You may have noticed that I’ve been through three or four cameras throughout my six years blogging, and I’m definitely a little more knowledgable when it comes to what it is I want from a camera.
I wanted to give you a little rundown on what I think is important when it comes to choosing your camera, so I’ve compiled a little guide to help you get clued up.
The Blogging Camera
This is the camera you want to shoot those dreamy, Pinterest-worthy blog snaps on – flatlays, beauty snaps and even the odd fash pic. I use a , which is awesome if you’re ready to part with the money.
I also use mine to shoot the odd ‘daily makeup’ snap and for ‘at home’ YouTube videos.
I’m a Canon girl myself, so before the 6D I had the 600D which was amazing. I find the Canon lenses are best too, and the lenses are what ‘make’ the camera. Plus, the brand have so much on offer for photos and filming, so you can guarantee you’ll find something you’ll love.
Honestly, you could buy a simple point and shoot for this, but there are a lot of affordable DSLRs out there now, so getting your hands on a good one is achievable if you’re at that stage.
I would probably buy the camera ‘body only’ and get a couple of prime lenses (perhaps the 40mm and the 24mm) instead. I love slowly collecting lenses over time!
What To Look For
Size
If this a camera strictly for indoor blog photos, you don’t need to worry about size too much. Most of the SLR bodies aren’t too bulky themselves, but the lenses can add weight. Personally, this doesn’t bother me as I don’t take mine out often (I have a separate camera for that), but this is something to consider.
Features
If this is your blogging camera, you may still want a flip-out screen for face pictures and videos. My 6D doesn’t have a flip-out screen, but my smaller ‘everyday’ camera does, so I use that when I need it. I couldn’t live without a flip-out screen!
I would also go for something that has interchangable lenses, and also a good variety of lenses – especially prime lenses.
Wireless sharing is amazing for quick Instagram snaps (especially if your phone camera isn’t great), I really like being able to connect to my camera from my phone.
A touch screen isn’t essential, but handy for quick focusing.
Lenses
I rarely use the kit lenses that come with the camera, so I usually save money and get the camera body only – but the kit lens is good if you’re starting out! Lenses are something you can slowly collect over time, as they don’t really use their value, so you can do your own research depending on what you want, but here’s a little rundown of my favourites.
40mm: My favourite lens, I love the small pancake size and the f2.8 – it’s amazing for all photos and videos too. I love it!
50mm: The ‘nifty fifty’ is probably one of the most popular lenses, especially amongst bloggers. Great for sharp subjects and blurry backgrounds, you can’t go wrong with this. Not great for flatlays, and it’s quite ‘zoomed in’ but still a great lens.
24mm: Another pancake lens, this has a similar view to the human eye so I use it for room shots and interiors. I find it’s a great ‘everyday’ lens, and I love it for filming too.
The Vlogging Camera
If you’re regularly uploading to YouTube, you’ll want a camera that suits your needs. Of course, you can use the same camera that you use for your blog photos – there’s no reason why you can’t just own one camera!
I own a few as I’m a bit of a camera fiend, and I have different criteria for all, but it’s all down to personal preference.
I use a Canon EOS M10 for videos, and I cannot recommend it enough. It’s light, has an amazing flip-screen and the quality is great. It auto-focuses, is super easy to use, and makes a really easy job of filming videos.
I could use my DSLR, but the lack of flipscreen bothers me so I tend to save my Canon 6D for product shots and the like, and the EOS M10 for filming myself. Sounds like a hassle, but really isn’t.
What To Look For
Size
If you’re using this for indoor and outdoor (on the go) videos, you’ll probably want something more compact – especially when it comes to the lenses. Make sure the camera you choose offers some sort of pancake lens; I bought the Olympus PEN but hated how bulky it was – it didn’t fit in my coat pocket and I hated carrying it around (I ended up selling it after two months), so do keep this in mind.
Features
A flip-screen is a must – don’t skip out on this as it makes all the difference!
Interchangeable lenses are also a must if you ask me. It’s not as important if you’re just vlogging out and about, but I still like having the options!
Wireless capabilities are handy if you’re a lifestyle blogger/vlogger – especially for Instagram!
Lenses
As I said, I love having options when it comes to lenses, but I know it’s not as important when it comes to vlogging! A pancake lens is ideal.
Overall
If I could recommend an ‘all round’ camera, I’d probably say the Canon EOS M10 (body only) – it’s so versatile, meaning it works for photos and filming. The flip screen is awesome, and I use it for indoor and on the go filming. It’s also great for travel photos and more lifestyle snaps.
What’s more there’s quite a good range of lenses, and you can buy an adapter to fit the other Canon lenses – so basically my entire lens collection fits on to this camera!
I’d probably recommend sticking to one camera brand, for the above reason. I started buying lenses for the Olympus PEN and felt like I was wasting so much money, because I would be buying lenses I had for my Canon! It didn’t make sense in the end, as my Canon lens collection is pretty vast.
There’s so many cameras to choose from, especially if you just want a simply vlogging camera. So many brands do an easy, lightweight camera with a flip-out screen – there’s this Sony one, this Canon one, this Samsung one, and so many more. Use the Amazon description and comparisons section to make sure it has everything you need.
Has this guide helped you in your quest for the perfect camera?
