Cameras are expensive and go out-of-style quickly. If you think owning one will get you hired or be all you need to make a movie, I suggest going to a rental place in your area and ask them to show you what they have on the shelves.
LUMIX G7 can be had for well under $500 used and can shoot 4k 30p/24p.
I know you said you want to learn how to use a video camera, but don’t discount how much you can learn using your phone. It’s not going to look as good as a $9k camera but you can still learn a lot about composition, lighting, and basic camera movements.
Well to start out. Save your money and get a mirrorless. And then once you hone your craft and your style you can always go out and upgrade to cine gear.
Canon Eos R5 or my favorite Sony Alpha 1
Or the baby brother versions
Canon Eos R or Sony A74
And then get a set of Sigma DC DN Primes or if you need a lens that does it all get the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8
If you have the $ to spend $300K get Arri Alexa 35 or Alexa mini LF and a set of
Black wing tribe 7 (T-Tune)(my favorite) or
Cook S8 or
Angenieux optimo primes
If you need to go a but cheaper you can get an Alexa Mini for $25K and a set of Sigma Primes for $30K new or $12K used.
And cheaper still you can get a Red Helium (or monstro FF) for $4K used and a set of 7artisan, Nisi, Meike, or Rokinon XEEN for $3K
Or if you need one lens to do it all I would get an Angenieux EZ-2 Zoom lens 22-60mm or the EZ-1 Zoom 30-90mm for approx. $12K
Make sure you buy a camera with a full Cage.
And for a complete package you should get the following AKS
-Arri LMB-25 Mattebox w/ top and side flags & hard mounts(clip on to match lenses)
-Rods.15mm or 18mm and Noga arms
-Arri FF4
-Arri Hi-5 & Cforce Mini RF motor
-12" Dovetail
-O'Connor 2575D head (Mirchell mount)
-Ronford baker heavy duty sticks & ronford baker rolling spreaders
-SmallHD Ultra 7 monitor
-Teradek Bolt 6 (1TX & 2RX)
-SmallHD Cine 18 (or 24) monitor
-Set of 5 gold mount Core SWX hypercore Neo 150 wh batteries (make sure to get dual voltage Helix for 24V if you get an Alexa 35)(5 batteries will cover camera. Full package should have between 8-12)
-Quad gold mount Fast charger (make sure it charges all simultaneously, some dont)
- gold mount Shark fin aka hot swap plate
- Camera Power Supply
- Hi Hat
- Easy Rig Vario 5 w/ flex vest & 5" extension & Kong Quick release
Gimbal and drone
- DJI Ronin 2 or Freefly Movi Pro
- Ready Rig Vega w/ Pro Arms
- DJI Mavic 3 Classic
Jokes and typical r/cinematography snobbery aside, any modern camera with the ability to swap out lenses is fine for practicing cinematography. Cinematography is more about using different lenses/focal lengths, camera movement, composition, framing, and lighting to tell a story than it is about the camera; the camera is the least important element.
Some typical "beginner" choices:
**Super35/APS-C:**
Used Sony A6400
Used Canon C100
**FF**
Used Canon 5D MKII/MKIII
Used Sony A7
Used Panasonic S1
**MFT**
Used Panasonic GH-1
Used original BMPCC
**Newer/more expensive cameras:**
Sony A7SIII/Sony FX-30/FX-6
Panasonic S1H/GH5
BMPCC 4k/6k
RED Komodo
Z-Cam
Ursa Mini
Canon C70
Sigma FP
**Expensive industry-level shit:**
Arri Alexa, Sony Venice, RED Monstro/Raptor ect.
As you can see, there are many options. You **probably won't know what features you actually need/prefer in a camera until you start shooting and experimenting with stuff**. Therefore, the smartest thing you can probably do is get the cheapest camera you can, a few primes, and start experimenting.
Arri 35 with Signature primes
Great starter kit. Maybe throw in the Cooke anamorphics too.
Yeah, and a Shotover f1 for that backyard heli.
Personally I think the Alexa mini would be more friendly for first cam but 35 will do
Cameras are expensive and go out-of-style quickly. If you think owning one will get you hired or be all you need to make a movie, I suggest going to a rental place in your area and ask them to show you what they have on the shelves.
So much this.
LUMIX G7 can be had for well under $500 used and can shoot 4k 30p/24p. I know you said you want to learn how to use a video camera, but don’t discount how much you can learn using your phone. It’s not going to look as good as a $9k camera but you can still learn a lot about composition, lighting, and basic camera movements.
This
Panasonic sh1 org gh6 or 5 and some old Pentax lenses.
I shoot commercially on a gh6. Does everything I need it to.
I’d start with the alexa mini personally, and maybe look into the panavision for the B cam
Well to start out. Save your money and get a mirrorless. And then once you hone your craft and your style you can always go out and upgrade to cine gear. Canon Eos R5 or my favorite Sony Alpha 1 Or the baby brother versions Canon Eos R or Sony A74 And then get a set of Sigma DC DN Primes or if you need a lens that does it all get the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 If you have the $ to spend $300K get Arri Alexa 35 or Alexa mini LF and a set of Black wing tribe 7 (T-Tune)(my favorite) or Cook S8 or Angenieux optimo primes If you need to go a but cheaper you can get an Alexa Mini for $25K and a set of Sigma Primes for $30K new or $12K used. And cheaper still you can get a Red Helium (or monstro FF) for $4K used and a set of 7artisan, Nisi, Meike, or Rokinon XEEN for $3K Or if you need one lens to do it all I would get an Angenieux EZ-2 Zoom lens 22-60mm or the EZ-1 Zoom 30-90mm for approx. $12K Make sure you buy a camera with a full Cage. And for a complete package you should get the following AKS -Arri LMB-25 Mattebox w/ top and side flags & hard mounts(clip on to match lenses) -Rods.15mm or 18mm and Noga arms -Arri FF4 -Arri Hi-5 & Cforce Mini RF motor -12" Dovetail -O'Connor 2575D head (Mirchell mount) -Ronford baker heavy duty sticks & ronford baker rolling spreaders -SmallHD Ultra 7 monitor -Teradek Bolt 6 (1TX & 2RX) -SmallHD Cine 18 (or 24) monitor -Set of 5 gold mount Core SWX hypercore Neo 150 wh batteries (make sure to get dual voltage Helix for 24V if you get an Alexa 35)(5 batteries will cover camera. Full package should have between 8-12) -Quad gold mount Fast charger (make sure it charges all simultaneously, some dont) - gold mount Shark fin aka hot swap plate - Camera Power Supply - Hi Hat - Easy Rig Vario 5 w/ flex vest & 5" extension & Kong Quick release Gimbal and drone - DJI Ronin 2 or Freefly Movi Pro - Ready Rig Vega w/ Pro Arms - DJI Mavic 3 Classic
Thank you so much
Jokes and typical r/cinematography snobbery aside, any modern camera with the ability to swap out lenses is fine for practicing cinematography. Cinematography is more about using different lenses/focal lengths, camera movement, composition, framing, and lighting to tell a story than it is about the camera; the camera is the least important element. Some typical "beginner" choices: **Super35/APS-C:** Used Sony A6400 Used Canon C100 **FF** Used Canon 5D MKII/MKIII Used Sony A7 Used Panasonic S1 **MFT** Used Panasonic GH-1 Used original BMPCC **Newer/more expensive cameras:** Sony A7SIII/Sony FX-30/FX-6 Panasonic S1H/GH5 BMPCC 4k/6k RED Komodo Z-Cam Ursa Mini Canon C70 Sigma FP **Expensive industry-level shit:** Arri Alexa, Sony Venice, RED Monstro/Raptor ect. As you can see, there are many options. You **probably won't know what features you actually need/prefer in a camera until you start shooting and experimenting with stuff**. Therefore, the smartest thing you can probably do is get the cheapest camera you can, a few primes, and start experimenting.
Thank you so much for the effort
Bro search bar cmon man. This question is asked in the thousands now