Gone are the days when photographers and videographers must pack in their gear once the sun sets, or lug heavy tripods around in order to get the shot. While some cameras give up resolution for low light capability, others such as the Nikon D850 are capable of shooting late into the evening or in dim interiors and producing incredibly detailed images, in addition to high-quality video footage. Also look for in-body image stabilization in Sony and Panasonic cameras, which represent some of the best professional cameras money can buy and are ideal for either your next vacation or a commercial video shoot. On top of sensitivity, this camera is capable of competing with genuine Hollywood cinema cameras, providing 16-bit RAW video, as well as slow-motion 120fps at 4K resolution or 240fps at 1080p. This is aided by a revamped menu system and a fully articulating LCD screen, all of which is paired with Sony’s broad lineup of both first and third party lenses. The third-party lens manufacturer support will be particularly appealing to budget-minded photographers, as manufacturers such as Tamron and Sigma produce lenses that provide professional quality at a fraction of the cost of those produced by Sony, Canon, and Nikon. The HC-WXF991 also has some other cool tricks up its sleeve in the form of Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity, and more interestingly, a secondary camera attached to the flip-out display. This allows you to capture both yourself and your subject simultaneously. The Lumix GH5S is capable of shooting 4K at up to 60fps and 1080p at up to 240fps for some really cool slow motion. This camera also includes 10-bit color depth with 4:2:2 subsampling for footage that looks straight out of a cinema camera. You also benefit from being able to select from the wide range of affordable Micro 4/3 lenses available. You also get some cool Wi-Fi enabled features, such as the ability to connect your smartphone and use it as a second camera for picture-in-picture recording. The only other major downside to the HC-V770 is that its touchscreen is fairly low quality. However, overall this little camcorder offers excellent value for money. This camera is capable of 4k video and has a robust and durable body. It can capture time-lapse videos and is compatible with Nikon’s many F mount lenses, both new and old. This makes it even more affordable if you don’t mind buying older lenses that are still excellent despite their age. Overall, the D7500 is great for beginners, hobbyists, and even budget-minded pros. This camera is capable of 4k video and has a robust and durable body. It can capture time-lapse videos and is compatible with Nikon’s many F mount lenses, both new and old. This makes it even more affordable if you don’t mind buying older lenses that are still excellent despite their age. Overall, the D7500 is great for beginners, hobbyists, and even budget-minded pros. The 4K video you get from the A7R III is particularly great, as you can take advantage of both HDR video capability and 5k oversampling where the camera captures higher resolution video and downsizes it to 4K for an even crisper image. The Sony A7R III is really very affordably priced for a camera that easily beats most cameras within its price range.
What to Look For in Low-Light Video Cameras
Don’t worry about resolution: If you’re shooting mostly video footage, then you don’t need to worry about sensor resolution so much as when capturing still photos. In order to capture high-resolution 4K footage you only need 12 megapixels. By sacrificing sensor resolution, you get bigger pixels which means greater sensitivity for shooting in dark conditions with reduced noise. With that said, some high-resolution cameras also do a good job in low light, but in general, a larger sensor with fewer pixels will do better in low light. Understanding ISO: When photographers talk about sensitivity, they generally refer to it in terms of ISO. Basically, the higher your ISO the brighter the image will be. Most cameras can achieve very high ISOs, but it’s more important how they handle the noise this heightened sensitivity brings about in your images. The best low light video cameras can go beyond 3200, all the way up to over 100,000 ISO, and still achieve usable photo and video quality. Choosing the right lens: Most cameras designed for low light situations have interchangeable lenses. This makes selecting the right lens that can gather the most light extremely important. How much light a lens gathers is determined by its aperture. Lower numbers are better, and for low light video, F/2.8 is as dark as you want to go and is typical of expensive, high-end zoom lenses. Prime lenses can go down to F/1.8, F/1.4, F/1.2, or even F/0.95 and will drastically improve your ability to shoot in low light. Keep in mind, however, that prime lenses brighter than F/1.8 tend to be exponentially more expensive. Brighter lenses are also bigger and heavier.
