Welcome to our guide for the finest beginner’s videography cameras. Smartphones have gone a long way in recent years. However, with larger sensors, better lenses, and more creative freedom, dedicated cameras still have a lot to offer the beginner photographer or videographer. We’ve picked together all of the best beginner-friendly alternatives in one helpful list, whether you’re seeking to enhance your snaps, video abilities, or both.
But first, let’s talk about the types of cameras that you are going to choose from so that you better understand your needs:
There are majorly four types of cameras.
- DSLR- A DSLR camera is a digital camera with a single lens that allows light to enter the camera and be reflected either upwards or downwards into the viewfinder.
The mirror pops up out of the way when you push the shutter to snap the shot. The shutter then glides open, allowing light from the lens to travel straight to the image sensor, registering it as a photograph. This explains the acronym’s “SLR” part. Instead of utilising 35mm film, digital refers to the digital sensor.
- Mirrorless-A digital camera with no reflex mirror is known as a mirrorless camera (the major component of the DSLR, which reflects the light up to the viewfinder). There is no optical viewfinder with a mirrorless camera, and the image sensor is constantly exposed to light.
It displays a preview of the image on the electronic viewfinder (EVF), often an LCD screen on the camera’s rear.
- Point and shoot- A point-and-shoot camera, often known as a small camera and abbreviated as P&S, is a still camera designed for ease of use. Most feature built-in flash units and employ focus free lenses or autofocus for focusing. They also have automated systems for adjusting exposure settings and have focus free lenses or autofocus for focusing. People who do not consider themselves photographers but prefer easy-to-use cameras for pictures of vacations, parties, reunions, and other occasions use them for vernacular photography.
- Digital camcorders-A lens captures and focuses light, an imager turns light into an electrical signal, and a recorder translates electrical signals into digital video and encodes them for storage.
Camcorders, sometimes known as video recorders or video cameras, were popular in the early 1980s. Professional videographers and filmmakers use camcorders to create commercial video segments and films. Amateur videographers are also fans of the gadgets.
Now let’s get started with the top 10 best videography cameras for beginners, we’ve made sure they’re in all budget ranges, so if you are a beginner who doesn’t want to spend a ton, you’re in the right place.
NikonD300
Key Feature
- 24.2 MP DX-format (APS-C) sensor
- Expeed 4 processor
- Fixed 3.0″ 921k-dot LCD
- 1080/60p HD video
- 5 fps continuous shooting
- 700 shot battery life
- ISO range up to 12800 (25600 with expansion)
Pros
It has Optical Built-in Viewfinder along with 51 Focus Points
922k dots LCD Resolution
6.0fps Shooting
Good Battery Life
Environmental Sealing
It also provides Timelapse Recording
Top LCD Display
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)
High Life Expectancy – 150000 cycles
Magnesium alloy body elements make build quality a lot better
It is also budget-friendly you can get it for around 400$.
Cons
No wi-fi connection
The body is a bit heavy
Low light performance is cheap
Sensor resolution is now (12.0MP)
Face detection focus is unavailable.
Our Verdicts:
According to my personal experience, this camera is an entry point in wildlife photography or videography. Buttons on the camera instead of a navigator make navigation between different modes easy and quick. Its ability to capture up to 8 frames per second further compliments its ability to click quick and precise shots. Although 14 years old, it still ticks all the boxes of today’s photography standard.
The Nikon D300 has better colour compositions, better highlights, shadows and even sharper pictures than most of the cameras available in the same range; the battery life is pretty good. The thing that you are going to struggle with while filming is that this camera doesn’t have auto stabilization.
Canon Rebel EOS T7
Key Features
- 24.1MP, APS-C sensor size (22.3 x 14.9 mm)
- 3.72 µm square pixel unit
- 3:2 aspect ratio
- Canon EF lens mount
- JPEG and RAW 14-bit
- Eye-level SLR viewfinder
- TTL autofocus with 9 AF points
- ISO range 100-6,400 (12,800 expanded)
- Shutter speed range from 1/4000 to 30 seconds
- Exposure compensation: AEB -/+ 3 stops in 1/3 increments
- Maximum full HD video resolution, 30 fps
- 3.0-inch LCD, 920,000 pixels
- Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity
- Size: 5.08 x 3.99 x 3.06 inches
- Weight: 15.06 oz.
Pros
Excellent image quality
Realistic colours and fantastic sharpness in the scene
popup flash unit
Good ergonomics
Solid build quality
Autofocus in videos responds well
The button layout and size are good; it is not very heavy.
Cons
Limited speed in burst mode.
Not enough upgrades from its predecessor
The LCD screen has a 4:3 aspect ratio, while the image sensor’s aspect ratio is 3:2.
No tilt or touch features on the LCDs are available.
Our Verdict
This camera is said to be one of the best cameras in its price point because of the sensor; it shares the same sensor cannon80D, a premium Canon product. It is excellent for casual photography, and it captures beautifully because of its superb colour grading. However, it lacks a bit when it comes to capturing movements or taking rapid shots due to its shutter speed being 3fps and lacks a bit in shallow light situations. Overall, it’s a good camera at its price point for casual photography and videography.
Panasonic HC-V180K
Key features
- Full HD 1080p recording50x Stabilized Optical Zoom and 90x Intelligent Zoom
- 1/5.8-Inch BSI Sensor
- 28mm Wide-Angle Lens
- Touch screen LCD
- Star2-Channel Zoom Microphone
- Star-Level Shot Function.
Pros
Image stabilisation in such a low-cost camera
Improved lens and microphone.
Very light, easy to start making blogs from
AVCHD recording at 28 Mbps is now available
Built-in Wi-Fi
The time-lapse feature is pretty cool.
Cons
Lacks manual control
The live video streaming option is unavailable.
Sony Alpha A-6000
Key features
- 24.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
- Bionz X image processor
- Hybrid AF system with 25 contrast-detect
- Built-in flash
- ISO 100-25600
- 11 fps continuous shooting along with subject-tracking
- 3-inch tilting LCD
- OLED electronic viewfinder with 1.44M dots
- Area-specific noise reduction
- Full HD video recording at 1080/60p and 24p; clean HDMI output
- Wi-Fi with NFC capability
- 4.72W x 2.63H x 1.78D in.
- 10.05 oz (Body Only) / 12.13 oz (With battery and media)
Pros
Very fast autofocus
Amazing ISO image quality
Sharp OLED EVF
Tilting display
In body flash and multifunction hot shoe
Wi-Fi with NFC
1080p60 video capture for amazing video quality
AF speed
Very high-resolution sensor
It is one of the best budget mirrorless cameras.
Cons
Slow start-up
No touchscreen
The silent shutter option is not there
Lacks analogue mic input
No miniature effects.
Our verdict
Sony a6000’s camera came out seven years ago but is still a great choice when it comes to entry-level DSLRs because of its amazing specs. It’s an ideal choice for sports or wildlife photography as it has a shutter speed of 11fps. And It has decent colour grading, but the processors are a bit lagging. It has reliable autofocus of 179 focus points. Overall, this is a decent product at its price point.
FUJI X-M1
Key features
- 16.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS Sensor
- Includes 16-50mm XC Lens
- 3.0″ 920k-dot LCD Tilt Monitor
- Built-in wi-fi Connectivity
- Full HD 1080p Video with Stereo Sound
- Focal Plane Shutter
- 100-25600 ISO Sensitivities
- Magnesium Alloy Body
Pros
Built-in Wireless (wi-fi)
Articulating Screen
Face Detection Focusing
49 Focus Points
920k dots LCD Resolution
6.0fps Shooting
330g Light Body
Flash Sync Port
Compatible with fast UHS-I cards
Cons
low battery life
Sensor shift Image Stabilization feature is not there
No Touch Screen
No Built-in Viewfinder or external viewfinder.
Our reviews
It’s a pretty old but a good camera. It’s a small camera. Hence, it’s handy and convenient to carry. Its built is plasticky and cheap and does not have satisfactory responsive buttons. The shutter is lagging. But that’s where the cons end. This has an old sensor but still produces high-end 4k pictures, 49 focus points, and reliable autofocus.it is great for capturing landscapes plus, it has a pretty flexible flash which can bend backwards to several degrees, making it ideal for low light photography.
Nikon z6ii
Key features
- 24MP full-frame BSI-CMOS sensor
- Continuous shooting up to 14 fps
- Full-sensor UHD 4K video
- Two card slots (1x CF express/XQD, 1x UHS-II SD)
- 3.69M-dot EVF
- Tilting 2.1M-dot touchscreen
- USB-C socket for powering the camera
- Battery rating of 410 (LCD) shots per charge
- Connectors allow battery grip with portrait orientation.
Pros
Amazing video and image quality
Polished handling
5-axis IS system
14fps burst shooting
Best-in-class build quality.
Cons
Other, more sophisticated AF systems
It’s a tilt-angle display, not a variable-angle display.
Our verdict
It’s a great camera at its price point. With higher fps and autofocus on point, it’s great for wildlife and high-octane sports photography. It’s great for low light photography as well as studio conditions. The main highlight is the two processors in this camera; it can produce amazingly high-resolution pictures.
Panasonic Lumix G7
Key features
- f=14mm to 42mm 35mm camera equivalent 28mm to 84mm
- 16 MP effective pixels
- Wide angle with face detection
- Live MOS sensor 17.3 x 13.0 mm
- OLED Live View Finder 2,360k dots
- Approx. 1.4x / 0.7x 35mm camera equivalent with 50 mm lens at infinity -1.0 m-1 viewfinder magnification
- TFT LCD 3-inch display
Pros
Generally, very good image quality
Very good high ISO performance
Excellent handgrip
Superb EVF
Responsive touchscreen display
The electronic shutter enables silent shooting and fast shutter speeds
4K video/4K Photo
Cons
In 4K picture settings, processing rates might be quicker.
The top plate, dials, and buttons are all made of plastic.
EVF previews are low resolution in 4K picture mode.
Burst mode slows down to 6.6 fps when shooting a RAW file.
Our verdict
This is a great camera for budding videographers and photographers, given that it’s a quality product that is budget-friendly with specs such as 4k footage shooting in 24 and 30 fps. The built quality is solid button response is good and interacting with it and changing the settings in the menu is pretty easy. Overall, it’s a user-friendly camera, and you can have a lot of fun capturing moments with it.
Go Pro Hero Session
Key features
Pros
- 1 x USB Micro-B For charging/file transfer
- Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack, 3.8 VDC, 1030 mAh
- Supports 1080p60 / 1440p30 (4:3) Video
- Capture 8MP Still Photos
- Ultra-Wide-Angle Glass Lens + Super View
- Waterproof to 33.’
- weighing just 2.6 ounces
- 1080p video up to 60 fps.
Pros
Compact, low-profile design, very light
easy-to-use, always-on operation.
Great video quality.
Improved audio.
Waterproof without bulky housing.
Cons
There’s no live recording preview
Quite expensive.
Our verdict
This is an action camera so it will be used in not such pleasant conditions as well; well, it’s no wonder it’s built tough to withstand these conditions with a rubber-coated body. It is waterproof and can go up to 10mtrs deep underwater with it. It has standard specs for its price point, such as 1080pixels and high-resolution videos. Its one-button interaction is quick and convenient. hence all that said, it’s pretty overpriced at its price point but a decent product nerveless which does the job well.
Pentax K-70
Key features
- Actual resolution: 24.7 Megapixel Effective: 24.2 Megapixel (6000 x 4000)
- 23.5 x 15.6 mm (APS-C) CMOS sensor type
- Electronic Front Curtain Shutter 1/6000 to 30 Seconds
- 100 to 204,800 iso
- -5 to +5 EV (1/3, 1/2 EV Steps) exposure
- 14-bit depth with 3:2 aspect ratio
- Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 50i/59.94i Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 24.00p/25p/29.97p HD (1280 x 720) at 50p/59.94p recording modes
- 921,000 Dot resolution LCD display
- Automatic and manual focus
Pros
Excellent still image quality, especially when shooting Raw
Weather sealed
Class-leading lowlight AF
100% coverage optical finder
Built-in Wi-Fi
Solid build quality
Cons
Slow kit lens
Disappointing continuous autofocus in video
Out of date autofocus system
Small RAW buffer
Poor JPEG compression
No wireless flash controls.
Our reviews
This camera has an amazing picture quality for its budget, and it has an excellent colour range; it produces a sharp image. It’s pretty solidly built for its price point and is value for money.
Canon PowerShot G7x Mark II
Key features
- 20.1MP 1″ CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC 7 Image Processor4.2x Optical Zoom f/1.8-f/2.8 Lens
- 24-100mm (35mm Equivalent)
- 3.0″ 1.04m-Dot Tilting LCD Touchscreen
- Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps
- Built-In Wi-Fi
- ISO 12800, up to 8 fps Shooting
- Intelligent Image Stabilization
- Manual Control Ring
- Time-Lapse Movie
Pros
Good colours and sharpness
Low light photography exceeds expectations
Easy to use
Good battery life
Good built quality
Cons
Autofocus performance has a few weak areas
Fine details lack definition.
Conclusion
Take reference of this guide to find the correct match for you a camera that even as a beginner satisfies you in every aspect of photography or videography you try. I hope this helps.
Feel free to drop questions or reviews of these cameras.
