The best beginner camera for content creation

For beginners interested in content creation rather than photography, I recommend a dedicated Visit site video and vlogging camera – and the Sony ZV-E10 is perfect.

Specifications
Type: Mirrorless Sensor: APS-C Megapixels: 24.2MP Lens mount: Sony EScreen: Vari-angle Viewfinder: None Continuous shooting speed: 11fps for 116 JPEGs Max video resolution: 4K 30p Dimensions: 115 x 64 x 45mm

Weight: 343g

Reasons to buy
+Autofocus features and performance
+Vari-angle screen
+Clip on wind muffler

Reasons to avoid
-No in-body stabilization
-No viewfinder

Buy it if:
You want to get into vlogging / content creation: With its video-first functionality and great autofocus, this is the ideal camera for vloggers and creators.

You want great audio: I always recommend using an external microphone, but the ZV-E10 has an extra-large integrated mic that’s better than other cameras.

Don’t buy it if:
You want to shoot photos: It has a very capable sensor and great autofocus, but the lack of viewfinder means this isn’t ideal for photography.

You need to change settings while vlogging: While the screen flips around, so you can see yourself during filming, the menus aren’t touch-sensitive – so you’ll need to get up or master the art of pressing buttons on the back blindly.

While it can take photos, it cuts back on the photography features as everything from the handling to the functionality is built primarily for video use. For example, there’s no mode dial on the top as it’s not designed to spend much time out of video mode.

Another case in point is the lack of an electronic viewfinder. This isn’t useful for video, so here that space is put to better use for the extra-large microphone (with clip-on muffler), which I find performs better than the mics on most cameras.

It also benefits from Sony’s excellent autofocus system, which is crucial for keeping your videos locked onto your subject(s). A plus point is the Presentation Mode, which tells the camera to focus on objects you hold in front of you – ideal for product demonstrations or showcases.

I think it’s a shame that there is no in-body image stabilization, and it’s a glaring omission that the menus can’t be touch-controlled – a huge miss for a vlogging camera where you’ll be using it a lot from the front, with the screen pointed towards you and no access to the physical buttons on the back.

Still, a big boon for beginners is that the ZV-E10 uses the Sony E mount – so it has access to an enormous number of both Sony-made and independent lenses. And it has an appealing price tag, too.