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"[New] A Comprehensive Guide to Achieving Smooth Color-Keying"
A Comprehensive Guide to Achieving Smooth Color-Keying
The world of video-making owes much of its magic to small leaps of innovation. One of these leaps is the use of the chroma key background, which most people know by the more colloquial term—green screen.
Chroma key, also known as green screen or blue screen, is a cool hack for seamless visual storytelling, allowing content creators to replace backgrounds with any image or video they want. This technique is widely embraced in film, television, and online content, and has opened the door to limitless creative possibilities. Aside from its ability to maximize creativity, it is also cheap to employ and convenient to set up, which has made it a staple for everyone who works with visuals.
In this simple guide, we’ll delve into the fundamentals of the chroma key effect, how it is used for video making, and how to leverage that as you perfect your visual content.
YouTube Video Background Creating realistic video scenes at your will is easy to complete with Filmora green screen removal.
Create Video Backgrounds Create Video Backgrounds Learn Green Screen
How Does Chroma Key Work?
Chroma Keying is done by singling out a specific color (usually green or blue) from the foreground, removing it, and replacing it with a different background (for example, a sunset). This process typically follows a series of steps:
- Background Selection:
A solid, single-color background, often green or blue, that contrasts well with the subject must be used. The color chosen should not be present in the subject or any props in the camera field to avoid unintentional transparency.
- Color Keying:
This requires the use of specialized visual effects software to key out the chosen color. The green or blue background is designated as transparent, making everything of that color see-through. The software distinguishes between the keyed color and the subject, creating a mask for the transparent areas.
- Foreground Filming:
This involves filming the subject against the live chroma key background. During filming, the chosen background color (green or blue) won’t appear in the final result due to its transparency. The subject is captured as if separately from the isolated background.
- Post-Processing:
In post-production processing, the editor takes the keyed-out color and replaces it with the new background of their choice. This step creates the illusion that the subject is in a different setting or environment. The transparent areas become filled with the chosen background which, if done right, results in a cohesive and visually appealing composition.
Why Green?
Theoretically, the chroma key background can be any solid color. However, the most commonly used colors are studio blue and bright green, with the latter far more common.
The choice of background color depends on the specific requirements of the production and the colors present in the scenes being filmed.
Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)
Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later
Contrast
The less similar your chosen background color is to natural skin tones, the easier to isolate and replace in your footage. Bright green provides a strong contrast to most human skin tones and is less likely to be present in costumes or natural surroundings, making it easier to isolate subjects during the color separation.
Luminance
The color green emits light with greater intensity than blue, allowing for far more effective isolation by cameras during filming. This also means that blue screens demand increased lighting for proper exposure compared to green. This situation may be less than ideal if you lack powerful lighting or you don’t have the big bucks for them.
Digital Sensors
Many digital cameras and sensors are more sensitive to green wavelengths, resulting in cleaner and more accurate color keying during post-processing. Modern technology has also evolved to optimize for a green background, making it a more practical choice for the chroma key effect.
Wardrobe and Set Design
Bright green occurs less naturally in costumes and set designs than other colors, making green the optimal choice for reducing the likelihood of color spill and keying issues. However, if you know your scene will have lots of green, it is probably best to film with a blue screen, so there’s less risk of color spill and less post-production work.
Setting up Your Own Chroma Key Studio
Setting up your chroma key is convenient and straightforward, but there are some key factors to consider while setting up to ensure maximal performance.
Choosing the Right Background Color
The first step in the chroma key setup is selecting the right background color to be keyed out. This choice determines your effective color separation and ensures a smooth keying process during editing. Choosing a chroma-key background color that contrasts distinctly with the subject’s colors is essential for effective color separation. This prevents unintentional transparency, color spill, and ensures a polished final result.
Lighting Considerations
Lighting is an important part of the chroma-keying process. Bold, uniform, and consistent lighting on both the subject and the background makes it easy to delineate one from the other fully. This minimizes shadows and variations in color, creating a smooth and seamless keying process. Multiple diffuse lights from different angles are often used to illuminate the green screen evenly.
Positioning/Camera
Proper subject and camera placement are necessary to ensure an even color-keying process during post-production. To prevent shadow interference, the green screen should be smooth, tense, and without wrinkles or shadows.
High-quality cameras are essential every time, especially for chroma keying. Images with better definition are easier to key, so camera quality significantly affects the outcome. Even if your camera isn’t the best, merely shooting well can ensure a clean color-keying process during editing, resulting in professional-looking visuals.
Recording Tips for Chroma Key
- Proper Lighting
Maintaining uniform and well-defined lighting during recording is essential for a successful chroma-keying process. This consistency ensures a seamless keying process during post-production.
- Keep Distance from the Green Screen
The optimal distance between the subject and the green screen minimizes color spill and allows for natural movements. Proper distance between subject and background allows for easier isolation of the background and much smoother post-editing. A recommended starting point for the issue is around 6 to 10 feet from the background.
- Subjects and Clothing
As mentioned before, the choice of costume for Selecting appropriate clothing that doesn’t match the chroma key color prevents transparency issues. Subjects also have to be positioned in such a way that there is minimal light interference and reflection. These contribute to a flawless chroma key outcome.
3 Basic Troubleshooting Strategies
- Color Spill
Sometimes, reflected light from your green background can be cast on your subject and may remain so when the background light is keyed out. This phenomenon is known as a color spill. It is usually because of uneven lighting or shooting around reflecting surfaces. Avoiding spill can differentiate between good and lousy chroma key aftereffects.
Human hair is one area where color spill can show up unsuspectingly. Due to the translucency of hair, it is common for some unintended light to seep through. This allows some background visibility, which you do not want with a chroma key. This is especially notable with lighter hair colors like blond hair.
There are ways to account for this. Many video-editing software have features such as spill suppression and screen matte adjustments that can enhance the final footage. Specialized plugins also go a long way in ensuring minimizing spill. Addressing spill correction tackles unwanted green artifacts and ensures a clean keying process.
- Poor Lighting
Suboptimal green screen lighting can lead to inconsistencies in keying and editing, undermining your product. One way to avoid this is to light the screen and subject separately. Another tip, although expensive, is using multiple diffuse light sources and trying to maintain even lighting across every square foot of your scene. Super bright or dark spots can ruin your output, so it’s worth the extra effort if you don’t want to deal with problematic post-production.
- Poorly Refined Edges
Chroma keying should leave your videos with crisp, defined, natural-looking edges. But post-production editing can make all the difference if it doesn’t come out to your taste. Softening and refining edges make a smoother transition between the foreground object and the new background. Light adjustments to edge thickness and screen matte settings can also help enhance overall visual quality and add finesse to your work.
Conclusion
Green screen photography produces excellent results, and its ease of use makes it indispensable for videographers of all levels. In this guide, we’ve discussed chroma key technology, its role in the industry, and how to apply it to your craft to elevate visual content.
Chroma key, also known as green screen or blue screen, is a cool hack for seamless visual storytelling, allowing content creators to replace backgrounds with any image or video they want. This technique is widely embraced in film, television, and online content, and has opened the door to limitless creative possibilities. Aside from its ability to maximize creativity, it is also cheap to employ and convenient to set up, which has made it a staple for everyone who works with visuals.
In this simple guide, we’ll delve into the fundamentals of the chroma key effect, how it is used for video making, and how to leverage that as you perfect your visual content.
YouTube Video Background Creating realistic video scenes at your will is easy to complete with Filmora green screen removal.
Create Video Backgrounds Create Video Backgrounds Learn Green Screen
How Does Chroma Key Work?
Chroma Keying is done by singling out a specific color (usually green or blue) from the foreground, removing it, and replacing it with a different background (for example, a sunset). This process typically follows a series of steps:
- Background Selection:
A solid, single-color background, often green or blue, that contrasts well with the subject must be used. The color chosen should not be present in the subject or any props in the camera field to avoid unintentional transparency.
- Color Keying:
This requires the use of specialized visual effects software to key out the chosen color. The green or blue background is designated as transparent, making everything of that color see-through. The software distinguishes between the keyed color and the subject, creating a mask for the transparent areas.
- Foreground Filming:
This involves filming the subject against the live chroma key background. During filming, the chosen background color (green or blue) won’t appear in the final result due to its transparency. The subject is captured as if separately from the isolated background.
- Post-Processing:
In post-production processing, the editor takes the keyed-out color and replaces it with the new background of their choice. This step creates the illusion that the subject is in a different setting or environment. The transparent areas become filled with the chosen background which, if done right, results in a cohesive and visually appealing composition.
Why Green?
Theoretically, the chroma key background can be any solid color. However, the most commonly used colors are studio blue and bright green, with the latter far more common.
The choice of background color depends on the specific requirements of the production and the colors present in the scenes being filmed.
Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)
Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later
Contrast
The less similar your chosen background color is to natural skin tones, the easier to isolate and replace in your footage. Bright green provides a strong contrast to most human skin tones and is less likely to be present in costumes or natural surroundings, making it easier to isolate subjects during the color separation.
Luminance
The color green emits light with greater intensity than blue, allowing for far more effective isolation by cameras during filming. This also means that blue screens demand increased lighting for proper exposure compared to green. This situation may be less than ideal if you lack powerful lighting or you don’t have the big bucks for them.
Digital Sensors
Many digital cameras and sensors are more sensitive to green wavelengths, resulting in cleaner and more accurate color keying during post-processing. Modern technology has also evolved to optimize for a green background, making it a more practical choice for the chroma key effect.
Wardrobe and Set Design
Bright green occurs less naturally in costumes and set designs than other colors, making green the optimal choice for reducing the likelihood of color spill and keying issues. However, if you know your scene will have lots of green, it is probably best to film with a blue screen, so there’s less risk of color spill and less post-production work.
Setting up Your Own Chroma Key Studio
Setting up your chroma key is convenient and straightforward, but there are some key factors to consider while setting up to ensure maximal performance.
Choosing the Right Background Color
The first step in the chroma key setup is selecting the right background color to be keyed out. This choice determines your effective color separation and ensures a smooth keying process during editing. Choosing a chroma-key background color that contrasts distinctly with the subject’s colors is essential for effective color separation. This prevents unintentional transparency, color spill, and ensures a polished final result.
Lighting Considerations
Lighting is an important part of the chroma-keying process. Bold, uniform, and consistent lighting on both the subject and the background makes it easy to delineate one from the other fully. This minimizes shadows and variations in color, creating a smooth and seamless keying process. Multiple diffuse lights from different angles are often used to illuminate the green screen evenly.
Positioning/Camera
Proper subject and camera placement are necessary to ensure an even color-keying process during post-production. To prevent shadow interference, the green screen should be smooth, tense, and without wrinkles or shadows.
High-quality cameras are essential every time, especially for chroma keying. Images with better definition are easier to key, so camera quality significantly affects the outcome. Even if your camera isn’t the best, merely shooting well can ensure a clean color-keying process during editing, resulting in professional-looking visuals.
Recording Tips for Chroma Key
- Proper Lighting
Maintaining uniform and well-defined lighting during recording is essential for a successful chroma-keying process. This consistency ensures a seamless keying process during post-production.
- Keep Distance from the Green Screen
The optimal distance between the subject and the green screen minimizes color spill and allows for natural movements. Proper distance between subject and background allows for easier isolation of the background and much smoother post-editing. A recommended starting point for the issue is around 6 to 10 feet from the background.
- Subjects and Clothing
As mentioned before, the choice of costume for Selecting appropriate clothing that doesn’t match the chroma key color prevents transparency issues. Subjects also have to be positioned in such a way that there is minimal light interference and reflection. These contribute to a flawless chroma key outcome.
3 Basic Troubleshooting Strategies
- Color Spill
Sometimes, reflected light from your green background can be cast on your subject and may remain so when the background light is keyed out. This phenomenon is known as a color spill. It is usually because of uneven lighting or shooting around reflecting surfaces. Avoiding spill can differentiate between good and lousy chroma key aftereffects.
Human hair is one area where color spill can show up unsuspectingly. Due to the translucency of hair, it is common for some unintended light to seep through. This allows some background visibility, which you do not want with a chroma key. This is especially notable with lighter hair colors like blond hair.
There are ways to account for this. Many video-editing software have features such as spill suppression and screen matte adjustments that can enhance the final footage. Specialized plugins also go a long way in ensuring minimizing spill. Addressing spill correction tackles unwanted green artifacts and ensures a clean keying process.
- Poor Lighting
Suboptimal green screen lighting can lead to inconsistencies in keying and editing, undermining your product. One way to avoid this is to light the screen and subject separately. Another tip, although expensive, is using multiple diffuse light sources and trying to maintain even lighting across every square foot of your scene. Super bright or dark spots can ruin your output, so it’s worth the extra effort if you don’t want to deal with problematic post-production.
- Poorly Refined Edges
Chroma keying should leave your videos with crisp, defined, natural-looking edges. But post-production editing can make all the difference if it doesn’t come out to your taste. Softening and refining edges make a smoother transition between the foreground object and the new background. Light adjustments to edge thickness and screen matte settings can also help enhance overall visual quality and add finesse to your work.
Conclusion
Green screen photography produces excellent results, and its ease of use makes it indispensable for videographers of all levels. In this guide, we’ve discussed chroma key technology, its role in the industry, and how to apply it to your craft to elevate visual content.
Master the Art of Vlogging with These Top 8 Cameras
8 Best Mirrorless Cameras Vloggers Should Know
Richard Bennett
Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions
Mirrorless cameras are great for vloggers wanting a powerful camera without the weight and size of a DSLR camera. As mirrorless cameras are becoming better with all the advancements in camera technology, more and more DSLR camera vloggers are switching over to vlogging with a mirrorless camera. Below is our list and review of the eight best mirrorless cameras for vlogging.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A VLOGGING CAMERA
1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)
2. Good continual autofocus while recording video
3. Good focus priority through face recognition
4. Touch to focus
5. Good low-light performance
6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket
7. optical image stabilization
8. good battery life
Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.
THE 8 BEST MIRRORLESS CAMERAS FOR VLOGGING (2018)
| Camera | Release Date | Sensor Size | Flip Screen | Mic Port | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CanonEOSM50 |  |
February2018 | APS-C(22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| PanasonicLumixDC-GH5S |  |
January2018 | Four Thirds(19.2 x 13 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $$$ |
| SonyAlphaa7R III |  |
October2017 | Full Frame(35.9 x 24 mm) | Tilting | Yes | $$$ |
| CanonEOSM100 |  |
August2017 | APS-C(22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Flip Up | No | $ |
| CanonEOSM6 |  |
February2017 | APS-C(22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Flip Up | Yes | $- |
| SonyAlphaa6500 |  |
October2016 | APS-C(23.5 x 15.6 mm) | Tilting | Yes | $$- |
| PanasonicLumixDMC-G85 |  |
September2016 | Four Thirds(17.3 x 13 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| PanasonicLumixDMC-G7 |  |
May2015 | Four Thirds(17.3 x 13 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $ |
|
Best daily mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 is Canon’s first mirrorless camera that comes equipped with both a fully-articulated screen and an external microphone jack. It came out only a few months ago and is already considered one of the best mirrorless cameras for vlogging. The M50 is also the only camera on our list that you can buy at a prosumer’s budget that shoots 4K video. Yes, the Sony a7R III and Panasonic GH5S also shoot 4K video, but they are much more expensive. With Canon’s new DIGIC 8 Image Processor, the camera’s dual-pixel autofocusing system will perform even better. PROS - Can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps - Has a 2.36m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder CONS - No image stabilization - Battery life could be longer |
|---|---|
|
Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon EOS M100 is a small, but powerful mirrorless camera for vlogging. This camera can shoot full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps. It cannot shoot 4K video, unfortunately. It uses its DIGIC 7 Image Processor and dual-pixel autofocusing system to ensure that your vlogs are always in focus. The M100 provides great ISO sensitivity options - it can reach up to ISO 25600. With its built-in Wi-Fi with NFC, you can transfer your media seamlessly to a computer. PROS - Affordable - Great connectivity options CONS - Lacks advanced video recording features - No viewfinder |
|
Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 wins this category as well in our books. It is the only camera on our list that shoots 4K video that is priced much lower than the Sony a7R III and the Panasonic GH7S. In case you missed it, check out my review on the Canon EOS M50. |
|
Best professional mirrorless camera for vlogging: Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S Originally, Panasonic had released it’s GH5 as a hybrid camera that handles both photography and videography well. In response to hearing customers’ interest in a more video-focused camera, Panasonic came up with the GH5S. In our list of the top mirrorless cameras, the Panasonic GH5S and the Sony a7R III are the two professional mirrorless cameras that can record 4K video. Between the two, though, the GH5S wins as the best professional mirrorless camera for vlogging because it sports a fully-articulated screen. Its micro four-thirds sensor is smaller than the a7R III’s full-frame sensor. Even with a smaller sensor, though, the GH5S is made to still autofocus well in low lighting conditions. Another amazing feature is its ability to record 240 fps slow-motion video at full HD 1080p. PROS - ISO sensitivity goes up to 204800 - High video bit rates CONS - Expensive - The camera body weighs about 1.5 lbs |
Want to compare even more cameras? Check out…
12 Best Vlogging Cameras (2018)
Top 11 Cheap Vlogging Cameras (2018)
7 Best DSLR Cameras For Vlogging (2018)
12 Best Vlogging Cameras With A Flip Screen (2018)
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions
Mirrorless cameras are great for vloggers wanting a powerful camera without the weight and size of a DSLR camera. As mirrorless cameras are becoming better with all the advancements in camera technology, more and more DSLR camera vloggers are switching over to vlogging with a mirrorless camera. Below is our list and review of the eight best mirrorless cameras for vlogging.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A VLOGGING CAMERA
1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)
2. Good continual autofocus while recording video
3. Good focus priority through face recognition
4. Touch to focus
5. Good low-light performance
6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket
7. optical image stabilization
8. good battery life
Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.
THE 8 BEST MIRRORLESS CAMERAS FOR VLOGGING (2018)
| Camera | Release Date | Sensor Size | Flip Screen | Mic Port | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CanonEOSM50 | |
February2018 | APS-C(22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| PanasonicLumixDC-GH5S | |
January2018 | Four Thirds(19.2 x 13 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $$$ |
| SonyAlphaa7R III | |
October2017 | Full Frame(35.9 x 24 mm) | Tilting | Yes | $$$ |
| CanonEOSM100 | |
August2017 | APS-C(22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Flip Up | No | $ |
| CanonEOSM6 | |
February2017 | APS-C(22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Flip Up | Yes | $- |
| SonyAlphaa6500 | |
October2016 | APS-C(23.5 x 15.6 mm) | Tilting | Yes | $$- |
| PanasonicLumixDMC-G85 | |
September2016 | Four Thirds(17.3 x 13 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| PanasonicLumixDMC-G7 | |
May2015 | Four Thirds(17.3 x 13 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $ |
|
Best daily mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 is Canon’s first mirrorless camera that comes equipped with both a fully-articulated screen and an external microphone jack. It came out only a few months ago and is already considered one of the best mirrorless cameras for vlogging. The M50 is also the only camera on our list that you can buy at a prosumer’s budget that shoots 4K video. Yes, the Sony a7R III and Panasonic GH5S also shoot 4K video, but they are much more expensive. With Canon’s new DIGIC 8 Image Processor, the camera’s dual-pixel autofocusing system will perform even better. PROS - Can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps - Has a 2.36m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder CONS - No image stabilization - Battery life could be longer |
|---|---|
|
Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon EOS M100 is a small, but powerful mirrorless camera for vlogging. This camera can shoot full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps. It cannot shoot 4K video, unfortunately. It uses its DIGIC 7 Image Processor and dual-pixel autofocusing system to ensure that your vlogs are always in focus. The M100 provides great ISO sensitivity options - it can reach up to ISO 25600. With its built-in Wi-Fi with NFC, you can transfer your media seamlessly to a computer. PROS - Affordable - Great connectivity options CONS - Lacks advanced video recording features - No viewfinder |
|
Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 wins this category as well in our books. It is the only camera on our list that shoots 4K video that is priced much lower than the Sony a7R III and the Panasonic GH7S. In case you missed it, check out my review on the Canon EOS M50. |
|
Best professional mirrorless camera for vlogging: Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S Originally, Panasonic had released it’s GH5 as a hybrid camera that handles both photography and videography well. In response to hearing customers’ interest in a more video-focused camera, Panasonic came up with the GH5S. In our list of the top mirrorless cameras, the Panasonic GH5S and the Sony a7R III are the two professional mirrorless cameras that can record 4K video. Between the two, though, the GH5S wins as the best professional mirrorless camera for vlogging because it sports a fully-articulated screen. Its micro four-thirds sensor is smaller than the a7R III’s full-frame sensor. Even with a smaller sensor, though, the GH5S is made to still autofocus well in low lighting conditions. Another amazing feature is its ability to record 240 fps slow-motion video at full HD 1080p. PROS - ISO sensitivity goes up to 204800 - High video bit rates CONS - Expensive - The camera body weighs about 1.5 lbs |
Want to compare even more cameras? Check out…
12 Best Vlogging Cameras (2018)
Top 11 Cheap Vlogging Cameras (2018)
7 Best DSLR Cameras For Vlogging (2018)
12 Best Vlogging Cameras With A Flip Screen (2018)
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions
Mirrorless cameras are great for vloggers wanting a powerful camera without the weight and size of a DSLR camera. As mirrorless cameras are becoming better with all the advancements in camera technology, more and more DSLR camera vloggers are switching over to vlogging with a mirrorless camera. Below is our list and review of the eight best mirrorless cameras for vlogging.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A VLOGGING CAMERA
1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)
2. Good continual autofocus while recording video
3. Good focus priority through face recognition
4. Touch to focus
5. Good low-light performance
6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket
7. optical image stabilization
8. good battery life
Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.
THE 8 BEST MIRRORLESS CAMERAS FOR VLOGGING (2018)
| Camera | Release Date | Sensor Size | Flip Screen | Mic Port | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CanonEOSM50 | |
February2018 | APS-C(22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| PanasonicLumixDC-GH5S | |
January2018 | Four Thirds(19.2 x 13 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $$$ |
| SonyAlphaa7R III | |
October2017 | Full Frame(35.9 x 24 mm) | Tilting | Yes | $$$ |
| CanonEOSM100 | |
August2017 | APS-C(22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Flip Up | No | $ |
| CanonEOSM6 | |
February2017 | APS-C(22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Flip Up | Yes | $- |
| SonyAlphaa6500 | |
October2016 | APS-C(23.5 x 15.6 mm) | Tilting | Yes | $$- |
| PanasonicLumixDMC-G85 | |
September2016 | Four Thirds(17.3 x 13 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| PanasonicLumixDMC-G7 | |
May2015 | Four Thirds(17.3 x 13 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $ |
|
Best daily mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 is Canon’s first mirrorless camera that comes equipped with both a fully-articulated screen and an external microphone jack. It came out only a few months ago and is already considered one of the best mirrorless cameras for vlogging. The M50 is also the only camera on our list that you can buy at a prosumer’s budget that shoots 4K video. Yes, the Sony a7R III and Panasonic GH5S also shoot 4K video, but they are much more expensive. With Canon’s new DIGIC 8 Image Processor, the camera’s dual-pixel autofocusing system will perform even better. PROS - Can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps - Has a 2.36m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder CONS - No image stabilization - Battery life could be longer |
|---|---|
|
Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon EOS M100 is a small, but powerful mirrorless camera for vlogging. This camera can shoot full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps. It cannot shoot 4K video, unfortunately. It uses its DIGIC 7 Image Processor and dual-pixel autofocusing system to ensure that your vlogs are always in focus. The M100 provides great ISO sensitivity options - it can reach up to ISO 25600. With its built-in Wi-Fi with NFC, you can transfer your media seamlessly to a computer. PROS - Affordable - Great connectivity options CONS - Lacks advanced video recording features - No viewfinder |
|
Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 wins this category as well in our books. It is the only camera on our list that shoots 4K video that is priced much lower than the Sony a7R III and the Panasonic GH7S. In case you missed it, check out my review on the Canon EOS M50. |
|
Best professional mirrorless camera for vlogging: Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S Originally, Panasonic had released it’s GH5 as a hybrid camera that handles both photography and videography well. In response to hearing customers’ interest in a more video-focused camera, Panasonic came up with the GH5S. In our list of the top mirrorless cameras, the Panasonic GH5S and the Sony a7R III are the two professional mirrorless cameras that can record 4K video. Between the two, though, the GH5S wins as the best professional mirrorless camera for vlogging because it sports a fully-articulated screen. Its micro four-thirds sensor is smaller than the a7R III’s full-frame sensor. Even with a smaller sensor, though, the GH5S is made to still autofocus well in low lighting conditions. Another amazing feature is its ability to record 240 fps slow-motion video at full HD 1080p. PROS - ISO sensitivity goes up to 204800 - High video bit rates CONS - Expensive - The camera body weighs about 1.5 lbs |
Want to compare even more cameras? Check out…
12 Best Vlogging Cameras (2018)
Top 11 Cheap Vlogging Cameras (2018)
7 Best DSLR Cameras For Vlogging (2018)
12 Best Vlogging Cameras With A Flip Screen (2018)
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions
Mirrorless cameras are great for vloggers wanting a powerful camera without the weight and size of a DSLR camera. As mirrorless cameras are becoming better with all the advancements in camera technology, more and more DSLR camera vloggers are switching over to vlogging with a mirrorless camera. Below is our list and review of the eight best mirrorless cameras for vlogging.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A VLOGGING CAMERA
1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)
2. Good continual autofocus while recording video
3. Good focus priority through face recognition
4. Touch to focus
5. Good low-light performance
6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket
7. optical image stabilization
8. good battery life
Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.
THE 8 BEST MIRRORLESS CAMERAS FOR VLOGGING (2018)
| Camera | Release Date | Sensor Size | Flip Screen | Mic Port | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CanonEOSM50 | |
February2018 | APS-C(22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| PanasonicLumixDC-GH5S | |
January2018 | Four Thirds(19.2 x 13 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $$$ |
| SonyAlphaa7R III | |
October2017 | Full Frame(35.9 x 24 mm) | Tilting | Yes | $$$ |
| CanonEOSM100 | |
August2017 | APS-C(22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Flip Up | No | $ |
| CanonEOSM6 | |
February2017 | APS-C(22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Flip Up | Yes | $- |
| SonyAlphaa6500 | |
October2016 | APS-C(23.5 x 15.6 mm) | Tilting | Yes | $$- |
| PanasonicLumixDMC-G85 | |
September2016 | Four Thirds(17.3 x 13 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| PanasonicLumixDMC-G7 | |
May2015 | Four Thirds(17.3 x 13 mm) | Fully Articulated | Yes | $ |
|
Best daily mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 is Canon’s first mirrorless camera that comes equipped with both a fully-articulated screen and an external microphone jack. It came out only a few months ago and is already considered one of the best mirrorless cameras for vlogging. The M50 is also the only camera on our list that you can buy at a prosumer’s budget that shoots 4K video. Yes, the Sony a7R III and Panasonic GH5S also shoot 4K video, but they are much more expensive. With Canon’s new DIGIC 8 Image Processor, the camera’s dual-pixel autofocusing system will perform even better. PROS - Can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps - Has a 2.36m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder CONS - No image stabilization - Battery life could be longer |
|---|---|
|
Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon EOS M100 is a small, but powerful mirrorless camera for vlogging. This camera can shoot full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps. It cannot shoot 4K video, unfortunately. It uses its DIGIC 7 Image Processor and dual-pixel autofocusing system to ensure that your vlogs are always in focus. The M100 provides great ISO sensitivity options - it can reach up to ISO 25600. With its built-in Wi-Fi with NFC, you can transfer your media seamlessly to a computer. PROS - Affordable - Great connectivity options CONS - Lacks advanced video recording features - No viewfinder |
|
Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 wins this category as well in our books. It is the only camera on our list that shoots 4K video that is priced much lower than the Sony a7R III and the Panasonic GH7S. In case you missed it, check out my review on the Canon EOS M50. |
|
Best professional mirrorless camera for vlogging: Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S Originally, Panasonic had released it’s GH5 as a hybrid camera that handles both photography and videography well. In response to hearing customers’ interest in a more video-focused camera, Panasonic came up with the GH5S. In our list of the top mirrorless cameras, the Panasonic GH5S and the Sony a7R III are the two professional mirrorless cameras that can record 4K video. Between the two, though, the GH5S wins as the best professional mirrorless camera for vlogging because it sports a fully-articulated screen. Its micro four-thirds sensor is smaller than the a7R III’s full-frame sensor. Even with a smaller sensor, though, the GH5S is made to still autofocus well in low lighting conditions. Another amazing feature is its ability to record 240 fps slow-motion video at full HD 1080p. PROS - ISO sensitivity goes up to 204800 - High video bit rates CONS - Expensive - The camera body weighs about 1.5 lbs |
Want to compare even more cameras? Check out…
12 Best Vlogging Cameras (2018)
Top 11 Cheap Vlogging Cameras (2018)
7 Best DSLR Cameras For Vlogging (2018)
12 Best Vlogging Cameras With A Flip Screen (2018)
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
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- Title: "[New] A Comprehensive Guide to Achieving Smooth Color-Keying"
- Author: Steven
- Created at : 2024-05-25 19:57:22
- Updated at : 2024-05-26 19:57:22
- Link: https://youtube-clips.techidaily.com/new-a-comprehensive-guide-to-achieving-smooth-color-keying/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
