Cheapest Filmmaking 4K Video Cameras

Finding the cheapest filmmaking 4K video cameras is becoming a popular trend for beginner video enthusiasts. Especially those youtubers who love to film everything from daily activities to how to tutorials.

Filmmaking has become a more and more achievable and viable career aspect in recent years and more people are starting to pick it up as a hobby. Because of this the market for good quality video cameras has picked up substantially and there is now a massive amount of choice that it is almost overwhelming.

If you want to take your video recording seriously, the best thing to do to ensure this is to be able to record in the highest video quality possible, and currently, the most accessible video quality to record in is 4K.

It was thought up until quite recently, due to the quality needed to be able to record in 4K, that an affordable 4K video camera, does not really exist. But since technology like this advances and grows more complex every day, recording at 4K is becoming more and more accessible. Even beginner professionals have the choice of buying a cheaper professional video camera.

Cheapest Filmmaking 4K Video Cameras As A Hobby

This means that if you do not have much to invest into your video camera, or if you are looking into taking up filmmaking as a hobby and do not want to break the bank to achieve high quality video, there are now options available to be able to do this and still be able to achieve 4K quality.

But with more and more 4K cameras being put on the market very often, and the quality of these varying greatly, it can lead many people to not know where to start when it comes to beginning to look for a camera to buy. There are some cameras which are incredibly cheap because they are missing some key features and the price makes perfect sense, while there are others which manage to have a lower price will still ensuring to be a quality product.

Also, if you are buying a camera for the first time, there are also plenty of factors which many people fail to consider when it comes to buying a new video camera. If you are unaware of these features, you could very easily end up buying a camera which does not fit the needs which you want it for, and for products like these, the return policy may make it, so you have completely wasted your money. When buying significant investments like filmmaking cameras, knowing as much as you can about your product before buying is the smartest possible thing to do.

Cheapest Filmmaking 4K Video Cameras Guide

This guide will go through some of the highest quality and cheapest 4K filmmaking video cameras to help you work out which will be best for you. These cameras all shine in different categories, so ensure you are confident that what you are choosing is good in the category you need it to be.

Also, if you are unsure on any of the categories which are discussed in this article, then refer to the buyer’s guide after the list to be talked through all the categories which are most important to consider when it comes to buying these cameras!

Some of the following cheapest 4K filmmaking video cameras provide various options like bundles which provide accessories to compliment the camera and get you started quicker. Some are just the video camera itself for those of you who have the necessary tools and accessories.

Best And Cheapest Filmmaking 4K Video Cameras

Sony Alpha A6400 Mirrorless Camera

Product Overview

This camera is both small and compact and has loads of useful features. The body frame is durable as well as weather sealed. The Sony a6400 mirrorless camera records 4K in 35 mm format and has no pixel binning either, giving great depth and detail. And the LCD screen tilts 180 degrees making it great for vlogging.

The camera offers “Real Time Tracking” which uses an object recognition algorithm along with AI to ensure all subjects are captured accurately and with precision. The ability to interchange e-mount type lenses is a bonus and provides more creative opportunities for all levels of filmmakers.

This Sony Alpha a6400 Mirrorless Camera comes with an excellent bundle of 18 accessories to get you started at a great price! If you don’t want the bundle of accessories than get the camera only (affiliate link) also at a very exceptional price.

Panasonic LUMIX G7 4K Digital Camera

Product Overview

This is a mirrorless camera using interchangeable lenses and works great in low light and can record 4K at 30fps. The DFD AF technology is innovative and works great as an autofocus. Controlling the features of the camera is incredibly easy and 4EV autofocus makes incredibly low light filming super easy. If storage is an issue this camera has great expandable storage options.

Panasonic LUMIX G85 4K Digital Camera

Product Overview

This is one of the best options on this list for stabilization featuring 5 axis image stabilization and has great quality performance with a 16 megapixel micro four-thirds sensor which also has a no low pass filter. The build of this product is also incredibly high quality being both splash and dust proof. It is also weather sealed making it a great choice for working in more extreme weather conditions. This camera also features plenty of video tools which are standard for Panasonic cameras like focus peaking and highlight warnings. The camera is also great for color grading after footage has been filmed.

Fujifilm X-T3 Mirrorless Digital Camera

Product Overview

This is perhaps the best budget 4K camera and has a great sensor for the job. The autofocus works spectacularly well. The rolling shutter which is featured on this device is much improved from previous iterations which works great with the improved high speed continuous shooting. This device also has an impressive EVF as well as a good refresh rate when using the boost mode.

Panasonic 4K Ultra HD Video Camera

Product Overview

This device stands out with its 20x optical zoom as well as being one of the cameras which features built-in stabilization options. This is a great camera if you do not like editing and has built-in panning, cropping, and zooming, as well as stabilized subject tracking making it easy to produce content. If you want an affordable camcorder for simple shooting and great stabilization, this is the camera for you!

Canon DSLR Camera (EOS 90D)

Product Overview

This is one of the cheapest cameras on this list but still works great with face detection features as well as built-in tracking and a great focus. This camera uses Canon’s dual pixel AF system which gives great quality footage. The standout feature of the camera is the filming in 4K without having to use any crop factors and instead uses the whole width of the sensor.

AKASO EK7000 Pro 4K Action Camera

Product Overview

Great waterproof option with waterproof case (extra) which can shoot at 4K for an affordable price and at an impressive 30fps. When used with the waterproof case, depths of 131 feet are possible. In diving mode this excellent little action video camera compensates for the lack of red light when shooting underwater.

The camera also has built-in live-streaming options. The EK7000 Pro has many available shooting modes like burst recording, loop recording, time-lapse and upside down. This superb little video camera can be used as a dash cam. The built-in Wi-Fi sharing makes sharing footage as simple as possible too! The action video camera captures 20 mp photos in great detail and outstanding clarity.

Buyer’s Guide For The Cheapest Filmmaking 4K Video Cameras

As mentioned in the introduction, there are plenty of factors which are worth considering when choosing one of the cheapest filmmaking 4K video cameras. This section will go through some of the most important which need to be considered to ensure you make the most informed decision!

Sensor Size

While new filmmakers may not know this, the size of the sensor of your video camera matters significantly. For the most part DSLRs as well as mirrorless cameras will have larger cameras which are good for recording in lower light situations as well as achieving more shallow focus effects. These types of sensors will also allow use of more small apertures without needing to soften your image.

Most cameras will have about 3 sensor sizes which usually include, full-frame, MFT, as well as APS-C. Full frame tends to have the best performance in low light but will be bulkier as well as heavier. An MFT sensor will be more lightweight but is not whereas good performance wise as its competition. And APS-C sensors tend to be good for low light too as well as improving the shallow focus that MFT has.

Bitrate

Bitrate is the amount of data captured by the camera and written onto the cameras disk per second while recording. When the bitrate is higher, more information is recorded per second resulting with a higher quality video.

With a low bitrate you are likely going to have more pixelated footage. Therefore, the higher the bitrate, the better the quality you will achieve. Consequently allowing better results with post recording color correction and other editing you may need to do.

When you are looking at the cheapest filmmaking 4K video cameras, ensure you are still getting a good bitrate. This is how manufacturers can get away with a cheap 4K video camera, as a lower bitrate is significantly cheaper.

You are much more likely to get a better bitrate with a more expensive 4K video camera. But this is not always an option. Therefore, looking for a good bitrate for the cheapest filmmaking 4K video cameras is imperative to get good results.

Image Stabilization

Image stabilization is a feature which may not be included by manufacturers of the cheapest filmmaking 4K video cameras. Therefore, this is something you will want to make sure to consider. Most cameras will clearly advertise if they include stabilization features. But if they do not, you may get very shaky footage once you begin recording with it.

If your video camera has good image stabilization you get significantly higher quality and smoother footage when you are shooting. This is especially useful if you plan to do lots of shooting while not using a tripod and instead handheld. There can be some effort made to stabilize with external stabilization tools. However, these can often be incredibly expensive, so ensuring that the camera has built-in stabilization features should not be overlooked.

Manual Control

An unfortunate aspect of cheaper 4K cameras is the assumption they are made for beginners who do not want manual customization options. This means that manual control options can occasionally be severely lacking on cheap 4K cameras. However, this is not always true. You can still find cameras which will give you these options without needing to edit in post.

Ensure your video camera allows you the flexibility to customize features like aperture, exposure, white balance and sound levels. If you take your filmmaking seriously, these are necessities which need consideration. If your camera will not give you the level of control you need, you should look for a better option.

Sound

Most filmmakers, prefer to use an external microphone for recording audio. Ensure that your camera has the option to add one of these if you want to use one. However, if you can’t budget for an external microphone, ensure the sound quality of the built-in microphone meets your needs.

Since you are looking at cheaper cameras, you may have to compromise for a low quality internal microphone. However, if you know you can’t afford an external microphone, make sure you get a good quality internal microphone!

Ease Of Use

Perhaps one of the most important factors, especially for more inexperienced filmmakers, is to make sure that you will be able to understand how to properly use the camera which you are investing in. There is often a balance which will be struck between ease of use and manual control options, and you will want to make sure you choose whichever suits you best.

If you are looking for more of a challenge, learning to use a more complicated camera is doable with time, but this is often a hurdle which you may not have the time to be able to overcome.

Conclusion For The Cheapest Filmmaking 4K Video Cameras

Hopefully, this guide gave you a good selection of 4K video cameras you can get at an affordable price range. There are some incredibly good value options here. Ideally you understand the cheaper you go with these cameras the more compromises you to make. Especially when it comes to the features which are included or the specifications like bitrate or similar aspects.

If you are struggling to choose which option on this list suits you the best, go through the buyer’s guide. Choose which factors matter the most to you. Using this knowledge, go back through the product list and see which suits you best.

Have more questions about 4K video cameras or related topics, there is a good chance they have been answered below!

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