The Buyers guide to...Best cameras for video

Although its position was technically usurped by the Canon EOS R3, the Canon EOS R5 is Canon’s flagship mirrorless camera and it was the most exciting camera announced in 2020.

Its 8K video capability stole most of the headlines when it was revealed, but the Canon R5 is at heart a 45Mp stills camera with an incredible autofocus system. This Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system has 5,940 selectable AF points and superb eye detection AF for humans, animals and birds that works in both video and stills mode.

Like the Canon EOS R6 announced at the same time, the EOS R5 has 5-axis in-body image stabilisation. In the R5 it enables shutter speed compensation of up to 8EV.

Canon pitches the R5 at around the same level as the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, which means it’s designed for use by experienced enthusiast and professional photographers. It combines a healthy collection of button and dial controls with an excellent touch-control interface on the 3.15-inch 2.1-million dot vari-angle screen.

While 8K video is of limited appeal, the R5 is capable of producing superb results with the 4K HQ (High Quality) mode especially impressing. The still image quality is also excellent all the way up to around ISO 25,600.

Find the latest deals on the Canon EOS R5 at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Read our Canon EOS R5 Review

Read our Sony A7S III Review

If video is your bag, the GH5S is not only the best Panasonic camera for video but arguably the best camera for video you can buy. While many videographers have hailed the Panasonic GH5 as the ultimate video camera, Panasonic is now calling it the ‘ultimate hybrid camera’ with the GH5S getting ‘ultimate video camera’ status.

Like the GH5, the GH5S can shoot Cinema 4K (4096 x 2160) footage. However, whereas the GH5 is limited to 24p at this resolution, the GH5S can shoot at 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p or 24p. Furthermore, if you opt for 30p, 25p or 24p, you can shoot that C4K footage in 4:2:2 10-bit for a greater range of colours and smoother tonal gradations.

If high bitrates are important, the GH5S can record 4:2:2 10-bit 400-Mbps All-Intra in 4K 30p, 25p or 24p and C4K 24p. While C4K and 4K footage can be recorded at up to 60fps, Full-HD (1920 x 1080) footage can be recorded at up to 240fps, giving 10x slow motion playback.

Inside the GH5S is a new 10.2Mp High Sensitivity MOS sensor coupled with a Venus Engine. Although it has the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) lens mount, its sensor is a little larger than is found in most MFT cameras because it’s a Multi Aspect Ratio unit that enables the same diagonal angle of view to be recorded whatever the aspect ratio of the image or video.

What’s more, in a new move for a Panasonic G-series camera, each pixel on the GH5S sensor has two analogue circuits and this enables two base sensitivities (ISO 400 and ISO 2500). This Dual Native ISO Technology and the lower pixel count of the GH5S are designed to improve dynamic range and help keep noise in check even in very low light when sensitivity (ISO) is high.

• Read our Panasonic GH5S review

Read our Panasonic Lumix GH5S Review

The original Panasonic GH5 has been incredibly popular with videographers since it was announced back in 2017. And while it doesn’t make a dramatic upgrade on the GH5, the Panasonic GH5 II puts ticks in lots of boxes. It’s a very capable video camera and a competent stills camera, making it ideal for modern content creators who don’t need a higher resolution sensor.

With the same 20.3Mp sensor as is inside the GH5 and the same processor that’s in the S1H, the GH5 II can capture 10-bit 4:2:0 C4K (4096 x 2160) video at up to 60fps and 200Mbps or 10-bit 4:2:2 C4K at up to 30fps and 400Mbps. If an external recorder is connected via HDMI, it’s also possible to record C4K 4:2:2 10-bit 60p video externally while simultaneously recording in 4:2:0 to the card in the camera. There’s also a selection of 4K and 6K anamorphic modes.

Although the GH5 II cannot shoot raw video, V-Log L is pre-installed which means that it’s possible capture very flat footage that’s well-suited to grading. Helpfully, there’s a Log Assist mode so you can assess the footage more easily when you’re shooting in V-Log L. It’s also possible to display a waveform or vector scope to guide exposure.

Panasonic has enhanced the GH5 II’s live streaming capability and it can stream via a wired or wireless connection to a router or a smartphone running Panasonic’s Lumix Sync app. Panasonic has also promised a firmware update by the end of the year to enable wired RTP/RTSP streaming.

Read our Panasonic Lumix GH5 II Review

The X-H2 is the high-resolution option in Fujifilm’s flagship X-H series. But along with its 40-million-pixel sensor is the ability to record internal Apple ProRes 10-bit 4:2:2 video in 8K at up to 30p. This gives users not only incredible high-resolution footage but also the ability to down-sample for higher quality 4K.

Along with that you can also shoot 6.2K video at up to 30p, DCI4K at 60p, 4K at 30p and Full HD at 240fps for slow-motion video.

With an Atomos Ninja V+ or Blackmagic Design Video Assist Monitor, it’s possible to record Apple ProRes RAW or Blackmagic RAW footage using the X-H2’s HDMI Type A port.

The Fujifilm X-H2 can record continuously for up to 160 minutes in temperatures up to 25C, and you can extend this time to 240 minutes with the optional X-H2 clip-on fast.

There’s also F-Log and F-Log2 colour profiles for those who want to grade their footage. The latter extends the camera’s dynamic range to more than 13 stops.

Read our Fujifilm X-H2 Review

The Fujifilm X-H2S builds on the X-H1’s video capability with the benefit of technological advances to give greater resolution, a wider range of frame rates, greater bit depth and less rolling shutter (with full sensor readout in 5.4msec or 1/180sec), plus in-camera Apple ProRes (ProRes 422 HQ, ProRes 422 and ProRes 422 LT) recording.

For example, 6.2K 29.97p and 4K 4:2:2 10 bit video can both be recorded internally with no crop. Alternatively, DCI 4K video can be recorded at 120p/100p with a 1.29x crop while FHD 17:9 or 16:9 video can be shot at 240P/200p with a 1.38x crop.

There’s also F-Log2 for recording video with up to 14 stops of dynamic range, but this means using a sensitivity setting of at least ISO 1250. With the original F-Log, which is also available, it’s ISO 650 and there’s up to 12 stops of dynamic range.

At 25°C, you can expect to shoot 4K 60p video for around 240 minutes before the camera overheats. In hotter climes this drops to around 15 minutes, but Fujifilm has also introduced a fan that can be connected onto the back of the X-H2S to help keep it cool and extend 4K 60P recording to 51 minutes.

Read our Fujifilm X-H2S Review

While the 45.7Mp Nikon Z7 II has a lot in common with the excellent Nikon Z7 and uses much of the same technology (including the same sensor), the mark II camera has a second memory card slot which means it addresses the main concern that photographers had about the original camera. One slot accepts XQD or CFexpress cards while the other is for SD-type cards and is UHS-II compliant

Nikon also doubled the Z7 II’s processing power in comparison with the Z7 II by giving it two Expeed 6 processing engines. This enabled a boost in the continuous shooting rate from 9fps to 10fps and enables 4K shooting at 60P.

Like the Z7, the Nikon Z7II can record 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) video. However, the maximum frame rate is boosted from 30P to 60P, which is great news for slow-motion fans.

As before, it’s also possible to shoot Full HD video at up to 120p.

If you record to a memory card in the Z7II, the video is 8-Bit, but connecting an external storage device via the HDMI port enables the video quality to be increased to 10-bit 4:2:2 with (or without) N-Log.

N-Log is useful if you want to grade your footage post-capture, or if you need to match the footage to that from another camera. Handily, timecode is available to help with editing video from multiple cameras.

With a compatible Atomos recorder connected, the Z7II can record video as Apple ProRes Raw which means you get the full benefit of the camera’s data gathering potential. However, this feature needs to be unlocked by a Nikon service centre at a cost of £179/$199.

Focus peaking and zebra display are also available to help with nailing the focus and exposure.

Read our Nikon Z7 II Review

In early 2020 Panasonic announced that via a strategic partnership with Atoms it had developed new firmware for the Lumix S1H that enables the camera to output a maximum 5.9K/29.97p RAW video data to the Atomos Ninja V.

Shortly after this announcement, the Panasonic S1H became the first ‘Netflix-approved’ camera on the market.

The S1H is aimed at serious filmmakers, but its price tag is under the the £4,000 threshold, and it packs some serious firepower.

Panasonic’s flagship full-frame mirrorless camera offers 6K video recording and 10-bit 60p 4K/C4K, aided by a 35.6 x 23.8mm, 24.2-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor. It can record 6K at 24p at a 3:2 aspect ratio, 5.9K at 30p in 16:9, as well as 10-bit 4K/Cinema 4K footage at 60p using the Super 35mm image area.

As if that isn’t enough, it can record 4:2:2 10-bit 4K footage at 30p over the full image area.

The Panasonic S1H also delivers 14 stops of dynamic range – the same as Panasonic’s cinema cameras – along with a slew of other video specifications aimed at professionals such as Panasonic’s V-Log/V-Gamut log modes, HDR in HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma), 4:2:2 10-bit HDMI output and Anamorphic 4:3 modes.

The Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema 6K Pro is something of an oddity. It’s a full-blown cinema camera that offers filmmakers the Hollywood experience in a small and relatively inexpensive body.

When it comes to looks and handling, the BMPCC 6K Pro is more mirrorless than camcorder, but this is no stills camera as the quality of footage it captures is staggeringly good.

In use, the ergonomics of the body makes sense and makes for comfortable handling even if I can’t get on with the futuristic design.

When you get into filming, the camera comes into its own, and you can see why these cameras have created such a buzz in the independent filmmaker’s community.

The camera has everything you need, and as you rummage through the menu’s the camera opens up a whole world of filmmaking potential.

Buttons are kept to a minimum, but there is plenty of scope for customising their use, which is well worth doing for the time it saves.

Filming with the BMPCC 6K Pro is smooth and fluid, and once you familiarise yourself with the balance of control, the results obtained are exceptional.

Aside from the odd design, there’s little to fault with this outstanding camera; I wish for the same camera with a box design and flip-out screen, which would make this perfect.

With the GoPro Hero11 Black, the company has refined what remains the best action camera you can buy. For the everyday filmmaker it has the perfect balance of features. If you want to go out and film, then the preset resolution choices are all there, with the ever-popular 4K video at 60fps, which will suit most people.

Outwardly the camera is the same as the 10 Black and the 9 Black, but video quality is notably better than previous releases, offering more detail, tone and colour retained in lower light conditions. This is owing to a new larger sensor.

5.3k can now be recorded in 16:9, which is standard, but you also have the option for 4:3 and 8:7. 8:7 aspect ratio essentially makes full use of the sensor and enables you to crop in on the height so you can recompose to 16:9. This feature is useful when you need to crop out some of the less interesting footage that can be captured with GoPro’s due to their close mounting to objects. This has always been a GoPro thing and a feature that they use as a major selling point over rivals.

The 8:7 aspect ratio gives you even more flexibility over the crop. This 8:7 sensor also enables a new Horizon Lock feature.

Read our GoPro Hero11 Black Review

Many have tried, but no other action camera can seem to top the GoPro for its power and versatility. The GoPro Hero10 Black is a refinement of the Hero9 Black and gives a power boost to all of the features. Chief among these refinements is GoPro’s new GP2 processor.

The GP2 chip helps deliver a major boost in frame rates. 5.4K is boosted to 60fps and 4K to 120fps. This essentially means that with the 4K footage, you can record 5 seconds of footage and play that back over 20 seconds with beautifully smooth motion.

• GoPro vs DSLR vs Mirrorless: which is better for video?

This performance boost also delivers better overall responsiveness.

What’s more, the latest version of GoPro’s HyperSmooth 4.0 stabilisation technology builds upon that in the Hero9 Black, meaning you can shoot stable footage in almost any situation.

Read our GoPro Hero10 Black Review