Buying a Starter Camera for Filming


kaisheng1991

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Dec 7, 2017
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BUKIT PANJANG
Hello everybody! I’m new to the community and I need some help... I’m looking for a starter camera to film videos in. I did some research, and the camera that appears on most budget filmmakers list is the Panasonic GH series. Was thinking to get a GH2 or GH3, but I can’t find these in the major retailers in Singapore, or online.

Can someone tell me where I should visit to look for these cameras? Or any other recommendations you guys might have for me?

Thank you in advance!
 

I see... then are there any alternatives to the GH2 and gh3?

Hi Kaisheng. You did not specify what sort of videos you will be making so I'm going to recommend based on your interest in the GH2 and GH3. What makes these two cameras very, very, very special is that they DO NOT have a 30 minute recording limit in video mode. You can record a clip for as long as your memory card has space or until the battery dies.

If that is the main reason for choosing the GH2 and GH3, then you will be happy with a GH4 , GH5 , the FZ2500 or the BlackMagic Pocket Cinema. Other cameras recently on offer in the marketplace section that have no recording limit are the Panasonic AF102 and the Sony VG900 camcorders. But note that these camcorders are much larger than mirroless/DSLRs and will not fit on single grip gimbals.

Personally, I loved the GH2 because of it's size. So much so, I was willing to overlook many of its shortcomings.
Today, the closest (but better) 'clone' of the GH2 is the Canon EOS M5. Let me explain:

Size and feature wise the GH2 and the EOS M5 are almost identical.
The M5 has all the video features of the GH2 except for "unlimited clip length"
Neither has a headphone port which I feel is their single biggest weakness.
But where the M5 wins is Canon's Dual Pixel Autofocus.
DPAF is the most tried and tested autofocus system in video today and works brilliantly on the M5.
The M5 also has very powerful electronic image stabilisation when you use an autofocus EF, EF-S or EF-M lens. (will not work with manual lenses)
If you enjoy shooting handheld, you will love the IBIS. In combination with lenses with optical stabilisation the result is nothing short of 'tripod-like'
The only time when I wished I had bought a Canon EOS 80D instead is when I want to record audio but the M5 does not have a headphone port.
That said, the 80D does not have the M5's EVF and the E-IBIS function. So that is a big toss-up between the M5 and 80D.

If you shoot a lot of interviews, the 80D will be the better choice.

Again, my recommendations are based purely on conjecture and I'm curious to know what ar the real reasons for your interest in the GH2 and GH3.
 

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Thanks for your help! Let me read through the message in detail late after work!

Actually I’ve been editing videos since I was young, but I have no formal training. I stopped for a while when I entered the workforce, thinking to pick up the hobby again by filming random videos and and maybe pickup a few freelance jobs along the way!

I hope that answers your question.. because right now I have no idea what I’ll be filming yet.. Just wanted a camera that scales well as time pass and as I start working on some small projects!
 

Just read what you have wrote! Thank you so much it really is so informative! I visited courts just to get a ballpark figure on the cost, the sales person mentioned that EOS M6 is similar to M5 and is much cheaper! I think M6 is the top choice now!
 

Just read what you have wrote! Thank you so much it really is so informative! I visited courts just to get a ballpark figure on the cost, the sales person mentioned that EOS M6 is similar to M5 and is much cheaper! I think M6 is the top choice now!

I have the M6 too, and yes, the deal is fabulous now. But skip the kit lens.
Best 4 lenses for the M6/M5 are

EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 ( general purpose with good low light and hohum bokeh - if you buy only one lens, this is it.)
EOS-M 11-22mm f4-5.6mm (lightweight wide angle AF for gimbal use)
Tamron EF-S 18-400mm f4-6.3 (The 'miss-nothing' lens in any reasonably well-lit venue)
Tamron 35mm f1.8 (super steady stabilised nifty fifty with good bokeh)
 

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Why not a GH4 then, used or new old stock? But costs more than the M5/6 though.

By the way, I still have a GH1. Have to dig it out somewhere and see if it still works. Let me know if you are interested.
 

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GH4 sensor in a gopro form factor for USD249
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1203955-REG/z_camera_e1cam3a701_e1_mini_4k_video.html
Z camera E1
[video=youtube;YVUy7qe6im8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVUy7qe6im8[/video]
Good with the ClearView loupeless loupe
P09-0824-162438-44405.jpg

P09-0824-162412-44403.jpg
 

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Weird! For some reason my post wasn’t posted! Thanks for the help guys! I looked around the major retailers for a rough price! Will visit some smaller shops to see if they can throw in more goodies at the same price!