Best cheap video camera?

[mudxdresser]

Looking to get back into filming next year but need a new rig. All my prior video cameras ended up being destroyed by dust, sun, and falling into the mud so I'm looking for something cheap this time around since digital technology has come so far, even cheap ones give better quality than on my old high end analog ones. I want to be able to be casual about camera risk and just go buy a new one if something happens to it.

Any recommendations on what the best of the low end rigs are? Looking for the lowest cost that is not junk. Also might be interested in the opposite end of the spectrum, ruggedized waterproof underwater rigs, but only if you have had direct personal experience with them in mud, not water. Thanks for your assistance?

[Fred588]

I don't think you question can be properly answered without knowledge of your intended use. What you intend to film is a variable you have defined but you also need to determine, or disclose, what you will use for editing, in terms of both hardware and software. Even a low end camera can produce very large files, the editing of which could be beyond what you will use.

I am not certain they are even still offered but you will find that cameras that use tape are a lot more subject to damage from hard use than all solid state cameras.

Another important feature to consider is the camera's ability to deal with things such as high-contrast situations. Some offer what is usually called a "zebra" function which will display, while you are filming, stripes across portions of the image that are washed out due to too much contrast; other do not have this feature. You may also want to determine if you want a camera that can take stills simultaneous with video, and if you want to do that, if it can do so without making a noise that will be present on the video.
Another is the presence or absence of a microphone port. Most very low-end cameras do NOT have such ports and the built in microphone may not be adequate for your needs. On the other hand some pro-sumer level cameras have both an external mic port AND a very good built in mic. There are other considerations as well.

What I am saying, I think, is you have to know your need before you look for the solution.

[mudxdresser]

Intended use is filming at natural outdoor mudpits wherever they may occur. I don't use external microphones, just need a basic microphone that works, omnidirectional is fine, I can add my own wind protection. Filming is always in high contrast environments but no need for fancy contrast software as long as there is a way to get good white balance. Biggest concern is battery life in the heat of summer, don't like having to tote and try to keep external battery packs clean. Two hour battery life would be nice, need as close to that as I can get. Digital solid state camera only, tired of messing with tape as it starts degrading as soon as it is recorded. Nice to have features are manual focal length and aperture control.

I am used to professional equipment, I still shoot film using a '60 era Nikon F Photomic T for non-mud photos but use all sorts of throwaway waterproof 35mm cameras for mud situations. Am not in any way concerned with video size as I tend to work in .AVI format and have an editing rig with four high capacity hard drives and provision to connect more. Use Vegas Video, oh wait, they call it Sony Vegas now.

[Fred588]

Intended use is filming at natural outdoor mudpits wherever they may occur. I don't use external microphones, just need a basic microphone that works, omnidirectional is fine, I can add my own wind protection. Filming is always in high contrast environments but no need for fancy contrast software as long as there is a way to get good white balance. Biggest concern is battery life in the heat of summer, don't like having to tote and try to keep external battery packs clean. Two hour battery life would be nice, need as close to that as I can get. Digital solid state camera only, tired of messing with tape as it starts degrading as soon as it is recorded. Nice to have features are manual focal length and aperture control.

I am used to professional equipment, I still shoot film using a '60 era Nikon F Photomic T for non-mud photos but use all sorts of throwaway waterproof 35mm cameras for mud situations. Am not in any way concerned with video size as I tend to work in .AVI format and have an editing rig with four high capacity hard drives and provision to connect more. Use Vegas Video, oh wait, they call it Sony Vegas now.

Any of the Sony or Canon cameras with the features you have listed out to work. You will find, however, that most (probably ALL) solid state cameras compress to MPEG4, except some such as the Nikon d7000 series that may compress to MOV. That is, they probably won't do AVI, at least at the low end.

The batteries for these cameras are MUCH smaller and lighter than they used to be, so get at least one extra for each camera. In many cases they can be charged with a motor vehicle if it has a lighter or other port. The newer model cameras tend to get more time out f a battery but they also cost more.

You might consider a GoPro but it's less is fixed and probably wider-angle than you really want.

Your editing software should be able to handle the files produced by the cameras described, provided it is an up-to-date version.

[mudxdresser]

Thanks for the info! Yeah, that .mpeg4 is handy for saving disk space but I prefer lossless formats. At least I know to pay close attention to that when evaluating options.

[Mynock]

Not exactly cheap but I've seen people on youtube do some crazy shit with Go Pros and not break them.

[dlodoski]

Thanks for the info! Yeah, that .mpeg4 is handy for saving disk space but I prefer lossless formats. At least I know to pay close attention to that when evaluating options.

Like HDV before it, AVCHD uses compression, so there's no way to avoid that, unless you go well out of consumer grade price ranges.

The .MOV extension on some of the manufacturers files does not mean it's Quicktime. It's still AVCHD as far as I know.

Based on what I have seen you do in the past, I would say that the $400 to $800 price range will suit you fine. I just don't know concisely what's out there right now as I have not shopped video gear for several years now.

[Chimerix]

Hard to beat the GoPro for ruggedness and price/performance. Audio is an issue, since the onboard mic is enclosed by the waterproof housing. Paired with a smart device and the free app, you have a LOT of control of the image, and can even shoot video in 4K. With an extended battery, your two-hour goal is attainable.

In the same price range, I have 20 of the Canon Vixia series that I use for introductory students. Surprisingly good image quality in good light, and a wide range of data rates and recording formats. Lots of manipulation via the menu system, but since that is accessed via a touch screen, protection from hostile elements is problematic. Likewise, the internally-housed battery has a one-hour life, so that's another negative for your application.

DSLR may be an option in the $800 range, but you won't find one with a zoom servo.

The features Fred mentions, such as zebra bars or external mic ports, really are not to be expected in a consumer camera. If you're looking to step into the prosumer arena, then you're talking about cameras in the $2k - $4k range.

Pretty much everything in the under $10k arena shoots some variant of AVCHD now. Most are 4:1:1 or 4:2:0 colorspace utilizing a single sensor under 1/4". Again, if you want to step up, it's a pretty substantial jump in $$$.

[kham]

For durable, and slick package, it is hard to beat the GoPro models these days; true HD video in MP4 , and the fixed lens is not really an issue with the ability to configure the FOV and fps settings even in the older GoPro 2 units; they up to the mod 4 I think now, and with both the underwater and rough housings included, you can pretty much do what you want. Sound isn't as bad as you'd think and the pricing can let you get 2 or 3 of the units. The new ones now have even more bells and whistles, plus remote control. The vid quality is good enough to be used in multiple shows for broadcast, so there's that.

A sample of multiple cams can be found Flying with Brooke | T82 for Breakfast | ATC Audio MrAviation's work down in Texas

[Nessie]

I shot most of my later videos with a Canon Vixia.

I am still overjoyed with the hi-def video quality. It's been wonderful for the money. Audio, a little touchy, very good if you don't yell at it or if there's no wind, although if you want you can add a mike of your choice to it. Just because it's me who bought it, you know it didn't bust the bank.

Can't remember the exact price, but it was on sale anyway.

This camera still works like new, and it survived some horrible things. It wasn't just the multiple filmings at mudpits (self-filming means it was constantly touched by muddy hands), occasional light rain, and being toted about without a case. I also accidentally left it in a hot car and the outer plastic warped...nor was this camera put away in winter. I like nature and wildlife all year, and that means that it has seen temperatures of just above zero Fahrenheit, for extended periods.

My exact camera is not made any more but if that's how Canon makes 'em, I'm sure they have one for you. Look for something small, light, about middle price range in consumer-grade quality, and talk to the sales rep about what it's got.

GoPros sound awesome, though...maybe one of each? Can't you stick a GoPro anywhere? Run the main camera yourself and stick the GoPro in some unlikely place. Edit the two angles together. That would be cool.

Nessie