OVERVIEW:
If you want quality, but don't want to spend a lot of money on cameras for budget filmmaking ($300-$600/each) these are the cameras I recommend. These don't have good AF (autofocus) so you'll have to get used to manually focusing, but they can adapt almost ANY vintage lens (ever made) and they have good IBIS, which means you'll get stabilized footage even with manual focus lenses. Oh, because 2 of these are Micro Four Thirds cameras, there's a number of tricks you'll be able to do, that you can't with full frame (the GX85 can even take a TILT/SHIFT adapter #ad ...something very few cameras can do).
ABOVE: The Panasonic G85 #ad and GX85 #ad are great budget filmmaking cameras because they have great IBIS, and can adapt almost any vintage lens available. The FZ1000 is also a good deal because it has a built-in Leica telephoto lens!
WHY BUY A SINGLE CAMERA?
The first thing I say when people ask which camera they should buy is "Don't buy a single camera; buy 2".
The #1 thing I teach about budget filmmaking is "Always shoot with (at least) 2 cameras". The reason is, I'd rather shoot with 2 cameras and have 2 angles to choose from (when it comes to editing). The question is "How can I possibly afford 2 cameras, when I'm struggling to find a deal on just one?" You might be excited to find out, you can probably buy all 3 of these cameras, for the same price you'd pay for JUST ONE of those most YouTubers recommend!
MY CAMERAS:
CAMERA 1 PANASONIC G85 ($300-$500 used)
If I could only buy one camera (for budget filmmaking) and didn't have much money, this might be the one I'd buy. The only reason it might not be my favorite camera EVER, is that I like using a TILT/SHIFT adapter #ad and you need the Panasonic GX85 for that (the adapter can't move up and down on the G85).
WHY I LIKE THE PANASONIC G85:
The low price ($300-$500 used)
It has excellent IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization)
It produces a good image (with most lenses)
It shoots in 4K (with no record limit)
It has weather sealing (on the body, but not every lens)
It matches the GX85 perfectly (same color science, sensor)
It has a flip-out screen (but I actually like a flip-up at times)
It has a microphone input (but I use an external audio recorder)
WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE?
The AF (autofocus) is not good (I manual focus with vintage lenses anyway)
You can't use TILT/SHIFT adapters on it (it hits the popup flash ledge)
No headphone output (I monitor with an external audio recorder)
*I always shoot with 2 cameras, and my 2nd favorite budget filmmaking camera is the GX85.
ABOVE: My "Minimal Kit" consists of a Panasonic G85 + a GoPro (HERO4 Silver or newer). This captures two shots in one take (makes things much easier during editing).
ABOVE: The Panasonic G85 is the first camera I would buy, but because the price is so low, I'd actually add a GX85 as well to use the TILT/SHIFT adapter I love #ad .
CAMERA 2 PANASONIC GX85 ($300-$500 used)
As I mentioned, this is probably my favorite camera for budget filmmaking (but I always shoot with 2, so I'm using a G85 with it). The main reason I like this camera, is that I can turn almost any (Nikon-mount) lens into a TILT/SHIFT lens with a special (~$125 US) adapter #ad . I had always wanted a TILT/SHIFT lens, and I actually rented one at times, but they have been SO expensive, I never thought I'd own one, until now. Now, I shoot all of my WIDE shots with this camera and this TILT/SHIFT adapter #ad and I just can't imagine not shooting without one (it adds so much realism to each shot).
WHY I LIKE THE PANASONIC GX85:
It's also very affordable ($300-$500 used)
It also has excellent IBIS (even better than the G85)
It also produces a good image (almost identical to G85)
It shoots in 4K (and has no record limit, same as G85)
It matches G85* perfectly (same color science, sensor)
It allows the use of TILT/SHIFT adapters (G85 does NOT)
WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE?
It doesn't have a microphone input (but you only need it on 1 camera)
The battery life isn't very good (I use a dummy battery + power bank)
*I always shoot with 2 cameras, and my 2nd favorite budget filmmaking camera is the GX85.
ABOVE: My favorite thing about the Lumix GX85 is that you can use a TILT/SHIFT adapter (the rangefinder style design means there is no pop-up flash to block the up/down travel). This turns this camera into a really good tool (I don't like shooting buildings without it!)
ABOVE: Here is an example of using a TILT/SHIFT adapter #ad with the Panasonic GX85 (I have tried a few brands, and so far the one I like is this one #ad on Ebay).
CAMERA 3 PANASONIC FZ1000 ($300-$500 used)
I have a dedicated post about the Panasonic FZ1000, which I recommend reviewing if you're thinking about this camera, but I'll try to give the shorter, condensed version here. Overall, the FZ1000 is a really good tool, with a (built-in) 25-400mm equivalent lens (which you can control using the Image App) and a pretty good 4K image (in sufficient light, i.e. OUTDOORS) it's a super-convenient #3 camera to be able to pull out of your bag and set up quickly. It needs a camera cage to be sufficiently stable (even though it has OIS/Optical Image Stabilization in the lens) and it's not good in low light (INDOORS) but other than that, it's a camera that I really like having for adding a 3rd, close-up (or wide angle) shot, without a lot of fuss. It does have a 30-minute record limit, so it will be the camera that you have to "babysit" for longer events, but I've done it, and it's not too much of a problem (especially since the other 2 cameras, the G85 and GX85 will just keep on going after you press record).
WHY I LIKE THE PANASONIC FZ1000:
It's also a really good deal ($300-$600 used)
It has a great (built-in) telephoto lens (25-400mm 2.8-4.0)*
Focus AND ZOOM can be controlled with the app
It shoots in 4K (and looks good with custom settings)
It takes the same battery as the G85 #ad (and G7)
WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE?
It's not good in low light (I use only OUTDOORS)
It needs ND OUTDOORS (I use a good ND8 filter #ad not a variable ND)
It has a 30-minute record limit (you'll need to hit record again)
*If you were to purchase an equivalent telephoto lens, it would be more than this camera!
ABOVE: The Panasonic FZ1000 is a great tool for the price. You can check out my blog post about it here: Is the Panasonic FZ1000 Good for Budget Filmmaking?
CONCLUSION:
So, if you want to buy a 2 or 3 camera system FOR LESS THAN $1000, I highly recommend these three cameras. There are certainly limitations to using the smaller Micro Four Thirds (G85 and GX85) sensors, and even more limitations when using the 1-inch sensor on the FZ1000, but I think they can do the job in most situations, and having 2 or 3 camera angles is a great way to create a professional look...way better than having a single camera angle, and using "jump cuts" throughout your production (that's icky!) Anyway hope this helps, and make sure to use my custom settings for CAMERAS and AUDIO to get "REAL" looking footage from of your cameras, and "GOOD" audio from your mics.
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