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Which camera is the best for beginner in movie making?

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Dragoslav Lazic

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Hi Guys,
I am beginner and have no idea about working with camera. But I love moviemaking and wold love to start with it.

I need a very good camera for low budget.

Which camera would you take as beginner ?
 
I'd just pick up a used canon DSLR, like a t2i (like $250) or a 5D Mark II (around $800-1200), contingent on your budget. I'd start with a 50mm lens. Great focal length.

With either of those cams, you have full manual control which will aide you in getting a better understanding of frame-rates, shutter speeds, ISO, f-stops, etc. This and many other forums across the net are great resources for all things related to digital cinema.
 
Black Magic pocket camera or cinema camera is a nice start. Very good image quality for its price.Panasonic Gh4 or Canon DSLRs with MagicLantern installed are not bad either
 
With 3000$ I would get a GH4, Metabone Speed Booster (Canon version), and a set of Rokinon Cine lenses. But, that still doesn't cover audio. If, you need to get into audio then switch out the GH4 for the t2i or t3i. and pick up a rode mic.

Oops...pretty much exactly what Jean said!
 
Honestly the biggest shortcoming for most new Filmmakers is sound. Any of the above cameras will do, but I'd also recommend a zoom H6, a boom pole, and a short shotgun mic if you can fit it into your budget. Using a mic on the camera is the worst thing you can do for anything other than scratch sound. A hypercardioid is probably better indoors but if I could only have one mic, then a short shotgun would be it.
 
Craig W. Bickerstaff said:
An a7s would be good because you could eventually get XLR add on and get some good audio going into it, it's also got killer low light quality.
Click to expand...

Yes..A7s is the b-camera people are using. They used it on Paranormal Activity 5 as security camera footage and the director and 3 other people on set also went and bought them. A7s can even film Aurora Borealis at 25,600 ASA no noise reduction...has any camera ever been able to do this..?

 
The best camera for a beginner is the one in your hand, your cellphone. You should be able to make compelling pieces with it. My buddy's iPhone video was featured in a Guggenheim museum exhibit. Spend the 3k on writing classes and studying story. Make 5 short movies a week using your phone and iMovie. When more people than you friends want to watch your movies then think about a camera. By then you'll know what you should have.

If you read this advice and think you know better, don't waist you time trying to be a filmmaker. You don't have it.
 
Panasonic FZ1000
Panasonic GH4
Sony RX10
Sony A5100
Sony A7S

In your case I'd suggest RX10 with Atomos and spend everything else on books and courses.
 
Chris Henze said:
The best camera for a beginner is the one in your hand, your cellphone. You should be able to make compelling pieces with it. My buddies iPhone video was featured in a Guggenheim museum exhibit. Spend the 3k on writing classes and studying story. Make 5 short movies a week using your phone and iMovie. When more people than you friends want to watch your movies then think about a camera. By then you'll know what you should have.

If you read this advice and think you know better, don't waist you time trying to be a filmmaker. You don't have it.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more. Stop thinking tech and start thinking story. Unless you want to be a cinematographer, the tech is unimportant at this stage, especially with so much of it available. And the suggestion to use a phone camera is a good one.
 
Or get the most complicated USED camera you can afford. Assuming you will make this your life's vocation, then you are probably going to step up to finer equipment quickly as success/finances dictate. You don't learn to fly a Dreamliner in a Piper Cub. You do that in a simulator when you've become Instrument Rated in medium level aircraft (this is not necessarily a real-world example... just a metaphor of sorts to make a point.)
 
Chris Henze said:
The best camera for a beginner is the one in your hand, your cellphone. You should be able to make compelling pieces with it. My buddy's iPhone video was featured in a Guggenheim museum exhibit. Spend the 3k on writing classes and studying story. Make 5 short movies a week using your phone and iMovie. When more people than you friends want to watch your movies then think about a camera. By then you'll know what you should have.
Click to expand...
best advice,
but chances are you won't be listening
 
Dragoslav Lazic said:
I am beginner and have no idea about working with camera. But I love moviemaking and wold love to start with it. I need a very good camera for low budget. Which camera would you take as beginner ?
Click to expand...
Get a Canon 7D. I think last year's models are down to maybe $1200 with a basic lens. That will help you learn all the basics on camera movement, composition, focus, exposure, and so on. You can still tell great stories on something as basic as this camera in 1080 HD. A great camera will not make the story or lighting any better; for that, you need time and experience.
 
I'd get a hacked gh2 for a few hundred bucks. It's the best bang for the buck out there.
 
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