Vlogging has become the new millennial dream job nowadays. If you are a vlogger with a minimal budget or planning to start a career in vlogging, buckle up. Today, we will be looking at a few amazing vlogging camera under 200 bucks.
We considered the quality of videos, the lens, usability, microphone quality, low light performance, wireless connectivity, and a few other factors to decide what camera stays on this list.
And do not worry. Even with this budget, you can get a lot of premium features. We found a lot of great cameras that will blow your mind.
So, let’s start the camera review.
Best Vlogging Camera Under 200: Our Picks
Table could not be displayed.With the availability of video-capturing devices and the internet becoming the new workplace, people with great potential bring out their best in vlogging.
Who doesn’t watch YouTube videos?
However, you cannot expect to start a vlogging career with a huge budget. In fact, most successful vloggers started their careers with low-resolution cameras.
It didn’t stop them from having a successful vlogging career. A lot of vloggers started their careers with their smartphones.
Guess what? Your audience cares about quality content. It doesn’t matter if it’s on 4K or 1080p. As long as your content is amazing, you are good to go.
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS 12MP Digital Camera
In 2012, Canon came up with SX40, which quite shook the vlogging world. Everyone was using this camera for vlogging.
PowerShot SX50 is the next big thing from Canon. It is boosted up with a 12.1-megapixel sensor, mega zoom, various modes for shooting, and great raw picture-capturing capability.
As a new vlogger, SX50 can be your day-to-day gear.
The best feature of the camera is the mega zoom. With a 24-1200mm lens, you can use a maximum 50X zoom. Speaking of macro, you can use around zero inches to 1.6 feet.
The picture quality on this camera is amazingly great. Within this budget, you will not get the SLR level of photos, of course. However, it is up to the mark for the content creation level good.
You will also enjoy the control dial to manually change the setting.
Getting back to the raw image capture feature here. It’s amazing to have this manual level of setting in a budget camera. For some little details in the video, it can be very handy.
Indoor shooting can be a pleasant experience if you consider good lighting in the recording place.
Color and saturations are amazingly perfect on this camera. It can produce extremely accurate video captures. The dynamic range correction feature helps to have better highlights.
If you are looking for an entry-level DSLR, SX50 might be your best pick.
Pros:
- 50X Mega-zoom.
- Raw image options.
- Great color accuracies.
Cons:
- It can be a little tricky to capture videos without good lighting.
YI 4K Action and Sports Camera
YI 4K action and sports camera is a splendid option as a vlogging camera for under 200 dollars.
Let’s see what makes this budget-friendly camera so special.
A great chunk of the youtube cameras under 200 dollars are capable of 4K videos. However, you can imagine the stability issues compared with the big shot cameras.
YI 4K action camera is capable of capturing 4K and 4K ultra videos at 30 fps and at 24 fps.
We got the best quality videos in daylight. However, the low-light ones are also perfectly fine.
Adding the great resolution, you can shoot with a wide 155-degree angle.
One of the best features would be the Mountability. The quarter inches mount port makes it compatible with a lot of options. Shoot in any position you want.
Adding to the portability, YI 4K comes with just one button at the top. It is one of the simplest designs in a budget camera that we have checked.
Well, how would you control the rest of the setting?
It also comes with a 2.19 inches LCD touchscreen. All the settings are there, and the touchscreen feels very amazingly smooth.
The camera is powered by a 1200 mAh battery. With some heavy usage, we got around 3 hours of battery life.
Beside the battery slot, there is a micro SD card slot and one USB port to connect to your PC.
One of the major features that all YouTubers want is flawless live streaming.
YI comes with a mobile app. The UI is very user-friendly. Just connect with your camera, and you can control almost everything from your smartphone.
About the sound, this fantastic piece of gear comes with an omnidirectional speaker and a noise-canceling microphone. So, no extra unwanted sound in your videos anymore.
Pros:
- Full touchscreen control.
- 4K and 4K ultra video.
- Extremely portable.
Cons:
- No option to change the frame rates in 4K and 4K ultra modes.
DJI Osmo Pocket Handheld 3-Axis 4k Gimbal
What I can say about the DJI Osmo pocket handheld 3-axis 4K gimbal is,
every word you have seen in the name makes perfect sense.
Let me explain in three lines.
One, It’s very small in size. So, pocket friendly.
Two, one of the best portable and easily accessible cameras in the market.
Three, it is mounted on a gimbal! 3-axis covered with a 4K resolution ensured.
Boosting up with a 2.3-inch sensor, the DJI Osmo pocket comes with a 26-millimeter full-frame equivalent lens. You would be amazed to see how magical this little device can be.
If you are looking for the best vlogging camera under $200, you must be interested in some devices that can capture great videos with great accessibility.
With the DJI Osmo pocket, you can easily capture 4K videos in 60p.
The gimbal helps a lot with stabilization. With proper stabilization and a great light color setting, the camera can turn amateur-level footage into very professional footage.
Your post-production editing will take a bit less time now.
It is amazing to see how detailed a video it can capture! It is literally a vlogging camera for under 200 bucks, and it can provide the clarity that will make your videos stand out.
No pre-setup procedure for this little guy. Turn it on, and it will be ready in three seconds.
The autofocus is amazingly perfect. So does object tracking.
Smartphone connectivity makes every bit of work a lot easier for vloggers. Adding on to that, you can use a lot of accessories with this fantastic camera.
Pros:
- Amazingly portable.
- 4K videos in 60p.
- A great option for outgoing vloggers.
Cons:
- No ultra-wide option.
- Walking and capturing video can be tricky.
Sony DSCWX220/B 18.2 MP Digital Camera
If you are somewhat connected with the digital videography world, you must have heard the name Sony Cybershot.
Sony DSCWX220/B 18.2 MP digital camera is seemingly the most affordable camera for vlogging.
I have one word for this camera; Basic.
Sony DSCWX220/B is a small, low-budget, minimal build, and sustainable vlogging camera.
Though it doesn’t come with full of features, DSCWX220/B serves you effectively.
I must say this is a very pocket-friendly camera. I mean, it’s effectively smaller. Also, there are fewer buttons.
On the bottom, you will find a simple tripod socket. It’s also very basic and compatible with a lot of options
Gearing up with an 18.2-megapixel camera and 12,800 ISO shooting range, it can capture great videos in the proper light.
You wouldn’t get manual shooting mode in here. However, for vlogging, you can slay it with a 3200 ISO shooting range. That’s the best result we got.
About low light, It works surprisingly well in night mode.
Another great feature of the camera is faster contrast-detect autofocus. Don’t worry if you have shaken the camera a little while shooting.
It can take care of the autofocus. More reason for assurance here is the great video stabilization feature.
Well, 40X digital zoom is a great feature if you think about it. It is amazingly helpful whenever you are vlogging outside.
And, of course, you can use the wireless connectivity feature to transfer your videos or pictures to the PC. There is one USB port as well.
Pros:
- Budget-friendly camera.
- Smaller in size.
- 40X zoom at max.
Cons:
- Settings are quite a hassle.
Panasonic Full HD Video Camera Camcorder
Let’s talk about one budget-friendly camcorder.
Panasonic hc v180 comes with a minimal camcorder look and a flip screen. And great digital zoom.
Speaking of zoom, It can go for 90X zoom at max. It is called intelligent zoom.
How amazing is that?
However, we have checked, and it felt really great with the optical zoom. It was around 50X zoom.
The camcorder has a side flip screen. It contains a 2.7 inches LCD display. You can see the preview and a few settings on the screen. The sensitivity is great, and it provides a very clear preview of your captures.
It has a very specific button placement. They are convenient and easy to reach.
Another great feature of the camera is it’s a very lightweight device. It looks like a bigger and heavier camera than the rest of our list. However, it just looks bigger.
Panasonic hc v180 has very decent quality HD video. Though it doesn’t support 4K video captures, the HD quality seems very amazing.
Pros:
- 50X optical zoom, 90X intelligent zoom
- Great color capture.
- Proper image stabilizer.
Cons:
- No wireless connectivity.
- No 4K
Best Vlogging Camera Under 200 Buying Guide
Please Keep in mind that you’re a content creator. As a vlogger, you need a stable camera that can capture video and clear audio.
You don’t need a lot of extra features that come with comparatively more expensive cameras in the market. You just need to meet the basic necessities for vlogging.
Also, we are on a very specific budget.
Do not expect features like GoPro Hero 10. They are very different options than our list.
However, let’s focus on the best features that we must have to get going with vlogging.
Resolution That Suits Your Content
Audiences do consider your vlogging content before your video resolution.
However, as the cameras are getting more and more precise, the audience will also have expectations to see your vlogs in good quality.
4K videos are amazing. It won’t change the end result if you get one with a 1080p video-capturing feature as well.
We would suggest that you don’t go less than that in 2023.
Is The External Microphone Recording Clear Enough?
Well, we all have faced this.
We recorded something very amazing, and some unwanted background sounds made it lose its charm.
You do not want that in your vlogging videos. Make sure your camera has the noise-cancellation feature.
It must record your voice clearly and any sound you want to put in the video naturally. So, check this feature before buying the right vlogging camera on a budget.
Let The Lens Be Adequate
Wide-angle lenses are very handy for getting a clear view.
Most vloggers tend to have good surroundings, and without this feature, your audience won’t have a good peak. This is required in both indoor and outdoor shooting areas.
If you are vlogging outside, the natural view is also important. Wider angle video shoots are not extra at this time; it’s necessary. So, check out how others are reviewing this feature of the camera for vlogging.
Also, your lens must prioritize face recognition.
Throw In Some Zoom
Let’s be real. You wouldn’t use the 50X zoom, like ever.
However, you need to zoom in or zoom out for a lot of shots every now and then.
We would suggest getting as much zoom facility as you can. Because the maxed-out zoom can hamper your video quality.
Make sure you have the touch to focus feature, and then rapidly check the zoom.
Weight Of The Camera
You wouldn’t mind a solid build camera on the go. However, the heavier the camera would be, the portability will be more complicated.
There is no perfect weight for the vlogging camera. Try to get something that you can carry in your pocket or in your backpack easily.
Image Stabilizer Is A Must
Most action cameras have great image stabilizers.
Yes, you can use the camera’s autofocus. Also, the tripod or the gimbals can make a lot of changes.
However, the camera must have good image stabilization itself. Also, continuous auto-focus is a bonus.
Wireless Connectivity; It’s not 1995
As good as it sounds that most of the budget-friendly cameras come with USB connectivity, most of the devices are getting the wireless connectivity treatment.
And we don’t suggest you go any less than that for your vlogging camera.
Wireless transfer can save a lot of time and, of course, be more convenient.
Can The Battery Catch Up?
Well, your camera will depend on the battery.
Now, you get to check how powerful you want your battery to be. It depends on your videos and several preferences.
Are you doing an outdoor shoot? Are you shooting for two hours straight?
Yes, you do need a powerful, long-lasting battery.
We recommend you get cameras that have the battery to back you up for at least 3-4 hours straight.
Which Camera Is Best for Vlogging Beginners?
YI 4K Action and Sports Camera would be a very great option for beginner vloggers.
It has all the great features like 4K video, good video stabilizers, wide angle shoots, good battery backup, and a mobile app to control the camera.
What Is the Best Camera Brand for Vlogging?
There are a lot of brands that come up with great vlogging cameras. YI, GoPro comes with great action cameras.
DJI with great gimbals is a strong contender. There are also Sony and Panasonic with their point-shoot cameras.
Canon Powershot also has a good reputation in the market.
With everything that’s necessary, we would suggest DJI as the best brand for vlogging cameras.
Wrapping Up
Cheap vlogging cameras can do a lot. The video recording, video quality, image quality, usability, connectivity; everything has gotten better with time.
As a vlogger, you just need a good camera. It can be a mark iii. It can be a canon Powershot Elph. If you have a YI 4K action camera, it won’t make you any less of a vlogger.
Be it in 720p HD, 1080p HD, or 4K, just get going. For YouTube video making, it is also suggested to see the post Cheap cameras for YouTube Videos.
Your vlogs might make a lot of difference, and we believe that’s all matters
Leave a Reply