The Buyers guide to...Best cameras for TikTok videos

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II is a replacement to the original EOS M50, that adds the ability to stream live to a YouTube channel via a computer or smartphone with an internet connection, an enhanced autofocus system and the ability to shot vertical video as well as in the more traditional landscape orientation.

As for its video quality, the Canon M50 Mark II is capable of recording attractive, high-quality footage. The video colours, white balance and exposure match those of the stills.

Vloggers and content creators will also appreciate its vari-angle screen, which offers very responsive touch sensitivity. The camera’s interface is also very intuitive, and the compact body size makes it very portable for filming anywhere.

Read our Canon EOS M50 Mark II Review

The Sony ZV-E1 is loved by many for its compact and lightweight design, making it highly portable for vloggers and content creators. But what really gained the ZV-E1  attention is that it uses the same 12MP sensor as the Sony Alpha A7S III.

For those counting pixels, 12MP might seem a bit pedestrian these days. But the Sony ZV-E1’s 12MP full-frame sensor, although seemingly modest in resolution, is ideally suited for video recording, particularly for platforms like TikTok. Its larger pixels enhance low-light performance, allowing for clearer and more vibrant footage even in less-than-ideal lighting conditions, which is a significant advantage for indoor or evening shoots. This lower resolution also aids in reducing noise at higher ISOs, ensuring cleaner imagery in various lighting scenarios.

What’s more, the 12MP sensor is beneficial for managing data more efficiently and minimizing heat buildup, crucial for prolonged recording sessions typical in vlogging. Despite its lower pixel count, the ZV-E1 effortlessly handles 4K video recording, as 4K resolution requires only about 8.3MP, thereby avoiding the need for pixel binning or line skipping and resulting in sharper, more detailed videos.

The full-frame sensor of the ZV-E1 also offers superior dynamic range and color depth, capturing a broader range of light and dark areas in a scene and ensuring detailed shadows and highlights. This combination of features makes the ZV-E1 a potent tool for TikTok videographers, providing high-quality footage with professional appeal.

The Sony ZV-E10 is also designed specifically with content creators in mind, featuring a 24MP APS-C mirrorless interchangeable lens. Its articulating selfie screen with touch capability makes it super convenient for self-filming, a common requirement for TikTok videos. The camera supports 4K video capture and includes both headphone and microphone ports.

The ZV-E10 combines the compactness of the ZV-1 with the internal features of the Sony A6000-series, offering a balance between quality and affordability for vlogging and content creation. Its 4K video capability, excellent autofocus system, and vari-angle screen make it a suitable choice for novice vloggers.

Read our Sony ZV-E10 Review

OK, so we started off this guide on the best cameras for TikTok by singing the praises of using an interchangeable lens camera. And the Sony ZV-1 is a fixed-lens compact camera. But it has so many brilliant vlogging features, we felt it earns a place on this list.

For starters, the ZV-1 has a 1-inch type stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor with 20.1 million effective pixels. That’s a pretty large sensor for a compact camera and, as we’ve seen with cameras like the Sony RX100 VII, it brings huge advantages for image quality.

The ZV-1 can also record 4K footage with full pixel readout and exposure can be controlled automatically or manually.

Sound is just as important as the image quality in video and the Sony ZV-1 offers a number of options for recording audio. The easiest is to use the built-in 3-capsule microphone. This uses technology from Sony’s advanced video camera systems and there’s a Clear Voice function that can reduce background noise while making human voices clearer.

Helpfully, there’s a fluffy dead cat type windshield supplied in the box with the ZV-1. This can be popped into the camera’s hotshoe to cover the built-in mic whenever it’s needed to cut down wind noise.

Alternatively, there’s a standard 3.5mm mic port on the ZV-1 so you can connect an external mic. This could be a lavalier, shotgun or hand-held mic, or a wireless system like the excellent Rode Wireless Go. The third option is to connect an external mic via an adapter in the multi-interface hotshoe. This could be a professional-level XLR mic.

If you’re really serious about your TikTok content, the ZV-1 offers Log and Gamma control modes for grading your footage, and the ZV-1 has a total of 315 phase detection AF points which are available for use video mode.

Read our Sony ZV-1 Review

As well as being one of the best action cameras every year, the GoPro Hero12 Black is particularly suitable for shooting vertical TikTok videos, thanks to its almost-square 8:7 aspect ratio sensor and enhanced features like longer runtime, better image stabilization, and 10-bit Log video capability. The camera offers 5.3K video recording at 60 fps and supports wireless audio connectivity, including wireless microphone support. Its dual-channel audio recording and ability to record external audio with a Bluetooth microphone add to its versatility. The Hero12 Black stands out for its smooth video stabilization (HyperSmooth) and HDR video capabilities, making it an excellent choice for action-packed TikTok content​​​​​​​​​​.

Its diminutive size might not look like much, but the Insta360 GO 2 is ideal for making POV TikTok videos thanks to its small size and weight, and the wide range of mounts available.

Shooting modes include Video, Photo, Pro Video, HDR Video, TimeShift, Timelapse, Nightlapse and Slow Motion. In the Pro Video mode you can record 1440p video at 30 and 50fps, and in Slow Motion you can record FullHD at 120fps.

The action camera also boasts Insta360’s FlowState image stabilisation and horizon levelling technology. Meanwhile, FlashCut 2.0 uses AI to identify your best clips and edit them together.

The Insta360 GO 2 is the very definition of a pocket camera. It is so small, you don’t realise it is there. You can take it anywhere, even underwater, and its wide-angle lens captures a huge amount.

Read our Insta360 GO 2 Review

The Z50 is effectively the mirrorless equivalent of Nikon’s very capable D7500 DSLR and offers some superb vlogging features. It can record 4K at 30fps and in Full HD at frame rates up to 120fps. You can also record time-lapse videos in-camera.

The body design is probably one of the best on our list of best TikTok cameras. It’s got a deep grip that fits firmly in your hand, and the build is weather-sealed and robust for filming outside.

Its tilting touchscreen is quick and responsive, and its Subject Tracking and Eye AF modes work wonderfully. You’ll also find a mic input for using an external microphone.

Finally, Nikon has released the Z50 in a Vlogger Kit that has everything you need to hit the ground running straightaway making high-quality TikTok videos.

Read our Nikon Z50 Review: updated for Vlogging

The Panasonic Lumix G100 is designed as an entry-level vlogging camera and it fits that bill very well. It has a bigger sensor than competing compact cameras and benefits from accepting interchangeable lenses, which makes it a bit more versatile.

It’s capable of shooting 4K or Full HD video at a selection of frame rates, and it’s packed with all sorts of helpful features for someone looking to make professional-looking content for TikTok.

For instance, the Panasonic G100 has a Rec Frame Indicator that outlines the frame in red when you start recording. There’s also a Frame Marker feature that can be set to indicate the framing of a selection of aspect ratios favoured by some social media channels. The video is recorded as normal but you can preview what’s in the frame with your selected aspect ratio. You’ll also find 5-axis hybrid image stabilisation that combines in-camera and lens-based stabilisation.

There’s also a Slow&Quick option on the mode dial to ease creating slow motion and quick motion footage. When this is selected, there are menu options to enable 2x, 4x and 8x quick recording or 2x and 4x slow recording. The camera cranks up or reduces the frame rate accordingly and the footage is output at the intended viewing rate so there’s no need to adjust the playback frame rate in post-processing.

TikTok creators will also appreciate the camera’s OZO Audio system, which uses three internal microphones and works in tandem with the G100’s face detection focusing to track the person talking and optimise their audio.

Read our Panasonic Lumix G100 Review

It may be several years old now and Panasonic may even have more compelling options, such as the Lumix S5, but at its current street price, the GH5 offers so much specification and ease of use for the budding TikTok creator.

For starters it records 4K video at 60p and offers a superb vari-angle touchscreen which makes filming yourself so easy.

There are too many specifications to list here. You can read all about them in our full Panasonic GH5 review. But the main takeaway is that the GH5 offers videographers and content creators the kind of specification and video quality that is normally only made possible by a much larger, more expensive cinematic camera. It’s even possible to connect XLR mic via an optional adaptor, for instance.

And the camera has got even better over the years, thanks to sustained firmware updates by Panasonic that have improved video quality to produce footage with more tonal and textural detail, as well as boost AF performance and more.

Some five years on, the Panasonic GH5 remains a beast of a camera and one you should consider if you’re passionate about making high-quality TikTok videos.

Read our Panasonic GH5 review

Aimed at beginners, the entry-level Fujfilm X-T200 offers a number of nice specs and design touches that should appeal to TikTok content creators. First is a 3.5-inch 2,760K-dot touchscreen LCD with 16:9 aspect ratio. This can be flipped and twisted to face towards you for selfies and vlogging.

What’s more, a new processing engine enables the X-T200 to record 4K video at 29.97P/25P/24P/23.98P. Fujifilm has also included a new Digital Gimbal mode that works in Full HD only, and a Digital Image Stabilizer that can be used in 4K mode.

If you’re looking for your first ‘proper’ camera for vlogging, the X-T200 is one of the best cameras for TikTok for its price. It’s versatile, has a good AF system and delivers nice quality video.

Read our Fujifilm X-T200 Review