From compact to budget-friendly to flip screens, I’ve searched far and wide for the best travel vlogging cameras this year, 2020. Here they are!
Watch my video below for the full rundown or scroll down to read!
*I hope you love the products I recommend! I research far and wide to share highly-rated products I know you’d love. Just so you know, I may collect a share of sales from links on this page. And prices are as accurate as the date indicated on this post.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, there is no best camera but there is a camera that’s best for you! How you’ll find your perfect camera is to first ask yourself; What kind of vlogs do you want to shoot? Daily travel, adventure travel, travel tips? What vlogging features are important to you?
Based on your wants and needs, I go through point and shoot cameras to mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses. I don’t include DSLRs because despite their power and versatility, they’re not travel-friendly because of their heft, bulky build and lenses.
What makes a great travel vlogging camera?
Video Quality
The most important feature every person looks at is video quality. The most common video resolutions are 720p HD, 1080p Full HD, and 4k Ultra HD. It’s already 2020 so I highly suggest filming at least 1080p Full HD.
PORTABILITY
If it’s light and compact, it’s definitely portable. Which means it’s definitely perfect for travel. It’s up to you to decide what’s compact and light enough for you. Some people use SLRs and find mirrorless cameras compact for them. (That’s me) And some people use their phones and want a point and shoot that’s not much bigger than their phones. (Also me)
FLIP SCREEN CAPABILITY
Also called tilt screen or swivel screen. If you want to be selfie-ready, this is an important feature for vlogging to make sure you’re in frame and in focus.
AUTOFOCUS
Having a great autofocus system on your camera will help you save so much time. When you’re traveling and on-the-go, you’ll want a camera that autofocuses while it’s recording so you know you’re always in focus as you move.
IMAGE STABILIZATION
Because you’re traveling, odds are you’ll be walking or moving around while vlogging. Image stabilization will keep your vlogs smooth instead of shaky.
AUDIO INPUT
Your audio quality is just as important as your video. So when you’re in situations where your built-in microphone isn’t enough (i.e. windy days, crowded places), having an audio input for a separate microphone will do the trick. Your viewers will thank you (trust me).
POINT AND SHOOT CAMERAS
These types of cameras are the lightest and most compact and the least finicky which make them easy to use and quick to learn.
Best for everyday vlogging: Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II
- + Great for everyday vlogging
- + 180° flip screen
- + Shoots up to 1080p HD at 60fps
- + Great in low-light situations
- + Great built-in image stabilization
- – Doesn’t shoot 4k Ultra HD
- – No viewfinder
The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II is a vlogging camera many Youtubers use. For its compact size, amazing photo & video quality it shoots up to 1080p HD at 60fps (frames per second). It has a 5-axis image stabilization so you can trust your footage won’t look shaky. It also has a large lens range (24mm-100mm) so you can zoom in real close and still have crisp quality in your imagery.
The 180° flip screens makes it perfect for vlogs and even tilts 45° downwards so you can shoot way above yourself and still see the screen. It also works well in low-light situations, a definite plus.
Get it on Amazon for $649.
Best SMALL BUT POWERFUL camera with 4k capabilities: Sony RX100 V
- + Shoots up to 4k Ultra HD at 25fps
- + 180° flip screen
- + Ultra fast autofocus
- + Great for amateurs & professionals
- – Price is high
- – No audio input for external
In case the Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II wasn’t good enough for you, maybe the Sony RX100 V is. Shooting up to 4k Ultra HD at 25fps, this camera maybe be compact but it definitely packs a punch.
Its fast lens has ultra fast shooting speeds with quick phase-detect Auto Focus and can film up to 960fps for those super slow motion shots. So you can be sure to capture numerous shots of a bird catching flight in front of you. It also has face-detection autofocus to always keep you looking sharp while vlogging.
Get it on Amazon for $898.
Best budget-friendly camera & best for beginners: Canon PowerShot sx620
- + Super budget-friendly
- + Great for beginners
- + Shoots up to 1080p Full HD
- + Great battery life
- + Fast face-detection focus
- – No flip screen
- – Doesn’t film 4k
- – No audio input for external microphones
If you’re on a budget, look no further. The Canon PowerShot SX620 is the most affordable camera on this list. Though it doesn’t have a flip screen, it has fast face-detection autofocus so you can trust you’ll be in focus even when you can’t see yourself.
It also has an Eco-Mode where the screen dims after a few seconds on inactivity so don’t have to worry about losing battery life throughout the day.And its simple design doesn’t have many buttons which is perfect for beginners or vloggers who don’t want to get caught up in camera features. It’s also great in low-light situations and captures 1080p Full HD.
Get it on Amazon for $249.
Best rugged & waterproof camera for adventures: Gopro Hero 7 BLACK
- + Extremely compact
- + Shoots 4k Ultra HD at 60fps
- + Impressive image stabilization (like really)
- + Waterproof and perfect for rugged conditions
- +- Has a pricey adapter for external microphones
- – No flip screen
- – Not great for everyday vlogging
If you find yourself swimming with fishes underwater or zip-lining between mountains often, the GoPro Hero 7 Black should be in your vlogging arsenal. This camera is literally made for travel. Whether you’re vlogging yourself jogging or skiing down a mountain of moguls, the image stabilization keeps your footage impressively smooth.
It captures up to 4k Ultra HD at 60fps with amazing quality for such a tiny camera. You can connect a separate microphone but it does require an adapter that’s pretty expensive.
Get it on Amazon for $388.96.
mirrorless CAMERAS
These cameras pack a punch in terms of quality because they have larger sensors than point and shoots. They also use interchangeable lenses which does take up more space than your point and shoots but if you prefer having creative control, these are your go-to vlogging cameras.
BEST affordable mirrorless camera WITH A BALANCE OF PORTABILITY & QUALITY: Sony A5100
- + Shoots up to 1080p Full HD at 60fps
- + Great battery life
- + Great in low-light situations
- + Super fast auto-focus
- – Doesn’t film 4k
- – No built-in image stabilization
- – No audio input for external microphones
For a mirrorless camera, the Sony a5100 is pretty light and compact. It has fast and continuous autofocus and can capture up to 1080p Full HD at 60fps. It has great battery life and films well low-light situations.
The only cons are that it doesn’t have image stabilization and an audio input for microphones.
Get it on Amazon for $498.
Best Value for High-Quality Vlogs: Panasonic Lumix g7
- + Shoots up to 4k Ultra HD at 30fps
- + 180° flip screen
- + Has an audio input for external microphones
- + Focus peaking
- – No built-in image stabilization
- – Crops in when shooting 4k
The Panasonic Lumix G7 packs quite a punch. It shoots up to 4k Ultra HD at 30fps, has an audio input for microphones, autofocus during recording and even focus peaking for you filmmaker enthusiasts.
It has a flip screen but it doesn’t have in-camera image stabilization, making it a need to make sure your lens has it.
Get it on Amazon for $497.99.
BEST FOR DSLR USERS: Canon EOS M50
- + 180° flip screen
- + Shoots 4k Ultra HD
- + Has an audio input for external microphones
- + APS-C sensor
- – Crops in when shooting 4k
- – Battery life could be better
- – No built-in image stabilization
If you’re looking for a next level Canon camera from the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II, this one is for you. The Canon EOS M50 shoots 4k HD unlike its counterpart which shoots 1080p HD. However, the Canon EOS M50 does crop in tighter when shooting 4k, so if you’re looking to stick to wide shots, you would need a wider lens counteract the crop.
It has a flip screen and audio input for your microphone. A disadvantage is that it has no built-in image stabilization, so you will have to make sure your lens has it.
Get it on Amazon for $649.
Conclusion
That’s what I have for the best travel vlogging cameras in 2020! I hope you like the compact and high-quality video choices I recommended.
Just don’t forget that it’s about the value of your vlogging content , not what camera you have. You can have the most amazing camera in the world and still shoot not-so-great vlogs. So create vlogs that give value to others while showing off your personality!
I’m in between the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II and the Sony RX 100 V. I can’t wait to choose one so I can already write my post on my current travel vlogging gear! Let me know if you’d like a post on it!
For more travel vlogging tips, don’t forget to subscribe to my email newsletter and YouTube channel! I really appreciate it when you do.
Hy Jojo, i personally love to take GoPro with me for vlogging !! nice article by the way, keep it up 🙂
Thank you so much! I also love to bring my GoPro with me too. It’s easy to bring and easy to use too 🙂
Hi! Thank you for a great article, I really want to start with travel blogging so articles like this really are a great start to figure some things out, so thank you for this sort of information and sharing!
I’m happy to hear that! If you have any questions about travel blogging, feel free to reply to me here or send me an email 🙂
I would like to know if Canon EOS 1500d would be good for vlogging. I’m planning to buy 1500d to study some photography.
Anyway, Thank you for the information 😀
Hi Arjun! As long as it films as least 1080HD and has continuous focus while filming, you’re good to go! Some people would prefer lighter camera for vlogging because if you’re okay with the weight of an SLR, then the 1500d would be a good option 🙂
If somebody says they’re good at cell phone cameras these days … so I’m taking pictures with my blog.
Just do it. It’s hard to say that there must be a camera there.
Hi ! great article ! I wanted to ask – what external mic would you recommend (im a beginner but I really want to start off with great quality audio and image wise) and would you say that the cameras you mentionned need additional stabilisation gear?
Thanks a lot !
hi Wiktoria! thank you, i love the external microphone you can find here: https://amzn.to/32M6mrT (affiliate link). It locks onto a shoe mount which not all cameras have so double-check if the camera you’re getting has it, otherwise, you can use a bracket to connect it with your camera (which is what I use for my other camera that doesn’t have a shoe mount). As for stabilization, I don’t use stabilization gear, I actually stabilize the footage in editing. But the cameras I mentioned would need additional stabilization if you want smooth filming
What a great information . thank’s
I think Canon EOS 50 is best for travel vlogging.
Good work! Your post is an excellent.. Thanks
you’re welcome andrew
Thanks for sharing this valuable information with us, really best camera drone review.keep sharing with us.Thank you.
glad you thought the article was helpful and thanks