Cameras for filmmakers

4K video is the next big thing, but which digital camera does it best?

Seven of the best cameras available for those serious about shooting 4K video

There is a growing crossover between stills photography and video. Working photographers are increasingly being asked by clients to shoot video as well as stills, and camera makers are incorporating ever more professional video capabilities in mainstream stills cameras. It’s a revolution we can’t ignore, and neither can today’s pro or semi-pro photographers.

So we’ve gathered together seven of the most interesting 4K crossover stills/video cameras across a range of price points, including two specifically video-centric models. We’ll see what they do that’s different and why many pros choose to pay the extra for dedicated video cameras. Our guide is not for professional videographers, but for regular stills photographers moving into video for the first time, or for anyone upgrading their camera to cope with a demand for premium-quality 4K video.

And that’s what all these cameras have in common – the ability to shoot in 4K. Not everyone needs 4K video, of course, as 1,920 x 1,080 (Full HD) video will be fine in many instances. But 4K is rapidly becoming a mainstream specification, and it’s also a way of future-proofing your content for clients, so that a video you shoot today has the quality they need in five or 10 years’ time.

The video market is filled with a whole new alien language, so we’ll spend the next two pages explaining some of the key terms needed to make sense of this brave new world.