Is there an affordable digital camera under $500 that shoots 4K video?

[minimalist]

Looking to get into some photography and videography. Where's a good place to start?

[rmac52]

Gopro hero 4 black.

$499

[ALwin]

Looking to get into some photography and videography. Where's a good place to start?

 

Well what do you want to do?  People normally start off buying a camera.

 

Gopro hero 4 black.

$499

 

4K cameras currently start at the prosumer level of prices, so yes the GoPro Hero 4 is the only $500 camera that records 4K video.

[minimalist]

Well what do you want to do?  People normally start off buying a camera.

 

 

4K cameras currently start at the prosumer level of prices, so yes the GoPro Hero 4 is the only $500 camera that records 4K video.

Take stock photos for a website. Take photos while hiking outdoors. Shoot video. Everything really.

[ALwin]

Take stock photos for a website. Take photos while hiking outdoors. Shoot video. Everything really.

 

On this forum people will tell you to get a photo camera that shoots video (DSLR, Mirrorless, something else).  I on the other hand recommend you get a photo camera and a video camcorder*.  Mainly because you seem to be a beginner.  When you have learned and gained some experience, upgrade your kit to a photo camera that can do video if you want.

 

So lets figure out a few things:

1. How much do you know about photography?
2. How much do you know about working with videos other than aiming your camera and pressing the record button?
3. What specifications/features are important for you in a photo camera?
4. Do you know the requirements for stock photos if you upload to a site such as ShutterStock?
5. Do you know what accessories you will need?
6. How much are you willing to spend?  Not just on the camera(s) but also on spare memory cards, batteries, other accessories.

*People will argue and say isn't it better to get a [DSLR] that can shoot video and learn from the start.  For some people it works, for many beginners I don't agree with this argument.  It's more complicated to record good quality video with a [DSLR] than a camcorder.  My own experience with teaching beginners, among my friends and colleagues, on how to operate a photo or video camera is that people tend to get frustrated and give up if they do not learn to do something to an acceptable level of quality quickly.  So a camcorder is the fastest way to introduce them to learning how to record a video and doing it well.  Once they understand how to compose a scene, capture the story, edit it, etc. then it's time to move onto more advanced stuff.

[Electronics Wizardy]

4k only matters if you have a high end camera. having 4k won't make a 500 dollar camera look any better, it will just be more work in post. In order to see the difference in quality you need a high quality sensor and lens, these day that is around the 6000 dollar body before 4k makes a difference.

[ALwin]

4k only matters if you have a high end camera. having 4k won't make a 500 dollar camera look any better, it will just be more work in post. In order to see the difference in quality you need a high quality sensor and lens, these day that is around the 6000 dollar body before 4k makes a difference.

 

Another misconception.  While a high quality sensor is necessary to record good 4K video, 4K video recorded by a GoPro is acceptable to a certain degree, granted that if you expect it to record something of IMAX theatre quality it will have a hard time doing it.  However a camera like the Panasonic GH4 which costs way less than $6000 records good quality 4K video.

 

Cameras are just tools, what matters most are:

• the knowledge on how to use these tools proficiently
• the creativity to express your imagination
• the effort you put into recording and editing

One thing I am seeing on this forum regarding photography and videography is that many people look at buying a camera like buying a computer component.  It's not the same.  The specifications of a camera are not like the specifications of a computer CPU or GPU.  While buying a faster CPU or GPU will make your computer perform better, buying a "faster" or "better" camera doesn't do much if you lack creativity or imagination.

[ShadowCaptain]

Looking to get into some photography and videography. Where's a good place to start?

 

if you are just starting out I would forget about 4k, even pros like Philip Bloom shoot and edit in 1080p most of the time. Heck movies like Skyfall were shot on cameras that are not capable of shooting 4k

 

There are lots of places to start

A stills camera and a video camera - each suited best to its dedicated task

A DSLR with video, for your budget it can do both, so could be a place to start, but the video functionality has a steep learning curve and you wont be running and gunning like a cam corder

Something like a Nikon J5 / Sony A5000/A6000 - great for beginners, interchangeable lenses, very fast to operate camera, shoots nice video etc

 

 

You need to go try these things out in a shop / borrow a friends

[Electronics Wizardy]

Another misconception.  While a high quality sensor is necessary to record good 4K video, 4K video recorded by a GoPro is acceptable to a certain degree, granted that if you expect it to record something of IMAX theatre quality it will have a hard time doing it.  However a camera like the Panasonic GH4 which costs way less than $6000 records good quality 4K video.

 

Cameras are just tools, what matters most are:

• the knowledge on how to use these tools proficiently
• the creativity to express your imagination
• the effort you put into recording and editing

One thing I am seeing on this forum regarding photography and videography is that many people look at buying a camera like buying a computer component.  It's not the same.  The specifications of a camera are not like the specifications of a computer CPU or GPU.  While buying a faster CPU or GPU will make your computer perform better, buying a "faster" or "better" camera doesn't do much if you lack creativity or imagination.

I not saying the video llots bad, its just that there is very little benifit going to 4k in a low end camera.

[ShadowCaptain]

I not saying the video llots bad, its just that there is very little benifit going to 4k in a low end camera.

 

there is very little benefit going 4k in a high end camera

 

If they can 300 million dollar movies movies with the Arri Alexa which is like 2.7k people can shoot their own movies in 1080p just bloody fine!