Ever wondered what cameras famous YouTubers use? Sony has started to erode Canon’s monopoly among them: it looked as though all vloggers used Canon cameras. You can still see Canon EOS 70D in videos from super-vloggers, but some influential YouTubers, most notably Casey Neistat, have moved on to Sony, while others have upgraded to more expensive Canon models like the Canon XA30 used by PiewDiePie. The Vagabrothers started using the Sony A7S, because mirrorless cameras are lighter to carry while travelling. Here is a quick roundup to help you choose the right camera for your vlogging.
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What Kind of Camera Does Casey Neistat Use?
UPDATE MARCH 2017: Casey Neistat endorsed Sony A7R II as his main studio camera, as you can see in this video.
Casey Neistat has an entire collection of Canon cameras; he speaks about his Canon EOS 80D in this video.
If you, like me, don’t have the patience to watch the full video (the first part is mostly him going around town in on his skateboard), the part about his camera starts at 5.12 minutes from the start. He customised his camera’s microphone jack with a piece of wood to protect it.
If you have more patience, you can watch Casey’s video on how to vlog including the equipment he uses. Here he shows he uses a Canon Rebel EOS T6S.
UPDATE: In 2017 Casey reviewed the Sony a7S and, although he was mostly praising it, he was not impressed with its lack of touchscreen. See the whole review:
What Type of Camera Does PewDiePie Use?
The King of YouTube uses a Canon XA30, as featured in his blog about his office.
What Vlogging Camera Does Marzia Use?
UPDATE: MARZIA ANNOUNCED IN 2018 THAT SHE LEFT YOUTUBE.
Marzia used a Canon EOS 700, as featured in a video, now unavailable, showing her fashion line.
What Camera Does Pointless Blog Use?
Basically, although the title is “My New Vlogging Camera”, there is only a limited amount of footage in the video about the camera itself, as the video is almost entirely dedicated to dog walking. At 5:30 minutes you can see a few seconds of his new lens. The camera is a Canon (although the model is not specified).
What Camera Does Zoella Use?
Although this video is mostly about Zoella’s new puppy dog, if you skip to about 4 minutes from the start you will see that Zoella uses a Canon EOS 70D.
What Cameras Do the Vagabrothers Use?
The Vagabrothers used a Canon Rebel T3I – they dedicated a whole video (2014) to their filming set up, which is extremely informative. Their advice is very valuable because they travel for a living.
For action shots, they used the Canon PowerShot S120.
2017 UPDATE
During a live stream about how to pack for winter travel, Alex from Vagabrothers showed that he now uses Sony cameras. The vlogging equipment he packed includes a Sony A7s Mirrorless Camera and a Sony Cyber Shot RX100iv.
Cameras Famous YouTubers Use for Vlogging: Verdict
Although cameras famous YouTubers use seem to be mostly Canon, we must remember that celebrity/influential YouTubers also tend to receive free cameras as part of sponsored deals. It is likely that some vloggers will switch to a different brand and, most certainly, will upgrade to newer Canon models as they become available (in their case, even before they become available to the general public!).
Personally, I decided to write this blog because I am planning to finally get a proper camera after using my phone for years. My first and only camera was a gift from 2003 with a resolution of 2 megapixel! Of course I stopped using it years ago as smartphones started getting smarter at the whole resolution game.