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Best Camera For Sports Mom (The Top 5 Picks)

On Sunday, when most moms might relax and sit on the sofa all day, sports moms are going from game to game, searching for missing water bottles or sports equipment like shin guards and uncontrollably cheering their kids. Today, I reviewed the 5 best cameras for sports moms that you can get your hands on. Let’s take a look at them.

Key Takeaways

  • The Best Overall Camera Is Sony Alpha A6400
  • The most important things you need to consider when buying a camera is the maximum video resolution, the maximum FPS, connectivity and weight.
  • You should know the camera and know the sport.
  • Continuous shooting mode is one of the most important factors of the camera.

A Quick Look At My Favorite Sports Mom Cameras

ImageProductFeaturesPrice
Best Compact
Panasonic LUMIX LX10

Panasonic LUMIX LX10

10
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Most Affordable
Canon Camera IXUS 185

Canon Camera IXUS 185

9
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Best Camcorder
Sony FDR-AX43

Sony FDR-AX43

8.6
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Best DSLR
Nikon D3500

Nikon D3500

8.5
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Best Mirrorless
Sony Alpha a6400

Sony Alpha a6400

8.6
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Top 5 Best Cameras for Sports Mom

5. Panasonic LUMIX LX10 – Best Compact 

What I Like

  • Great Build
  • Great image quality for 1-inch sensor
  • Great Autofocus
  • Unbeatable 4k video quality for a compact camera

What I Don’t Like

  • No built-in ND filter
  • No Viewfinder
  • Short battery life

After leading the compact camera market with its Lumix LX7, Panasonic is back it again and confidently has come to fight Sony once again, with the successor of the Lumix LX7, the Lumix LX10.
Panasonic has set a goal for itself to create a compact camera with premium quality and premium performance.

The body of the camera is described as a seamless metal body, it feels robust and discreet. Measuring 1.65 x 4.15 x 2.36 inches and weighing as little as 0.68 lbs, all this results in a small and compact form factor.
The top of the camera has a sleek and well-organized layout. On the left side, you will find the manual pop-up flash while on the right side the mode dial, shutter release, zoom lever, movie record button, and the command dial. There is no viewfinder but instead, there’s a 3-inch tilting LCD monitor. The 180-degree display has 1,040k dots and it is a touchscreen.

What tries to separate the LX10 from the competition, must be its built-in optic that has an actual focal length of 8.8 -26.4mm, simply put it provides a 35mm focal length of 24-72mm. Also, another one of the main features of the Lumix LX10 is its capabilities in creating a high-quality bokeh effect.

The 20.1 megapixels 1-inch sensor continues to be the sensor of choice while offering a lighting fast autofocus, which is known as DFD (depth from defocus ) technology.
Perhaps, the biggest part of the offering is its ability to offer 4k video footage at 30 fps, or if you prefer Full HD 1080p at 60 fps.

As for battery life, it is rated for 260 shots (CIPA standard) for each charge.

Panasonic LUMIX LX10 Sample Images

Why should you buy it?

Its one of the most compact cameras that you can buy at a reasonable price. It has great image quality and can be used for taking photos & videos.


4. Canon Camera IXUS 185 – Most Affordable

What I Like

  • Slim, sleek and pocketable
  • ISO can be adjusted manually
  • Easy to use
  • Decent Autofocus
  • Smartphones can’t beat the 8x zoom

What I Don’t Like

  • Made out of plastic
  • No touchscreen or fancy features
  • No wireless connectivity

If you are in the market for an affordable, easy-to-use compact camera, then the Canon Camera IXUS 185 – is winking right at you sport moms.

This small, stylish and inexpensive camera is aimed at casual photographers who are looking for an easy and fun way to take pictures, that exceed the quality of a smartphone.
While smartphones have decimated the budget compact market, there are still a lot of benefits why you should buy a point-n-shoot camera, for example, one of them being the 8x optical zoom that is superior and more versatile.

It measures 0.87 x 3.75 x 2.14 inches and weighs 126g. When you pick the IXUS 185 it feels incredibly lightweight but at the same time it feels quite cheap due to the plastic design and it looks a little dated; but the vintage look doesn’t bother me, I find it quite appealing. Overall, it has a simple design that most beginners won’t bother with it.

As soon as you turn the camera on you will realize that it was made for entry-level photographers, thanks to the Easy Auto Mode that automatically switches on, all you have to do now is point the camera at something and snap the picture.

It comes with a 2.7 LCD, it isn’t touchscreen but it features a 230k dot resolution. The headline on its performance aspect is the 8x optical zoom and the decent 20mp CCD sensor, sadly no fancy video content.

If you want to record with it you are forced to record in 720p HD, there’s no FUll HD nor 4k; we can’t fault Canon here though, it is understandable for the price it comes with. Yet, it offers more than enough for a sports mom that doesn’t want to break the bank.

As far as battery life goes, it is CIPA rated for 210 shots, yet again those are decent numbers for a budget camera.

Canon IXUS 185 Sample Images

Why should you buy it?

The Canon IXUS 185 is very slim, sleek and can be taken with you wherever you go. It’s very easy to use and has a great autofocus.


3. Sony FDR-AX43 – Best Camcorder

What I Like

  • Well built and Compact
  • 4k Recording
  • Good stills in low-light situations
  • Built-in gimbal

What I Don’t Like

  • No manual ISO
  • No BSI sensor
  • No viewfinder

Next on the list, for moms that want to record most of the time instead of taking stills we have, an affordable, compact, and great quality camcorder from Sony, the Sony FDR-AX43.

Put it this way the Sony FDR-AX43 tick all the boxes, that GoPros want to be when they grow up; it is lightweight, affordable, and on top of it a great performer.
Although this was designed with vloggers in mind, I didn’t see it writing anywhere “Not for sports moms”

It measures 6.88 x 2.88 x 3.25 inches and weighs only 1 pound. What’s more, Sony decided to put a built-in image stabilizer in it, so the footage can come out like they were done by a professional mom.

There’s no viewfinder so you will be forced to frame through the flip-able touch-screen, LCD panel.

Performance-wise, it is simply a beast. It packs a ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T zoom lens with 20x optical zoom and it features 30x clear zoom for the 4k Recording and 40x for the HD one.

Under the hood, it is driven by a 1/2.5 Exmor R sensor that makes this camcorder a great performer in low-light environments.

Yet again, as I mentioned above the major selling point of this bad boy it’s not the 4k video content, that is taken for granted. But instead, the built-in gimbal system.
Sony even goes as far as to confidently say that its mechanism is about 13 times more effective than those from the competition that uses optical systems3.

It captures smooth and professional-looking images, even at full zoom or while running, your kids will thank you when they see themselves in great quality.

Sony FDR-AX43 Sample Images

Why should you buy it?

The Sony FDR-AX43 is one of my favorite compact cameras that has 4k recording capabilities, can shoot great stills in low-light situations and it has a built-in gimbal which makes it great for any situation.


2. Nikon D3500 – Best DSLR

What I Like

  • Really Well Priced
  • Perfect for Beginners
  • Great APS-C Sensor
  • Great Video Capabilities

What I Don’t Like

  • Rear Screen is Fixed
  • Can’t record in 4k

For moms who want to look professional with a DSLR camera, I have the Nikon D3500.

A camera from Nikons 3000 series that is quite known in the photography world. It is very light and compact, something that is unusual for a DSLR.
It comes with a deep handgrip while featuring the famous Nikon red stripe watermark, it may look fat and bulky, but at the same time, this is what makes it have a strong grip that sits comfortably in hand.

Thanks to re-designing the button layout, it is not the same as its predecessor, where a lot of accidental touches were happening.
The rear of the camera is fixed with no touch-sensitive feature and sadly, it doesn’t tilt around. But hey, this is an entry-level DSLR and comes a quite an inexpensive price, so let’s just accept some compromises.

The Viewfinder is nothing groundbreaking, it is quite decent can’t say much about it besides being lag-free and that’s what mostly matters.

Under-the-hood Nikon D3500 employs a 24 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor; which is splendid for an entry-level camera, it is known as one of the best APS-C sensors around. It has the ability to burst shoot at 5 fps. And to record Full HD content at 1080/60 fps.

It offers only 11 autofocus points, as you will learn and grow with the camera you will find this a bit limiting. And with that, I mean someone that is into photography a lot, not something that will bother a sports mom.

As for battery life, it promises us 1,500 shots per charge, which is great since even some high-end mirrorless cameras can’t come close to that.

Nikon D3500 Sample Images

Why should you buy it?

If you’re looking for a camera thats great value for your money, can be used by beginners and has an amazing APS-C sensor which will let you shoot great videos and photos, then this one is for you.


1. Sony Alpha a6400 – Best Mirrorless

What I Like

  • Compact and Weather sealed
  • Unbeatable Auto Focus technology
  • Great Recording Capabilities

What I Don’t Like

  • Not the best rear screen and EVF
  • Short Battery-Life

Last but not least comes a mirrorless option, the Sony A6400.

The Sony a6400 is the successor of the prominent Sony A6300, which took the market by storm with its debut, even to this day it still holds strong, but for sports moms Id rather recommend the A6400.

It is really compact and well built that comes in a combination of a metal and plastic finish. Thanks to Sony’s craftsmanship this camera is really easy to use and comfortable in hand.
Besides that, it is weather sealed making it immune to rain and dust; which is perfect for the sudden rains that can occur while you are recording your kids.

The screen monitor flips up a full 180 degrees, to the point where you can easily see yourself and it is also touch-sensitive. Feel free to take some selfies too, you deserve some pictures too.

A6400 inherited most of its features from its brother, with the major selling point being the Real-time Eye Auto-Focus and Tracking Auto-Focus. It will focus on everything that it spots, even if you try not to focus, the A6400 will do its things.

The same 24.2mp APS-C CMOS sensor drives the A6400, but with an improved autofocus performance now offering 0.02 seconds autofocus speed, compared to its brother which was 0.05s.

As far as recording goes, it easily records 4k and Full HD video content.

Battery-wise, Sony promises us 410 shots which is pretty standard for a Mirrorless camera. We won’t expect it to compete with a DSLR like the above in the battery-life aspect.

Sony Alpha A6400 Sample Images

Why should you buy it?

It’s a really good and afforable mirrorless camera with a great sensor and amazing auto focus technology. It’s also weather sealed which means that you can take it with you no matter the weather conditions.


Things a Mom Need To Consider When Buying a Camera:

When buying a sports camera, you want to pay attention to some small details, you don’t want to buy the first camera you see on the internet.

Maximum Video Resolution:

Resolution is the part of the camera which tells you how clear your picture will be. For most moms, a good 1080p camera is more than enough, which means the maximum resolution comes out at 1920×1080.

But if you are a rich mom, no one is stopping you from getting a 4k camera.

Maximum Frames per Second (FPS):

FPS implies how smooth your video will play, the higher the fps is the better the content will look. High fps come in handy when you record something that is happening fast, like a sports game. The fps you will encounter the most would be from 30 fps to 60, and 120 on some high-end cameras. But this also depends mostly on the resolution you are recording so it will be different for each resolution.

Connectivity:

You want your camera to have some sort of connectivity like an HDMI output, so you can view your photos or recordings directly on your TV and later on even share them, doesn’t have to be an HDMI output, it can be even a USB one.

Weight:

You will be holding your camera for a few hours, either if you are recording or taking stills. You want to make sure that the camera you are holding is as light as possible, so it is easy to carry and store.

Tips for Sports Moms:

Know Your Camera

Please spend some time reading online or the manual that came with your camera so you can understand its capabilities better; the pros the cons everything, so you don’t waste time trying to figure it out in the middle of the game and end up wasting perfect moments for your kids.

Know the Sport

You also want to know the basics of the sport your kid playing. For example, if it is football you want to get your camera ready if it is a penalty.

Instead, if your child is into other sports like skateboarding, I’d recommend getting them an action camera or a camera for skateboarding.

Continuous Shooting Mode

This is an important mode that you find in your camera; it gives you the chance to shoot continuous photos for as long as the shutter release button is pressed.

Final Words:

I tried to evaluate cameras based on my knowledge and some research I did. I also made sure to include a bunch of types of cameras so there’s a camera for all moms.

This is it for the best camera for sports mom, but below you can continue to read some more articles.

Enjoy.

Further Reading:

If you liked what you read so far, to ready some more quality reviews, feel free to check best cameras for outdoor photography.

Or in case you need some lenses you can check best lenses for astro photography.

There’s also best cameras for music videos, in case you are into music.

Since we talked about sports, let me throw in an article regarding action cameras, best action cameras under $100.