Once you decided to shoot your own music video, it’s time to get a video camera that fulfill all needs for your shooting. I’ve got to say that there is really good stuff on the market also for beginners and low budget productions.
After having done some deep research and picked out 3 amazing cameras for music videos for you.
Panasonic V180K
This full HD 1080p handheld camcorder is a great entry camera. It’s compact, lightweight power pack that’s comfortable to hold. If you are looking for the best deal under $ 200.00 then look no further. It’s definitely the best price/quality ratio and serves very well.
Panasonic V180K Highlights:
The Optical Zoom: Among users, the amazing 50x zoom really sticks out. That is something like 1650mm equivalent which gives you a tight headshot at 200ft.
Video quality (good lighting): The Panasonic V180K shoots in crystal clear quality. In a daylight scene it can be hard to tell the difference between it’s footage and a $1,000 DSLR with a good lens!
The battery lasts forever
Easy handling due to a simple design with not a whole of of buttons
Price: I highly doubt that you can get anything better for this insanely cheap price.
Currently, you can purchase the Panasonic V180K for $197 at Amazon.
Some minor downsides:
The LCD is a bit cheap and grainy
When shooting indoor and/or with bad lighting, the clarity is poor. A simple solution here is to use additional soft box lighting, that should be standard for intended video shooting.
Some say, that the usability is too complicated. In fact, you’ll be amazed, what the camera can do. Just go online and download the full user manual from Panasonic.
There are also different opinions about the internal microphone and its audio quality. For music videos, though, you will never use this function.
All in all, I can highly recommend the Panasonic V180K to everyone, who wants to get started and has to keep his costs at a lower level.
Current price: $197.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Panasonic lumix fz80
This easy to use point and shoot camera can be much more beneficial to you than only creating music videos. As a musician or band it has become vital to also deliver good photographs on a regular basis to share on social networks or put on your website.
With the Panasonic lumix fz80 you hold both an excellent photo and video camera in your hands. This small compact allrounder still comes for an unbelievable attractive price.
Panasonic lumix fz80 highlights:
The LUMIX DC VARIO lens is super wide, and it is respectably sharp even when zoomed fully. the 20mm wide angle is very useful for interior shots. The extended 60x zoom makes close up photography a slam dunk.
Great quick auto focus enables fast and accurate focusing. High resolution 1,170k-dot viewfinder, as well as a touch enabled LCD display. In camera special effects that allows setting the focusing point after the shot has been taken. Moreover, the camera even records RAW files.
It records great footage in 4k. The 4Kvideo mode captures up to 4X the resolution of standard Full HD. 18.1MP sensor resolution with surprisingly good dynamic range.
Some downsides:
It takes some time to get to know how to use its features
Bad in low light (pretty normal with cameras with small sensor and small/cheap processor).
No live video output. The camera will only output prerecorded footage or photos.
No continuous video recording; it will stop at 4 GB or close to it (which is only an issue when live recording)
To sum up, even if you’re an amateur photographer, you will be able to create excellent photographs and footage without having to use extensive camera gear including monstrous lenses.
Current price: $327.51
Where to buy: Amazon
Canon XA11
If you are willing to put an additional $1.000 on the table, you will make a jump to a true professional video camera. Sure, it’s up to you, your experience and your level of shooting frequency.
Nevertheless, the Canon XA11 is such a beast in a small camera. It has tons of features for fine-tuning. It is a compact camera, but packs a major punch.
Canon XA11 highlights:
Advanced HD CMOS Pro Image Sensor with Improved Low-light Performance. A low-luminance noise rating of +3 dB allows capture of clear images with incredible detail even in low light. Auto white balance for indoor shooting is great.
With the Canon XA11 you can record in full HD resolution in both AVCHD and MP4 recording codecs, at multiple bit rates, and even simultaneously. The video quality is top-notch. The Wide DR Gamma and Highlight Priority modes help ensure a natural range of tones and colors for realistic and eye-catching results.
Two XLR terminals mean sophisticated and convenient audio recording on two separate channels. 20x HD Zoom Lens that provides a highly versatile zoom range with 35mm equivalent of 26.8–576mm
While many advanced cameras are pretty complicated, the Canon XA11 is easy to set up and get started filming.
Current price: $1.299
Where to buy: Amazon
Wrap Up
The variety of available video cameras, appropriate for shooting music videos is phenomenal. Also, having marketplaces like Amazon to look at can be of great help, when you research other people’s opinion about a certain product.
I have found 3 really good cameras for every budget and level of proficiency.
When starting out brand new, with literally no experience, I would recommend going for the Panasonic V180K or the Panasonic lumix fz80, which is also a great camera for regular band photographs. Both are high quality video cameras, if you just take care of good lighting conditions.
If you are already more experienced and/or want to level up to a professional, still very compact camera then the Canon XA11 may be your perfect fit.
I hope you did like my review and recommendations.
Please share your opinions and join discussions about video cameras and filming.
Sincerely,
Felix
This helped me a lot actually! I am looking for a video camera for live-streaming, but my knowledge of quality isn’t that great. What would you recommend?
Hi Oystein, thanks for reading. For live streaming, the Canon XA11 would be your best choice.
Hi Felix,
Which is better for shooting music videos – DSLR or mirrorless (or doesn’t it matter)?
Cheers
From my perspective,for videos DSLR is not the question. For instance I left one of the best cameras -Nikon D850- out, because the video technology used is not persuasive enough.
Hi Felix, great review of 3 cameras. Being a beginner myself, I like the look and simplicity of the Panasonic V180K, and the price point of it. Your honest review of it is really informative. Thank you.
Hi Jenny, thanks for commenting. Absolutely, I also started with a Panasonic similar to the V180K and got amazing results for a more than fair price.
Hi Felix. What an informative article on Video camera’s. I’ve been looking for one for my daughter for some time now and haven’t really been able to make a decision. However the information you have supplied me is going to help me decide today. I just need to have another check through the list to see which one I should buy for her. I am leaning towards the Canon XA11. It seems a bit expensive but she’s already an accomplished photographer so it’s pointless purchasing something that possible wouldn’t suit her. Thanks Jim
Hi Jim, thanks for reading. The Canon XA11 is a professional choice and she will be more than happy to shoot with this powerful and compact camera.
Hi Felix! This is a great review! The pros and the cons are super thorough and if I were looking for a camera like this, I would totally know exactly what I need! Great job! And I may be looking for one soon so this will be very helpful! And I love your site!
Thanks Stacie!
Hi Felix,
Great review, thanks. I’m a Canon girl myself. Every type of camera I’ve owned has been a Canon, and they’ve never disappointed. I know this one is a lot more money, so could be a stretch for a beginner. I always advise people to buy the best they can afford at the time.
Cheers,
Suzanne
Awesome review! I have a friend who is in the market for a camera to shoot her Youtube videos and wanted to scale up a bit from using just her phone and computer. Would one of these work just as well for someone wanting to start a Youtube channel, or would they need something less advanced?
Hi Nicki. I think the Panasonic V180K would be a perfect fit for him.
Felix this is a great review with 3 tier pricing and good information about each video camera you discussed. I liked that you discussed everything from battery life to pros and cons and gave information on where to buy. Will you be discussing video editing process and programs in a blog? Sure would like to read it!
Thanks again for great information!
Thanks for joining the discussion Sharon. Oh yes, video editing is a huge topic and I will cover that sometime in the future.
I have been looking for a new camera for shooting videos of my friend’s band, and these are some great options. The Panasonic lumix fz80 seems out of the question for me, as you mentioned it doesn’t shoot well in low light (which is what they typically play in. The Canon XA11 is amazing, as it seems to be able to do it all. The price is a bit up there, but you can’t ignore the capabilities. I specifically like the ” Wide DR Gamma and Highlight Priority modes help ensure a natural range of tones and colors for realistic and eye-catching results.” I think I have found my next camera!
Hi Andrew, great. Sounds like you really found your camera through this review.
This was extremely helpful. Holidays are coming up! Anyone with video aspirations on your list? Then this is a must read. The reviews of three decently priced cameras with Pro’s and Con’s are honest and detailed. Keep in mind even for home businesses, video can help your website. Well worth exploring the cameras that can help you.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and the hint for online entrepreneurs.
Felix, this is a very good review on three cameras for anyone getting into filming not only videos for music performance, but possible documentaries or YouTube Etc. I understand your niche is in vocals, but you might want to widen or broaden your scope of what the camera can be used for. You do a great job of giving the consumer a good range when it comes to quality and pricing. Also you do not lean one way or the other on their purchase which gives them the flexibility to pick which one they would prefer to purchase. Overall, this is a great article and review for anyone looking to get into filming and looking for a great camera to use
Thanks Chris. You are totally right. The opportunities for use are, of course, much broader than just shooting (music) videos.