One of the questions Young filmmakers ask is, what are the best budget video cameras for video works? At this point, you are looking for a cheap, quality camera that can get the job done with features like low light performance, the ability to shoot at least 60 frames per second for good slow-motion good battery life etc.
It is essential to have the right equipment to get the job done. However, it is more important to have the necessary skill set to help you get the job done in a better way.
Before I go into details, I would like to share a few things you need to consider before buying your next video camera.
- Consider your budgets. I mean the cost of the camera you intend to buy, the lens and order accessories.
- The second thing you need to consider is the features of the camera.
- Find out your specific needs. Don’t just buy a camera because it looks good or because it has a lot of good features. Find out what exactly are your basic needs? Why do you need a camera? Do you need a camera for music videos or to create commercials? Are you distributing your content on social media? So do you need a camera with 4k functionalities? These are questions you need to answer before spending your money on any camera
Best budget video cameras for filmmakers 2021 / 2022
1. Canon EOS 700D | Rebel t5i:
The rebel T5i is an 18 megapixels cropped sensor DSLR camera that records full HD @24 and 30fps. This camera is good for new cinematographers with a tight budget.
I used the Rebel t5i for my first video gig and was impressed with its good performance. If you want to get the best out of Rebel t5i, ensure you use a good lens, good enough lighting and avoid pushing the ISO figures above 400.
For smooth slow-motion, use 720 @ 60 frames per second video setting. If you are tight on budget, consider buying this old but good DSLR.
Installing Magic lantern on your canon will give you access to tons of film camera features like 14 bit uncompressed raw video, record HDR video
Canon EOS 700D Video Specs
| Recording Modes | Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 24p/25p/29.97p HD (1280 x 720 ) at 50p/59.94p SD (640 x 480 ) at 25p/29.97fp |
| Recording Limits | Up to 30 mins |
| ISO sensivity | 100 – 6400 (Extended: 12800) |
| Audio Recording | External Microphone Input |
| Video Format | MOV/H.264 |
| Audio format | Linear PCM |
2. Sony A6000
Sony A6000 is a small mirrorless camera with a lot of great features. I used the Sony A6000 for over three years, and I was happy with its quality performance. The Sony A6000 comes with a 24 megapixels APSc sensor and shoots video up to 50 0r 60fps at Full HD. Its low light performance and image quality are good enough to match Canon 5d mark iii quality.
Sony A6000 is rugged, has some good features, and will deliver good enough content at a fraction of the big Canon 5d mark 3.
So if you are not bothered about the 4k capability, ability to shoot in log format to grade your work in post, you should consider having the small but mighty mirrorless camera. Like almost every other video camera, the battery life is not very good. So it will be advisable to have more batteries for long hours of production.
Related Article: Is Nikon D800 worth buying in 2021?
I used the Sony a6000 to shoot my first music video, weddings, commercials, YouTube content, name it.
One major drawback I had with the Sony A6000 was the overheating issue. It gets heated up after some time and level of temperature you would have to wait for like 30 mins before you can resume shooting. So it may not be practical for long hour shooting.
Sony A6000 Video Specs
| Recording Modes | XAVC S Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 24p/29.97p/54.94p AVXHD Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 24p/29.97p/50.00p MP4 HDV (1440 x 1080 ) at 29.97p SD (640 x 480 ) at 29.97p |
| Recording Limits | Up to 30 mins |
| ISO sensivity | 100 – 25600 |
| Audio Recording | Built-in Microphone – No External Mic |
| Video Format | XAVC S / AVXHD / MP4 |
3. Canon 70D
Canon 70D: I bought Canon 70D around 2016. It once had the best autofocus tracking system. The Canon 70D is a good camera. It is a 20.2MP APS-C Camera that shoots FHD @ 30fps, [email protected] It has good low light performance good dynamic range.
If you decide to buy the Canon 70D, please ensure you find out from the seller if the camera ever had overheating or blank sensor problems. I experienced that couple of times with my Canon 70D.
Canon 70D Video Specs
| Recording Modes | Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 24p/25p/30p HD (1280 x 720) at 50p/60p SD (640 x 480 ) at 25p/30p |
| Recording Limits | Up to 37 mins |
| ISO sensivity | 100 – 25600 |
| Audio Recording | Built-in Microphone External microphone input |
| Video Format | MOV |
4. Canon 5D Mark ii
Canon 5D Mark ii is the second generation of the Canon 5D series. You can get a well-used one for £259. The Canon 5d mark ii is a full-frame sensor camera which means better dynamic range, better sensitivity to light, and a good choice of lenses mean better image quality.
The 5d mark 2 enable you to record full had at 30fps, has better battery life and is an excellent choice long hour video recording.
Installing Magic lantern on your canon will give you access to tons of film camera features like 14 bit uncompressed raw video, record HDR video
Canon 5D mark ii Video Specs
| Recording Modes | MOV Full HD (1920 x 1080) SD (640 x 480) |
| Recording Limits | FHD Approximately 12 mins SD Approximately 24 mins |
| ISO sensivity | 100 – 25600 |
| Audio Recording | Built-in Microphone External microphone input |
| Video Format | XAVC S / AVXHD / MP4 |
5. Panasonic GH4
Panasonic gh4 has a 4k video recording, full HD up to 60FPS. It’s a great Camera for video works. Good low light performance, a Micro thirds mirror-less camera, and can record up to 220mins.
Panasonic GH4 Video Specs
| Recording Modes | MOV DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) at 24.00p [100 Mb/s] UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.976p/24.00p/25p/29.97p [100 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p/24.00p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p [200 Mb/s] MP4 DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) at 24.00p [100 Mb/s] UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.976p/24.00p/25p/29.97p [100 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p/24.00p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p [200 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 25p/29.97p [20 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 50p/59.94p [28 Mb/s] HD (1280 x 720) at 25p/29.97p [10 Mb/s] SD (640 x 480) at 25p/29.97p [4 Mb/s] AVCHD Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p [24 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 50p/59.94p [28 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 50i/59.94i [24 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 50i/59.94i [17 Mb/s] |
| Recording Limits | Up to 220 mins |
| ISO Sensivity | 200 – 25600 (Extended: 100 – 25600) |
| Audio Recording | Built-in Microphone(Stereo) External microphone input |
| Audio Recording Format | AAC / Dobly Digital 2ch, Linear PCM |
| External Recording Modes | 4:2:2 10-Bit |
6. Sony A6300
Sony A6300 has 4k Video recording, In-body image stabilization, s-log. This allows you to capture shadow details and highlight details. The Sony a6300 has a good enough autofocus ability.
Sony a6300 allows you to shoot 4k UHD at 25fps, full HD up to 120 FPS which means smooth and better slow-mo functionality.
Sony A6300 Video Specs
| Recording Modes | XAVC S UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 24.00p/25p/29.97p [60 to 100 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 100p/119.88p [60 to 100 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 24.00p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p [50 Mb/s] AVCHD Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 50p/59.94p [28 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 24.00p/25p [17 to 24 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 50i/59.94i [17 to 24 Mb/s] MP4 Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 50p/59.94p [28 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 25p/29.97p [16 Mb/s] HD (1280 x 720) at 25p/29.97p [6 Mb/s] |
| Recording Limits | Up to 30 mins |
| ISO Sensivity | 100 – 25600 (Extended: 100 – 51200) |
| Audio Recording | Built-in Microphone(Stereo) External microphone input |
| Audio Recording Format | AAC LC / AC3 /Dolby Digital 2ch / Linear PCM |
| External Recording Modes | 4:2:2 8-Bit |
7. Sony A7
Sony A7 is a full-frame camera with full HD ap to 60fps, uses both phase-detect and contrast-detect autofocus systems. The Sony A7 allows you to shoot in log format, and it retains its value even at its age. You can still get good it out of the Sony A7.
Sony A7 Video Specs
| Recording Modes | XAVC S AVCHD Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 50p/59.94p [28 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p/25p/50i/59.94i [17 to 24 Mb/s] MP4 Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 50p/59.94p [28 Mb/s] Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 25p/29.97p [16 Mb/s] HD (1280 x 720) at 25p/29.97p [6 Mb/s] |
| Recording Limits | Up to 30 mins |
| ISO Sensivity | 100 – 25600 (Extended: 50) |
| Audio Recording | Built-in Microphone(Stereo) External microphone input |
| Audio Recording Format | AAC LC / AC3 |
What Camera should you buy?
Before buying your next video camera, consider your budget, shooting style and the features you expect your camera to have.
From research and practical experience, I discovered that you can get excellent video performance from the Sony lines, from excellent autofocus to the ability to shoot at a higher FPS, low light capacities among others.
I love Canon for its good colour rendering ability, good battery life, the ability of the Canon 70D and 5d mark 2 to record for a long time without overheating, affordable lenses.
I would buy Canon for Interviews, events, where slow-motion is not much of a big deal.
Panasonic will deliver in low light, image quality, and other value, just like Sony.
