The 5 Best Cameras for Music Videos (2023)
Choosing the right camera is really important if you’re looking to create a quality music video. Some might argue that pre-production and post-production are more important, but even if you have an amazing colorist or editor, there’s only so much they can do if you shoot on inferior codecs and resolution.
My top recommended camera for music videos is the Sony a7S III, as it offers the best video-oriented specs for a hybrid mirrorless camera.
My second recommended camera for music videos is the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro. It has great value and has great image quality and color science.
The 5 Best Cameras for Music Videos (2023)
Let’s compare these in more detail.
A lot of mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses have become popular for shooting music videos. The Sony Alpha 7S III raises the bar and raises the question: Do we need a cinema camera for music videos?
Pros
- Good IBIS with gyro data
- Industry-leading continuous autofocus
- Compact and solid design
Cons
- CFexpress required for slow-motion videos
- Relatively low resolution for stills photography
Sony has industry-leading continuous-servo autofocus and excellent in-body image stabilization. These are some things you will rarely find in cinema cameras since they are most likely operated by more than one person.
The mirrorless hybrid cameras are gaining in popularity due to how easy they are to handle. One significant advantage that they have over cinema cameras is that they can shoot great stills and are often great for photography.
This is not the case with the Alpha 7S III though. While the picture quality is on par with some of the best mirrorless cameras, it lacks the resolution for still photography with only a 12.1 MP sensor.
| Sensor type | 35.6 x 23.8 mm (Full-Frame) CMOS sensor |
| Dynamic range | 14 stops |
| Storage | Dual Slot: CFexpress Type A / SD (UHS-II) |
| Lens mount | Sony E |
| LCD | 3” articulating touchscreen, 1,440,000 dots |
The Sony a7S III has definitely left its mark in the cinema world, most often used for a run and gun type of situations. It has great color science, and the files it produces are easy to work with. One of the key selling points of this camera is that it can record 4K up to 120 frames per second without cropping the image.
2. Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro is one of the best budget-friendly cinema cameras on the market right now. Being a proper cinema camera means that many cinematographers use the BMPCC 6K Pro as either an A cam or a B cam as it includes continuous shooting speed to some more expensive cinema cameras such as Blackmagic Design URSA Mini.
Pros
- Built-in ND filters
- 6K BRAW and ProRes (internally)
- Great color science
Cons
- Need a cage and a rig to operate properly
- Low battery life if using the NP-F570
- Doesn’t have continuous AF and IBIS
While continuous autofocus and in-body image stabilization are something rarely found on cinema cameras, if you are a run-and-gun type of videographer, then this camera might not be the best choice. It’s certainly not a small camera, and to operate properly, it will need a whole rig built around it.
While the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro needs a lot of additional camera accessories to be used in serious video productions, it is still on the budget side of cinema cameras even with the added cost of accessories. With the BMPCC 6K PRO, you have two mini-XLR inputs to record audio.
| Sensor type | Super35mm CMOS with dual native ISO |
| Dynamic range | 13 stops |
| Storage | 1x CFast, 1x SDXC UHS-II slot |
| Lens mount | Canon EF |
| LCD | 5” tiltable touchscreen, 1920×1080 |
This camera, on paper, is a filmmaker’s dream. It has a low-entry barrier and many great tutorials on how to use the camera properly. With many different shooting modes, frame rates, and resolutions, it can certainly find its place in anyone’s workflow.
The Canon EOS R5 is one of the newly released Canon cameras. It is a great performing camera for music videos and easy to use. Canon has one of the best UI and camera operating systems.
Pros
- Great AF capability
- Time-code connection
- 8K 45mp in 12-bit Cinema Raw Light
Cons
- Micro-HDMI
- No in-body image stabilization
- Depending on the shooting format, an external power supply might be needed
The EOS R5 is one of the best hybrid cameras because of a simple switch. To be honest, it’s more than a switch. With the R5, you have an option to set the camera to be a full-featured still photography camera, and when switched in the other direction it becomes a well-rounded Cinema EOS camera.
Canon cameras are known for producing great colors, and that is no different with the EOS R5. One of its key selling features is that you can shoot in an 8K cinema RAW light, although you will need an external power source to be able to record 8K RAW. As for frame rates, the R5 can go up to 8K 20fps if you shoot RAW.
| Sensor type | 36 x 24 mm (Full-Frame) CMOS |
| Dynamic range | 8 stops |
| Storage | Dual Slot: CFexpress Type B / SD (UHS-II) |
| Lens mount | Canon RF |
| LCD | 3.2” Free-Angle Tilting Touchscreen LCD, 2,100,000 dots |
The Canon EOS R5 is a well-rounded camera, especially if you shoot both photos and videos. The 45-megapixel full-frame sensor is amazing while taking photos and for the video side of things. It definitely makes the footage look sharper. This is all possible because of new technology developed by Canon that should replace cameras such as Canon EOS 5D Mark IV.
The Panasonic Lumix S1H produces high-quality videos that can be easily matched to much more expensive digital cinema cameras. This camera captures video up to 6k24p and has V-Log and dual native ISO.
Pros
- 5-Axis sensor-shift image stabilization
- Good viewfinder
- Good low-light performance
Cons
- Relatively unreliable video AF
- Can’t record raw video
- Pricey
The S1H has two memory card slots that can hold SD cards. It is pretty lightweight, and with its great image processor and full-frame image sensor, it can definitely produce high-quality music videos.
Good image quality is not the only thing that should make you fall in love with a camera. Even though the S1H has amazing image quality, it lacks some other features that the competition offers.
| Sensor type | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor |
| Dynamic range | 14 stops |
| Storage | Dual slot: SD (UHS-II) |
| Lens mount | L Mount |
| LCD | 3.2″ 2.33m-Dot Tilt/Free-Angle Touch-LCD |
Panasonic has developed an iOS and Android app called Lumix Sync that lets you use the wi-fi in the camera for a more efficient and faster transfer of pictures and movies. The S1H body often reminds me of a DSLR camera body, yet its mirrorless sensor works wonders.
The Fujifilm X-T4, although inferior to the other cameras on the list, still produces great images and video and is definitely a great choice for recording music videos. The biggest drawback that the X-T4 has over the others is the smaller sensor, which may or may not be an issue.
Pros
- Great color science
- In-body image stabilization
- Film Simulation Modes
Cons
- Autofocus is not quite as good as Canon or Sony
- APS-C Sensor
- Not as many third-party lenses
Fujifilm has great color science, especially if you shoot in F-Log. The highlights roll-off is amazing and there is always something in a shot that you can instantly figure out that it’s shot on a Fujifilm camera.
Overall the Fujifilm X-T4 has a good body design and the grip is pretty good if you are shooting hand-held with the X-T4. The battery life has also been improved. If you shoot a 10-bit F-Log you get 14 stops of dynamic range which is plenty for color grading the footage out of the X-T4.
| Sensor type | 23.5 x 15.6 mm (APS-C) CMOS |
| Dynamic range | 14 stops |
| Storage | Dual Slot: SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II) |
| Lens mount | FUJIFILM X |
| LCD | 3.0″, Articulating Touchscreen LCD, 1,620,000 dots |
The Fujifilm X-T4 is arguably the best value for money on our list as it offers almost as much as the competitors for only a fraction of the price.
What to look for in a Camera for Music Videos when buying?
Here are some of the most important points to keep in mind while deciding which device to buy for your music video production.
Resolution
The first thing that pops into everyone’s mind while shopping for a video camera is the resolution. There are two most common resolutions and those are full HD video (1920×1080 pixels) and 4K (4096 x 2160 pixels). Some of the newest cameras now offer 6K and even 8K, but is that overkill for shooting a music video?
Most of the time 4K is plenty of resolution for music videos. It is the most common video size these days. Even if you shoot on a 6K or an 8K camera, you will most likely export your music video in 4K. But shooting in higher resolutions gives you a lot of benefits while editing the footage.
One of the benefits you get if you shoot on a higher resolution is that you can crop and frame your shots exactly how you like. Also, downsampling from 8K to 4K timeline, often gives you a sharper image. This is not a requirement though, you can simply plan your shots beforehand and it can be perfect!
Frame Rate
Different cameras shoot different frame rates, and you should know in which situation you need higher frame rates. Most cinematic frame rate is 24 frames per second and it is most likely a frame rate that your music video will be exported.
Having 60 fps or even 120 is only needed when you want to get those beautiful slow-motion shots. If you shoot a video in 120fps and then interpolate it on a 24fps timeline in your editing software gives you a slow-motion shot.
Shooting on a higher framerate and then interpolating it as a 24fps video also helps with stabilizing the footage.
Autofocus
In general, proper video cameras do not come equipped with autofocus, while all the mirrorless and DSLR types of cameras have autofocus built-in. This depends on what kind of style of video you are shooting.
The best way to approach this is to have a dedicated focus puller if your budget allows it. This way, you can shoot on higher-quality video cameras. That being said, mirrorless cameras are great if you are in a run-and-gun type of situation, or maybe you are the only one operating the camera.
Most autofocus systems these days are pretty good, especially ones coming from Sony and Canon, which means that even if it fails in one shot, chances are the second one will be top-notch.
Conclusion
A good music video is not just about the high quality of the camera but the whole workflow. If you are planning to shoot by yourself with limited gear, the music video camera must have good low light performance, a great AF system, and a good ISO range.
There are many other cameras and camcorders from different manufacturers such as Nikon, DJI, Arri, and Panavision that could also do a great job. This list compiles the best music video cameras for solo operation or with a crew.
My top pick is the Sony a7S III. This hybrid mirrorless camera is mainly oriented to video, and it has excellent autofocus, a good codec, and great fps options.
My budget pick is the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro. It is one of the best value cameras, and with a few accessories, it will work terrific.
