and even has hardware support for modern graphics cards, speeding up the export process. It also has TikTok’s filters and other effects built in, making it the best choice if you want to efficiently create video in TikTok’s ‘house style’. There is a Pro version available for a subscription price that adds a few extra features, but the basic free version has the majority of functionality most editors need.

Best browser-based video editing software: Canva

• Pricing: Free. Canva Pro costs $15 per month or $120 / £100 one person per year
• Platforms: Mac and PC, mobile, web
• User level: Beginner
• Website: www.canva.com

Canva is not only a video editor. It’s really a tool for creating business or social media visuals of all kinds, with a wide range of ready-to-go templates and assets for quickly building dynamic and professional-looking content. You can combine, trim and re-order multiple video clips in the timeline, and add titles, intros and outros that produce basic but perfectly serviceable videos for YouTube, websites or other social channels.

Although it uses the same basic non-linear editing (NLE) principles as other video editors, Canva uses its own jargon and editing processes, so it can take a little while to work out what it does and how to make it do it. The free Canva plan will get you started, but Canva Pro adds premium templates, a huge stock asset library, social media scheduling, branding, AI editing tools and more – though at $120 / £100 a year, it’s not cheap.

Best paid-for video editing software in 2025

These are some of the top paid-for video editing programs right now. Video editing skills take a long time to master, and while pro software costs the most, it can save you time (and therefore money) in the long run and can prove a valuable professional qualification.

Best video editing software for beginners: Adobe Premiere Elements

• Pricing: $100 / £87
• Platforms: Mac and PC
• User level: Beginner/Intermediate
• Website: www.adobe.com

Adobe Premiere Elements is to Adobe Premiere what Photoshop Elements is to Photoshop. It takes many of the features of Adobe’s professional video editing software and re-packages them as a simpler video editor for beginners and intermediate users who don’t need professional features.

More significant for many will be the fact that it exists outside the Adobe Creative Cloud ecosystem so it’s subscription-free and can be purchased with a single one-off payment. Having said that, there’s a version update every year and an upgrade fee that goes with it.

The editing interface follows the usual format, with a timeline/track display at the bottom with preview and content panels above. As with Photoshop Elements, there are Quick, Guided and Expert modes and, as with Elements, these are a great way to get started with learning about video editing, though some may find the ‘family feel’ tedious. There is a 30-day free trial but, annoyingly, it’s watermarked. It’s worth trying the trial before paying for this, to make sure it works properly on your computer.

Best video editing software with AI tools: CyberLink PowerDirector

• Pricing: Power Director 2025 $140 / £110 perpetual, or Power Director 365 at A now discounted at £47.99 /  a year
• Platforms: Mac and PC, mobile
• User level: Intermediate/Professional
• Website: www.cyberlink.com

PowerDirector delivers a lot of power at a relatively modest cost. It includes some unexpected tools and innovations such as AI Sky Replacement (yes, in video), AI motion tracking and tools for designing masks, titles/motion graphics and picture-in-picture effects.

You get green screen effects, customisable intros/outros and Adobe-style speech-to-text transcription. The audio tools are impressive too, with AI speech enhancement and wind noise removal, a ‘Vocal Transformer’ and Audio Ducking for narration or voiceovers. PowerDirector is not really a professional editing tool in the same vein as Premiere Pro, Final Cut or DaVinci Resolve, but it could be a great choice for enthusiasts and keen experimenters.

Best professional video editing software: Adobe Premiere Pro

• Pricing: From $20.99 / £21.98 a month
• Platforms: Mac and PC
• User level: Professional
• Website: www.adobe.com

For many professional filmmakers and editors, Adobe Premiere Pro is simply the go-to video editing tool, in the same way that Lightroom and Photoshop are for photographers. It’s one of three pro-level video editors fighting it out at the top end of the market, and while a lot of users still balk at the whole concept of software subscriptions, it does mean that Premiere Pro gets regular updates as part of your subscription, the latest including clever AI-driven tools like automatic transcripts and captioning, automatic reframing for different social channels and more.

Premiere Pro might be a gold standard for pro video editors but at a cost. It’s only available as a single app subscription at $20.99 / £21.98 per month or as part of Adobe’s All Apps plan at a huge $59.99 / £56.98 a month.

Best subscription-free video editing software: DaVinci Resolve Studio

• Pricing: $300 / £300
• Platforms: Mac and PC
• User level: Professional
• Website: www.blackmagicdesign.com

The free version of DaVinci Resolve is so good that you might not even need the professional version. But what this brings is the ability to work beyond 4K UHD resolution and a 60p frame rate, support for multiple GPUs and GPU processing (vastly improving rendering speeds) – lens corrections (useful given that raw footage won’t be corrected), noise reduction and some more advanced effects.

This does mean paying a hefty $295 / £245 for a license or it may not, because if you buy a Blackmagic controller or camera, a Davinci Resolve Studio license is included. Resolve has its own particular way of working, and its Fusion (effects) and Fairlight (audio) panels don’t have the most obvious names, but this a very powerful professional video editor that’s also a pretty good deal, especially since you might not even have to pay for it. If you do pay for it, you get free upgrades for life!

Best professional video editing software for Mac: Apple Final Cut Pro

• Pricing: $299.99 / £299.99 outright purchase
• Platforms: Mac, iPad
• User level: Professional
• Website: www.apple.com

In a way, you could think of Final Cut Pro as like ‘iMovie Pro’ in that it uses the same clean and streamlined approach and is typical of the way Apple ‘rethinks’ regular software tools. Its magnetic trackless interface takes a little getting used to at first – it uses ‘lanes’ for multiple audio/video content – but the in situ timeline editing tools are excellent. With AI-powered motion tracking you can match the movement of titles, for example, to subjects in the scene, and with Compound clips you can group related video and audio clips into a single entity for easier organization.

Final Cut Pro is Mac only, of course, and it comes with a pretty stiff one-off license fee. But the cost of ownership over time should prove comparable with Premiere Pro (around $20.99 / £26.49 a month) and Davinci Resolve Studio. Final Cut Pro is a very clever, very powerful professional video editor that every Mac owner should check out – especially since there’s a generous 90-day trial.

What to look for in the best video editing software

Video editing is a discipline with lots of different moving parts to it, and a good video editing program needs to be able to do more than just put a few clips in order. When we pick the best video editing software, we look at how straightforward and intuitive it is to use the program to perform a number of different video editing tasks, as well as examine the feature-set and interface more broadly. Here, in brief, are the key things we look for a good video editing program to be able to do:

• Cutting, trimming and assembling clips: finished videos/movies will usually be made of a series of clips you assemble in a ’sequence’ or ‘timeline’.
• Audio editing: at the very least you should be able to adjust the volume of your video, but ideally you should be able to add audio tracks or voiceovers and some programs will offer EQ (equalization) settings too.
• Transitions: you can cut straight from one clip to another, but most filmmakers like to use transitions to smooth the, er, transition. You don’t need a thousand flashy effects, just the basics like ‘wipes’ or ‘dissolves’.
• Titles: your movies will usually need titles, perhaps end credits and often captions at different points in the video.
• Tracks: imported video will consist of a video and an audio track combined. More advanced video editors will let you add and combine additional audio and video tracks.
• Grading and effects: colour grading tools are useful for fixing exposure or colour errors, giving all your clips a similar ‘look’. More advanced programs may offer special effects or custom ‘LUTs’ for a specific movie look.
• Codecs and formats: this is harder to pin down because there are so many permutations of video formats, bit depths and colour depths that the only way to be sure a program can work with your specific camera, shooting formats and projects is to check the trial version before you buy. We always recommend this for any software.

FAQ: Will my computer be able to run a video editing software?

There is nothing more infuriating than downloading a software just to find out your computer is not powerful enough to run it or end up constantly crashing. To avoid unpleasant surprises like this check the minimum system requirements for the software you are planning to download. The most important factors are processing power, graphics card and RAM. However note that if you are only editing short videos and use basic software you will likely get away with using your basic PC or laptop

The central processing unit (CPU) or processor is the heart of your computer, Most video editing software will require a processor with at least four cores with 2GHz to run. But higher resolution video files and large projects put more strain your CPU so you will need need more processing power for 4K and 8K videos, an INTEL i5 or higher processor is a good place to start.

A decent graphics card (GPU) is a must as it speeds up video rendering and improves the overall editing performance. An NVIDIA RTX 3050 or GeForce GTX 1660 Super graphics card is a good start for basic HD video editing.

As for RAM, the more the better but as a general rule of thumb calculate with minimum 8GB RAM for HD video and 16GB RAM for 4K editing. For professional use and rendering very large files you may need 32GB or even 64GB.

The storage available on your computer will also have an impact on how effortlessly software runs on it, try to have at least 500GB free space. Save your video files on a separate drive or purchase an external hard drive with at least 1TB capacity.

Text by Rod Lawton, with contributions from Jon Stapley.

Further reading:

• Best cameras for vlogging and video recording
• How to start monetising your video
• How to make a great video recording with your camera
• Guide to video editing
• Best external camera screens

Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

The post Best video editing software in 2025: free and paid-for tools appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

We have rounded up the used cameras and kits that we think will enable you to create your budget-friendly video setup. Of course, there isn’t room to cover every available product or every detail, so use this guide as the starting point to find out more, for example, have a look at our guide to the best cameras for vlogging, where you’ll find new options. If you find something you like, check out the used prices on reputable retailers’ websites.

Best budget cameras for video – our quick list

Looking for the best deal on budget video cameras? Not only will you find the best budget video cameras, but also some of the best deals, as our ‘Buy now’ buttons are setup to automatically take you to the best prices from trusted retailers. You’ll also find a list of other retailers below each camera, so you can find the right deal for you.

• Panasonic Lumix GH5 – buy now
• Fujifilm X-T3 – buy now
• Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K – buy now
• Nikon Z6 – buy now
• Sony A7S II – buy now
• DJI Pocket 2 – buy now
• Canon EOS R – buy now
• GoPro HERO (2024) – buy now

Panasonic Lumix GH5

• Price: Approx £500
• Sensor: 20.3-million-pixel Four Thirds
• Video Resolution: Up to 4K (4096×2160) 60fps
• Audio: 2x 3.5mm headphone and Mic
• HDMI: Full size – 10-bit 4:2:2 output
• Stabilisation: In-camera and Optical

Launched in 2017, the Panasonic Lumix GH5 is still a superb choice if you want to get started. It’s capable of capturing video at up to an impressive 400Mbps in 4:2:2 10bit at ALL-Intra compression quality – meaning that every frame is a keyframe, which is about the best quality you can get short of raw capture.

It has an articulated screen, all the inputs and outputs you need, including a full-size HDMI socket, and it can even shoot anamorphic footage. However, perhaps the best reason for buying a GH5 is the lenses. There are hundreds of lenses available for the Micro Four Thirds mount. The only downside is that the autofocus can be a little slow with a tendency to hunt.

Read our full Panasonic Lumix GH5 review

Fujifilm X-T3

• Price: Approx £630
• Sensor: 26.1-million-pixel X-Trans APS-C
• Video Resolution: Up to 4K (4096×2160) 60p 
• Audio: 2x 3.5mm headphone and Mic
• HDMI: Micro size – 10-bit 4:2:2 output

The X-T3 was Fujifilm’s best camera for video when it was released, partly due to the fact it can record 4K 60fps 10-bit 4:2:0 internally or 4:2:2 over HDMI. Everyone loves the Fujifilm Film Simulation picture styles and these can be used for video, including the Eterna simulation, which is specifically designed for video.

The phase detection autofocus works well compared to the contrast detection systems of the time. The downsides are that the screen is tilting and doesn’t face forward, and there is no in-camera stabilisation, so it is not as ideal for vlogging. If you do want to use a monitor to record yourself then you need to take care as it has a less sturdy Micro HDMI socket.

Read our full Fujifilm X-T3 review

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K

• Price: Approx £860
• Sensor: Four Thirds
• Video Resolution: Up to 4K (4096×2160) 60p, 12-bit
• Audio: 2x 3.5mm headphone and Mic, Mini-XLR
• HDMI: Full Size – 10-bit 4:2:2

Although it is far from pocketable, the 4K version of the BMPCC is a tiny cinematic video powerhouse. It can shoot Blackmagic Raw 12-bit footage at a compressed rate of as little as 3:1 which means it is recording footage at an incredible 136MB/s (or 1140Mbp/s). If you don’t need that quality then there are Apple ProRes 10-bit options. To save needing hundreds of memory cards the BMPCC 4K can record to a suitable SSD via USB-C. In summary, the footage looks incredible for its size and price. The Micro Four Thirds mount means there are lots of lens choices, and it has a beautifully large 5in screen and a simple-to-use operating system. It’s a great choice for budding filmmakers

Downsides are that there is no internal stabilisation and the autofocus is barely usable; this is not a camera for vlogging!

Nikon Z6

• Price: Approx £680
• Sensor: 24.5-million-pixel Full Frame
• Video Resolution: up to 4K 30fps 144Mbps
• Audio: 2x 3.5mm headphone and Mic
• HDMI: Mini – 4:2:2 – 10-bit 

Along with the Nikon Z7, the Z6 was Nikon’s first serious attempt to appeal to video users. The internal video recording and features were quite standard for the time, with 4K 30fps 8-bit internal recording. However, via the Mini HDMI socket, it can record 4K 10-bit footage to an Atomos Ninja V (something the Sony A7S II cannot do). The footage could also be saved on the Ninja V in ProRes raw format, making the Z6 a solid camera for those looking for good image quality. 

The phase detection autofocus works well in video capture, usually staying locked onto subjects. However, the lack of a front-facing screen makes it tricky for vlogging, unless paired with an Atomos Ninja V or similar external recorder (see our accessory roundup below). The good news is that the releases of multiple successors to this camera, the Z6 II and Z6 III, mean that its price has continued to come down. However, one thing to bear in mind is that it lacks an SD card slot – you have to instead use CFexpress Type B or XQD, though for future-proofing yourself you should definitely choose CFexpress. Nikon initially bet on the wrong side in the card wars, and XQD looks destined to go the way of Betamax.

Read our Nikon Z6 review to learn more

Sony A7S II

• Price: Approx £730
• Sensor: 12-million-pixel Full Frame
• Video Resolution: Up to 4K 30fps (3840×2160) 4:2:0
• Audio: 2x 3.5mm headphone and Mic
• HDMI: Full Size – 4:2:2 8-bit output

The key to the popularity of the A7S II is the 12-million-pixel sensor which combines a good dynamic range with the ability to produce great-looking footage in low light. It has a maximum expanded sensitivity of ISO 409,600. 

Its 4K capture looks a little dated, as it can only capture 8-bit footage, either internally or externally, at 30fps. It also only has a tilting screen, rather than front-facing. That said, with built-in stabilisation, full-size HDMI socket and good AF, it marks an excellent introduction to shooting video with the full-frame Sony E-mount cameras. Not to mention there is a good range of Sony and third-party lenses available. 

Read our full Sony A7S II review

DJI Pocket 2

• Price: Approx £250-270
• Sensor: 64-million-pixel 1/1.7in
• Video Resolution: 4K 60fps (3840×2160) 100Mbps
• Audio: Mic input via optional adapter
• HDMI: N/A

A curveball option that certainly won’t be for everyone. The DJI Pocket 2 takes a small smartphone sensor and combines it
with a 3-axis gimbal stabiliser with a small screen. The stabilisation helps to keep everything steady whilst moving, or you can put the camera on a tripod, via a third-party mount, and use tracking to have it follow you whilst you move. 

It is limited in terms of video quality, and it can be fiddly to use, although it can also plug directly into your smartphone for a
larger screen. However, it is truly pocketable, and the smooth footage and active tracking make it great for vlogging or recording your family or photographic adventures. While the Osmo Pocket 3 has since been released, the Pocket 2 is still widely available and is a good choice for the budget-conscious.

Find out more in our DJI Pocket 2 vs DJI OM 5 comparison

Canon EOS R

• Price: Approx £950
• Sensor: 30.4-million-pixel Full Frame
• Video Resolution: Up to 4K (4096×2160) 8-bit 4:2:2
• Audio: 2x 3.5mm headphone and Mic
• HDMI: Mini – 10-bit 4:2:2 

It was Canon’s first camera to use the new RF, with much of the technology borrowed from the EOS 5D Mark IV, including the sensor. However, it has some video improvements. Notably, Canon’s Dual Pixel AF works in 4K capture, and the HDMI output is 10-bit 4:2:2.

As you would expect the handling from the camera is great, and there are all the inputs and outputs you need. However, there are some flaws with the camera when shooting video; There is a 1.8x crop when shooting video and no sensor-based stabilisation. There is digital stabilisation, but increases the sensor crop for 4K video – so grabbing a wideangle lens is essential. Thankfully, an RF to EF mount is available and you can even use many EF-S (APS-C) lenses as more affordable video options.

Read our Canon EOS R review

GoPro HERO (2024)

• Price: £179
• Sensor: 12-million-pixel 1/2.3in
• Video Resolution: Up to 4K (4096×2160) 30p
• Audio: Built-in mic only
• HDMI: No

As well as its flagship Hero 13 Black, GoPro also released an ultra-budget version of its HERO series of action cameras in 2024. The new camera, confusingly just called ‘HERO’ is absolutely tiny, and records at a maximum resolution / frame rate of 4K 30p, and also lacks the flexible aspect ratio options of the high-end GoPros. While this may not be sufficient for professional content creators, for a lot of users, it’s going to be just fine.

It’s waterproof, as usual, and also happily comes sporting what is arguably GoPro’s best feature for video creators – that silky-smooth Hypersmooth stabilisation, which makes moving footage look so much more professional. For POV action shooting on a budget, look no further. 

Best budget video kit: accessories and extras

Putting together a budget video kit isn’t just about the camera. Shooting video is an accessory-heavy discipline – more so than photography – and there’s a lot of kit that will make your life easier, from stabilising gimbals to light-modifying filters. It’s possible to spend a lot of money on all this stuff, but it isn’t mandatory, and there are bargains to be found if you know where to look. Here are our recommendations for putting together a video kit on a budget.

Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art lens

• Price: Around £300-400

This lens from Sigma became an instant favourite amongst videographers by providing an almost perfect focal length zoom for many video productions. The lens is still in production, so used prices can vary hugely depending on the condition and lens mount. 

It is an APS-C format lens, available in several DSLR mounts. However, the Canon EF mount is most popular, with many videographers using it with a lens adapter to mount the lens on Micro Four Thirds, Sony E (APS-C) or Fujifilm X-mount cameras. If you are using such a camera, grab this lens and a suitable adapter.

Benro KH25P Video Tripod

• Price: Around £150

If you are after a good-quality video tripod to get started, look no further than the Benro KH25P aluminium tripod and head. Weighing 3.41kg and coming with a travel case, it is lightweight enough to shoot outside but heavy enough to remain stable. Its sturdy legs can be raised in two sections to a maximum shooting height of 156cm, and the leg braces can be locked to keep everything secure. A basic, but very usable, pan and tilt video head is included.

iFootage Cobra 3 monopod

• Price: From £100

Another favourite amongst videographers, the iFootage Cobra 3 monopod is perfect for went you want some stability, but a tripod is overkill. The three-section monopod comes in carbon fibre or aluminium versions, has large flip locks, and may even come with the excellent iFootage video head. However, the beauty is that it has a built-in quick-release system, and the monopod legs can even be used as a table-top tripod. And, if you are brave enough, and using a light enough camera, it is great for recording yourself.

DJI Mini 2

• Price: Around £300

Drones have created so many more opportunities for videographers, and they are great fun to fly responsibly. The DJI Mini 2 can capture 4K footage and fold down so that it can be easily taken on your adventures. It weighs under 249g, meaning in many countries it can be flown with only an operator ID and passing a basic responsibility course (but please check local rules before flying). It has a flight time of around 20mins. Overall, the DJI Mini 2 is an easy-to-use drone, with lots of safety features in the DJI app to make sure you stay safe.

Zoom H1n

• Price: Around £50

An external recorder, such as the affordable Zoom H1n, can be used to record ambient sounds to add depth to your videos, or just use it as an interview mic. Or you can use it as a backup mic and recorder, just in case something happens to your in-camera audio. There is a built-in 3.5mm mic socket if you want to use a specialist mic for a task, and there is a 3.5mm headphone socket to monitor. With recording quality up to 24-bit 96kHz it can add some audio finesse to your videos.

DJI Ronin SC

• Price: Around £150

Between lens, sensor and digital stabilisation, getting steady footage is a lot easier than it was. However, if you are walking or moving around, a 3-axis gimbal stabiliser such as the Ronin SC can make a huge difference. The Ronin SC has motors powerful enough for a mirrorless camera or small DSLR, and it includes a small tripod that allows you to easily set and balance your camera, or use it with the DJI app and use ActiveTrack you track a subject, or yourself, as they move around the scene.

Mount adapter

• Price: From £20

Mount adapters can be so cheap that you can buy one new or source a used one for less than £20 – however, it is worth buying from a named brand. With almost everyone shooting on mirrorless cameras, a mount adapter will allow you to use older SLR lenses on a mirrorless camera, and there are almost limitless combinations of adapters and lenses to choose from. 

Whilst some adapters can autofocus, generally they aren’t that great. Besides, half the fun is using vintage manual focus lenses and getting a look you can’t get with a modern lens.

Rode Wireless GO Mic kit

• Price: Around £100

Another piece of kit that became an instant classic and shaped how we record sound. The kit consists of a microphone and receiver which wirelessly pair together. The microphone has a 3.5mm socket for an additional mic to be mounted if you want to upgrade the audio, but for an on-the-go mic kit for vlogging and interviews, it is small, easy to use thanks to USB-C charging and small LCD screens, and most of all produces great sound quality.

Atomos Ninja V

• Price: Around £400

Recording to an Atomos Ninja V can help you get the most from an older camera. The Ninja V allows for 4K recording to the highest quality ProRes formats, and it can take advantage of the 10-bit HDMI out of some cameras. You can preview LUTS on log footage, or even bake them directly in. On some cameras, there’s an option to save footage in a raw format. Not to mention the 5in screen is streets ahead of a camera screen if you want to film yourself.

X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Video

• Price: Around £40

If you are just starting, it is unlikely that you will be shooting raw footage. Getting the colour correct in-camera is important, as there can be a lot less flexibility when it comes to editing colour in the video before the image quality starts to break down. The X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Video has a white balance card, focus checker and a colour palette, giving you everything you need to make sure the colours that you get in-camera are as good as you can get. 

Generic Variable ND filter

• Price: From £20

When shooting video, your shutter speed remains fixed whilst you are shooting. Similarly, your aperture should remain fixed; changing the aperture if the light changes mid-shot will also change the depth of field. Setting the camera to use Auto-ISO is a good option, but may cause noise and dynamic range to change in the middle of shooting. A Variable ND gets around this by allowing you to manually change the light entering the lens, whilst all the other exposure settings remain the same.

Generic camera cage

• Price: From £20

A camera cage is a frame that fits around your camera and offers many more mounting points for adding accessories. There is a wide variety of different cages, from a half-cage to a full cage with additional handles. A cage allows you to customise your camera to suit your needs. Use it to mount accessories, from lights, microphones, handles, power supplies, and monitors; a cage can make your video set-up personal to you.

Honourable mentions

We simply don’t have enough room to cover every single camera, but there are a few that we thought deserved at least a mention…

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera (Around £650) is a tiny Full HD powerhouse featuring a Super 16 size sensor and Micro Four Thirds lens mount. It is simple to use and although the autofocus is awful, the quality of the footage it creates is incredible for its size and price. Expect to pay around £600-650 body only.

Sony ZV-1

The Sony ZV-1 (Around £450) was Sony’s first dedicated vlogging camera and was based on the RX100 range. With a 1-inch sensor, mic socket, face-detection AF, SteadyShot and Sony Picture Profiles, it is a truly pocketable vlogging camera. Expect to pay around £400-450.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

From the dynasty of cameras that kickstarted the video revolution with the 5D Mark II, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR (Around £1,000) shoots 4K video and is a great option for those who won’t let their Canon EF system lens go. 

Sony A7S

And finally the original Sony A7S (£550). With a 12-million-pixel full-frame sensor, it is about the cheapest full-frame camera for video that you can get and is still one of the best at shooting in low light. Although it can only record Full HD in camera, it can record 4K via HDMI. 

How to choose a budget video camera

Resolution

Full HD 1920×1080 resolution cameras are common, but today there is no excuse to be shooting at this lower resolution. You can easily pick up a used camera that shoots in 3840×2160, or even 4096×2160, which is 4K or what’s known as Cinema 4K resolution. 

Other things to look out for are the bit depth. All cameras should record in 8-bit, but you will find some that will capture 4K footage in 10-bit either in-camera or via HDMI, which offers more detailed colour. 

Image styles

Just as photographers can shoot a variety of different image colour styles, such as standard, portrait or landscape, filmmakers also have these options. Some cameras will have one or two dedicated video styles, as well as the ability to record in a log mode. 

Log footage is very flat and low in contrast, allowing you to add your colour style. However, the image can be tricky to adjust without adding banding or image noise, so many people will look for a good built-in cinematic video style.

Autofocus

One area that has received huge advancements is autofocus during video. Older cameras may be prone to hunting for focus randomly or drifting in and out. Others may not have face tracking or eye tracking available. Depending on what you are planning to shoot, check the autofocus features to make sure it meets your demands. If you plan on filming yourself, or your family, then at the very least having face detection AF is a must.

Body style

Whilst most of the cameras we have listed are mirrorless, there are two different styles: the rangefinder and the SLR style. It’s personal preference but the body style will affect how you hold and use the camera and the type of screen that will be used. 

Lenses

Rather than talk about specific lenses think more about what lenses are available for the system. Older mirrorless systems such as the Sony E mount or Micro Four Thirds have a huge number of proprietary and third-party lenses available and it is easy to pick up a bargain. There will be fewer options with a new camera system. 

Connectivity

You will want to grow your camera kit by adding different audio components or even an external screen. A 3.5mm external microphone socket is essential, and a 3.5mm headphone socket is also beneficial because it allows you to monitor the sound as it is recorded.

Also, an HDMI socket is useful if you wish to add an external monitor or recorder. Be warned that many cameras will have Micro HDMI sockets which can be prone to breaking or loose connections. When buying always check the HDMI socket on a camera, or at least ask if it is working. Cameras with a Mini HDMI or better still a full-size HDMI socket offer a more secure and reliable connection.

Screen

If you plan to get in front of the camera you will want an articulated screen that flips round to the front. However, if you are more of a documentary filmmaker, or have no wish to be front and centre, then just a tilting screen should be okay. 

Related reading:

• Best vlogging camera for video and YouTube
• The best lenses for video
• Best video editing software
• How to get outstanding audio in your videos
• How to use LUTs for colour grading video

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The post Best cameras for video – on a budget appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

• To jump straight to the best cameras, see our guide to the best cameras for video and vlogging.

Vlogging is a broad term, but essentially means the practice of posting short, self-shot videos online. These might, for example, document an activity; show off a location; describe how something works; or explain a point of view. A vlogger often talks directly to the camera throughout the video. Some go out and about, filming different places and subjects. While some vlogs are shot with a crew of multiple people, many are produced, shot and edited by people working independently and alone.

We’ll guide you through everything you need to get started, plus pick up a few of our great accessory choices as well, to make sure you have everything you need.

How to choose the best cameras for vlogging

• Easy-to-reach controls: a large easily accessible record button is helpful, and some cameras are compatible with a grip that has a few controls.
• Mic port: for the best audio quality use an external mic. If your camera has a mic port, usually a 3.5mm connection, you can record the audio directly onto the camera.
• Vari-angle or 180° screen: to see yourself when talking to the camera, a vari-angle screen, or one that can be flipped 180° so it’s visible from in front of the camera, is ideal.
• Reliable Autofocusing: eye detection is fairly new to video. Face detection is the next best alternative. The key is that the camera keeps the focus on you when you’re talking to the camera.
• Stabilisation: If you’re going to handhold the camera it’s helpful if it or the lens has stabilisation built-in to take out some of the shake and wobble.

Types of cameras for vlogging

The compact camera is where most people start, but there are a range of options from compact action cameras, to compact cameras for vlogging, as well as mirrorless cameras that let you change lenses when needed. Here we’ll go over the main options available:

Action cameras

Action cameras, such as the GoPro Hero11 Black Mini from the GoPro HERO range, is available for just $249 / £224. These are designed to withstand rough treatment, as well as being waterproof (check each model’s specific capacities first). Action cameras are not just more affordable, they are also easy to use and extremely compact, you will be able to fit it in your pocket and carry with you wherever you go without worrying about size or weight. They feature built-in image stabilisation, which is especially handy for recording sports or point-of-view shots.

On the other hand, the small size can carry some limitations, for example, some action cameras have limited manual settings, meaning you have less control over exposure or focus. Another possible downside is audio quality, as these super compact cameras have more basic built-in microphones, however, this is becoming less of a problem as newer versions support wireless sound recording, allowing you to connect external microphones. Even though action cameras are capable of recording 4K or even 8K videos (like the Insta 360 Ace Pro) their footage may lack the cinematic look achievable with professional cameras.

Are you considering an action camera for vlogging? Check out our guide to the best action cameras to buy this year.

Compact cameras

Compact cameras, such as the Sony ZV-1, and ZV-1 Mark II, are easy to use with features designed to make it straightforward for vloggers of all types to get up and running. There are also more budget options like the Sony ZV-1F or the Canon V10. Unlike action cameras, compact cameras offer wider manual control over settings and combine the comfort of a small body with some modern mirrorless camera technology.

Compact cameras beat phones and action cameras with better quality lens optics, brighter apertures and larger sensors. They provide the ever-desired shallow depth of field effect to blur backgrounds and create a more cinematic look. They don’t have interchangeable lenses but feature wide angle zoom or super-zoom lenses that cover a useful range for vlogging. Another downside to compacts for vlogging may be video quality and low light performance as their smaller sensors won’t match the dynamic range of cameras with bigger sensors.

Are you considering a compact camera for vlogging? Check out our guide to the best compact cameras to buy this year.

Mirrorless cameras

Mirrorless cameras feature the latest imaging technology and provide the versatility of a wide range of lens options. Cameras such as the Nikon Z30, Sony ZV-E10, and Sony ZV-E1 have been specifically made for vloggers, with a screen that tilts forwards, and video-specific ports and connections. In mirrorless cameras continuous autofocus and focus tracking help to create smooth transitions and keep your moving subject in sharp focus. These cameras also have larger sensor than their compact counterparts resulting in better image quality and low light performance.

Keep an eye on built-in stabilisation as not all mirrorless cameras have it by default, this is especially important if you are planning to record hand held footage.

CINE cameras, such as the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema 6K, are for more advanced users who prioritise control and manual operation, making these most suited to experts, or more advanced videography.

For more options, including the pros and cons of why we have chosen these cameras, have a look at our complete guide to the best cameras for vlogging and video and to the best cameras for video on a budget.

Getting started with vlogging and video

Before creating a vlog, you need knowledge of, and passion for your subject, and clarity about your key messages or aims. For example, to create a vlog about a local beauty spot, you might explain how to find it, where to park, the best times to visit and good shooting locations. By making these decisions you can think through (and write down) the shots that you need to capture so that you’ll be more organised when it comes to filming.

Scripting your video

You also need to think about your script. Some people like to write a complete script while others prefer bullet points. However, when starting out, I’d encourage you to write down everything that you want to say because this will help you ensure that you record enough footage. Time how long it takes you to read your script at a nice steady pace and practice doing so.

Getting the key shots

When thinking about creating a video there are usually a few key shots that pop into one’s head. These become the main clips that tell the story and will need to be supported by B-roll footage that helps set the scene.

With our beauty spot video, a wide shot of the location would be part of the main footage, for instance, while close-ups of details such as leaves waving in the breeze, tumbling water in a stream and a squirrel gathering nuts make a nice B-roll, helping the viewer to experience the location without actually visiting.

You will be in a lot of the main footage, talking to the camera. Many vloggers do this with the camera handheld, often mounted on a mini-tripod. With a full-size tripod, you can be a bit further away with more of the background visible.

A standard photographic tripod is fine to start with, but a fluid video head like the Manfrotto 500 ($200 / £149) is useful for making smooth tilt and pan movements. When you’re in front of the camera, look into the lens. The screen is useful for checking that you’ve nailed the composition, are standing in the right place and the camera has focused on you. However, once you start speaking, don’t look at it.

Recording the audio

A shotgun mic fitted with a windshield that can be mounted in the camera’s hotshoe or other convenient point is ideal for capturing ambient sounds when you’re outside. Provided you’re close, it can also be used to record your speech, but it’s often best to use a lavalier or wireless clip mic connected to your camera.

The easiest way to get good footage of you speaking is to memorise short sections of your script and repeat them to your camera a bit at a time. You can use B-roll between the clips. Even if you plan to make the majority of the audio a voiceover, it’s worth recording it on location as you’ll capture the ambience of the place.

Editing and publishing your vlog

After you’ve downloaded all your files, watch through everything and make a note of the best footage and audio before importing the relevant clips into your video-editing software. There are lots of options for editing video but Adobe Premier Pro Elements makes a great starting point. Adobe Premiere and Apple’s Final Cut Pro X (Mac only) are both excellent step-ups used by many professionals.

You can also check out our guide to the best video editing software for more options.

As a general rule, tighter (i.e. shorter) vlogs are better received than long videos with little action. There are alternatives, but YouTube is the go-to platform for vlogs. After you’ve created an account you can create a channel to host your videos. Then it’s just a case of uploading your first video and following the steps to publish it. Once your channel is 30 days old and has at least 100 subscribers, you can set a custom URL. You need at least 1,000 subscribers to start making money from your channel.

Vlogging accessories

Manfrotto Pixi ($33 / £28)

This inexpensive mini tripod doubles as a comfortable grip to hold your camera at arm’s length and it locks tight enough to hold quite large SLRs and mirrorless cameras. When you’re not holding it, you can use the Pixi as a tripod and support your camera on a table or desk as you record your audio, looking into the lens.

* Calibrite ColorChecker Passport Video ($138 / £139)

* formerly known as X-Brite

It might seem expensive but the ColorChecker Passport Video can save you a heap of pain, especially if you’re shooting Log footage, as it enables you to set a consistent white balance whatever the lighting. Some video grading software such as DaVinci Resolve, Color Color Finale, 3D LUT Creator and CinemaGrade can even use a clip with the Passport in it to get colour spot-on.

PolarPro Peter McKinnon Variable ND Filter – 2-5 Stop ($250 / £250 for 67mm)

If you want to blur the background, you need to use a wide aperture. However, you can’t push the shutter speed up in video like you can with stills so you need a good-quality neutral density filter – this one is first rate and doesn’t introduce a colour cast or vignetting. A variable ND saves you from having to swap filters throughout the day and allows subtle adjustments in exposure.

RØDE Videomic NTG ($249 / £219)

This shotgun mic has a built-in rechargeable battery that gives over 30 hours of life but only takes 2 hours to charge. It comes with a Rycote shock mount to mount it in your camera’s hotshoe or another convenient point. It connects to the camera via a 3.5mm cable but it can also connect to a computer via USB-C, making it nice and versatile.

RØDE Wireless Go II ($228 / £209)

This inexpensive, easy to use and great-sounding wireless mic kit links to your camera via a 3.5mm connection in the receiver. You can use it with a lavalier mic if you like, but the transmitter has a mic built in and there’s a clip to attach it to your clothes. You can even connect the Videomic NTG to the transmitter to use it as a wireless boom mic.

We compiled 10 reasons to use the RODE wireless Go II for your videos, you can also read our full review of this small but very capable microphone

Rotolight NEO 3 ($494 / £514 Starter kit, £494 NOW for Ultimate kit. )

Sometimes you need extra light and the Rotolight NEO 3 is a great LED solution that runs on mains power but can also run on AA batteries. It has simple control over the brightness and colour temperature and comes supplied with a small selection of gel filters and diffusers as well as a hotshoe adapter. It can be handheld or mounted on a stand or tripod.

Article by Angela Nicholson with contributions from AP Staff

Related articles:

• Do you really need cine lenses for video?
• Best smartphones for video in 2024
• 17 Essential accessories for video
• Eight best filmmaking apps for your smartphone
• How to get outstanding audio in your videos

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The post Best vlogging tips and how to get started appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Continuous lights for video come in many shapes and sizes, from pocket LED panels to massive 32 kW rigs used in feature film production. Here we’ll reveal some of the best introductory lighting equipment for shooting video, but first, let’s go through some key considerations.

Video lighting: daylight, bi-colour or RGB lights?

The colour of the light used in your videos is important. Do you want to create a natural neutral look, or use colour to introduce a particular effect or mood?

When shooting with the daylight white balance setting on your camera, it will vary between 5,000K and 6,500K so a daylight LED light will give a good clean, neutral colour rendition. If you have a daylight LED light source it is possible to modify the colour with lighting gels.

Alternatively there are bi-colour lights where the light output can be adjusted from around 2,500K at the warm orange end of the spectrum to 6,500K. Most lights will let you know what range they offer as “Correlated Colour Temperature”, or simply CCT.

More and more manufacturers are developing RGB lights where the colours can be adjusted to any one of 16.7 million, using a cluster of coloured LEDs.

Many LED lights now have the choice of controls on the light unit or even a dedicated smartphone app to control the colour, intensity and in-built visual effects. Some apps also let you to select a colour from a JPEG file and then pick that colour for your lighting.

Video lighting: accurate colour

Accurate colour is important for many applications, especially product and fashion photography. Older LED video lights can vary in colour consistency, emitting a discontinuous spectrum. Look for lights with a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 95+ or TLCI (Television Lighting Consistency Index) of 95+ – these let you know how accurate the colour accuracy will be.

Video lighting: light output

Light output is expressed either as Watts (W) or Lumens. Watts are the measurement of the energy required to power electrical devices; they equate to absolute power, meaning they measure the rate at which energy is consumed.

Lumens, meanwhile, measure the amount of visible light intensity that a bulb or a lighting device produces. The higher the number, the more light is emitted. The design of the LED, and the housing, has a direct effect on the brightness of the light emitted.

Video lighting: cooling and fan noise

Contrary to popular belief LEDs do produce heat, but much less than conventional incandescent lights. LEDs will heat up with continued use, and as with any other delicate electronic equipment, the components and circuits will need cooling.

This is done in two ways; passive cooling, where an aluminium alloy body efficiently dissipates heat all the time the ambient temperature is lower than the temperature of the unit. The alternative is fan cooling, which draws air into and out of the unit.

The downside of fan cooling is noise, especially in environments where sound and speech are being recorded. Some LED video lights have a silent mode but the amount of time this can be used will vary according to the power setting on the light.

Best video lighting: pocket LED panels

These battery-powered lights are about the size of a mobile phone and are ideal as an on-camera light to for adding sparkle in your subjects’ eyes, fill light or even a key light for smaller subjects such as macro and close-up shots. They’re also great when creating selfie content in low-light, or when visual effects are needed.

Kenro RGB Compact LED Video Light

At a glance

• Price: $105.00 / £84.99
• Weight: 200g
• Size: 149mm x 80mm x 14mm
• CRI: 96+
• User level: beginner to professional
• kenro.co.uk

This pocket-sized LED is part of the Kenro SMARTLITE range of video lights. It has an internal 4040 mAh battery which lasts around 1.5 hours on a full charge. Charging is via a standard USB-C port. There’s a battery life indicator on the clear rear control panel, which also shows the Bluetooth connectivity; like many LED lights these can now be controlled from a smartphone app.

There is a CCT colour temperature range of 3500 – 7500K with a full 360º colour spectrum with 1 – 100% controls for brightness and colour saturation.

There are a number of pre-programmed visual effects, including emergency service vehicle lights and RGB variable speed spectrum cycle.

The Kenro light is supplied with a protective carry bag and also contains an aluminum mini ball head with a standard cold-shoe insert, making it easy to mount on top of your camera. There are three standard screw threads for horizontal or portrait orientation mounting.

Colbor PL8B

At a glance

• Price: $49.00 / £44.00
• Weight: 263g inc. removable diffuser
• Size: 125 mm x 75mm x 18mm
• CRI: 98
• User level: beginner to professional
• namgrip.tv

The Colbor PL8B is a pocket size bi-colour portable light, suitable for video and stills. It is also available in a RGB full spectrum version. It has a CRI of 98 for accurate colour rendition and a CCT colour temperature range of 2500K – 9000K, which equates from candle light/tungsten light bulb to shade/heavily overcast sky. The unit has a 5000 mAh rechargeable battery with USB type A socket for DC output as a power bank, and USB-C for charging.

The PL8B has two standard screw holes and is supplied with a mini ball head with a cold shoe and thread for mounting to camera hot shoes or light stands. The back of the unit is magnetic for mounting to ferrous metal objects, and has a cold shoe for mounting a microphone when used on-camera.

Phottix M200R RGB LED Light and Powerbank

At a glance

• Price: $139.95 / £99.00
• Weight: 200g
• Size: 151 mm x 80mm x 11.5mm
• CRI: 96
• User level: beginner to professional
• theflashcentre.com

The Phoenix M200R is a compact and powerful video light for video and stills photography. It’s an ideal tool for on-the-go content creation, interviews, and macro and close close-up shots with a smartphone or digital camera. It’s supplied with a tilting cold shoe mount for attaching to mirrorless and DSLR cameras two threads for horizontal or vertical mounting.

The unit also has full 360º colour, hue and saturation adjustment including a CCT colour temperature range of 3200K – 5600K. The unit is also a power bank, with DC 5V output via a USB type A socket and there’s a USB-C socket for charging.

Twenty one preset scenario effects are supplied, including Police, Club, Flame, Fire Work, Strobe Lights, Fire Truck and more.

Rosco DMG Dash

At a glance

• Price: $299.00 / £262.00
• Weight: 367g
• Size: 128mm x 80mm 28mm
• CRI: 95
• User level: intermediate to professional
• rosco.com

The DMG Dash is a high-specification pocket LED for film makers. It can be controlled via a Bluetooth app or by wireless CRMX control, and is rated IP65 weather resistant for outdoor use. The unit has an internal 6000 mAh rechargeable battery and charges via a USB-C socket from a 5Vdc charger. Charging time with a 2A charger is around three hours with a three hour run-time, less in boost mode.

The case is made from aluminium alloy with mounting threads and a magnetic back. In addition, the case is designed to fit other DMG Dash units, giving you larger, brighter light sources. The aluminium case also acts as a heat sink so there’s no fan noise. The kit contains flat and dome diffusers, an egg-crate grid and a gel holder.

Flat panel LEDs

These vary in size from pocket panels the size of an average mobile phone to very large units used in film and TV production. Flat LED panels produce soft light as they are relatively large when positioned close to the subject, just out of frame.

Flat-panel LED lights are perfect for vlogging and content creators who need simple but powerful lights. Some flat panel LEDs are highly portable, too, and can be carried in the laptop sleeve of many camera bags.

Kenro Bi-Colour LED Smartlite Panel

At a glance

• Price: $185.00 / £149.99
• Weight: 1300g
• Size: 360mm x 256mm 12mm
• CRI: 96+
• User level: beginners to advanced enthusiast
• kenro.co.uk

This is a well made and well specified flat-panel LED. The case is made from durable aluminium alloy, but is light in weight. It’s about the same size as a 16-inch laptop, and has the option of AC mains or battery power.

Light output is good for the size, with a colour range of 3200K – 7500K. As with most LED lighting products, there are a number of pre-programmed lighting effects included and the package also includes a small 2.4gHz remote control.

Godox LD75R 75W RGB Bi-Colour LED Video Panel Light

At a glance

• Price: $799.00 / £689.90
• Weight: 3500g
• Size: 441mm x 410mm x 107.5mm
• CRI: 96
• User level: beginner to intermediate
• essentialphoto.co.uk

The LD75R is a powerful RGB video panel light, giving a wide range of creative opportunities – you can choose from 16.7 million colours for a stunning range of visual effects. It’s ideal for broadcasters and hobbyists alike, with high colour accuracy and a silent mode for situations where fan noise could be an issue.

There are multiple control options, including a 2.4Ghz wireless remote control, which works via Bluetooth using a smartphone app, or a DMX control console for larger video productions. You also have the choice of mains power or via an external V-Lock battery.

Bowens LPL1 LED Light Panel

At a glance

• Price: $220 / £179
• Weight: 1350g
• Size: 320mm x 270mm x 55mm
• CRI: 97
• User level: beginner to advanced
• wexphotovideo.com

The Bowens LPL1 LED Light Panel has an adjustable colour temperature range of 2700K – 7500K and is dimmable from 100% to 1%, in 1% increments. It has built-in barn doors for light control, and the barn doors are square rather than tapered, which helps to control light spill.

There’s a strong tilting light stand mount with standard 16mm female receptor. Power is provided by main AC mains or a pair of Sony NP series Lithium batteries. There’s also a diffusion panel over the LEDs which I recommend leaving in place, otherwise the shadow edges will have a jagged saw-tooth effect from the multiple hard LEDs.

Ring-light LEDs

Circular ring-light LEDs are proving very popular with lifestyle bloggers, vloggers and content creators. They’re easy to set up and give a glowing, almost shadowless, light, which is very flattering.

They come in various sizes from small units that clip to a smartphone around the lens to larger 50cm units that run from AC mains or external batteries.

Kenro 19-inch RGB Ring Light Kit

At a glance

• Price: $210.00 / £169.99
• Weight: 960g
• Size: 580mm x 480mm x 34mm
• CRI: 96+
• User level: all
• kenro.co.uk

Ring lights tend to be under-estimated, with many people assuming that you just place them with them the camera lens pointing through in order to give even shadowless light. They can also be used as broad soft key lights, however, in the same way that flat-panel LED lights are used.

This ring light kit from Kenro has everything that an aspiring or established vlogger needs to get started, including a tripod light stand, ball head, tablet and smartphone mounts. All is supplied in a case with AC mains power supply. If needed, the light can be powered by batteries, which are available separately.

Monobloc LEDs

Monobloc lights are similar in construction to the studio flash units used by stills photographers. They are AC mains or battery powered, and vary in output from 30W to 600W or more. These lights produce hard light because of the relatively small light source. The advantage of a hard light is it can be diffused with diffusion sheets of varying density.

Colbor CL60

At a glance

• Price: $149.00 / £159.99
• Weight: 710g
• Size: 140mm x 80mm x 90mm exc. base
• CRI: 97
• User level: enthusiast to professional
• namgrip.tv

The Colbor CL60 is a reasonably priced and compact bi-colour COB LED light with a CCT range of 2700K – 6500K, and is dimmable from 100% – 1%. It’s small enough to fit in the average camera bag, and there is a choice of AC mains power, industry-standard V-Lock batteries and a COB LED light PD power bank.

On the rear of the light, there’s a clear control panel and you can also control the unit via a smartphone app. With the standard reflector, output is sufficient to act as a key light on a bright sunny day with the sun behind your subject. The popular Bowens S-type mount enables the use of a wide range of third-party light modifiers and shapers.

The Colbor CL60 is made from aluminium alloy, which helps dissipate heat and is designed to dovetail with similar lights to create a larger, more powerful, light source. The CL60 is the baby of the range, with 100W, 220W and 330W models available.

Godox SZ150R 150W Ultra Zoomable Bi-Colour RGB LED Light

At a glance

• Price: $559.00 / £501.99
• Weight: 2650g
• Size: 336mm x 191mm x 165mm
• CRI: 97
• User level: enthusiast to broadcast level
• essentialphoto.co.uk

This Bowens S-type RGB LED mono bloc is best suited to indoor and studio use. It has high output, combined with the convenience of a bi-colour CCT range of 2800K – 6500K and an RGB spectrum of 36,000 colours. The LED can be zoomed between 20º and 65º to adjust the beam angle. The light can also be controlled via a smartphone app, a dedicated remote control or DMX control, which is an established standard for lighting control.

Rotolight AEOS 2 Pro

At a glance

• Price: £1499.00 / £1,199.99
• Weight: 1400g without battery or 2500g inc. mounting yoke and diffuser
• Size: ⌀ 295 mm 25mm without battery
• CRI: 95
• User level: enthusiast to professional
• rotolight.com

The Rotolight AEOS 2 Pro is lightweight, with a thin design which is ideal for video and stills photographs on the move. Like many RGB LED units, it will produce around 16.7 million colours with some extra unique features, including 2,500 pre-programmed lighting gels, high-speed RGB flash for stills photography.

The supplied diffuser gives a beautiful soft light which is real help with portraits, delivering accurate skin tones. Power is provided from either the supplied AC mains adaptor or industry standard V-Lock batteries rated at >100W. There are ¼” 20 screw threads for mounting or the option of a yoke with a ⅝” 16mm receptor for attaching to light stands. Control is via a full-colour OLED touch screen on the unit or a dedicated smartphone app.

Kenro LED Video Smartlite

At a glance:

• Price: $235.00 / £169
• Weight: 1,640g
• Size: 245mm x 238mm x 25mm
• CRI: 96+
• User level: beginner to professional
• kenro.co.uk

This cost-effective LED RGB panel light is supplied with a carry case and AC mains power supply (it can also be powered by a pair of Sony F-series batteries). The unit has a CCT colour temperature range of 3200K – 7500K and full 0-360º RGB colour control, giving the choice of 16.7 million colours.

It can be operated by controls on the back of the unit or with a smartphone app. Barn doors are supplied for light control, and two could be tapered for additional control.

Further reading:

• Best accessories for video
• Best lenses for video
• Best external camera screens for video
• Best video-editing software, free and paid

Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

The post Best lights for video appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Resolution is one of the easier concepts. With this ever-increasing in televisions and computer monitors, however, it can be confusing.We have the answers!

Full HD vs 4K vs 8K video: Introduction

As camera technology advances, so we are bombarded with new features and functionality. Like all things photography and video, the challenge is in identifying what matters. Different features naturally appeal to some people more than others, but resolution has long-since been a major selling point for cameras.

This started in the early days of DSLRs as manufacturers raced to increase sensor resolutions to more usable levels, and out-do the competition. After a plateau of some years, resolution is once again the focus of manufacturers as more and more new cameras have 8K recording capabilities. The question is, who really needs 8K or even 4K – and is Full High Definition (FHD) more than enough?

These are tough questions because people’s needs are different; for some, FHD is ideal, while for others and even some professionals, 4K is the resolution of choice. For filmmakers working on movies, 8K is the preferred capture resolution to future-proof high-end work and take advantage of 8K televisions – and that’s the clue.

For filmmakers working at the highest levels, future-proofing is essential for commercial, creative and technical reasons. For most people, though, this level of future-proofing is prohibitive (as we shall see). With this in mind, let’s take a look at resolution and future-proofing in more achievable terms.

Understanding screen resolution: Full HD vs 4K vs 8K video

You may well have some insight into video resolution from experience of televisions, computer monitors and laptops. It remains an important selling point for all three. FHD, 2K and 4K are the most common, and even 8K televisions are now emerging.

This doesn’t necessitate the use of a TV or monitor that’s the same resolution as the video you’re watching. Modern televisions use a feature known as upscaling, which makes lower-resolution video fit the screen of a higher-resolution television.

Some are exceptional when it comes to upscaling, where 1080p on a 4K screen looks fantastic. Others are less effective. Conversely, lower-resolution televisions will down-sample higher-resolution video to fit.

At one point in the not-too-distant past, 720p televisions were a popular option and much less expensive than their 1080p counterparts – how times have changed! High definition, which is 1280 x 720px is rarely used for screens these days. Full HD is used less, but remains an available option. Most people currently purchase new TVs and monitors that are either 2K or 4K. Price is always a factor, and typically the higher the resolution of a device, the higher its cost.

It’s safe to assume that, even as 8K televisions become more widely available, and indeed affordable, upscaling technology will remain and likely improve. We will be able to play back lower resolution video on these televisions at a high quality when we eventually own one.

The question is, who currently owns an 8K TV? It will take years for this technology to become mainstream.

How resolutions compare: Full HD vs 4K vs 8K video

Video resolution is simply the pixel dimensions of footage, typically captured and played back in a 16:9 ratio. The higher the resolution, the more detail is captured and results in a sharper, more realistic picture. This might lead you to assume that the higher the resolution the better. This is true of image quality, but the higher you go the more the challenges.

When describing 720p and 1080p video resolution, it’s the vertical height of the footage in pixels that’s used. For 2K, 4K and 8K, it’s the horizontal line of pixels. FHD footage is 1920 x 1080px; 4K footage is 3840 x 2160px; and 8K footage is 7680 x 4320px.

Those with a keen eye will have noticed that 4K is twice the width of 1080p and 8K is twice the width of 4K, making each resolution increase four times larger than the previous.

This all sounds incredible when thinking about sharpness and detail – but comes at a cost. Several factors can affect video file sizes, but we can already see that, with a resolution four times greater than 1080p, 4K file sizes will be much larger.

The same goes for 8K when compared to 4K footage. The file sizes produced when shooting at even 4K are large, and those at 8K are unworkable for most people.

To put these figures into perspective, a single frame from FHD video is just over 2MP, a single frame from 4K video is 8.3MP and a single frame from 8K video is 33.2MP.

Multiply this by 24fps for a second of video and you have an idea just how large video files can be. Of course, the type of video file captured and the level of compression used etc. are factors that could reduce file sizes, but 8K video files are eye-wateringly huge.

This means that the higher the resolution you shoot at, the higher the capacity of SD, XQD or CF cards you need in your camera; which are more expensive. Higher capacity hard drives and a progressively more powerful and indeed expensive computer are also in order; which make shooting video at higher resolutions ever more expensive. Cameras processing more data use more power and generate more heat, so you’ll also need more batteries for shooting.

When to record video at different resolutions: Full HD vs 4K vs 8K video

• Shoot in FHD if you have a slow computer and/or you aren’t too worried about future-proofing your videos.
• Shoot in 4K for a manageable, high-quality and high-resolution option with the potential to future-proof.
• Shoot in 8K if you’re a professional filmmaker with a commercial, creative and technical need to do so.

4K resolution could be the best option. It has become the standard; most cameras can capture video at this resolution and the majority of TVs and many computer monitors also use it. Not so long ago really, 720p was good and 1080p was better –  that’s where we are today with 4K vs FHD.

Sure, 8K is better, but is far from mainstream for consumers before we even begin to think about its file size and computing requirements.

4K is the happy medium – not just because it sits in the middle – but because it’s the bridge between yesterday’s and tomorrow’s mainstream technology. It will still eat up plenty of storage space and require a fairly powerful computer for editing. However, it will future-proof your videos and provide high-quality footage with more detail than FHD, and is much more practical than 8K.

If your intended output resolution is FHD you can still benefit from shooting in 4K and exporting the footage to FHD – the image quality is better than footage shot natively at FHD. The main challenge with shooting in 4K remains storage and computer processing, but high-capacity external hard drives are fairly inexpensive, and there’s a solution that makes 4K video storage more manageable.

Editing 4K video footage

Modern computers are incredibly powerful. If you have a gaming PC or high-end PC with dedicated graphics card, along with all the processing power that’s ideal for editing photos and videos, then you should be able to playback 4K video footage without it being choppy.

However, the footage that’s captured by your camera is often much less compressed compared to what you see on YouTube etc. This means that some PCs can struggle to playback footage.

It’s a wonder just how people manage to successfully edit video footage that’s 4K and above. The answer is proxy editing.

Proxy editing is simply an import of your high-resolution footage into video editing software with this functionality. Editing software offering proxy editing includes DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere among others.

Once the footage is available in the software, you create lower-resolution versions of the original files, for editing. Once ready to export, either re-link the original footage with the editing held in place; or simply export and let the editing software re-link to the original footage automatically.

Proxy editing provides smooth playback of footage during editing, which allows for precise editing and smooth playback. It’s the perfect way to edit high resolution-video without needing a high-end computer. This is also the way that professional video editors work [working with 8K footage would still require an extremely powerful computer and a flawless workflow. During export, the computer will be rendering the original footage. And colour grading is best applied to full-resolution footage].

Which cameras shoot video in 8K?

Those not put off by huge file sizes, high-capacity storage and the need for an extremely powerful computer, may wonder which cameras can shoot video in 8K. This feature is currently limited to higher-end professional models and doesn’t offer as much functionality in terms of frame rates as 4K and 1080p. It will take time for this resolution to filter down to enthusiast and beginner models.

This short list is by no means exhaustive but gives an idea of the camera models that currently offer 8K video. These include the Canon EOS R5, Fujifilm X-H2, Nikon Z9 and the Sony A1. These are not cheap – those with a desire to film 8K video will need funds – and should check out our guide to the best cameras for video. 

In practice, 4K is the option for important videos; for great image quality and a degree of future-proofing. If this feels like too much, then by all means, capture video at 1080p to take advantage of smaller file sizes and more manageable footage for editing.

There are no right or wrongs, but 4K is the current standard and the resolution that provides the best balance of image quality, file sizes and future-proofing for enthusiasts.

Further reading

• Common video problems and how to fix them
• Does sensor size matter for video?
• How to get started with vlogging
• Best external video screens
• Best-value audio accessories for video

Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok

The post Full HD vs 4K vs 8K video – which resolution is best? appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Using LUTs, or Look Up Tables, saves so much time compared with grading colour manually; an acquired skill that takes plenty of practice.

While here check out our guides to the best cameras for video and vlogging and best video-editing software.

LUTs for video – the background

Video capture has come a long way since first making its way into DSLR and mirrorless designs. Arguably, the Canon EOS 5D MKII of 2008 became the DSLR of choice for videographers. Back then, the ability to capture FHD (1920 x 1080p) at 30fps was a game-changer. Video functionality has come a long way since then, however.

Now that modern cameras offer professional-level video specs, anyone can shoot and create high-quality footage. The ability to capture up to 4K (3840x2160p) video at up to 60fps or higher has seen many photographers branch out into video. LUTs are a powerful means to render a professional-looking colour grading effect to your video footage.

Check out these YouTube guides to see how LUTs can transform your video

But what exactly are LUTs for video?

You’ve probably seen the term “LUT” if you’ve considered shooting video with a DSLR or mirrorless camera. These Lookup Tables are essentially presets for video, used to apply colour space conversions alongside colour and tone effects to video footage, instantly. LUTs are mathematical formulas that tell the software how the input values of brightness, contrast, saturation and colours should be converted.

Of the various types of LUTs available, the most common – and those that will be relevant to most readers – are 3D LUTs that have a .cube file extension. 3D LUTs can convert RGB values alongside tonal information in a three-dimensional grid which essentially means that they can hold much more adjustment information than a 1D LUT, for example.

LUTs are incredibly useful for the sheer amount of time they save in achieving specific effects – including converting footage from one colour space to another and/or applying a specific look or effect to video. This could be mimicking a traditional film stock or applying a colour grading effect. Colour grading is an art form in itself, and LUTs make it possible to achieve cinematic colour effects quickly without the skills of a colour grading expert.

Where to find LUTs

Correction/conversion LUTs can often be found on the website of the manufacturer of the camera you’re using. These make flat Log/Cinelike footage look normal by converting it to a specific colour space, typically Rec. 709. Stylistic LUTs are used to apply colour and tonal effects to video. It’s even possible to find LUTs that mimic the colour grading of famous movies.

Stylistic LUTs can be purchased online and there are also hundreds, if not thousands of free LUTs available. Many filmmakers and colourists create paid-for and free LUTs. A quick internet search will reveal the options.

You can even load LUTs into photo-editing software including Photoshop and Affinity Photo, to enjoy their effects in both photos and videos. You can also create LUTs in video and photo editing software to save effects and apply them to other photos and videos in that software you use.

Flat versus Standard colour profiles

To capture the optimum video footage, with most scope for making adjustments and applying LUTs, you’ll need to shoot in flat Log or Cinelike colour profiles – provided your camera offers this function. These profiles offer greater latitude for making adjustments; something like a raw file in photography. File sizes are typically larger than video shot in Standard/Normal profiles though, and require more processing work at the editing stage – but don’t let that put you off.

Log profiles are available on many cameras with each manufacturer having its own version eg. S-Log for Sony, F-Log for Fujifilm and D-Log for DJI etc. Some cameras and drones may alternatively have a Cinelike flat profile, so look for these options within the video section of your camera’s menu. Log and Cinelike profiles appear flat and washed out with lifted shadows and retained highlights, to utilise the dynamic range of the camera sensor and retain as much detail as possible.

This footage needs to be converted to Rec. 709, which is a colour space, and then corrected in video-editing software so it looks normal rather than washed out; with adjustments made to brightness, contrast and white balance before stylistic LUTs or manual colour grading are applied. The first step can be achieved with a conversion LUT from the camera manufacturer or a third party if available, or by setting up input and output colour spaces for transforming/converting colour in the video editing software.

Standard colour profiles

If you’re not comfortable shooting with a flat Log/Cinelike, or your camera doesn’t offer these profiles, many cameras have a ‘Neutral’ or similarly named Picture Style option. These afford the flattest video possible as a starting point for making creative adjustments. Alternatively, select any of the Picture Styles available for a straight-out-of-camera look.

There is a downside to this approach compared to shooting with a flat Log or Raw video format. A Picture Style/standard colour profile is the video equivalent of shooting JPEGs, while Log and Raw formats are more closely aligned with shooting photos in raw – with much more control over processing. You can colour grade video shot in one of the Standard profiles, but this approach is much more limited than footage shot in a flat profile.

With Standard colour profiles, it’s best to get factors such as exposure and white balance correct at the point of shooting. You can correct these in video editing software, but just like JPEGs there’s much less latitude for making adjustments. Image degradation becomes a problem if they are over-adjusted in this way.

Fujifilm camera owners have a slight advantage in this area because they can select any one of the Film Simulations to be applied to video. More advanced users can also choose to capture in the flat F-Log colour profile, but the ability to apply Film Simulations is an easy way to achieve traditional film effects. Users of other camera systems can take advantage of Picture Styles with the ability to make adjustments to their parameters such as Sharpness, Contrast and Saturation etc.

How to apply LUTs and colour grade with the free DaVinci Resolve software

Applying LUTs is incredibly simple but it differs slightly depending on the video-editing software you’re using. In some software it may be as simple as using a dropdown menu. In others, LUTs can be applied to Layers; while in others it will be to a Node. The software used here is DaVinci Resolve, which uses Nodes – these are essentially the same as Layers, but look more complicated.

Before applying a stylistic LUT to Log footage, it’s important to either apply a conversion LUT to convert the video to the Rec. 709 colour space or do this manually setting the Input and Output Color Space and Gamma. Once this has been done, the footage will immediately look punchier, but you also need to make additional adjustments to white balance, exposure and contrast to create a colour-corrected and neutral starting point before applying a stylistic LUT or manual colour grading.

Grading colour manually is a rewarding process, and even if you plan to apply a stylistic LUT to add a colour effect to your footage, this tutorial will help you to get there because other important steps need to be followed beforehand. We’ll be using DaVinci Resolve for the tutorial, but the process is similar to other video-editing software. Plus, there is a free version of DaVinci Resolve available. Despite lacking some features of the full Studio version of the software (£245), it remains a fantastic option for video editing and colour grading.

1. Apply the conversion LUT

If you have a conversion LUT to convert your Log/Cinelike footage to Rec. 709 from the camera manufacturer’s website you’ll need to install it and then apply it to the footage. Alternatively, set the Input and Output Color Space and Gamma manually. This will immediately improve the look of the footage and make it appear normal, but this is just a starting point for making further colour and tonal adjustments.

2. Colour correct footage

On another Node or Layer, make white balance and colour correction adjustments to neutralise the footage in terms of colour balance. Here, the white balance controls were used alongside a slight boost in saturation. If you’re unable to colour correct the footage with just the white balance controls, you can use the Shadow, Midtones and Highlights colour wheels for precise control of colour balance.

3. Make tonal adjustments

Create a new Node or Layer and make adjustments to brightness, contrast and shadow and highlight recovery if necessary. For this footage, curves were used to increase brightness and to adjust the white and black points to control contrast. At this stage, you may find that you need to go back to the previous Node/Layer to make fine-tuned adjustments to the colour balance. Once happy, create a new Node/Layer for the next step.

4. Apply stylistic LUT or colour grade
This is the point where you can either apply a stylistic LUT to the new Node/Layer and use Key Output Gain/Opacity to control the strength of the effect. Alternatively, you can apply a manual colour grade. The most basic tools for doing this are the colour wheels and These allow you to target colours to the Shadows, Midtones and Highlights. There’s much more control available, but these will get you started at a beginner level.

How to colour grade Normal/Standard footage in Photoshop

The transition from stills photography to video can be daunting because there are many new skills to learn, and one of the most significant of these is learning how to use video editing software. There is no substitute for using dedicated video editing software, but when you’re getting started Photoshop can be an easy entry point to video editing for some photographers.

The downside is that what you can achieve is limited, and Photoshop can’t handle Log footage – video can only be imported when shot in Standard/Normal profiles. The advantage of using Photoshop, in the early days at least, is that you can work in a familiar software interface while taking advantage of Adjustment Layers to adjust brightness and contrast, apply colour effects and even colour grade your footage.

Colour-grading step by step

1. Apply Adjustment Layers
Open your video clip in Photoshop and Timeline Tab Group will open automatically if it’s not already visible. Controls are limited, but there’s just enough available to edit basic videos and use Adjustment Layers to apply colour and tone adjustments and effects. In this footage, two Color Lookup Adjustment Layers were used: Sienna Blue at 100% Opacity and Gold-Blue at 50% Opacity alongside a Curves adjustment.

2. Export and Render
Once you’ve applied LUTs or adjustment Layers in Photoshop and edited your footage, you can export the video. To do this go to File>Export>Render Video. The options available are self-explanatory, but you can set the Format which is set to H.264 by default, Size to adjust resolution if required, Frame Rate to maintain or adjust the output frame rate and Preset to take control of quality settings.

Top takeaway tip – reduce the opacity of stylistic LUTs for a better result

When using stylistic LUTs you’ll usually find that their strength is too high, so you’ll need to reduce their opacity to arrive at a more favourable result. Some LUTs may look best at 50%, while others need to be as low as 10%. Personal taste and experimentation will always play a role in how strong an effect needs to be, but with stylistic LUTs, less is often more.

Further reading
Best video-editing software including free tools
Best cameras for video, vlogging and videography
Best lenses for video
Best accessories for video
Best-value audio accessories for video

Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

The post How to use LUTs for colour grading video appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

What are the best settings for recording videos on an iPhone?

Before you start shooting, take time to understand the camera settings on your iPhone.

Video Resolution

Most iPhones can shoot in 720p, 1080p or 4K resolution. Depending on which platform you intend to use for sharing your video, always select the highest resolution possible. This ensures maximum detail and clarity in your footage. Go to the phone’s camera settings to adjust the resolution. Keep in mind that higher-resolution videos will occupy more storage space, so keep an eye on your storage capacity.

Instagram does not display 4K footage so the best setting for shooting reels is 1080p HD at 60fps. This will allow for high-quality videos when you publish them, and will also save space on your device.

Frame Rate

The frame rate will depend on your specific needs. The standard frame rate for most videos is 24 or 30 frames per second (fps), which provides a smooth and natural look. However, if you plan to capture fast-moving subjects or want to achieve a slow-motion effect, consider higher frame rates, such as 60 or 120 fps.

HDR (High Dynamic Range)

Enable HDR mode in your iPhone’s camera settings. HDR captures a wider range of colours and details, resulting in more balanced exposure, especially in high-contrast scenes. This setting can enhance the overall image quality of your videos.

Grid Overlay

Use the grid overlay to frame and compose your shots. The grid divides the frame into nine equal parts, following the rule of thirds. Aligning your subject with the grid lines can create visually pleasing and well-composed shots. To enable the grid feature, open your settings, scroll down to ‘camera‘ and switch on the ‘Grid‘.

These settings should provide a useful starting point. From there, adjust them according to subject and location to achieve the desired effect.

How to take video like a pro with an iPhone

With the right cameraphone settings enabled, it’s time to look at how to capture the best iPhone videos.

1. Always use the back camera. Rear cameras have better quality and better filming capabilities than selfie/front-facing ones.
2. Clean the lens. Before you press that red button, make sure the camera lens is clean. We leave smudges when we hold our phones, which can affect the clarity of the video. Wipe the lens gently with a soft cloth.
3. Use the grid overlay to align your shots and use the rule of thirds to guide you with placing the subject in the best and most flattering frame of the screen.
4. Get the best light. Always try to shoot in well-lit areas and adjust the exposure and focus by tapping the screen of your phone. This allows you to control the brightness and ensure that the subject is in focus. Experiment with different areas of the frame to find the right balance of light.

How to go from basic to professional videos on an iPhone

To level up your iPhone videography skills, you will need to invest in a few accessories and put in the time:

1. Stabilize your videos to get those smooth, professional-looking shots. Invest in a tripod or smartphone stabilizer like a gimbal. A gimbal will also allow you to achieve cinematic camera movements.
2. Use an external microphone. The iPhone built-in microphone is decent but an external microphone will elevate the quality of your video.
3. Edit your videos. Use video editing apps to trim clips, adjust colours and add transitions to enhance video quality. This takes time and practice but is highly rewarding when done right.
4. Practice, practice, practice. Videography is a fun and dynamic art that takes time to hone as a skill. Keep experimenting with settings, lighting techniques and ideas for recording videos.

Filming is not solely dependent on your equipment but also on your creativity and storytelling abilities.

If you’re keen to develop your smartphone video skills, you may also want to read:

• Video your life like a Wes Anderson film
• Best smartphones for video
• Best phone camera accessories for photography and video

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The post How to record the best videos on an iPhone appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

These days, we carry a device capable of shooting video pretty much everywhere, contained in our phones. And we encounter video frequently – be it Zoom calls, TikToks, YouTube, streaming TV shot on expensive cine cameras etc.

There are so many different devices that can record video, and most of us don’t need to consider the little imaging sensors that sit inside them. For those actually in the business of shooting video though, it’s a question of real importance.

The tiny sensors inside smartphones can capture great-looking video (albeit usually with some computational help from the phone’s processor). Experienced videographers, however, understand the advantages of other camera formats for filming top-class footage. Full-frame, APS-C, Micro Four Thirds, medium format – these are all popular sensor formats. Indeed, many will use more than one, switching between them for different situations.

For more on video, check out our guides to the best cameras for recording video and vlogging, the best lenses for video, and the best video-editing software, including free tools.

Early on, digital compact cameras had small sensors and consumer-level DSLRs were APS-C format while full-frame and medium-format digital remained the preserve of pro photographers. With time, full-frame cameras have become more affordable, especially for models that have been around a while.

With budget being a potential barrier to entry to full-frame, the smaller APS-C and Micro Four Thirds formats offer a more cash-friendly route to serious video capture and with them comes the added benefits of less weight and bulk.

Another option is medium-format: now more affordable than ever, but does that make it a good option? 

That’s not to say that today’s medium-format gear is cheap – it isn’t – but thanks firstly to Pentax with its 645Z and then Fujifilm and Hasselblad, more photographers can enjoy its benefits. Fujifilm has probably been the most aggressive brand in this sector with a regular churn of new cameras and lenses. The Fujifilm GFX 50S II with standard 35-70mm zoom currently sells for $3,500 / £3,000, which is significantly less than some top-end full-frame cameras.

Sensor size – a refresher

Stills photographers and video creators have a wide choice of formats, from mobile phones and compact cameras up to full-frame and medium-format. If ultimate picture quality is a key consideration, the larger the image format the better. That said, it is remarkable what smaller formats are capable of and many pro image creators use, for example, Micro Four Thirds, with no complaints at all.

Just a nod to the world of CINE cameras, there’s a multitude of formats with Super 35 or S35 (24×18.6mm) being one of the mostly widely used and it’s supported by lens makers.

Sensor size: lens options

The sensor size of your camera dictate which lenses you can use. Different camera systems have different lens mounts of course, but in some cases even within the same system, there are certain lenses that are only useable on smaller sensor cameras. Sony E-mount is an example here, as are Canon and Nikon’s DSLR and mirrorless ranges.

Larger sensors not only require larger camera bodies to house them, but also larger lenses to use with them, and this adds to the overall bulk of your setup. When shooting handheld all day, the weight of a medium format system will tell a lot more than would a Micro Four Thirds. The weight of the heavier system could exacerbate the effects of camera-shake, meaning you’ll need to rely more on your stabilisation system.

Of course, there are some lens-based advantages to using larger sensors. Video shooting tends to favour wider focal lengths, and these are more plentiful on full-frame systems because there’s no crop factor – i.e. a smaller image field that cuts into the effective focal length of the lens, narrowing the field of view.

Sensor size: Smartphones

Smartphones have small sensors, typically measuring 1/2.55in or 1cm across, and some higher-end models have 1/1.3in units. These are tiny in comparison with those found in mirrorless cameras. Consequently, stills image quality suffers from digital noise and quality falls off with print enlargements beyond A4. However, phones are really convenient – most of us don’t go anywhere without them – and easy to use too.

For video shooting for social use, models such as the Apple iPhone 14 Pro, Google Pixel 7 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Sony Xperia Pro 1 are highly capable for a portable solution. In most cases, these have the ability to shoot wide, macro and telephoto, with powerful computational photography and in-body processing skills. The latest smart phone is a compelling option.

Sensor size: Compact cameras

Thanks to the inexorable rise of the camera phone, compact cameras are not the force they once were, but many excellent models still circulate. There are two types of compact camera: the bridge-type version based around a powerful wide-ranging zoom lens and the classic compact with a fixed semi-wideangle standard lens.

A popular bridge camera is the Nikon Coolpix 950 which sells at $800 / £849. It has a 83x range optical zoom giving the 35mm equivalent focal length range of 24-2000mm and it is fitted with a 1/2.3in sensor (8.8×6.6mm) with a 16.7Mp resolution. A downside of such small sensors is the large amount of digital noise (grain) you get at high ISO settings, and fast speeds are needed to enable action-stopping shutter speeds with the longer telephoto settings. The high amount of digital noise has a severe impact on fine detail and looks unsightly.

Fixed lens compacts have larger sensors, 1in (13.2×8.8mm) or APS-C, for superior picture quality. Popular examples include the $1,300 / £1,049 Sony RX100 VII which has a stacked 1in sensor and a 20 megapixel resolution while the $1,400 / £1,349 Fujifilm X100V has an X-Trans CMOS 4 APS-C sensor with a 26.1 megapixels.

Sensor size: Micro Four Thirds

Micro Four Thirds or MFT is the smallest interchangeable lens camera format. It measures just 17.3 x 13mm, giving the format a 2x crop factor, compared with 35mm full-frame. This crop factor has an incredibly useful benefit for long lenses: a 300mm lens used on a MFT camera gives the equivalent view of a 600mm lens on full-frame.

We did note higher levels of digital noise at faster ISO settings due to the smaller sensor. With the latest noise-reduction software available, it’s not an issue using high ISOs for stills.

The smaller sensor size gives other benefits too: not only smaller cameras, but also smaller lenses. In-body image stabilisation is often more effective, as a smaller sensor is more easily moved than a larger one. The Olympus / OM-System range are widely considered to have some of the most effective stabilisation systems in the business, and their mirrorless cameras all use MFT sensors.

This does have a trade-off though – the aforementioned crop factor of Micro Four Thirds may necessitate working more frequently at longer effective focal lengths. This exacerbates camera-shake, making effective stabilisation the more necessary.

As well as OM Digital Solutions (the name behind OM System, formerly known as Olympus Cameras), another brand that releases cameras in this format Panasonic Lumix, and this is a well-respected name in the video community. The 25.2 megapixel Lumix GH6 from Panasonic sells for $2,100 /£1,400 and is one of the best hybrid cameras around with an awesome array of recording options that includes CINE 4K/60p, 5.7K/60p and raw formats via HDMI to an external drive.

Sensor size: APS-C

The APS-C format came about with the Advanced Photo System. The APS system used 24mm wide film and you could shoot one of three formats – the whole 30.2×16.7mm frame was exposed regardless – to give prints of different ratios.

APS-C (Classic) gave a format of 25.1×16.7mm for 3:2 ratio images and that concept has stuck, although the size of the sensor does vary. Canon is typically 22.3×14.9mm, while Fujifilm is 23.5×15.6mm, Nikon 24x16mm, Pentax 23.5×15.6mm and Sony 23.6×15.6mm. In terms of crop factor, Canon APS-C cameras give 1.6x while Fujifilm, Nikon, Pentax and Sony are 1.5x, so a 100mm lens on an APS-C camera gives an equivalent 160mm or 150mm field-of-view on a full-frame camera.

Fujifilm is a leading player in this format with video. The flagship X-H2S is $2499 / £2499 body only and its stacked 26.1 megapixel sensor and super-fast X-Processor 5 enables video recording in 4K/60p, 4K/120p, 6.2K/30p and Full HD/240p with various file options including Apple ProRes support. Once again, the smaller sensor size enables highly effective in-body image stabilisation systems, with the X-H2S boasting an IBIS system that can provide up to seven stops of effective compensation.

Sensor size: full-frame (35mm)

Full-frame is the classic 36x24mm image size; it does vary very slightly depending on the brand (Nikon’s FX format is 35.9x24mm) and it’s supported by Canon, Leica, Nikon, Panasonic, Pentax and Sony camera brands and by almost every lens manufacturer.

The crop factor of the 35mm full-frame format is 1.0x. This format was chosen as the crop factor reference point because it was the universally popular format, and most photographers knew the view a 24mm, 50mm or 100mm lens produced. So, saying a 12mm lens on a MFT camera gives a view like 24mm on full-frame, most camera users could appreciate the look it gave. When it comes to choosing a full-frame camera for video, you are spoilt for choice.

One of our favourites for video is the Canon EOS R6 Mark II with 4K/60p, and highly capable AI-driven subject detect AF – it’s very good value too with the body selling at $2,499 / £2,779.

Sensor size: medium format

There are several formats that come under the medium-format banner, but for this feature let’s say it is 44x33mm, a format supported by Fujifilm, Hasselblad and Pentax. The upside of the larger format is its incredible-quality stills.

However, a bigger body is needed to house the sensor and you then need lenses to project a big enough image circle to cover the format and this means larger optics. Also, with models using 50 or 102 megapixel sensors, file sizes are large so a powerful computer and lots of storage are essential.

The 44x33mm format crop factor is 0.79x, so a 100mm lens on this camera type will look like a 79mm lens on full-frame, ie it gives less of a telephoto effect. The Fujifilm GFX 100S costs $5499 / £4779 and gives 102MP stills while for video you can capture in 40K/30p internally. Via the HDMI port there is also the option of 12-bit Raw. More recently, Fujifilm has announced the Fujifilm GFX100 II, which offers 8K video recording, though comes with a pretty wince-inducing price tag of $7499 / £6,999 body-only.

Which sensor size for video?

There are many factors to be considered when it comes to deciding which camera format to use for video. The obvious solution is to use whatever you own, at least to start with. However, as is often the case in modern imaging, matters aren’t necessarily straightforward and the kit and your intentions with the final results are points to consider.

If your phone or camera has been with you for a few years, its video skills might be limited to Full HD, which is 1920×1080 pixels. That is good enough for many purposes, but you may want more pixels for better image quality and greater cropping power.

Most newer cameras offer at least 4K UHD or Cinema 4K so you get 3840×2160 or 4096×2160 pixel images respectively – many more pixels and four times the number in Full HD. Indeed, such is the rate of progress in the video world, the very latest high-end cameras such as the Canon EOS R5, the Nikon Z9 and Sony Alpha A1 can record full-frame 8K, which is 7680×4320 pixels and four times the number of pixels in 4K.

If you own an 8K resolution TV you can appreciate the quality as a viewer, but shooting 8K video is demanding and at a 30fps frame rate you are recording huge amounts of data. On a Canon EOS R5, for example, shooting 8K/30p means you are shooting the equivalent of 33-megapixel resolution stills at 30fps, so you will very quickly fill the memory card and during long recording sessions, heat build-up is a potential hazard.

The 8K capable cameras mentioned previously are top-end models costing upwards of four grand, but the hardware landscape is constantly evolving and the recently introduced Fujifilm X-S20 can shoot 6.2K/30p and it is competitively priced at $1300 / £1249 for the body only.

Having access to 8K and 6.2K is all very well, but you have to ask, do you need such high resolutions. Bigger files mean you can crop into footage without impacting too much on quality, but you might have to upgrade your computer and storage capacity to cope with all that data. 4K is probably the more practical proposition for most people and this resolution is on offer across the four camera formats discussed here.

When it comes to making a decision, you need to think about what you intend shooting and how the final footage will be used. If you plan to film wildlife, that means seriously long telephotos and that rules out medium-format where such lenses might not even be available – unless you buy a lens adaptor and fit a 35mm format lens and shoot cropped footage.

For family occasions, travel and vlogging, standard lenses will have the range to cover core opportunities and with IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilisation), face/eye/subject detect tracking AF shooting handheld is possible. Bear in mind, though, that shooting video is rarely done with the camera on its own. For quality sound, you need a camera-mounted microphone or a wireless system and if the light is challenging an LED light is handy, as too is a pair of headphones for sound monitoring. See our guide to the best-value audio solutions when recording video.

A monopod, tripod or gimbal are essential when you need stability. Most enthusiasts will be recording to the internal card, but there is the option of recording to an external memory device, complete with a hefty battery placed on the hot shoe and plugged into the camera’s HDMI port. See our guide to the best external camera screens for video.

The more kit you bolt onto the camera and have in the bag, the bulkier your outfit becomes. Basically, shoot video seriously and you’ll need a lot of kit and that takes up space in the bag and adds to your burden.

In this context, using a smaller format camera has more appeal because it is simply more user-friendly, which is important if you are shooting for pleasure. So, the practical side of shooting might determine which format you prefer to shoot while another factor is aesthetics.

In stills, keen photographers often talk about the ‘look’ of medium-format. This is not just a reference to the clarity and super-smooth tonality, but also the amount of depth-of-field and background blur that gives a 3-D feel to pictures taken on larger sensor cameras.

But what is the reality and is that a motivation to use medium-format? The fact is that you can achieve comparable pictorial effects across the formats by a combination of lens aperture and focal length.

As an example, with the camera position and subject constant, shooting on Micro Four Thirds with a 40mm lens set to f/4 gives the same depth-of-field as an 80mm lens used at f/8 on a 35mm full-frame camera. This is called equivalency. The long and the short of it is that there’s opportunity to use shallow depth-of-field with appropriate apertures and lenses with all four formats, but that potential is greater with the larger formats.

All that said, with the computational photography features available in high-end phones and some of the latest cameras, all manner of creative effects can be achieved in-camera without the need to switch lens or adjust lens aperture.

Putting the sensors to the test

To look into the quality difference of the different formats I shot some 4K test video with a quartet of interchangeable lens cameras, one of each format: the Micro Four Thirds OM System OM-1; the APS-C Fujifilm X-S10; the 35mm full-frame Canon EOS R5; and the medium-format resolution monster, the Fujifilm GFX 100S. Each camera was mounted in turn on a tripod and 4K footage was shot at the highest frame rate of each camera.

Playing the recordings on a 4K 27in monitor showed that they were all very good. There was some white-balance variations in the out-of-camera footage but that can be sorted in editing. Get granular and the very fine lines on the chart were more clearly defined as format size increased, but this is only noticeable by taking time and looking closely. In the real world you’re not shooting test charts, and the colour, tonality and resolution of all four formats was excellent at normal viewing subjects.

In summary: does sensor size matter for video?

The short answer is probably not. Much of this is due to how we consume video. We watch videos for the experience, or to learn from the content, not to scrutinise technical quality. With stills, content is obviously important, but we are much more likely to dig into an image’s technical qualities.

Then there are the practical considerations. Medium-format is more affordable than ever, but it remains a significant investment and it’s bulky, and the depth of supporting lenses, particularly telephotos, isn’t there. That is not an issue with the smaller formats, and the quality of video output from these cameras is remarkably good and impressive enough for pro use. What’s more, their more compact stature makes shooting more enjoyable.

If you are setting up a video outfit from scratch and choosing between Micro Four Thirds, APS-C and full-frame, you’re unlikely to be disappointed whichever you decide on. You need to carefully check out the video spec of the cameras within your budget, as well as the lenses available. A great start would be a camera that can shoot uncropped 4K/50p or 60p, equipped with separate microphone and headphone ports, and fitted with a good in-body image stabilisation.

Going for a camera with more advanced recording options such as raw via HDMI might not seem worthwhile right now, but it offers future-proofing as your skills develop, and that is a good thing.

Further reading

The best cameras for video, vlogging and videography
The best lenses for recording video
Best video-editing software, including free tools
Best-value audio accessories for video
Best external camera screens for video

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