The 10 Best 4k Cameras For Live Streaming

Editor's Notes

July 29, 2020:

With each passing year, more and more companies are catching up to the ability to not only shoot video in 4K, but to be able to stream it, as well. As much as we wish we could have put the latest GoPro on here, its live stream is still limited to 1080p, and 720p when streaming through your cell phone. We said goodbye to the Samsung 360 Round, as it was too cumbersome, expensive, and confusing, and we sought out some exciting new offerings like the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema, which shoots in 6K and is an outstanding choice for live production, especially when paired with one of the company's outstanding production switchers.

We replaced the full frame Sony mirrorless SLR from our last list with the Sony Alpha a6000. It is admittedly a step down in sensor size, but no live stream is going to make it through a platform's compression system with the benefits of full-frame intact, so it seems like an unnecessary cost when the live streaming settings on the a6000 actually outperform most of the company's full frame offerings in its ability to offer continuous autofocus and to keep its screen active, which is ideal for one-person-band operations.

January 04, 2019:

There were a lot of 4K cams out there that also had the ability to stream video through HDMI, but the vast majority of them could only send 1080 or worse in a live setting. Blackmagic has by far the best camera if you plan on using an outboard monitor, but Canon's XF705 offers a bit of everything. It doesn't boast the interchangeable lenses of a Sony FS5 or even the a7 iii, but it's still the best bang for your buck.