What are the Key Features of a Filmmaking Camera and Why? There are a ton of options for filmmakers these days. Many camerasand systems offer video capture for home use, especially those on a budget. But these days, even those are good enough for quality filmmaking. To make sure that you have the best affordable camera for filmmaking, I looked at the basics first. For our reviews, I set a few arbitrary benchmarks for build quality, image quality, and ease of use. Using these, I picked a shortlist of the best cheap filmmaking cameras that can do the job at the lowest price. To give you an idea of what cameras these days are capable of, a handheld Canon 5D II was used to shoot the whole of the last season of the TV show House. While this camera is beyond the budget of this article, as I focused on cameras under $1,300, it certainly shows what’s possible. In the end, great results are because of the filmmaker and not necessarily the most expensive equipment. I was careful to look at the practical applications of the camera and how it would perform when shooting in different locations. Plus, which features were crucial and which extras would make your life easier. One thing that we cannot escape is the Big Four: Sony, Canon, Panasonic, and Nikon. The debate will rage on well into the night regarding which is better. In the end, each ‘camp’ is unshakable in devotion to their brand. I decided to cast my net in the hope that I can show the options out there without you looking too hard. I rated each camera on sensor performance, ISO/low light performance, frame rate, features, battery life, ease of use, availability of glass (lenses), and finally, overall value for money. These camera attributes are what you should look out for when choosing the best camera for low budget filmmaking: Good quality video: makes it much easier to edit your video in post-production and you don’t have to worry about re-shooting footage. Ease of use: it’s always important to be in the moment instead of fighting with the camera. Good low light performance: Not all shooting environments are equal and you will likely find yourself shooting in a low light situation at one point or another.
Good/cheap range of lenses: Different focal lengths can make a huge difference and budget are key in any project. Intuitive use: Some menu systems and custom camera button layouts are easier to set up and navigate than others. Battery life: You will definitely have those long, long shooting days and you don’t want to worry about running out of battery. The key point. If you want high quality, you need to look at a basic minimum of 1080p HD video. Lots of cameras now offer 4K UHD, so I looked at both. Extras to look out for include 4K 60 frames per second (FPS) and greater, as well as different picture profiles.