Choosing a Camera

The most exciting developments in the digital filmmaking world today center around the camera. From DSLRs that can cost under $1,000 and offer an image quality to rival $20,000 video cameras to digital cinema camcorders like the RED One that shoots

film-quality 4K video to specialty cameras like Panasonic’s consumer-grade 3D camcorder, the options for digital filmmakers continue to grow.

But with so many different cameras on the market, how do you figure out what’s right for you?

Evaluating a Camera

The most important thing to know when evaluating a camera is that there’s no one single spec that defines overall quality. A good camera is dependent on many different components and specifications.

For example, that tiny HD camcorder that offers 720p seems like a steal when compared to a larger, more complicated camera like the JVC model shown in Figure 4.14, which also offers 720p. You might think “This is great! I can shoot with the camcorder, and it will look the same as that big fancy camera—after all they are both 720p.” We hate to burst your bubble, but it will not look the same, because image quality depends on much more than just pixel count.

All cameras are not created equal and understanding the features and trade-offs of different cameras is essential to selecting a camera and using it to its full potential.

In this chapter, we’ll explain the various features and functions of digital video cameras, with details of how these features work, and guidelines for evaluating and selecting the right camera for your project. Be aware that this chapter goes hand in hand with Chapter 7, “Using the Camera,” and Chapter 10, “DSLRs and Other Advanced Shooting Situations.” Here we cover the “what” and “why,” and in those chapters, we cover the “how.”

Choosing a camera is a process of weighing three factors: image quality, price, and features. Some feature filmmakers will be most concerned about image quality and the ability to record 24p, particularly if they are planning on digital projection. Other filmmakers might value portability and a low profile over image quality. And others might have special needs, like the ability to shoot underwater or record at high frame rates for true slow motion.

As a rule, the more consumer-oriented the camera, the less control you’ll have over how it shoots because consumer-grade cameras are designed for the casual shooter and most manufacturers sacrifice control for ease of use. And there’s a good reason for that—shooting with a full-featured camera can be pretty complicated. Professional-grade cameras offer total control, but there is a much steeper learning curve before you will be comfortable using these cameras.

Although we will mention a few cameras by name in this chapter, the goal of this section is to give you the information and techniques you need to evaluate a camera on your own.

Whether you’re buying or renting, if you consider the questions raised here, you should be well prepared to make a shrewd camera choice.