cinematography My first 'movie' camera

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gaofto

Hi everyone,
I'm a newbie in filmmaking that's why even though I have had a camera which I used for different kinds of photographing I have no clue what kind of camera I'll need for filmmaking nor about the lenses. My budget is MAX 750$ and I'll be very grateful to everyone who can help me with this tough decision.
 
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Can your camera shoot video?
If yes: use it to shoot video :)
Have fun, try things and if you bump into the limitations of the camera: get creative. And remember those limitations: it might show you in the direction of the camera you need :-)
 
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(What is a bridge camera?)

What kind of things do you want to make?
Did you ever made a video before?
If no: go play around with your smartphone (or borrow a camera from a friend) to try filmmaking.
See whether it is as cool as you think it is, to see whether it gives you energy, before spending money on a camera. :)

(16 years ago my first endeavours where shot with a crappy webcam on a resolution less than 1/16 of HD at 14fps. I loved it and still do. :) )
 
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gaofto said:
Hi everyone,
I'm a newbie in filmmaking that's why even though I have had a camera which I used for different kinds of photographing I have no clue what kind of camera I'll need for filmmaking nor about the lenses. My budget is MAX 750$ and I'll be very grateful to everyone who can help me with this tough decision.
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The Canon Rebel t5 with the 10-55mm lens is a great starter camera.
 
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directorik said:
The Canon Rebel t5 with the 10-55mm lens is a great starter camera.
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the canon rebel is great for a starter camera.

I would recommend you consider a used t2i or t3i instead of a newer more current model. You could nab it at half the price and save a couple hundred dollars. if you're worried about damage or a dirty sensor or anything then don't buy a camera that lacks a return policy. get one, test it, be happy.

Honestly just having a camera , any camera, that can take video is a big step forward. it's very easy to get caught up in the gear and be paralyzed about making a decision.
 
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sfoster said:
the canon rebel is great for a starter camera.

I would recommend you consider a used t2i or t3i instead of a newer more current model. You could nab it at half the price and save a couple hundred dollars. if you're worried about damage or a dirty sensor or anything then don't buy a camera that lacks a return policy. get one, test it, be happy.

Honestly just having a camera , any camera, that can take video is a big step forward. it's very easy to get caught up in the gear and be paralyzed about making a decision.
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What this guy just said.

However, it takes a while to 'believe.' The more skilful I get with filming, the more I know that shooting on a iPhone is absolutely fine.
 
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The best camera is the one you can steal, the second best is the one you can borrow and the third best is the cheapest HD model (don't ever shoot on tape). Guys spend their entire creative life obsessing about the equipment and what's the "best".

No one will walk out of a theater because the film looks terrible. It's never happened.

Focus on character and story and let everyone else worry about the details.
 
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shortboy said:
Story and characters first, equipment last.

You can have the best equipment in the world, but if you don't know how to utilize it then there's no point.
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A good point. But you didn't answer the question.

Assume for a moment that he has a story and characters and now needs
a camera to learn with. do you have a recommendation?
 
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If you have a smart phone, a simple purchase of FiLMic Pro app ($9.99) will allow your smart phone to shoot HD video at varying frame rates including 24p. For someone just starting out this could be a cheap option to explore. Once you get more comfortable, one of the cameras in the Canon Rebel series would be a great fit.

Always remember that cameras, like other equipment, are just tools. Your movie won't be good or bad based on what you film on. The most important part of any film or video is the script which strangely enough is the most affordable tool there is.
 
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gaofto said:
thanks a lot man but what would you say about Lumix G6
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The camera is a solid tool within your price range. I don't believe it has a headphone jack to monitor audio. That's a good time to point out that if you get serious about filmmaking/video production you are going to want to invest in solid audio equipment. A great looking film without great audio can be unwatchable no matter how interesting the subject matter is.
 
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JayRuz said:
The camera is a solid tool within your price range. I don't believe it has a headphone jack to monitor audio. That's a good time to point out that if you get serious about filmmaking/video production you are going to want to invest in solid audio equipment. A great looking film without great audio can be unwatchable no matter how interesting the subject matter is.
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Does it mean rather yes or no compared to 700D, actually want i am really looking for is a camera with a retro look which can also make a good video-something like Fuji's models but as I know they are not very much into video- correct me if I am wrong

P.S-Sorry again for my bad english
 
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gaofto said:
Does it mean rather yes or no compared to 700D, actually want i am really looking for is a camera with a retro look which can also make a good video-something like Fuji's models but as I know they are not very much into video- correct me if I am wrong

P.S-Sorry again for my bad english
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They are both solid tools within your price range. Both can shoot HD video at24p. I don't believe there is a headphone jack on either model to monitor audio. You will want to invest in audio. I don't know what you mean by "retro" look but if you are looking for stylized video, you would maybe want to invest in vintage lenses and learn color grading. Making a good video comes from an interesting script/idea, good video, good audio, proper lighting, editing, color correction/grading, etc. Neither camera will make your video good by itself, but they are one of many tools that will help. :)
 
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directorik said:
A good point. But you didn't answer the question.

Assume for a moment that he has a story and characters and now needs
a camera to learn with. do you have a recommendation?
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You're right in that I completely left that part out haha.

The only reason I didn't mention any is because I once saw a 30min short that had wonderful production, good lighting, good audio, good camera, but the story and characters were so bad that I was bored and frustrated out of my mind while watching it. It was one of those conceptual type of shorts that virtually had no dialogue and had you try to look for some sort of deeper meaning.

Now, for an actual answer, I personally use a Canon 60D while using an external audio setup. But I would also recommend any of the other models that were already mentioned in this thread. The kit lenses is always something good to work with. Unfortunately, all of those cameras by itself are horrible at capturing audio. If you're looking for something decent then anything from the Rode Mic series is enough to do job. Not great, but passable.
 
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I personally use, Nikon D750 for my videos.It gives me sharp images.For a good start you you might wanna invest in Canon 70d.It may be a bit pricey but the features are immaculate.
 
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there is no such thing like "a perfect camera". a camera must fit your needs, and work in a way you like. i personally own 2 kameras, a canon 5dmk2 and a lumix gh-2. i would not recommend either of these cameras today, but the point is. one camera (5D) has a large sensor and it can shoot raw, the other (gh-2) has a very small sensor, is a very tiny and lightweight camera, and has a clean hdmi out. these features have different advantages and disadvantages. both cameras are in this "dslr category", i don't like camcorders, but the fact that i don't like them does not mean that they are not good or that they don't have advantages over dslr kind of cameras. maybe for your needs a camcorder would be a perfect fit, maybe not. none of us can tell.

so if you don't care about camera details, buy a canon rebel or a sony a6000 or what ever camera fits your budget, coz honestly, they are all really good. but if you care, then spend a little time to find out what all these technical differences mean, and ask yourself what are the important features you want to see and what kind of movies do you shoot. it will not lead to a better camera, but to a better fit for you.

find out what sensor size means, find out what flange distance means, find out what the difference between a camcorder and a dslr is. find out about auto vs manual focus etc. when you have answered these questions and know what is important for you, you will not ask for what camera to buy anymore, coz then there are not many left. ;-)
 
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