Best Camera for YouTube beginners 2025
Many new YouTubers ask me this question from time to time: “What camera should I buy as a new YouTuber?”
While I could dive into specifics and suggest different options based on your unique needs, my general advice is:
I started with the Canon M50 Mark II. It’s affordable, beginner-friendly, and versatile enough for different use cases. I still use and recommend it. I shoot 99.9% of videos on my channel here with it. I still sometimes use my iPhone 12 Pro Max once in a while.
If you have a bigger budget, the Sony Alpha 7S III is an excellent upgrade. It has outstanding low-light performance and records sharper 4K video than the M50. Plus, it’s a full-frame mirrorless camera, which gives better image quality compared to the APS-C crop sensor on the M50.
That said, before upgrading your camera, invest in good lighting and high-quality audio. These will improve your video quality more than a new camera ever could — even if you’re filming with your phone.
Also, keep in mind that buying a camera is just the start. The kit lens that comes with most cameras is pretty basic, so you’ll likely want a better lens. Depending on what you’re shooting, you may also need extra accessories like a tripod, extra batteries, or a capture card.
This video was shoot with the kit lens that came with the Canon M50 camera on full auto mode as I didn’t know my ways around camera well enough then:
Now, this other video was shoot with my Canon M50 not with the kit lens but with the common nifty fifty lens, that is the Canon 50mm lens 1.8. Adapted to my camera with a Viltrox Speedbooster as seen below 👇🏽
Also, I now shoot in manual mode and not auto as I have learnt way more about cameras. You need to prepare your mind for the camera learning curve. Shooting full auto on kit lens is fine for a start but may even give you less quality than your phone has been giving you until you learn more about cameras.
At the end of the day, the decision to buy — or not buy — a camera is yours. My goal is simply to give you a realistic perspective, beyond the secretly sponsored reviews you see online.
If you’re relatively a small YouTuber, subscribe to this channel for uncensored facts about content creation, gears and YouTube from a perspective you will hardly ever find elsewhere online.
