9 Best Camera for Live Streaming

Purchasing a camera for streaming can be tricky as you don‘t know what the picture quality will be like until you have the device in your hands. There are multiple specifications that you can look into to gain insight if the picture quality is good enough. Here are the main ones:

• Autofocus: having fast autofocus is a must for streaming because you want to capture the moment as it‘s happening in focus. Having dual pixel focus is ideal as the autofocus is ultra-fast. On the other hand, you can regulate the focus yourself in manual mode, but it would be difficult if you‘re streaming outdoors. Also, having a wide-angle lens is a great option because the image is almost always in focus. Furthermore, make sure that the lens you use has silent autofocus because you don‘t want to ruin the audio with mechanical sounds.
• Lens: the lens you use with your newly purchased streaming camera is super important because different lenses provide different images. Wide-angle lenses provide a huge image that means you can capture more. A 50mm lens is great for streaming, but you don‘t have the option to zoom.
• Resolution: the recording resolution is important because this determines how good the image will be. 1080p is ideal for streaming because you don‘t need to have ultra-fast internet. Also, some of our options have 4K capabilities, but you‘ll need super fast internet speeds.
• Shooting options: most of the cameras we have chosen have a dial at the top, which you can rotate to select a different shooting option. The best option is manual as you can customize and make the image look how you want it. However, if you’re unsure how to create the best image you can use the auto mode that calibrates the camera accordingly.

The streaming camera brand is super important since some brands produce better quality products than others. Going with a popular brand is ideal because they have a great track record that you can look at by reading reviews left by other customers. Popular brands give out year’s worth of warranties for free, which will save you money as you won‘t need to purchase one separately. However, popular brands increase their prices because of their reputation.

You can go with a smaller brand, but make sure to do the necessary research to determine that the streaming camera is of premium quality. You can do this by reading online reviews left by other customers and make sure that the majority are positive. On the other hand, you can watch unboxing videos, which will give you an insight into what the camera is like. Plus, you can see the picture quality since people usually put in footage created by the camera.

Some cameras come with accessories, which will help make the streaming process a lot easier. However, if the camera doesn‘t come with accessories make sure to purchase them since they are necessary when streaming. Here are a few must-have accessories:

• Extra batteries: having spare batteries is a must when streaming because the camera will be on for hours. When purchasing extra batteries make sure to check the battery capacity since for streaming you‘ll need plenty of power. Above 2000 mAh is an ideal amount but more is better.
• Battery grip: battery grips are great for cameras with large lenses because of the weight distribution. This accessory provides an excellent grip so that the camera won‘t slip out of your hands.
• SD cards: having multiple SD cards is necessary since if you want to record and stream you‘ll need to have a lot of storage. 128GB is great since you‘ll save a lot of footage.
• Filters: filters are brilliant because you can put them on the lens and get a different image. Some filters reduce or completely take out flairs for better images.
• Hood: having a hood is great for taking out sun flairs, which is a great alternative to filters. Also, the hood is great in bad weather conditions as rain will hardly get on the lens.
• Microphone: most built-in microphones in cameras are extremely bad as they don‘t reduce wind noises and input low-quality audio. Therefore, getting an external microphone is ideal if you want to stream premium audio.
• Tripod: a tripod is essential for streaming because you need a place where to put the camera. The best tripods have adjustable legs so that you can get the correct height. Also, some have built-in level bubbles, which help get none-tilt footage.