Entry level video camera for nature filming (1 Viewer)

[safariranger]

Good day, I would like to get an entry level video camera for general nature filming, but have no idea where to begin. It would be nice to shoot with at least 4K and have a camera that can shoot under poor light conditions as well as something with a reasonable zoom.
Not sure if this is the best place to ask, but any suggestions/recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[njlarsen]

I would start with Panasonic, they have been making a number of models for years.

Niels

 

[iveljay]

A lot depends on what you intend to do with your video, are you going to edit and possibly sell it, or will you be using it for personal use, or to show to visitors again, hopefully editing it first?

The second consideration is budget, it has quite an effect on what you can buy. Video production can range from superzoom prices to eye watering costs.

The third is lens reach, again something like a Nikon P950 will give you 4K and a very long lens at a fraction of the cost of getting a dedicated video camera with a lens of similar reach.

These days you have superzooms, domestic video cameras, slrs, simple low cost professional video bodies that can take high quality pro video lenses and profesional video cameras. in roughly order of cost to get into the field for bird use. We are ignoring sound systems at this juncture.

Personally I suspect it will be a question of lens reach vs cost. I have seen some apparently excellent results published on the Internet I produced by the Nikon P950, but I think we need some parameters before we home in on a viable solution.

Sony, Panasonic and Canon produce excellent dedicated video cameras, but the entry level versions have very limited lens reach. Most of my video equipment was from Sony as they seemed to invest more into producing what I was looking for at the time than competitive manufacturers, but I had a clearly defined need at the time.

So a bit of background would help.

 

[Malcolm Stewart]

Good day, I would like to get an entry level video camera for general nature filming, but have no idea where to begin. It would be nice to shoot with at least 4K and have a camera that can shoot under poor light conditions as well as something with a reasonable zoom.
Not sure if this is the best place to ask, but any suggestions/recommendations would be appreciated.

I've bought two 4K Panasonic camcorders in the last few months, and I'm sure they belong in the "entry level".
I started with the HC-VX980 which claims a 25X "i zoom", and a 20x optical zoom. It doesn't have an eye level viewfinder, and as my older camcorders have this, I quickly realised what I was missing. I then saw its mate, the HC-VXF990 offered, in mint condition etc... So I bought that, and with the change in the weather, I've only used it a few times, but as expected, I did find the eye-level viewfinder useful - ducks on the local pond. Mainly, I've used a decent tripod for stability, as much of my videoing has been at the longer end of the lens. (Zooming the lens seems quiet enough to be below what I can hear!)
It's taken me some time getting to know my way round the menu & control screen system.

Mainly I've shot in AVCHD in HG 1080 mode, and have viewed that on my 50" Full HD TV. I've experimented with 4K, but I don't have a 4K capable display, although my desktop does seem to offer sharper images if I've shot in 4K - weird! (Does this mean that it's lowering the resolution of my AVCHD clips?? My Full HD TV refuses to show 4K.)
Both these camcorders are small enough to be with you, but the wind screening of the built-in 5.1 microphone assembly, is pitiful, and I've bought a small external stereo mike with "dead cat" which is much better, and allows me to film outdoors in a slight breeze without hitting the audio overload detector too often. As expected, 4K usage goes through memory card space very fast.
Both camcorders have built-in front facing white & Infra-red LEDs. I've tried them, and they both work over a short range.

Moving up from this basic starting level quickly raises the purchase price, and then the camcorder size & weight as well, so you may tend to leave your camera at home... Your decision!

 

[Stanga]

Good day, I would like to get an entry level video camera for general nature filming, but have no idea where to begin. It would be nice to shoot with at least 4K and have a camera that can shoot under poor light conditions as well as something with a reasonable zoom.

Based on the cameras that I have owned or still own, my suggestions are:
1. The Panasonic FZ330. That 600mm f2.8 zoom is not bad in low light. I even play about with it for astrophotography...
2. The Panasomnic FZ1000, or FZ1000 II if you got a bit extra cash to spend on some extra features over the FZ1000. I have done, and seen on Youtube, 4K videos taken at night, and was impressed with the outcome. Do a search on Youtube to get an idea how god the 4K video results are.
3. the Panasonic FZ2000/2500 if you are really into the video side. It has just about everything for that purpose, including a very useful zoom range.