A good compact camera for 4K videos. max 900 euro

[Adriano Moroni]

Hello, I'd like to buy a compact camera but really compact, my budget is 900 euros max. I did research about it but I didn't know much about it because I don't have experience with compact cameras to make videos in 4K. The camera must have a tilting LCD and a zoom more than 3X, even if it is a bit more. But I'd like a camera that makes good videos, with good quality. Thanks so much for some info.

[Mark Rosenzweig]

Originally Posted by Adriano Moroni

Hello, I'd like to buy a compact camera but really compact, my budget is 900 euros max. I did research about it but I didn't know much about it because I don't have experience with compact cameras to make videos in 4K. The camera must have a tilting LCD and a zoom more than 3X, even if it is a bit more. But I'd like a camera that makes good videos, with good quality. Thanks so much for some info.

The tiny Sony RX100 V is less than 900 Euros, does superb oversampled (full sensor-readout) 4K with Slog2 if you want, has PDAF focusing, class-leading rolling shutter, and a tilting (up and down) LCD and viewfinder. It's zoom is 2.93X (24-70mm). The lens is fast at f1.8-f2.8. It also has a built-in ND filter, so just like a miniature camcorder. Bonus: superb 120 and 240 FPS FullHD video.

If you want more zoom in the same form factor and same features, you get all the above but a 24-200mm zoom with the new RX100 VI. The lens is slower - f2.8-f4.5. And it costs around Euro 1200. No ND filter though, a big problem.

[Adriano Moroni]

Good info, I thank you. Which do you prfer between Sony RX100 V and LUMIX GX85? The problem is always the little zoom. But that one of the Lumix is a bit better. I thank you

[Noa Put]

The gx85 doesn't have a zoom, it's a camerabody only and you buy lenses seperately, the main question would be, how important is good autofocus for you?

[Adriano Moroni]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

the main question would be, how important is good autofocus for you?

It is very important.

[Noa Put]

The autofocus on the gx85 is very fast and accurate but its no good for continuous autofocus for video

[Mark Rosenzweig]

The AF on the RX100 V and VI are way better than any Panasonic AF, including the GH5 (PDAF vs CD). The GX85 focus visibly hunts and will lose focus suddenly even on an object that is still. To shoot with any Panasonic camera you use AF to get focus and then you must instantly lock or face losing it. I have shot many videos with the GX85 and the GH4 and some Panasonic point and shoots. They all have this AF problem.

The GX85 is much larger and much heavier than the RX100 cameras; it is not even close to being pocketable. It does not offer a log profile and its 4K is not oversampled from the full sensor and does not compete in resolution with the RX100 V and VI. It's dynamic range is only trivially wider than that of the RX100, even though the m43 sensor is larger than the 1" sensor of the RX100. Its video quality is good and you have the flexibility of many lenses, all of which add bulk except maybe a prime pancake, and it never overheats.

Here is a 4K video I made recently using the RX100 V that was shot using Slog2 and converted in Resolve Studio to REC709 (no LUT):

Sony RX100 V 4K Video: Whitney Falls on a Cloudy Afternoon on Vimeo

At no point did I feel that I needed a longer lens, but I sure was grateful for the fast lens.

[Adriano Moroni]

Mark and Noa, thanks for your precious news. It seems you like more Sony RX100 to make 4K videos. Right?

[Noa Put]

The rx100 is more of a point and shoot camera while the gx85 requires more manual operation, recently I came across below video about China and the guy uses a sony rx100 mark 5 and according to him it overheats all the time and has bad stabilization in 4K, maybe something to consider, the gx80 otoh has very good stabilization and doesn't overheat.

Below video should start at around 7min and 8sec where he starts to talk about the camera, if not then best to start watching from that moment.

YouTube (Short URL)

[Mark Rosenzweig]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

The rx100 is more of a point and shoot camera while the gx85 requires more manual operation, recently I came across below video about China and the guy uses a sony rx100 mark 5 and according to him it overheats all the time and has bad stabilization in 4K, maybe something to consider, the gx80 otoh has very good stabilization and doesn't overheat.

Below video should start at around 7min and 8sec where he starts to talk about the camera, if not then best to start watching from that moment.

https://youtu.be/6Y-UOVi8KaU?t=7m8s

Really! Did you see what the guy does with the camera - walk and talk! and he complains he gets shake! This is a Vlogger. I went to the 7 min mark and shut it down when he started walking with the camera).

I posted a 4K RX100 V handheld video above. The purpose is so that you can judge first hand, yourself. You can judge the stabilization in 4K from that, its color, its focus (though not focus speed). Why in the world would you rely on this guy? The RX100 V does have an overheat problem. But I shot that video with no shutdown - 1.5 hours of shooting (not continuous, obviously). So, you can shoot a video of some length *evidently.* Don't take my word for it, look. Is the stabilization really good - no. The GX85, with IBIS+OIS is better, but not greatly so, and depends on the lens.

The GX85 AF is terrible, but you can work with it. It does not overheat, in part because it has a large heat sink, which makes it very heavy for its size. It does produce good video. Oh, and do not just listen to my opinion, here is a video, handheld:

YouTube (Short URL)

[Noa Put]

It's just an opinion from another user, Sony is notorious for overheating problems, almost all their smaller camera's like the a7 series suffer from it in 4K and I have seen a lot of users mentioning this when I was in a sony and weddingvideographers Facebook group, not every user does experience it but it's being mentioned a lot so worth considering if you plan to shoot in 4K and live in a warm country.

The bad image stabilization in 4K, like he said, might also be a issue depending how you use the camera and might be important to know, that "walk and talk" is what it's all about these days, even black magic with their new cinema pocket cam has made efforts in design to satisfy the vlogger community as they are becoming a big group that purchases their camera and have a even bigger influence on the buying behaviour of their subscribers, you and I might not like it but there is no denying they have a big influence on the functionality that is given to small pocket camera's.

[Dave Blackhurst]

RX100V - 4K video is a 5 minute proposition (internal limit), maybe 8 if you install the hack, then it WILL thermal shutdown to protect the camera. Probably worse in high heat environments. I tested in hopes it would give a bit more, it won't. Too small a body to dissipate the heat from all those bits running around inside!

If HD video is all you need, It ran as long as the battery held out. in "normal" shirt sleeve comfortable conditions, but again, that could vary depending on ambient temps and bright sunlight on a black camera.

A used RX10M2 is bigger, but more capable, and able to dissipate heat better.

[Adriano Moroni]

Dave, RX10M2 is too much bigger for me. I already have a big camera. If you were me and you must to buy a new small camera, what camera would you buy to make 4K videos? About small camera I mean the max size of LUMIX GX85.

[Noa Put]

You said you wanted a tilting screen, you mean one like the Panasonic gh5 has? Some camera's only allow to tilt the screen up or down. Also for 4K recording, how long are your shots? Is it each time like max a minute or do you plan on letting it record for longer periods?

[Adriano Moroni]

1) I need a camera that shoots a very good video quality.
2) Cameras that only allow to tilt the screen up or down are OK.
3) My shots are short, max some minutes only.