Peter Murage

Identifying the best video camera for sports filming can be a bit tricky. However, starting by considering the specific sports that you’re intending to film will ease the process. Video cameras come in different designs with different features to suit different shooting conditions. With this in-depth guide, I’ve broken down the key features that make the best video cameras for sports shooting. You’ll also find my top 10 video camera picks. Most of them are best for fast-paced sports like soccer. Others suit water sports, while some will easily film extreme sports!

Part 1: Before You Pick Your Best Video Camera for Sports

A decent camcorder, DSLR, or mirrorless camera will work in most sports filming. Depending on your filming needs, I’d recommend a camera that records at least 1080p videos at 30fps. Having an in-body image stabilizer is always a plus!

If you’re looking to shoot water and winter sports, you want to go with a waterproof camera. That’s especially for sports like snorkeling, skiing, water polo, and swimming. A rugged and affordable compact camera will still work.

Grabbing an action camera will giving you a breathtaking filming experience for extreme sports. I always recommend getting a GoPro for such sports as motocross and biking. However, a rugged DSLR or mirrorless camera will still work!

ProductTypeMax ResolutionLCD DisplayConnectionsMax Clip LengthPrice
Canon XF405 CamcorderCamcorder4K at 60fps3.5" articulating touchscreenWi-Fi, SD-SDI, HDMI, USBLimitlessCheck Price
Panasonic Lumix GH5SMirrorless4K at 60fps3.2'' vari-angle touchscreenWi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, USBLimitlessCheck Price
Sony Alpha a6000Mirrorless1080p at 60fps3.0" tiltingWi-Fi, NFC, HDMI, mini-USB30 MinutesCheck Price
GoPro HERO7 BlackAction Camera4K at 60fps2" fixed touchscreenWi-Fi, HDMI, USB-Check Price
Olympus TG-5Compact Camera4K at 30fps3.0" FixedWi-Fi, HDMI, USB30 MinutesCheck Price
Sony FDR-AX53Camcorder4K at 30fps3'' articulating touchscreenWi-Fi, NFC, HDMI, USBLimitlessCheck Price
Olympus OM-D E-M10Mirrorless1080p at 30fps3'' tilting touchscreenWi-Fi, HDMI, USB30 MinutesCheck Price
Panasonic HC-VX981KCamcorder4K at 30fps3" articulating touchscreenWi-Fi, HDMI, USBLimitlessCheck Price
Panasonic HCCamcorder1080p at 60fps3" articulating touchscreenWi-Fi, HDMI, USBLimitlessCheck Price
Nikon D500DSLR4K at 30fps3.2" tilting touchscreenWi-Fi, NFC, HDMI, USB30 MinutesCheck Price

Part 2: The Top 10 Best Video Cameras for Sports

1. Canon XF405 Camcorder – Best for Semi-Pro and Professional Sports Filming

The Canon XF405 is a professional-class all-in-one camcorder that shoots in 4K at 60fps. It features an inbuilt 25.5-382.5mm (equivalent) lens with 15x optical zoom and 9-blade IRIS.

It comes with a 1.0-inch 4K UHD CMOS image sensor and Dual DIGIC DV 6 Image Processors. A combination that assures you of superior footage even in low light conditions! And the processing power is breathtaking!

Things get professional when you consider the Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology and 5-axis image stabilization. They ensure smooth focusing and crisp-clear footage with much high speed and accuracy.

It comes in an ergonomic design with an impressive user-friendly interface. Plus a detachable top handle with a hot shoe. Making it the ideal fixed-lens solution for high-quality sports filming.

Pros:

  • A 3.5-inch 1.56m-dot LCD articulating touchscreen display and a 0.24-inch Electronic Viewfinder (EVF).
  • Shoots slow-motion footage in 1080p at up to 120fps and 175Mbps.
  • Inbuilt Wi-Fi, infrared recording, and ND filters.
  • An HDMI 2.0, USB type-B, and 3G-SDI output terminals for integrations with external professional workflows.
  • An Ethernet terminal, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a 3.5mm external microphone jack, and two XLR terminals.
  • Dual SD card slots that offer unlimited 4K (3840 x 2160) simultaneous or relay recording in MP4 format at 60fps.

Cons:

  • A high-end price tag.
  • The battery only lasts about 100 minutes.

2. Panasonic Lumix GH5S – Best Professional Sports Filming

The Panasonic Lumix GH5S is one versatile video recording tool! It uses a 10.2MP oversized Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor. Making it a powerful mirrorless camera that will handle all your indoor and outdoor professional sports filming.

The multi-aspect sensor allows for high-quality, 10-bit Cinema 4K (4,096 × 2,160) video recording. That’s with a wider field of view and excellent performance in low light. What’s more, it records slow-motion in DCI 4K at 60fps and 1080p at 240fps.

Performance-wise, the GH5S is fast and responsive. Thanks for its 225-point Depth from Defocus (DFD) contrast AF. As a sports videographer, you will fall in love with its lightweight-design, high frame rates, 10-bit 4:2:2 recording, and high bitrates.

Pros:

  • A robust and weather-sealed body for peace of mind when filming outdoors.
  • A 3.2-inch 1.62m-dot vari-angle touchscreen display and a 3.68m-dot OLED EVF.
  • A full-sized HDMI port and a speedy USB-C (3.1 Gen 1) connection. Plus 3.5mm mic jack and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
  • Dual UHS-II SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots that offer for unlimited sports filming.
  • Inbuilt Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC wireless connections.

Cons:

  • Lacks an in-body image stabilization.
  • The 10.2MP captures low-resolution still shots.
  • Average battery life for a camera of its price range!

3. Sony Alpha a6000 – Best for Fast-Paced Sports

Sony Alpha a6000 packs excellent sports filming features despite its mid-range price tag. It has been equipped with a 24-megapixel APS-C CMOS image sensor and Sony’s Bionz X processor. Combined with a rapid autofocus system and high-speed continuous shooting.

A6000 is suitable for fast-paced sports. It comes in a lightweight design and you’ll get the most out of it when mounted on a tripod. Maybe use it to capture detail as you strike a golf ball into a hole. It’ll also work impressively when recording kids at play in the yard or local soccer game.

Keep in mind that A6000 records in up to 29-minute 59-second segments. You’ll need to press the record button again if you’re looking to record an entire game. It comes with a 3.0-inch tilting 921k-dot LCD screen and a high-contrast 0.39 1.44m-dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder.

Pros:

  • A lightweight design with easy and intuitive controls.
  • Records 1080p Full HD footage at cinematic 24p and fast action at 60p.
  • A fast Hybrid AF (Auto Focus) with 179 phase-detection points that accurately track moving subjects.
  • Inbuilt Wi-Fi and NFC for file sharing and remote camera control. Plus a clean HDMI output and a mini-USB port.

Cons:

  • The LCD is not a touchscreen.
  • Lacks 4K recording capabilities.
  • Its array of control settings might be overwhelming for a beginner.

4. GoPro HERO7 Black – Best for Extreme Outdoor Sports

GoPro’s have a resounding reputation of offering high-quality results when shooting extreme sports. The GoPro HERO7 records stunning 4K footage at 60fps and shoots 12MP photos. It comes with inbuilt capabilities for Facebook Live streaming.

Yet, my favorite feature is the HyperSmooth Video Stabilization. It predicts your movements and corrects camera shakes. As a result, you end up with impressively smooth footage. With its Time Warp Video feature, you can capture super stabilized time lapse videos. And increase the speed up to 30x to turn longer action into shorter-shareable moments.

HERO7 black is rugged and waterproof without a housing up to 33ft (10m). Making it the perfect action camera for filming winter and water sports like skiing. It will do a great job in most fast-paced sports including motocross.

Pros:

  • 8x slow-motion video recording in 1080p at 240fps.
  • Equipped with 16 Voice Control commands for hands-free control.
  • Intuitive 2” smartphone-like touchscreen LCD display.
  • Inbuilt GPS, and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for file sharing and transfer.
  • An HDMI Video output, USB-C port, and 3.5mm audio mic input (with Pro 3.5 mic adapter).

Cons:

  • The user interface occasionally becomes unresponsive.
  • The rechargeable 1220mAh lithium-ion has sub-par battery life.
  • Gets very hot when recording 4K.

5. Olympus TG-5 – Best for Water Sports

The Olympus TG-5 boasts of a rugged build quality that’s crushproof up to 220 lbf. It’s also waterproof up to 50 feet, freezeproof up to 14°F (-10°C), and shockproof up to 7 feet. Making it the ideal camera for filming water sports.

It’s especially perfect for single person sports like swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. But will still work for team sports like underwater football and water polo. Thanks for its anti-fog F2.0 High-Speed Lens and the 1/2.3in 12MP BSI CMOS Hi-Speed Image Sensor.

With TG-5, you’re assured of high-quality footage even when recording yourself while sporting. It offers for a whopping 4K recording at 30fps. With 1080p recording power at 120fps, which is ideal for slow-motion playback. You also get 4K Time Lapse video capabilities.

Pros:

  • Easy-to-use controls and a lightweight, tough build-quality.
  • A 4x zoom lens (equivalent to 25-100mm) with f/2-4.9 aperture.
  • A 3.0-inch 420k-dot LCD display.
  • Inbuilt GPS for mapping, and Wi-Fi for file sharing.
  • Has a micro HDMI output and the standard micro USB data/charging port.

Cons:

  • A little bit pricey.
  • Zoom mechanism produces noise during video capture.
  • Sub-par performance in low light.

6. Sony FDR-AX53 – Best for Basketball and Baseball

The Sony FDR-AX53 is a mid-range camcorder with impressive features and a compact body. I’m recommending it for baseball and basketball, but it is great for most fast-paced sports. It combines a 16.6MP 1/2.5″ Exmor R CMOS sensor and Zeiss 20x optical zoom lens to produce crisp-clear footage.

FDR-AX53 comes with a 3.0-inch articulating touchscreen display. And a high-resolution 0.27-inch OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF). Allowing you to monitor the footage as you record, no matter the angle of the recording. Moreover, you get unlimited recording time, subject to your SD card storage capacity and battery power.

Sony’s Balance Optical SteadyShot image stabilization technology assures you of smooth and stable footage throughout the zoom range. It comes with a Fast Intelligent AF that achieves speedy, accurate contrast-detection autofocus. With the inbuilt infrared light, you can film in complete darkness.

Pros:

  • Records up to 4K at 30fps in XAVC S, 1080p at 60fps in AVCHD, and 720p at 30fps in MP4.
  • An HDMI output, Multi-Terminal micro-USB, and accessory hot shoe.
  • Inbuilt Wi-Fi and NFC support for file sharing and camera remote control.
  • A 3.5mm external microphone jack and 3.5mm headphone jack.
  • An ergonomic manual control ring to adjust IRIS, exposure, white balance, AE shift, and focus.

Cons:

  • The display is vulnerable to glare.
  • A little bit pricey.

7. Olympus OM-D E-M10 – Ideal for Most Sports (Indoors/Outdoors)

Olympus OM-D E-M10 is a compact and lightweight mirrorless camera. With surprisingly powerful features for fast-paced sports filming. It combines 16.1MP Four Thirds Live MOS Sensor and Dual Quad-Core TruePic VIII Processor for fast and high-quality shooting.

My favorite feature is the in-body 3-Axis Image Stabilization that offsets camera shakes. It compensates for horizontal and vertical angular shifts as well as rolling. It also comes with a fast 81-point contrast-detect AF system. Allowing you to track and shoot sharper sports footage.

Monitoring the shooting is made easy with the 3.0″ 1.04m-dot tilting touchscreen LCD display and the 1.44m-dot 1.15x Electronic Viewfinder. Olympus has also included many physical controls and handy functions. Such functions include the Clips Video Mode for quick video recording.

Pros:

  • Pretty affordable with 1080p video recording capabilities at 30fps.
  • An SD memory card slot with support for UHS-II media.
  • Inbuilt flash and a hot shoe for mounting accessories.
  • Inbuilt Wi-Fi connectivity for remote control and file transfer. Plus USB and HDMI output ports.
  • A decent battery life.

Cons:

  • Not weather-sealed, not ideal for extreme sports.
  • Lacks 4K video recording.
  • The controls are a little bit weird, at least for the first few days of use.

8. Panasonic HC-VX981K – A Mid-Range Camcorder for Most Sports

The Panasonic HC-VX981K features a 1/2.3″ BSI MOS Sensor and 20x Zoom LEICA Dicomar Lens (4.08-81.6mm). With this camcorder, you can shoot most fast-paced sports with much ease. It records Ultra HD 4K footage at up to 30fps.

Filming is taken a notch higher with the HC-VX981K. It packs in-camera editing for 1080p displays, plus an HDR Movie feature. With the high-dynamic range (HDR), you’re assured of smooth and super-clear videos. The Back-Side Illuminated sensor suppresses noise when shooting in low light situations.

It also comes with a 5-axis Hybrid optical image stabilizer (OIS). Assuring you of smooth footage when recording fast-paced sports across the zoom range. And you will fall in love with its slow motion capabilities. Especially when recording for sports analysis and game highlights.

Pros:

  • Inbuilt Wi-Fi with a Wireless Multi-camera function. Plus a Micro-HDMI (Type D) outlet and a USB 2.0 port.
  • 4K in-camera features for post panning, cropping, zooming, and subject tracking stabilization.
  • Captures high-quality 4K photos from 4K video frames.
  • The inbuilt mic is super cool and you also get an external mic jack and a headphone jack.
  • Equipped with a 460k-dot 3.0-inch articulating touchscreen LCD display.

Cons:

  • Doesn’t have a place for neck strap loop.
  • The rechargeable 1940 mAh lasts for just under 1 hour per charge.

9. Panasonic HC-V380K – Best for Semi-Pro Fast-Paced Sports

The Panasonic HC-V380K is an affordable version of the HC-VX981K 4K Ultra HD Camcorder. But despite its budget-friendly price tag, you still get powerful features for filming fast-paced sports.

Panasonic HC-V380K comes with a 1/5.8″ BSI MOS Sensor and 50x Optical Zoom. Plus a 90x Intelligent Zoom. When you pair this with the 5-Axis HYBRID optical image stabilizer, you’re assured of shooting crisp-clear footage.

However, it lacks 4K video recording capabilities. But offers for shooting high-quality 1080p videos at 60fps. Monitoring the filming is made easy with the 460k-dot 3.0-inch articulating touchscreen LCD display.

This camcorder is perfect for semi-professional sports filming. Like kids playing in the yard, community basketball/baseball, and high school soccer games. It also has a Baby Monitor feature that connects with your smartphone.

Pros:

  • Inbuilt Wi-Fi, and Wireless Multi-camera support.
  • A Level Shot function for producing clear and more stable footage during hand-held shooting.
  • Inbuilt Creative Control effects like time-lapse recording, Silent Movie, Miniature effect, and 8mm Movie.
  • Superb performance in low light.
  • Equipped with a Mini-HDMI (Type C) outlet and a USB 2.0 port.

Cons:

  • Lacks 4k video recording.
  • Lacks microphone input and a headphone jack.
  • The rechargeable 1940 mAh battery runs for just under 1 hour.

10. Nikon D500 – Best DSLR Camera for Filming Sports

Nikon D500 offers for shooting in 4K at 30fps and 1080p at 60fps. Its 3.2″ Tilting Touchscreen LCD display is perfect for viewing and monitoring the sport as you shoot. At 1.89 lbs, this DSLR camera isn’t very heavy despite its bulky design.

D500 features a 20.9MP APS-C (1.5x Crop) CMOS sensor with impressive low-light performance. My favorite feature is the fast and accurate Dual Pixel CMOS AF system. Which packs a 153-points phase-detection and 99 cross-type points.

The wonderful thing about DSLRs is the fact that they pack tons of inbuilt features. D500 comes with plenty of outlet ports. They include a Mini HDMI Type-C, USB 3.0, 10-pin Terminal, PC Sync, and a 3.5mm headphone. Plus a 3.5mm mic jack port.

Pros:

  • A robust, weather-sealed body for peace of mind when filming sports outdoors.
  • Inbuilt Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for file sharing and transfer.
  • Inbuilt Stereo Mic.
  • 100% coverage viewfinder with 1.0x magnification.
  • Impressive battery life.

Cons:

  • Has only one SD memory card slot, despite its high-end price.
  • Shoots maximum clip lengths of 29 minutes 59 seconds.

Part 3: What Qualities Determine the Best Video Camera for Sports?

Finding your best video camera for filming sports starts with your budget and filming needs. Every other factor is secondary. But even with a lower budget, you should find a decent camera that can film most sports. Let’s dive into some of the essential features that you might want to consider!

1. Video Resolution

I always advise getting a camera that records in at least 1080p at 30fps. Frames per second (FPS), denotes the number of unique images a camera can handle in each second. Just to set things clear, video footage is just a collection of many unique images.

If your budget allows, go for at least 60fps. At this frame rate, the footage is much smoother. As in, with 60 unique consecutive images in each second. A camera that records in 4K at 30fps or 24fps will give you much clear footage than 1080p at 30fps.

2. Sensor Type and Size

Digital cameras come with either CMOS or CCD sensors. If you’re looking to film casual sports, the difference is minimal. But for semi-pro and professional sports, you will need to be keen on them. CCD work well in low light conditions but consume more energy than CMOS.

The sensor size will also come into play for professional-class sports filming. As it vastly determines light sensitivity and your Depth of Field (DoF). Get a camera with the biggest sensor you can afford. Especially when shooting in 4K.

3. Autofocus

Cameras with autofocus systems offer for fast and accurate filming. Especially if you’re a beginner into digital cameras. But for the best sports shooting experience, you need to learn how to focus manually.

4. Optical Zoom Lens

With DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, you will need to get the lens separately. But camcorders, action, and compact cameras come with optical and digital zoom lenses. Optical zoom produces better footage quality than digital zoom.

5. Optical Images Stabilizer (OIS)

A camera with in-body optical image stabilizer is such a powerful shooting device. With such a camera, you won’t need to film with a tripod. An optical image stabilizer is more effective in offsetting camera shakes. You end up with crisp-clear footage, without blurring.

6. External Microphone and Headphone Sockets

The ten cameras that I have recommended above come with superior inbuilt microphones. Yet, you might want to use a professional microphone, if you’re intending to do game analysis. Ensure, your best pick supports a 3.5mm mic jack. Having an option for a 3.5mm headphone jack is a plus.

7. Durability

This is a no-brainer! Always get a durable device. That’s unless you’re intending to come back shopping for another video camera sooner than you expected. A camera with weatherproofing and rugged design is better for shooting outdoors.

8. Interchangeable Lens

Camcorders, action, and compact cameras come with fixed lenses. But DSLRs and mirrorless camera allow the use of interchangeable lenses. A feature that enhances their filming versatility. In the long-run, a camera with interchangeable lenses is cheaper than buying many cameras with fixed lenses.

9. Viewfinders and LCD Displays

An LCD display allows for monitoring the filming and previewing of the footage on the go. With a viewfinder, you can steady your camera in such a way to reduce the camera shakes. For example, bracing it against your face. Viewfinders offer the best scene composing and framing experience when filming professional-class sports.

10. Wireless Connections and Wired Outlets

Your best video camera for sports should at least have inbuilt Wi-Fi or HDMI port. A clean HDMI port will allow you to live stream the footage as you shoot. It can be ideal when covering a community or high-school sports.

With Wi-Fi, you can easily control the camera remotely and share/transfer the footage to your favorite social media platforms. Having Bluetooth, NFC, USB, and SDI options will render the device even more versatile.

NOTE:

Always remember to put the battery life into consideration. A camera with a battery that runs for about 1.5 hours is considered decent. That’s just about how long most sports last. And you can always get spare batteries for the best filming experience.

Also, the ‘limitless’ clip length is subject to your camera’s battery power and storage capacity. For example, with large storage and 2 hours battery, you will be able to film a 2 hours long footage. Offering for convenience when shooting long sports events.

Final Verdict!

My overall best pick is the Canon XF405 camcorder. It offers for 4K recording at 60fps, with tons of video shooting features and output connections. The great thing about camcorders is that they come with fixed lenses. Meaning, you can start shooting as soon as you get the camera.

I would recommend the Panasonic Lumix GH5S mirrorless camera for semi-pro and professional sports. You can make use of different lenses to cover different sports scenes. It comes with a powerful sensor with an impressive low-light performance. Not to forget its generous wired and wireless connections.

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Best Video Camera for Sports in 2020
5 (100%) 1 vote

Peter Murage
Hi, I’m Peter! I find it fulfilling when working with digital marketers and internet entrepreneurs to craft SEO-driven product reviews and detailed buyer’s guides that rake in more ROI. 

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