Technology
How To Choose the Best Camera For Your Video Production
May
There’s a dress for every occasion. Tuxedo in a beach party is a bad idea and “hoodies” for an annual general meeting is also a terrible pick.
In the same way, there’s a camera for every production. What’s good for livestreaming a church service is not likely a good idea for a music production. What works for a wedding ceremony may not cut it for a feature movie.
Like the Tuxedo-in-a-beach analogy, what determines your visual ‘outfit’ is not just one thing, but a combination of factors and considerations, and just because one ‘outfit’ does not work for a particular event does not mean there is necessarily something wrong with the ‘outfit’, but rather perhaps there is something wrong with the ‘choice’ made. The confusion doesn’t have to overwhelm you as we look at major types of cameras and their best adaptations and video production specs.
SMART PHONES
You mean smart phones? Yes, smart phones!
We are in exciting times where certain phone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung come with 4k video cameras. Coupled with built-in image stabilization, capturing decent footage has never been easier for users and creators.
However, while Cell phones’ cameras offer sufficient footage quality, they are not the best pick when it comes to capturing audio quality especially when the subject is far way. You may also want to think of size limitations; when shooting long videos or a huge volume of footage, there’s need for adequate storage space on your phone which might not always be available. Below is a quick-list of the advantages and disadvantages of using a cell phone.
ADVANTAGES OF USING A SMARTPHONE FOR VIDEO PRODUCTION
- Ease of use
- Ability to edit and share videos on the go
- More affordable/ budget-friendly
- Portability, without compromising good quality
DISADVANTAGES OF USING A SMARTPHONE FOR VIDEO PRODUCTION
- Poor zooming functionalities
- Difficulty in getting a most desired depth of field
- Minimal audio inputs and control features
- Limitations with dynamic range
- Poor or limited battery life
CAMCORDERS
Camcorders are nowhere close to being dead. And right now, really efficient ones that shoot 4k footages, fill the market.
With ergonomic features and diverse options for quality sound recording, camcorders are a go-to option for certain productions even if they may not deliver the kind of cinematic shallow depth of field style a videographer may need for some other range of productions.
So what are the pros and cons of Camcorders and when is it a good time to opt for them?
ADVANTAGES OF USING A CAMCORDERS FOR VIDEO PRODUCTION
- They offer continuous recording for hours
- Plug-and-play features, with ease to use
- Great autofocus functionality
- They come with XLR audio inputs and manual adjustments
- Camcorders can shoot up to 4K footage
- They offer quality auto exposure
- Longer battery life
- Some have higher-quality microphones than DSLR or mirrorless cameras
DISADVANTAGES OF USING CAMCORDERS FOR VIDEO PRODUCTION
- They come with relatively low-light recording
- Poor performance and functionalities for cinematic styles
Having known the pros and cons of camcorders and the best-choice video productions using them, the next step would be to check out the highest-quality camcorders on https://holoceneinnovations.com/product-category/professional-video/cameras/camcorders/.
DSLR & MIRRORLESS CAMERAS
Where smart phones and camcorders fail, DSLR & Mirrorless camera save the day.
With capabilities to shoot 4k slow motion videos, DSLR & Mirrorless cameras are best picks for low budget filmmakers, vloggers, documentary makers, online instructors and so on.
While DSLR & Mirrorless cameras are just perfect for the above listed category of video productions, they fall shy when the conversation tilts to production for live streamers who want to avoid dealing with complicated or confusing video set up and those who need super high quality for a professional short film. In this case, it might be better to go for digital cinema camera, which comes next in this review.
ADVANTAGES OF DSLR & MIRRORLESS CAMERAS FOR VIDEO PRODUCTION
- High-quality video recording options
- Small sizes which make them fitted for traveling and other portability needs.
- Interchangeable lenses that offer cinematic style
- Low light sensitivity which works well for shooting in low light
- Some DSLR & Mirrorless cameras can shoot in RAW formats (excellent for color correcting)
DISADVANTAGES OF DSLR & MIRRORLESS CAMERAS FOR VIDEO PRODUCTION
- Poor Autofocus functionality (though there has been more improvement in this area)
- The common problem of lack of audio inputs and controls compared to traditional video cameras
- Some DSLR & Mirrorless cameras lack video assisting tools like zebras and peaking (these work for exposure & focus)
- Some DSLR & Mirrorless cameras have a shooting time limit (i.e. 15 or 30-minute clip max)
So if you are on to your next documentary, budget-friendly films or vlogs, then it’s time to check out the DSLR/Mirrorless camera that’d bring your dreams alive. No need to go too far, we’ve got you covered on https://holoceneinnovations.com/product-category/professional-video/cameras/dslr-mirrorless-cameras/.
DIGITAL CINEMA CAMERAS
We saved the best for the last. Digital Cinema cameras are the crème de la crème when it comes to video production with high-quality, ergonomic, all-options-built-in functionalities tailor-made for documentary makers, online instructors, independent filmmakers and even high-budget A-list movie productions.
ADVANTAGES OF USING A DIGITAL CINEMA CAMERA FOR VIDEO PRODUCTION
- Top-Quality video and recording options
- Digital Cinema Cameras offer dynamic range
- They come with ability to shoot in low light
- Digital Cinema cameras shoot in RAW formats (great for color correcting)
- Better ergonomics best for handheld shooting
- They come with built-in audio inputs and controls
- They offer cinematic quality with interchangeable lens options
DISADVANTAGES OF USING A DIGITAL CINEMA CAMERA FOR VIDEO PRODUCTION
- Digital Cinema cameras are relatively pricey
- Technicality of learning how to use compared to other categories afore-mentioned
- Digital Cinema cameras are relatively heavy and may not be as travel-friendly as other categories of cameras
If you are ready to up your game with best-quality video productions, then check out some Digital Cinema cameras on https://holoceneinnovations.com/product-category/professional-video/cameras/digital-cine-cameras/.
As you make the best picks for your video production, remember that it’s not only about the tools but also about quality preparations, do well to excellently prepare for the four stages of video production as highlighted in one of our blog articles, https://holoceneinnovations.com/2023/01/14/the-four-stages-of-video-production/.
