What Camera Should I Get?

Whenever I peruse video making forums or Facebook groups, a common question I see all the time is, “I’m just starting out, what camera should I buy?” I have certainly been there before. There are so many options, brands, and you’re also pretending to understand the specifications as well, it can get overwhelming. But it always seems that the options the writer of the post puts out is the latest Canon or Sony cameras which starts at $3,500. These of course are their newest cameras so you’re going to hear about them the most with all the blog posts and reviews of these cameras on YouTube. But, if you’re just starting out, it honestly doesn’t matter what camera you get but you shouldn’t be spending more than $1,000 on your first camera.

There are a couple reasons why you shouldn’t go out and buy the latest and greatest camera out there. For one, you should focus more on growing your skills shooting video. A more higher end camera isn’t going to make up for poor lighting, sound, composition, and overall execution. If you're just starting out, make sure you have enough in your budget for decent lights, a microphone, a tripod, and just learn to work with what you have. 

When you start out with a cheaper camera and start shooting different kinds of videos, you’ll tend to notice that you gravitate to a certain genre of videos. Whether it’d be weddings, corporate videos, or music videos; you’ll be able to determine the limitations of your cheap camera and make a more informed decision on the next-level camera that’s suited for your projects. 

So whether you want to get into making videos as a career, a hobby, or your boss told you to quickly make some videos for Facebook and have no idea what you’re doing, here is a quick buying guide for you!

For the person that isn’t into making videos but has to for their job

Good news for you, you don’t have to buy a camera at all because your phone is perfectly fine for you! But there are a couple things that you can get that’ll make your videos stand out a bit better.

You’re going to want to get a basic tripod and a way to mount your phone to the tripod for a steady shot. This $19 tripod and phone holder will be perfect for you. Not only is it affordable, but is super easy to set up.

If you want better audio in your videos, you can’t go wrong with a simple microphone that you can plug into your phone. I have listed below a few different options for either Apple or Android users.

Smartphone Camera Video Microphone Kit - $43 

 PoP voice Professional Lapel Microphone - $14

Smartphone Video Microphone Kit - $50

For the person that wants to get into making videos as a hobby or a career

When shopping for cameras, try not to get too caught up in the brand of the camera. I know in everything else in consumer culture there tends to be brand wars like with ‘Coke vs. Pepsi’ or ‘Xbox vs. PlayStation’. Companies want you, the consumer, to lean into that culture, but at the end of the day the camera is a tool for storytelling. So whatever camera best suits your needs, you should get that camera and not have the ‘brand’ cloud your judgement.

So here I’m going to represent several brands that have cameras below the $1000 mark. One thing to note is that none of these cameras have a headphone jack on them. So unless you plan to record your audio externally, you’ll have to watch your levels if you're recording your audio straight into the camera. Full disclosure, I’ve only had hands-on experience with one of these cameras.

Panasonic Lumix G7

I have used this camera for several projects and I really enjoy using this camera. It’s small, lightweight, and inconspicuous. I love the look  that you can get out of this camera and my favorite profile to shoot in is ‘Cinelike-V’. There is also a time-lapse feature on here as well as the ability to shoot in 4K up to 30 fps. The one downside to this camera is that the auto focus system is not reliable. I’ve had it focus hunt during recordings so I would recommend shooting in manual focus. 

Canon EOS M50 Mark II

Besides my G7, I am mostly a Canon shooter and there are similarities between all their cameras. One of the best features of this camera is that it has Dual Pixel Autofocus with Eye Detect AF. If you’re going to be a more ‘run and gun’ kind of shooter, this is a great option for you. I’ve used Canon’s Dual Pixel AF on the Canon EOS R and it’s hand’s down, one of the best autofocus systems out there. You are limited to only shooting in 4K at 24 fps, but shooting in HD is more than fine for social and web content.

Sony Alpha a6400

This is the more pricey option of the three cameras I listed, but there’s a reason for that. Not only do you get autofocus in this camera, but you also can shoot in 4K up to 30 fps, you can shoot in a log profile, and shoot externally in 4:2:2 8-Bit which will give you a little more flexibility in post for color grading. I don’t have much experience with Sony, but based on their latest releases of their cameras, they seem to cater more towards the video shooter and not so much the photographer. So going Sony could be a good option for a long-term investment.

Don’t be a gear collector or think you need to have the latest and greatest to make good videos. No matter what camera you get, the type of content you create is only limited by your skill and creativity. So go out there and make something that inspires you and fulfills you. Grab your camera and let your creativity flow through it.