I have been getting a huge influx of questions regarding which camera to get for video specifically without spending crazy money on a Cinema Camera… The issue with this question that must be addressed in particular is how long will you be recording for and in what type of environment?
The reason this matters is because the Hybrid cameras except for the Sony A7S III all overheat after a certain amount of time… My A7C2 or A74 for example will last a really long time in 4k/24p but in 4k/60 it will eventually overheat. So if you are taking shorter clips or in cooler environments you can get away with the hybrid cameras, but for professional long form use cases I would not recommend most hybrid cameras…
The best Sony mirrorless options available today for professional use before going full hardcore cinema cameras of course would be the Sony FX3 and Sony FX30.
They both have the “Active Cooled” systems built into the camera body which means a fan, and they can handle a lot abuse. Plus they both have the same beefy camera cage style body and good battery life.
In addition to that Sony has by far the most amount of lenses to choose from, therefore the Sony E-Mount system is in my opinion the best option for 2024. Check out my Sony E-Mount Lens Guide Here >>
I created super in depth beginners guides for both cameras which I have linked below, and here are the currently available “powerzoom” lens options..
*Note the PZ in the lens name which means the lens can zoom perfectly smooth with the lever control on the camera. Of course you can use and E-Mount lens on the FX3 and FX30, but these lenses are a bit special for video, so I wanted to highlight them for those
Powerzoom Lens Options
These 1st two powerzoom lenses are the full frame options ideal for FX3:
- – Sony FE PZ 16-35mm f/4 G Lens: https://geni.us/RajtZXW
- – Sony FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS Lens: https://geni.us/5tS0
The rest of these powerzoom lenses are APS-C size or Super35mm options ideal for FX30:
- – Sony E PZ 10-20mm f/4 G Lens: https://geni.us/xxMDtu
- – Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Lens: https://geni.us/7rlP5
- – Sony E PZ 18-105mm f/4 G OSS Lens: https://geni.us/x0pL
- – Sony E PZ 18-110mm f/4 G OSS Lens: https://geni.us/t79jj –
- – Sony E PZ 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Lens: https://geni.us/DrEiYXd
Sony FX3 Beginners Guide
Sony FX30 Beginners Guide
Please feel free to ask questions if you have them!! All the best, Jay
