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DSLR FOR FILMING - any ideas on a cheap but good camera for filming movies?

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Original post by coltforty5
I know this article is older, but what did you end up buying?

I'm looking for a new camera around the next few months probably during black friday.

I was reading this article https://thetechreviewer.com/tech-tips/what-is-the-best-dslr-for-video/

They are saying mirrorless is better than DSLRs for filmmaking? I do like the idea of the compact size and advanced features for the price but have always wanted a Canon in the past. I'm thinking maybe I should instead go with the a6300?


With cameras there is no single "best", it all depends on individual needs relative to budget to see which ecosystem best suits you. How much are you looking to spend and what sort of video work do you want to do?
You can do a lot with very little now - and my feeling is it's as much fun to do what you can with whatever you have. The best filmakers made their early amateur films with whatever they had. Spielberg made his debut films on handheld 8mm.

On Jason Bourne, the DPs used sub £1000 Blackmagics.

Gareth Evans shot parts of The Raid 2 using a GoPro.
Original post by Trinculo
You can do a lot with very little now - and my feeling is it's as much fun to do what you can with whatever you have. The best filmakers made their early amateur films with whatever they had. Spielberg made his debut films on handheld 8mm.

On Jason Bourne, the DPs used sub £1000 Blackmagics.

Gareth Evans shot parts of The Raid 2 using a GoPro.


Not to be a party pooper, but both of the modern era instances you've mentioned were used for high-speed car chase/crash sequences, where the frenetic action ane quick cut nature of the end scenes means small, light and inexpensive cameras were more appropriate. Both films shot the overwhelming majority of footage on industry standard hear from the likes of Arri and RED, which are famously expensive. If anyone attempted to shoot a significant portion of Hollywood-tier film on a GoPro, you'd very quickly notice. This isn't really an example of making the most of what they had, because what they had were the budgets of an international film productions that let them use any gear they wanted for each particular scene.

I'm not saying anyone wanting to start filmmaking needs to sell a kidney for a RED Weapon and its $1000+ battery packs, just that this isn't exactly an illustration of filmmakers crafting modern cinema-grade productions from frugal gear and that the available options for a given budget should be properly considered to ensure the buyer is getting what they need.
(edited 6 years ago)

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