I'm trying to grow on social media but the lighting and audio don't come out right on my phone. I have a budget of around 300-400 dollars. Do you recommend a compact camera or would a beginner mirrorless be better? I want something that's not too complicated to use but looks professional.
With that budget I'd tell you to go for an entry-level mirrorless like a Sony A6400 or similar, you can find them going for around 400 dollars and it has brutal autofocus for video. Honestly, for Reels and TikToks what really matters is that the audio doesn't sound terrible and the lighting is consistent, so invest well in a cheap external mic (like a Rode VideoMic) and some of those cheap Chinese LED panels that cost nothing. A compact camera will limit you more as you grow and want to do different things, while the mirrorless lets you play around with lenses and has better stabilization. That said, check out reviews from people who shoot content for social media, not just photographers, because handling a camera for video is a bit different.
Entry-level mirrorless is fine, but before you go down that route check if your phone can shoot 4K with decent stabilization 📱 - sometimes with a cheap tripod, better lighting (ring light runs about $50) and an external condenser mic (another $50-100) you can get by without spending $400. If you've already tried that and want to take the leap, the A6400 is solid, but also look at compact cameras like the Canon PowerShot G7X or Panasonic LX100 that are lighter, easier to carry around for street filming and have decent fixed lenses - less versatility but way less of a headache than learning to swap lenses while you're shooting 😅
Don't spend more than you need to on a camera if you haven't sorted out the basics first: a decent ring light (you can find them for $30-40) and an external microphone are going to make way more difference to your results than any expensive gear, lighting and audio are what people actually notice in short videos.
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