Cinematography : Best camera for under $1000 by Tom Lapke

With that type of budget you could use a high-quality smart phone camera and focus the $1,000 budget on a stabilizing rig and other accessories. There are apps like FilmicPro that allow you to film high-quality with manual settings. They unlock aspects of your phone’s camera to enhance your image capabilities. So using that and spending the money on lighting, a gimbal, etc. would likely get you further than spending all of that on a sub-par camera.

I would love me an Alexa Mini Tom Lapke and know that is not the 1k camera.

GH5 or A7C are more than sufficient. I've used both for film and national tv work.

Currently I use A7Siii + A7iv for all my photo / video needs. If was was to upgrade today, I'd get a GH7 or Nikon Z6iii. Remember, it's a tool!

I love our GH5 and you can definitely find one for under $1,000 now, though you're likely buying it used and taking the chance that it doesn't have any problems.

I agree Stephen Folker, it would be amazing to get a GH7. They look awesome! Although the pre-order is definitely outside of the $1,000 budget.

My entry was on Canon with the t4i and I just got the Canon T7i, which is super easy for a novice like me: https://www.amazon.com/Canon-Rebel-DSLR-Camera-18-55mm/dp/B077ZCF6ZJ

Mark Deuce LOL - If you find an Alexa Mini for $1000 anywhere, please let me know, because I will buy every last one and flip them for the right price! B&H has a full production rig for an Alexa mini for the very reasonable $102K. To quote Parks and Rec, "Treat yo self"

With a little more $$ you could go with Blackmagic pocket camera. would still need lenses though.

Mark Deuce I'd be happy with an Alexa Classic. Skin tones look so buttery on it.

Mike Boas another note, with the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, battery life is no-good and requires external battery solution + it's picky with storage / memory cards. May or may not need speedbooster and adapters. Gets expensive quick.

Tom Lapke, enjoying the comments! Although teamed up with friends in the business, who have excellent equipment, Ashley Renee Smith, your suggestion is good practical to explore, with phone and accessories. I've built a "Moonscape prototype" out of PVC, after years of experimenting, adaptable to IPhones and Smart phones and have gotten very promising results and attention.

Of course as have previously posted before, can re-post the link to the video, of the Monoscope, if required!

I sympathize, Stephen. The cinematographers I work with love Blackmagic because they are so affordable compared to comparable cinema cameras. You’re right, batteries, lenses, mounts etc add up. In a way, that’s the cost of being a working cinematographer, though.

You could also go the DSLR route, but I’m not up to speed on those options.

In 2014 I needed to buy a camera (the JVC in my photo is not mine). I followed the popular advice that for semiprofessional usage, buy the cheapest one with phantom power for the microphone. At that time, Canon had just ended the production of their XA10 model. So one retailer had one copy left. The one they had used as a "demo". So I purchased it with a 40 % discount (it was probably almost 4 years old). The only thing which appeared to have been used was the printed manual. The camera has worked fine for 10 years. I have fllmed 3 long no-budget comedies with it.

Mike Boas I'll admit, I used to be a Blackmagic fanboy. To some degree, still am. But I started looking at gear as tools. My friend who used to be a colorist for Technicolor told me it doesn't matter what camera you use, they all can be graded to look the same. So, I say, use what's going to make your job easier. I do this full time, so I'm not looking to spend more than I need to, and am not one to rig a bunch of stuff up. Just me though! Naturally, on a bigger set, I can see why productions use what they use, but that's not the majority of smaller indie projects.