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14 VIDEOMAKER >>> NOVEMBER 2019


eras built for just that. If you want a camcorder
that can give you a cinematic look but is still
good for run-and-gun shooting, then a versatile
model might be the best option.
With a fixed lens camcorder, you’ll save the
expense of buying multiple camera lenses, and
you’ll never have to worry about leaving the
one you need most at home. Whether you’re
web streaming live events, creating YouTube
videos, shooting indie films, or doing a little bit
of everything, there’s a professional camcorder
out there to suit your needs.
Not sure whether or not a camcorder is the
right camera for you? Keep reading for a com-
plete guide to buying your perfect camera.

How to buy a camera
While we have more options and more tech-
nology than ever before; buying a new camera
has never been more difficult. It’s not just that
there are dozens of cameras to choose from, it’s
that each one offers something different, while
at the same time sacrificing other desirable
features. Before you consider any camera, you
need to know about the features and options
you’ll require.

Form factor
Cameras come in a wide range of sizes, shapes
and weights. These can generally be divided
into three main categories: camcorders, DSLR
and mirrorless cameras and cinema cameras.
For most of video history, the camcorder has
reigned as the most common camera form fac-
tor. These all-inclusive, video-first cameras can
be large or small, simple or advanced, but they
all share a few commonalities.
For one, a camcorder’s lens is fixed in place,
meaning you can’t swap it out for another lens

if you need a longer or shorter focal length. Luck-
ily, these lenses usually have impressive zoom
ranges to compensate.
Another shared trait is the highly accessible
camera controls. Camcorders typically have
external knobs, buttons and control rings to help
you adjust for changing shooting conditions
quickly, without having to dive into the camera
menu. This along with more robust connectivity
options, like XLR audio inputs, make camcorders
especially appealing for newsgathers and others
shooting in run-and-gun situations.
With the release of the Canon 5D mark II,
video production moved into a new era: the
age of the DSLR. Suddenly, these large-sensor,
photo-first cameras were capable of recording
video, giving cinematographers access to the long
sought-after cinematic depth of field at an afford-
able price point. As time has gone on, DSLRs, or
digital single lens reflex cameras, have evolved
into smaller, lighter mirrorless cameras, shedding
the legacy mirror that was necessary in tradition-
al still cameras that used film. Though this form
factor does allow for larger sensors and swapping
out lenses for more creative control, mirrorless
and DSLR shooters make sacrifices in ergonom-
ics and connectivity. It’s also worth noting that an
arcane tax code often means these cameras are
limited to a continuous record time of just under
30 minutes. This may change in the future, but
for now, that’s another strike against these cam-
eras if you need to document longer events.
Finally, cinema cameras combine the best
from both camcorders and the DSLR/mirrorless
form factor. These interchangeable-lens cameras
offer larger sensors without trading in ergonom-
ics or connection options — cinema cameras
usually offer XLR inputs and HDMI and/or SDI
outputs along with easily accessible camera set-
ting controls. They also often offer higher-quality
codecs and RAW recording in an effort to give
editors and colorists more latitude in post.

Resolution
Once you know what form factor suits your
work, you’ll need to determine the final resolu-
tion that your video needs to be. If a 4K final
product isn’t the goal, you might not need 4K
recording as a feature. In many places, like here
in the United States, we don’t broadcast anything
in a higher resolution than HD on TV. Fortunately,
shooting in a higher resolution like 4K should
deliver a sharper final video when producing for
HD delivery. It allows you to crop in and not lose
resolution. In the best cases, the added flexibility

The Best camcorders


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VIDEOMAKER >>> NOVEMBER 2019 15


if you need a longer or shorter focal length. Luck-
ily, these lenses usually have impressive zoom
ranges to compensate.
Another shared trait is the highly accessible
camera controls. Camcorders typically have
external knobs, buttons and control rings to help
you adjust for changing shooting conditions
quickly, without having to dive into the camera
menu. This along with more robust connectivity
options, like XLR audio inputs, make camcorders
especially appealing for newsgathers and others
shooting in run-and-gun situations.
With the release of the Canon 5D mark II,
video production moved into a new era: the
age of the DSLR. Suddenly, these large-sensor,
photo-first cameras were capable of recording
video, giving cinematographers access to the long
sought-after cinematic depth of field at an afford-
able price point. As time has gone on, DSLRs, or
digital single lens reflex cameras, have evolved
into smaller, lighter mirrorless cameras, shedding
the legacy mirror that was necessary in tradition-
al still cameras that used film. Though this form
factor does allow for larger sensors and swapping
out lenses for more creative control, mirrorless
and DSLR shooters make sacrifices in ergonom-
ics and connectivity. It’s also worth noting that an
arcane tax code often means these cameras are
limited to a continuous record time of just under
30 minutes. This may change in the future, but
for now, that’s another strike against these cam-
eras if you need to document longer events.
Finally, cinema cameras combine the best
from both camcorders and the DSLR/mirrorless
form factor. These interchangeable-lens cameras
offer larger sensors without trading in ergonom-
ics or connection options — cinema cameras
usually offer XLR inputs and HDMI and/or SDI
outputs along with easily accessible camera set-
ting controls. They also often offer higher-quality
codecs and RAW recording in an effort to give
editors and colorists more latitude in post.

Resolution
Once you know what form factor suits your
work, you’ll need to determine the final resolu-
tion that your video needs to be. If a 4K final
product isn’t the goal, you might not need 4K
recording as a feature. In many places, like here
in the United States, we don’t broadcast anything
in a higher resolution than HD on TV. Fortunately,
shooting in a higher resolution like 4K should
deliver a sharper final video when producing for
HD delivery. It allows you to crop in and not lose
resolution. In the best cases, the added flexibility

to crop, zoom or pan a shot without resolution
loss is be a big deal. In other situations, it can
make shooters lazy, since they know it’s easier to
fix problems in post. Higher resolutions also add
to the size of the files and the resources needed
to work with such footage in post-production.
We’re now also starting to see more sensors
capable of higher than 4K resolutions, with the
newest models offering recording modes of up
to 8K. These higher resolutions amplify both the
benefits and drawbacks of 4K shooting.
If you’re considering a 4K capable camera,
you should be aware that there are two flavors of
4K: UHD and DCI 4K. DCI has 256 more horizon-
tal pixels than UHD. DCI is the cinema standard,
whereas UHD is the consumer standard, and the
most prolific.

Sensor size
Generally speaking, most cameras are priced
based on their sensor size. The smaller the sen-
sor, the more likely that the camera housing will
be affordable. This is because the sensor is one
of the most expensive parts of a camera.
Besides crop factor, sensor size also impacts
the appearance of the depth of field of an image.
Depth of field, or the distance from the clos-
est object to the camera in focus to the furthest
object from the camera in focus, is influenced
by the image sensor, the aperture and the focal
length of the lens. The wider the aperture, the
smaller the depth of field. The larger the image
sensor and larger the focal length of the lens, the
shallower the depth of field will appear.
A shallow depth of field is desirable when you
want your subject to stand out from a back-
ground that is in soft focus. It’s also generally
considered to have a more cinematic look. A
larger depth of field is more desirable for shoot-
ing rapid action where maintaining focus on a
subject is challenging.

Full frame
Sensor size is most apparent in the way it af-
fects the field of view of a shot. Smaller sensors
come with a crop factor, which is used to figure
a lens’ effective focal length when used with
that sensor. The effective focal length of a lens
is based on the standard of 35mm photo film.
A full frame sensor is considered full-frame
because it’s the same size as actual 35mm film.
Full frame sensors, therefore, do not have a crop
factor. The focal length listed on lenses is based
on that 35mm standard, so it will correlate to the
actual field of view captured by the lens when

paired with a full frame sensor. Cameras using
full frame sensors will generally be more expen-
sive, but there are several other sensor sizes that
you might encounter.

MFT
The first is Micro Four Thirds. This is one of the
smallest sensors offered on interchangeable-
lens cameras. Its crop factor is 2x. With that
crop, a 24 mm lens will have an effective focal
length of 48mm. That gives you a narrower field
of view, meaning you’ll have be further away
from the subject to achieve the same framing.

APS-C & Super 35
The next sensor size to understand is APS-C.
It has a 1.6x or 1.5x crop factor depending on
the manufacturer. With a 24mm lens, you have
an effective focal length of about 38mm when
factoring in the crop.
A very similar sensor size to APS-C is Super


  1. Super 35 has a crop factor of 1.4x to 1.5x
    crop, again depending on the manufacturer. A
    24mm lens would have an effective focal length
    of 36mm using a Super 35 sensor. Super 35
    is the most common sensor size in high-end
    digital cinema cameras and emulates Super 35
    motion picture film. If you want to achieve the
    closest possible look to a Hollywood film, this is
    the sensor size for you.


Smaller sensors
Unlike cinema cameras and DSLR/mirrorless
cameras, fixed-lens camcorders typically have
sensors that range in size from 1/3 inch up to
Micro Four Thirds. These smaller image sen-
sors tend to have more noise in the images they
produce. A 1-inch or a Micro Four Thirds sensor
will typically produce an image with less noise

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