We have recently been on a photography kick at Illumine8 Marketing & PR and we wanted to share our top picks for cameras that will make your marketing photos better and more effective.
You’ll find this episode especially helpful if you’re not quite sure where to start when it comes to choosing a new camera. They’re often a big investment, and not all cameras are created equal. The range of features and capabilities make it paramount to have an idea of what you’ll be using your camera for, whether that be blog photos, video, live streaming, or photographing events.
Mark is currently in the market for a new camera, and one of his priorities is having great video capabilities. By pairing our camera research with updates from the recent Consumer Electronics Show, which happened from January 9-12, 2018, you should be able to find the right fit for you.
Catch the full episode here:
Here’s a recap of the different cameras we went over in this edition of Illumine8 After Hours. They vary in price, size and capabilities. As a rule of thumb, you should begin looking for a camera with some kind of budget in mind, as well as an idea of what you’ll be using it for.
Our Video Pick: Sony A7S II
This is a mirrorless camera, which means it's lightweight and smaller than most DSLR cameras. As a full-frame camera, it lets in as much light as a 35 mm film camera, making it great for low-light situations. This is ideal for night shots, dim indoor settings, and areas with poor or uneven lighting.
- Advantages
- Shoots in 4K - a new standard for video
- Incredible low-light performance
- Full-frame
- Lightweight body
- In-body stabilization, which makes it great for video
- Great video autofocus capabilities
- Disadvantages:
- Form factor size
- Lens selection is not as wide and affordable as other brands
- High price point
- Alternatives
- Sony A7RIII, A7RII, A6500 series
- Panasonic GH5, GH5s
Our Budget Pick: Panasonic G85
This camera is a bit more affordable than the previous pick, and is still great for video work. It does not have the same low light capabilities as the Sony A7S II, but has wonderful stabilization and is a good size. This makes it ideal for most situations, and the HDMI output makes it great for livestreams.
- Advantages
- Manageable size
- Good in-body stabilization capability
- A variety of lenses at affordable prices
- Clean HDMI output, making it great for livestreams, like our After Hours episodes
- 4K video capabilities, 1080p video resolution
- Disadvantages
- Small sensor
- Video autofocus is not as good as the Sony A7S II
- Low-light performance is average
- Alternatives
- Panasonic G7 - this camera is super cheap, but you lose the in-body stabilization
Our Overall Top Pick: Canon 6D M2
The full-frame capabilities of this camera allow it to let in a lot of light. Pairing this with the side-swivel screen makes it great for monitoring while shooting video and capturing photos at strange angles. Another advantage to investing in a Canon is the variety of interchangeable lenses that can meet any price point.
- Advantages:
- Only full-frame, professional-quality camera with a side-swivel screen
- Canon products have great colors out-of-camera
- Mic input, headphone monitoring
- Incredible lens selection
- A solid platform for future upgrades
- Good autofocus capabilities
- Water and dust proof
- Variety of “consumer features”, including wifi, bluetooth, GPS, etc.
- Disadvantages:
- Price - $1900 USD
- No 4K capabilities and 1080p maxes out at 60 fps; it would be nice to have 120 fps at this price
- No default clean HDMI output signal for live streaming
- Alternatives:
- Canon 5D IV - better for photos, but no flip-out screen
- Canon 80D - very similar, but about $800 cheaper
- Canon Ti line
- Fujis are also all-around good cameras
We hope our research can help you find the right fit for your video and photography needs. If you enjoyed this episode of Illumine8 After Hours, let us know. We love partnering with local brands and companies. Check out more content on our blog and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Frederick, Maryland-based Illumine8 Marketing & PR is a firm that combines the power of business development strategy, marketing creativity, and customer-focused sales to deliver sustainable and measurable results.