We Tested the Best New Cameras for Content Creators in 2023

Smartphones have made pocket cameras all but extinct. But at the same time, tech advances have also made professional-grade cameras better and more affordable than ever. And there's a lot that these higher end cameras can do that phones cannot.

Interchangeable lenses give you more reach and versatility, larger image sensors produce far better images and video with more dynamic range, and the AI that's made smartphone cameras so good is now integrated into cameras that can do more with it.

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Plus, let's not forget drone cameras and action cameras that can simply go where your phones can't—like deep in the water, high in the sky, and all points in between. If you’re serious about filmmaking, photography, or videography, it's a great time to invest in a rig that suits your content style and creative goals.

The options below are among the best new cameras (and one trick tripod) that will outperform any phone and take content creation to an entirely new level.

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Best Cameras for Content Creators 2023

Canon R8 is the lightest camera Canon has ever made with a full-frame sensor. It’s also the best overall pick for most creators because it has the guts of Canon’s pro-grade R6 Mark II, but in a more compact body (and for $1,000 less). You’re getting the same stellar sensor and cutting-edge auto focus albeit with a few compromises:

• Canon R8 has a smaller battery, making it more portable, but you may want to pick up a spare.

• It has one SD card slot, which doesn’t offer the backup plan a pro may need, but it’s fine for most users.

• Canon R8 lacks the In Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) of its more premium sibling, but many of Canon’s excellent RF Zoom lenses and primes offer stabilization.

• The viewfinder is lower resolution, but it’s still plenty vivid.

In hand, all you notice is that it’s super compact and light. The images and video it produces are fantastic, and the autofocus is downright psychic.

[$1,499 (body); amazon.com]

The Panasonic S5 II is a rugged, weatherproof camera that delivers pro performance and stellar design at a relative value. It's got a great sensor, autofocus performance, and heavy-duty video capabilities, but also a body that can take a beating in a downpour.

Panasonic makes the electronic internals for Leica cameras, and they share a mounting system, so you can use any Leica L-mount glass on this. Moreover, Panasonic’s new active image stabilization was developed with Leica to anticipate camera shake as you move.

It has a 24-megapixel full frame, but it can do 96mp still photos with its pixel-shift, high-res mode that combines eight shots into one. Like any pro camera, it has double SD card slots for extra capacity or as a backup if one fails.

[$1,998 (body); amazon.com]

This camera feels a like a mini version of the Fujifilm X-H2, also on this list. It has a comfortable hand grip, as well as In Body Image Stabilization and a dedicated video recording button that makes it easy for hybrid stills and video shooters. The grip allows this to balance well with larger lenses, despite its small size.

Inside is a 26-megapixel APS-C sensor that turns out incredibly vivid photos with the help of a super-fast auto focus. It has a dedicated vlog mode and also a product priority mode that will keep a project in focus if you’re doing a camera review, for instance. There’s also a clever background defocus mode that works similar to portrait mode on your phone.

With a USB-C cable, you can use this as your computer’s primary webcam and, despite its size, it also has full-size 3.5mm headphone and mic jacks. Unlike the X-H2, there's no weather sealing and no dual card slots, but it uses the same high-capacity battery as its larger sibling, rated for 800 shots on a charge.

[$1,299 (body); amazon.com]

Sony ZV-E1 is the brand's first full-frame, interchangeable-lens camera designed around vlogging. With powerful video capabilities, Sony’s exquisite AI-based autofocus keeps things razor sharp while a built-in, multi-directional mic records stellar audio no matter what direction you’re holding the camera.

If you’re upgrading from a phone, you’ll instantly notice much better low-light performance, better dynamic range, and the ability to use whatever lenses suit your needs. It’s very compact and light for vlogging on the move, and the AI stability features work like a gimbal for handheld video.

Stills shooters may miss having a viewfinder, but this is not really for them anyway. That said, the full-frame sensor still takes great stills.

[$2,198 (body); amazon.com]

A splurge to be sure, but there’s nothing quite like traveling with a Leica Q-series camera. Easy to pack or hold while exploring new scenery, nothing can match the feel of shooting with Leica Q3. Maybe it’s the perfect weight of the metal body, or the cachet of that red badge, but it makes you take your art more seriously.

This newest iteration has a full-frame, 60-megapixel sensor. And, for the first time in a Q, it has an articulating rear screen for easier high- and low-angle shots. The fixed prime lens is 28mm, but the high megapixels allow for optical zoom up to 90mm while retaining high resolution, so you effectively have a wide angle to a short telephoto range.

The fast 1.7 aperture lens allows for great low-light performance, and there’s also a macro mode for taking extreme close-ups. There's just enough versatility for this to suit any travel scenario you find yourself in, but not so many options that you forget to be in the moment.

[$5,995; leica-camera.com]

Fujifilm X-H2 sits at the pinnacle of Fujifilm’s X-series cameras alongside the X-H2S. It uses an APS-C sensor, which is smaller than full frame, but it's a video and photo powerhouse with a robust weather-sealed body and a grip you can hold all day.

The 40-megapixel sensor is the highest resolution sensor in this size that Fuji has ever made, and it can even create 160-megapixel images using a pixel shift multi-shot mode. I can shoot 8K video for up to 160 minutes without overheating. The autofocus is extremely sharp and it picks up faces instantly. It has two card slots, one in the class SD format and one in the newer Type B card, which is more expensive but less likely to overheat while offering far better transfer speeds.

The Fuji color science and Fuji lens ecosystem is a lovely world to be in, and the only time you’d miss full frame is if you’re doing a lot of low-light shooting—though the In Body Image Stabilization will allow you seven stops of extra light so you can use slower shutter speeds.

[$1,999 (body); amazon.com]

DJI Mavic 3 Pro is the best drone for photography and videography for the money. What makes it so great are its three lenses: two telephoto lenses (a 16mm and a 70mm) and a 24mm Hasselblad main lens with a 4/3 sensor, the same size as many premium mirrorless hybrid cameras like the Panasonic GHx-series.

The main lens will give you a wide angle with excellent colors and dynamic range—the difference between the darkest part of the image and the brightest. Meanwhile, the telephoto lenses mean you don’t have to crop your image (and degrade the quality) to zoom in on a particular detail down below. Instead, you can actually zoom in optically with the longer lens reach.

With 43 minutes of flight time and nine miles of transmission range, you can take this trinity of cameras far and wide. With omnidirectional obstacle avoidance sensors, you can set it to follow yourself or any moving object, and it can do that safely from behind or from the side.

[From $2,199; amazon.com]

GoPro Hero11 Black has a bigger sensor than any Hero series GoPro before it, plus a new and improved battery. The bigger sensor allows for a wider field of view that creates cool videos which dramatic display motion if you’re, say, biking down a mountain.

It’s waterproof to 33 feet, and the new enduro battery is designed to operate better in extreme cold. But, aside from the hardware, one of the strongest aspects of the GoPro over other action cameras is the software and support it can wirelessly tether to.

High-res video is a storage monster, and the GoPro subscription service uploads all your footage automatically to the cloud, then creates automatic highlight reels. It’s an easy and intuitive process that's far less fiddly than most camera apps.

[$399; amazon.com]

If you want to film action without worrying about where to aim the camera, the Insta360 X3 will save all your framing options for editing later. That’s because, instead of one angle, you have 360 degrees of possible camera angles to make use of. Maybe you were on a boat looking ahead but it turns out the most interesting thing was actually happening behind you. Looking at the footage is a process of discovery because it sees so much more than your eyes.

Used with the selfie stick, the X3 is like having a mini drone following you because it stitches itself out the video and essentially disappears. This is great for solo shooting when you want to be the subject of your video. It’s waterproof to 33 feet, so you can get the same 360-degree view underwater.

The size makes it not quite as flexible as an action camera for mounting on your person, but if that’s not an issue, you’ll enjoy the liberty of being able to stay in the moment and think about composition later.

[$450; store.insta360.com]

A good tripod is a critical tool for filmmakers and photographers. It allows you to take detailed pictures in low light, long-exposure astral photography, stable vlogging, and composed portraits. Most people want to spend all their money on their camera, but a tripod will allow you to get a lot more out of that investment.

This Peak Design Carbon Fiber Tripod is also available in aluminum for $379 and, because of the unique shape of the legs, it folds more compactly than round-legged varieties. The ball head, normally a cumbersome protrusion, lowers to be flush with the legs. All of this makes it ideal for travel, but without being dainty like many travel tripods—and it can hold up to 20 pounds. It’s also tall enough to shoot standing portraits while allowing for extreme low angle shots as well. Phone shooters will enjoy that it has an integrated iPhone mount.

[$649; amazon.com]