Best Video Camera for Sports (11 Top Picks in 2024!)

The Lumix GH6 dominates the current video camera market. And it is no different for filming sports. With the ability to shoot 4K video at 120p, you get smooth shots with great image quality. If you want to raise the video resolution, the Lumix GH6 can shoot up to 5.8K!

You can still shoot at 60p as well. And if you want to raise the frame rate, it can shoot up to 240p at Full HD. This is more than enough to create incredible slow-motion videos.

The Lumix GH6 is a Micro Four Thirds camera built specifically for recording video. It features professional video file handling. It has ProRes 4:2:2 internal recording, which is the professional industry standard. You can use it for professional outputs. This alone makes it the best video camera for sports on this list.

Another aspect that solidifies the GH6 as the best video camera for sports? It has superb in-body image stabilization. This system corrects 7.5 stops worth of light.

The body is very small for the features Panasonic has managed to pack in. This is perfect when considering video cameras for sports, in particular extreme sports. You are likely shooting in pretty rough and unfavorable conditions. This size camera reduces the bulk and weight of the pack you carry all day!

GoPro cameras are an action sports enthusiast’s best friend. No other camera is specifically built as a companion when you jump out of a plane or surf the ocean. The GoPro Hero10 has a small, light, and durable body. It can go anywhere with you, even underwater, up to 33 ft.

And it can do all this while achieving 5.3K video at 60p! If you want to shoot with an even higher frame rate, you can take videos in 4K at 120p. This is more than enough to give you silky smooth shots. A newly developed GP2 processor enables higher resolution and frame rates.

Another reason your shots will be smooth? GoPro has dedicated its time to developing its amazing HyperSmooth image stabilizing technology. If you produce a point-and-shoot camera to film sports, there better be some way to combat camera shake. The Hero10 has even doubled the horizon leveling from their previous model. Now, you can record skiing down a mountain and not worry that the footage will make you sick watching it later.

The GoPro cameras don’t have many manual controls. But you do have the option to use their shooting modes. They have settings like slow motion or burst shooting. The camera does have the capabilities. GoPro has just designed it to be an easy-to-operate camera. You push a large-sized button. Everything is made for easy shooting. That includes a front LCD monitor, which helps with shooting selfies!

3. Sony a7S III

Best Video Camera for Action Sports

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The a7 is Sony’s staple mirrorless camera range. Sony a7S cameras are a branch of the a7 range. The a7S series has had more development put toward producing high-quality videos. It may not have the highest megapixel sensor. But it can produce great video in a compact-sized camera. The size and shape of the camera allow it to fit in any sized bag. This is handy if you plan on filming sports videos from a stadium or crowded area.

Sony’s a7S III takes video recording seriously. It can shoot 4K video at 120p. But the real serious video camera performance comes from its file handling. The Sony a7S shoots in 10-bit at 4:2:2. This is the professional, industry-standard video and sound quality. The Sony a7S III also has fantastic ability in low-light situations. This is handy for people who plan to shoot sports videos late into the evening.

The autofocus is another highlight of this camera. You can use Sony’s Real-time Eye autofocus. It allows for constant focus adjustment while recording video. This can be useful for close-up sports such as table tennis or maybe even at a basketball game.

The Fujifilm X-T4 is a small, APS-C-sensor mirrorless camera. It dominates a section of the photography market. Fujifilm decided to add professional-quality video recording to their X-T4 model. The X-T4 can shoot in Full HD at 240p. This is more than enough to achieve slow-motion videos of fast sports action.

Another big focus of Fujifilm is in-body image stabilization. It has a great 5-axis image stabilization that allows up to 6.5 stops of difference. There is digital image stabilization ability and a combined image stabilization boost mode. Together they give you smooth video without a tripod or gimbal. This is a great camera to film sports that may involve being on a mode of transport.

The Fujifilm X-T4 is well known for its durability. It has weather sealing and a rigid body. Plus, it has great battery life. All these features make this camera great for outdoor sports in challenging environments.

This camera also looks fantastic! It has the look of a vintage film camera while giving top-notch digital image quality.

This is another Panasonic Lumix in our top five. It shows you how well the Lumix GH series has adapted to producing great videos. Panasonic claims the GH 5 II is one of the first hybrid mirrorless camera systems to focus on video. It shoots Cinema 4K at 60p. And it can record 10-bit 4:2:2 video. This means you don’t have to compromise on quality or color handling.

The Lumix GH5 II also has great streaming abilities. You can connect to the camera with both wired and wireless options. And you can stream in 4K at 30p. It is also handy that you can charge the camera through a USB device. These qualities are ideal sports broadcasting environments. The GH5 II can be a great choice of camera for streaming live sporting events.

The weather sealing of the Lumix GH5 II is another added feature. It is rugged yet lightweight and small. It is perfect for slipping in a backpack or around your neck. It has a cropped sensor. But, as you see from our list, cropped sensors are better at delivering high-quality video. Increasing video speed with larger framed sensors is harder to achieve. They are more prone to rolling shutter effect.

The Canon R5 is a mirrorless camera that produces amazing video quality. Plus, you can take high-quality photographs too. It can be a great option if money is not an issue and you want a camera that excels in both fields. The camera features the ability to shoot in 8K at 30p! This may not be ideal for filming sports, but you can also shoot in 4K at 120p. This gives you amazing slow-motion footage and great video quality.

The R5 has dual card slots. It is a welcome feature in video cameras. Shooting sports video requires lots of memory card space! The best part? The R5 allows one high-speed CFexpress card. This increases the read-write speeds. So it saves you time shooting videos and in the uploading process.

Canon has provided eight stops of difference in its in-body image stabilization. So camera shake is heavily reduced even when walking with the camera without a gimbal. You cannot use the full image stabilization in 8K, though.

Another feature I enjoy is the Canon Connect app. Its camera remote feature can be helpful if you want to put your camera in an unsafe place where you don’t want to stand. This could help shoot motorsports.

The Sony a7 IV is a well-known mirrorless camera in the photography market. It is Sony’s flagship mirrorless camera. And it produces amazing results in photographs and video. Its 33MP sensor is backlit, allowing for a much better low-light performance. This can be useful for nighttime sports events.

The Sony a7 allows you to record 4K at 60p, or it can oversample to 7K and shoot at 30p. You probably want to avoid the oversampled option with sports videography. Instead, you might want to shoot in Full HD at 120p.

The autofocus system abilities in the a7 IV are what you need for recording sports. The AF points you choose from cover 94% of the frame. There is also Sony’s smart artificial intelligence (AI) real-time tracking.

Sony uses an AI to rapidly process spatial information live. This produces great results for tracking fast-moving subjects across different depths. This is incredibly useful when filming sports and will make your job much easier.

This autofocus system can even detect eyes in real time. This may be helpful if you shoot with a long lens and want to capture facial expressions. The autofocus system can also detect animals. This may be handy for horse racing, polo, rodeo, or other sports with animals.

The Panasonic Lumix S1H is a mirrorless DSLR camera that looks similar to most DSLR cameras. But inside, its make-up is completely cinema focussed. The S1H can capture 6K video up to 30p. And there’s an option to shoot in Full HD video at 120p.

The video camera can also capture 12-bit RAW data with a monitor recorder. This makes the S1H amazing for shooting promotional sports videos. Editors may want to put different styles, colors, or effects on top of your footage to emphasize the sport in focus.

Panasonics’ free-angle and tilt rear monitor is a welcome feature in action cameras. It is a blessing not to look through the viewfinder the whole time while filming. The free-angle feature lets you get into tight spaces or shoot awkward angles comfortably. You can even film sports by holding the camera above the crowd!

Nikon finds its way on our list of the best video camera for sports with its Z6 II. It isn’t one of the newest mirrorless cameras from Nikon. But it still comes out on top in terms of video abilities.

One of its strengths comes from its great autofocus abilities. You can change the autofocus speed and the tracking sensitivity while recording. This can be helpful for videographers who have a particular style they want to shoot with. It may also be helpful for people who don’t know what settings to expect when filming their chosen sport.

The 24.5MP camera allows you to shoot 4K at 60p all the way up to Full HD video at 120p. This means the image quality won’t be an issue when shooting video. And memory won’t slow you down either. The camera has dual card slots. Plus, one of the slots is just for high-speed CFexpress cards. Overall, the autofocus performance of this camera solidifies itself as a great action camera.

The only point-and-shoot camera to make it on this list is Sony’s ZV-E10. This camera is aimed specifically at vloggers or streamers, but it works great in some challenging environments. Although it is a point-and-shoot camera, it is an interchangeable lens camera. This offers great flexibility in choosing your focal lengths.

As it is built for vlogging, the camera has great facial recognition and autofocus abilities. The ZV-E10 has a defocus button that separates the background from the subject. This may not perform well in fast-moving environments but may be handy for static shots.

The camera can film in 4K at 30p. And you can shoot video in Full HD video at 120p. This is about standard for most good action cameras. It is especially great for a camera that can fit almost inside your pocket! Its size is a big factor in making it on this list. It is the perfect hiking or rock climbing companion as you can easily slip it out of your bag.

11. DJI Pocket 2

Best Drone Camera for Sports

The DJI Pocket 2 is a great video camera for videographers who like to get up close. Most know the DJI brand. It is known for producing some of the best camera drones on the photographic market. Now, they have stuck one of their cameras on a handheld grip.

You may think this camera technology can’t capture action sports. But you would be wrong. This camera shines when properly operated for indoor sports or sports in a small arena. It is especially relevant for quick-moving sports like drifting cars. Or you can get up close to players on the basketball court from the sidelines.

It can capture 4K quality at 60p. And The DJI also has image stabilization, 8x digital zoom, and HDR video recording. These features tell us that it is best for a beginner. Or it is for someone who doesn’t have time to make adjustments.

It is also great for those who don’t want to edit their videos as it comes with a Story Mode. This takes all your videos and stitches them together with music! It’s a great option for uploading sports clips to social media.

Our Verdict

We can see that modern-day mirrorless cameras can produce stunning overall video quality. It is amazing how you can now find these functions in a handheld device.

Not too long ago, these cameras would be in a heavy bag slung over our shoulders! Now we can easily slip one into a bag and record beautiful videos without too much thought.

[highlight type="short" price="no" product="9268" badge="https://www.camerareviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Product-Highlight-Badge_Yellow_simple.svg"] A small camera with powerful video capabilities.