The best cameras for film students should balance quality, durability, affordability, and ease of use. You don't want something that's overcomplicated and over-specified, but nor do you want something too cheap and simple that you are going to outgrow before you have finished your course.
I've picked out the cameras on this list with those criteria in mind. Unlike our guide to the best filmmaking cameras, these aren't simply the best of the best – I've tried to think about what film students realistically need and can afford. As such, you'll see a mix of entry-level cameras that punch above their weight, and older pro-spec cameras that have seen prices come down with the release of newer models.
Most of my list is mirrorless as I believe this is where students will get the best value – scroll to the bottom for a detailed breakdown of how to choose a camera for your filmmaking studies. And if you need more options, see our guide to the best cameras for video.
For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. He is familiar with and shows great interest in street, medium, and large format photography with products by Leica, Phase One, Hasselblad, Alpa, and Sinar. Sebastian has also used many cinema cameras from the likes of Sony, RED, ARRI, and everything in between. He now spends his spare time using his trusted Leica M-E or Leica M2 shooting street photography, usually in Black and White.
best camera for film students: our top picks
The Fujifilm X-M5 is a camera whose superb video chops are belied by its tiny body. An ideal starting point for beginner and student filmmaker – just make sure to avoid the XC 15-45mm kit lens!
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Crammed full of technology that has trickled down from its bigger brothers, the Z30 has the advantage of capturing 4K across the entirety of its sensor width. It's a lightweight and capable starter camera for video.
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Described by us as one of the best beginner-targeted interchangeable lens cameras ever, this old-school DSLR can shoot 4K video.
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Canon EOS R7 is one of the best APS-C cameras you can buy and with an adapter you could use a lot of affordable EF lenses on it too to help keep costs down.
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Despite the fact that the Panasonic GH5 II has now been superseded by the Panasonic GH6, if you're looking for a more affordable camera that can take professional-looking videos the GH5 II is still excellent.
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It benefits from a huge 5-inch LCD, lots of on-board connectivity, dual card slots, and dual native ISO; the latter meaning that this low-cost Blackmagic option actually delivers better low noise 4K video than some full-frame sensor cameras.
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The best camera for film students
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Best overall
✅ Impressive Video Specs: With 6.2K open-gate video, F-Log2 recording and more, the X-M5 is impressively specced for the price.
✅ Affordable for Its Class: Undercutting its rivals on price, the Fujifilm X-M5 is a reasonably affordable option for starting out in filmmaking.
❌ Poor Kit Lens: The packaged XC 15-45mm lens is mediocre, with an irritating zoom noise – best avoided.
❌ May Be Too Small: The tiny dimensions of the X-M5 are great for travel, but if you're a larger person you may find it too fiddly to use.
It's so dinky that it looks at first glance like a total beginner camera, but don't let that fool you. The Fujifilm X-M5 is a quiet video powerhouse, available at a reasonable price, and that makes it our current top pick for film students. The X-M5 can shoot 6.2K open-gate video – this means it uses the entire area of its sensor, rather than a cropped portion. It means you get footage in a 3:2 aspect ratio rather than cinematic 16:9, but this gives you loads more flexibility when it comes to cropping in the edit.
The X-M5 also provides a suite of other useful options for filmmaking. It offers F-Log2 recording, a flat colour profile designed to maximise dynamic range to provide as much detail in the image as possible, giving maximum flexbility when it comes time to colour grade.
If you're after a camera that is portable, affordable and captures high-quality video with plenty of flexible options, the Fujifilm X-M5 is an easy recommendation. There are lots of Fujifilm lenses available too – and I'd advise shopping for one of those rather than buying the X-M5 package with the XC 15-45mm. It's a noisy zoom, and you're better off with something else.
Read our full Fujifilm X-M5 review.
Best for beginners
✅ Full Sensor 4K Capture: Captures 4K video across the full width of the sensor, avoiding the cropped effect seen in some competitors.
✅ Tons of Lenses: Nikon's Z-mount lens range is sublime, and with an adapter, you can also make full use of F-mount DSLR lenses.
❌ Limited Stabilization: The in-body electronic Vibration Reduction (VR) available in video mode is not particularly effective.
❌ No Headphone Socket: There's no physical audio jack out to allow you to monitor your audio levels.
Capturing 4K video across the entire width of its sensor, the Nikon Z30 is a small mirrorless camera that's tilted towards vloggers and videomakers – and it makes a great starting point for film students. The Nikon Z-mount includes some of the finest lenses ever made, and while there aren't as many made for the smaller APS-C (DX) format sensor, there's still plenty of options when you consider that you can also adapt older F-mount DSLR lenses to the camera, with full electronic functionality.
The Z30 impressed our reviewer, both for the quality of its video and for its affordability. There's no viewfinder, though for video shooters that's less of a concern than it is for photographers. The general build quality of the camera is excellent – despite its affordability, it feels premium and great to use, and that cements it as our beginner pick for film students. Also, unlike the Fujifilm X-M5, the Z30 can be bought with a kit lens that's actually decent – the DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR.
Read our full Nikon Z30 review
Best budget option
✅ Great for Beginners: Considered one of the best interchangeable lens cameras for newcomers, offering an accessible introduction to filmmaking.
✅ 4K Video with Digic 8 Processor: Shoots 4K video with the latest Digic 8 processor, ensuring high-quality footage.
❌ Crop Factor in 4K: Switching from Full HD to 4K introduces a significant crop factor, which narrows the lens’ angle of view and may require repositioning for proper framing.
❌ Video Autofocus: While smooth and silent, the focusing in video mode isn’t instantaneous, which can affect shooting fluidity
Described by us as one of the best beginner-targeted interchangeable lens cameras ever, we get the ability here to shoot 4K video coupled with Canon’s latest Digic 8 processor. A further bonus is Live View autofocus utilizing Dual Pixel sensor technology, thereby ensuring a swifter response than the contrast AF used by many competing models’ sensors when placed in Live View mode. For composing and reviewing videos, the DSLR’s flip-out and twist LCD screen adds creative flexibility; but there are some limitations.
For example, when switching from Full HD video to 4K shooting there’s a significant crop factor, which effectively narrows the lens’ angle of view, meaning you may need to step back and re-frame your shot.
Focusing in video mode isn’t instantaneous either; but it is at least smooth and silent, avoiding jerky transitions between subjects. While not 100% perfect, then, this is still a decent option for film students looking to cut their teeth.
Read our full Canon Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D for more details
Best APS-C
✅ 5-Axis, 8-Stop Image Stabilization: Provides effective stabilization for smooth video footage, reducing the need for additional stabilization equipment.
✅ 4K Video Ccapabilities: Offers 4K60p and 4K30p oversampled 7K video for sharp, detailed footage, plus Full HD slow-motion at 120p.
❌ Crop Factor in 4K: The 1.6x crop factor might require adjusting your shooting setup or framing when using wide-angle lenses.
❌ Battery life: The battery life is shorter than some other cameras, potentially requiring additional batteries.
If you're a student filmmaker also looking for a camera that shoots excellent stills, the Canon EOS R7 does both very well and at lightning speeds.
On the video side of things, the R7 benefits from 5-axis, 8-stop image stabilization, 4k60p and 4K30p oversampled 7K video, shoot Full HD slow-mo at 120p, a fully articulating screen is ideal for shooting at the hip or overhead and the 1.6x crop factor means you can make longer lenses reach even further - very helpful when shooting gigs or festivals!
In our opinion, the Canon EOS R7 is one of the best APS-C cameras you can buy and with an EF-RF lens adapter you could use a lot of affordable EF lenses on it too to help keep costs down.
Read our full Canon EOS R7 review for more details
Best Micro Four Thirds
✅ Fast Autofocus: Uses Contrast Detection DFD (Depth from Defocus) autofocus, which is fast and sensitive from -4 to 18EV.
✅ 5-Axis Dual IS: Offers up to 6.5 stops of image stabilization for smoother video footage.
❌ Autofocus Limitations: While fast, the Contrast Detection autofocus may not be as reliable as phase-detection systems in all situations.
❌ Superseded by GH6: The GH5 II has been replaced by the Panasonic GH6, which offers more advanced features but at a higher cost.
Despite the fact that the Panasonic GH5 II has now been superseded by not just the Panasonic GH6 but also the more recent Panasonic Lumix GH7 if you're looking for a more affordable camera that can take professional-looking videos the GH5 II is still excellent.
Chances are if you're a student, money will be tight and if you can save on the body you can invest in the best micro four-thirds lenses of even an on-camera monitor. It can still shoot 20MP stills, up to C4K at 60p, 200Mbps 4:2:0 10-bit LongGOP4K60p video, and 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 internally. Contrast detection DFD (depth from defocus) autofocus is super fast and has sensitivity from -4 - 18EV. The screen is fully articulated which is perfect for when you need to shoot overhead or at the hip as it makes it much easier to view.
It takes two UHS-II SD cards and offers 5-axis Dual IS giving up to 6.5 stops of stabilization. The Panasonic GH6 and GH7 are both more advanced in almost every way, but you will spend a lot more money on either of them.
Read our full Panasonic Lumix GH5 II review for more details or Panasonic Lumix GH5 II vs Panasonic GH6
Best video only
✅ Large 5-Inch LCD: Provides a big, high-resolution display for clear monitoring and composition.
✅ Dual Native ISO: Delivers impressive low-noise 4K video recording, even rivaling some full-frame sensor cameras.
❌ No Stills Capability: Not designed for capturing still images, so it's not suitable if you need a camera for both video and photography.
❌ Chunky Design: The retro, chunky build may be less portable and comfortable for extended use compared to more compact cameras.
Designed for videography from the get-go, the (deep breath) Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K isn’t an option to consider if you’re looking to shoot stills as well. This chunky retro-looking device is based around a Micro Four-Thirds lens mount and Four Thirds sensor combo while being heads and shoulders above actual Four Thirds stills cameras when it comes to video capability.
It benefits from a huge 5-inch LCD, lots of on-board connectivity, dual card slots, and dual native ISO; the latter meaning that this Blackmagic option actually delivers low noise 4K video recording more impressively than some full-frame sensor cameras, which is a high recommendation. If it’s video you want pure and simple, you could even say it’s ‘magic’.
Read our full Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K for more details
Best full frame
✅ Advanced Video Features: Capable of 10-bit 4:2:0 4K at 60fps and up to 180fps in 1080p, making it a powerful tool for high-quality video production.
✅ Full-Frame Sensor: Offers a sensor size about 50% larger than Super35 / APS-C and 100% larger than Micro Four Thirds, providing higher resolution, better detail, and superior low-light performance.
❌ Expensive Native L-Mount Lenses: Native lenses for the L-mount system can be costly, which may increase the overall cost of your setup.
❌ Flaky Continuous AF: Like many Panasonic models, the continuous autofocus can be unreliable, which may require manual focus adjustments for precise control.
If you want to truly step up your filming skills, the Panasonic S5 features a full-frame image sensor – which is about 50% larger than Super35 / APS-C and 100% larger than Micro Four Thirds. This gives a number of technical advantages over smaller formats, from higher resolution and detail to cleaner ISO and low light performance. It also delivers the creative effect of an incredibly shallow depth of field, for superior subject separation and dreamy out-of-focus backgrounds.
In effect, the S5 is essentially a full-frame version of the GH5 (though it's actually smaller and lighter), though it incorporates features from the Netflix-approved Panasonic S1H. With 10-bit 4:2:0 4K 60fps, and up to 180fps in 1080p, it's an absolute powerhouse – though it's worth noting that native L-mount lenses are quite expensive, and like all Panasonics the continuous AF can be a little flaky.
However, you can easily adapt all manner of other lenses, and for filmmaking, which is very different from vlogging, you'll likely be pulling focus manually anyway. The subsequent Panasonic Lumix S5 II is a better camera in a lot of respects, particularly for its introduction of phase-detection autofocus, however the more affordable Lumix S5 still shoots great video and is an ideal full-frame starting point.
Read our full Panasonic S5 review for more details
Best for content creators
✅ 4K and Cinema 4K: Supports 16:9 ratio 4K footage and Cinema 4K at a 17:9 ratio, providing flexibility in video composition.
✅ Extended Video Recording: No 30-minute recording limit, unlike many stills-focused cameras.
❌ Complex video features: The camera’s advanced video features can be complex to fully utilize, requiring additional research or practice to master.
❌ Reduced stills capability: With only 10 megapixels, it’s less suited for high-resolution still photography.
A version of the Panasonic GH5 that has been tweaked for video, at the expense of some of its still shooting capabilities. It offers ‘just’ 10 megapixels – and thus even more dedicated to the art of filming, particularly so in low light. Here we get not just regular 16:9 ratio 4K footage and the option of Cinema 4K at the slightly wider 17:9 ratio, along with twin UHS-II card slots to cope with the data-hungry demand; we are also gifted Dual Native ISO.
The latter is a feature borrowed from its maker’s pro video cams that claim to deliver less noise at higher sensitivities – thereby making the camera a more proficient tool when recording in lower light.
Naturally, this being Panasonic, 8MP stills can be snatched from a 4K video sequence, and, unlike regular stills cameras, video recording duration doesn’t cut off at just shy of 30 minutes. With far too many nuanced video features to go into here, check out our standalone long-form review of the GH5S for the fuller picture.
Read our full Panasonic GH5s review for more details
Best for vlogging
✅ Cinema 4K Quality: The ZV-E10 II uses the same sensor and processor from Sony's cinema FX30, but costs a whole lot less.
✅ Great Battery Life: The addition of the NP-FZ100 battery is specced to deliver 195 minutes of recording – our testes bore this out.
❌ No AI Processor: Unlike some of its contemporaries, the ZV-E10 II lacks the latest cutting-edge subject-recognition autofocus.
❌ Possible Balance Issues: The relatively small body of the ZV-E10 II is an advantage in some respects, but balances poorly with bid lenses.
Sony's second go at a fully vlogging-focused mirrorless camera (the 'ZV' range are all designed expressly for video), the ZV-E10 II is a far superior proposition to the original ZV-E10, and is a standout choice for filmmaking students. It inherits the same sensor and processor as Sony's cinema FX30, a camera that is big, complex and expensive for film students, but shoots sumptuous video – which means the ZV-E10 II does too!
Elsewhere the ergonomics are excellent, with the small and light ZV-E10 II being brilliant for taking everywhere with you to get used to shooting – it's only with extra-large lenses that the size might not quite feel optimal. Sony has also massively improved the battery life on this camera compared to the first ZV-E10, meaning you can record for much longer before needing to charge up. An ideal starting point for vloggers and film students alike, the Sony ZV-E10 II is inexpensive and brillaint.
Read our full Sony ZV-E10 II review for more details
How to choose the best camera for film students
So, you're starting your film course, or starting to teach yourself film, and it's time to get yourself a camera! This can be a trickier proposition than you might think, especially when you factor in that film students will likely not have the largest budget.
Video quality is a given. Any camera you buy needs to be able to shoot at least 4K resolution. While you won't necessarily produce all your content in 4K, the higher resolution gives you much more flexibility if you want to crop into your footage, and it's also considered the industry standard across video nowadays – so if you're going to supplement income on your studies with some video shooting work, you need to have 4K in your repertoire.
Frame rates are also something to take into account. A camera will shoot different resolutions at different frame rates – it might offer 4K at 30p, Full HD at 60p, HD at 120p, etc. Different frame rates are used for different purposes – the standard minimum frame rate for online video to look smooth and pleasant is 30p, though 60p is better if you can get it. The cinematic frame rate, however, is 24p – this is the way audiences are used to films looking, and it's important to have in your arsenal. In general, the more frame rate options you have, the better.
You'll also want to think about your lens options. The different cameras on our list come with different lens mounts, and you'll need to factor in the cost of lenses when buying your camera. Older models like DSLRs will have a vast selection of cheap lenses available, while newer mirrorless cameras will have fewer and more expensive lenses, but they'll likely be better quality and offer additional features like built-in stabilization.
How we test cameras
We test the best filmmaking cameras both in real-world shooting scenarios and in carefully controlled conditions. In our tests, we look at the resolution, dynamic range in real-world use cases and make our judgement on years of expertise in the field of filmmaking and photography.
Find out how we test and review on Digital Camera World
FAQs
What type of camera is best for film students?
While the best cinema cameras are often expensive and may be overwhelming for beginners, many of the best mirrorless cameras or DSLR cameras now offer robust video features at a more accessible price point. These include 4K recording, log profiles, and 8 or 10-bit video. If you're unfamiliar with these terms, our video jargon guide can help clarify the technical aspects.
Since the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, both DSLRs and mirrorless cameras have significantly advanced in video capabilities. These cameras are no longer just for photography; they now offer continuous autofocus, HDMI ports, external microphone and headphone jacks, and compatibility with various lenses. They allow for 4K recording and enable you to view footage on either an articulated screen or an external monitor, providing everything a film student needs to both learn and excel in their craft.
What sensor size is best for filmmaking?
Micro Four Thirds systems are popular among emerging filmmakers for their compact size, affordability, and versatile lenses. APS-C sensors are also a great option, offering a size comparable to the Super35 format. For superior low-light performance and shallow depth of field, however, a full-frame body is ideal.
Read more:
The best cameras for filmmaking
Best cinema cameras
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Best microphones for vloggers and filmmakers
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