by Tom Barrance | Updated April 2026
- Mirrorless cameras and SLRs are great for the ‘film look’
- Camcorders are easier to use, and better for news and events
- Cinema cameras combine the best features of both
Should you get a camcorder, a DSLR, a mirrorless camera – or something else – for low budget filmmaking?
What’s the difference?
A camcorder is designed specifically for shooting video. Most of them have built-in zoom lenses and tilt-and-swivel screens. More expensive pro camcorders have good built-in microphones and professional XLR audio inputs. They aren’t great for still photography.
A DSLR (digital SLR) is mainly designed for still photography. It’s a ‘system camera’: it takes interchangeable lenses. A mirror reflects the image up to the viewfinder, and flips up – blacking out the eyepiece – when you take a photo. So when you shoot video with it, you have to use ‘Live View’ on the main screen instead. You can buy viewfinders to magnify the screen image.
Most manufacturers have now switched to mirrorless (see below) which means that used DSLRs are a bargain for filmmaking. I recently bought a full frame Canon 5D Mk II DSLR for less than a tenth of its original price. I’m using an adapter to mount vintage Olympus OM manual focus lenses.
A mirrorless camera is like an SLR – you can swap lenses – but it doesn’t have a mirror. You view the image on the main live view screen, or an electronic eye-level viewfinder if it has one. They’re usually smaller and lighter than DSLRs, with better video features, and can also shoot high quality stills. Most new system cameras are mirrorless.
Why would you shoot video on a camera designed for stills?
Most camcorders have quite small sensors and fixed zoom lenses. These small sensors aren’t great in low light, which can give mirrorless cameras and DSLRs – which have much bigger sensors – a big advantage.
Big sensors also have much shallower depth of field: so at the same aperture, less of the shot is in focus. That looks more ‘cinematic’ (like cinema films rather than video). You can make the most of it by fitting wide aperture prime (non-zooming) lenses. You can even ‘pull focus’, changing the focus from one part of the image to another as you film.
If DSLR and mirrorless video looks so great, why doesn’t everybody do it?
Cost
Mirrorless cameras and DSLRs aren’t cheap. You can get a basic HD camcorder like the Panasonic V180 for around $250 (£200); you’ll need to spend more than twice as much for a mirrorless camera, though you can pick up used DSLRs for bargain prices.
Audio
Some SLRs and mirrorless cameras don’t have headphone sockets, and some can’t record good audio even with a separate microphone. So you might need to use a separate audio recorder.
Focus
If you’re trying to hold focus on moving subjects, shallow depth of field can be a nuisance rather than an advantage. Judging focus on a live view screen can be slow. If you’re using an SLR, or a mirrorless camera without an eye-level viewfinder, you may need to magnify the image with a separate viewfinder or ‘loupe’.
Handling and stabilisation
These cameras can be awkward to hold steadily and to move smoothly for video shots. Not all of them have stabilisation. You may need a tripod, a monopod, or a special rig. Camcorders are easier to handhold.
Size and complexity
SLRs – and to a lesser extent mirrorless cameras – are bigger than equivalent camcorders, and you usually need accessories to get good results. But with camcorders, you can just pick them up and start shooting.
Which should I get?
For most people who want to shoot good quality video, a mirrorless camera is the best option. They’re good for shallow focus and low light, while being smaller and lighter than a DSLR. I’d look for one with image stabilisation, microphone and headphone sockets, and an eye-level viewfinder. My recommendations are on this page.
I wouldn’t buy a new DSLR now, but used ones are an affordable way to get the advantages of a larger sensor. Canon are the best choice: they have good colour rendition, and it’s easy to adapt them to take older manual focus lenses. Models to consider include the 650D/T4i, the more robust 70D, or the professional 5D Mk II or III.
For events and news, a good camcorder could be better. Audio is easier and they’re easier to pick up and start shooting. And by the time you’ve stopped down the lens on an SLR to give you enough depth of field for a fast-moving scene, there sometimes isn’t that much difference in low light performance.
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