Category: Industry News & Technology

News, developing technology and announcements within the camera industries.

Future Still Bright for APS-C Sensor Cameras

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There is a pattern that has been more than evident the past year in the camera industry. That pattern is smaller and more compact full frame cameras. Between Sony’s recent A7C launch, the new Panasonic LUMIX S5, and the Nikon Z5, there are plenty of compact, full-frame camera bodies for videographers to get their hands on at an entry level price point. So does this mean it is the end of the line for APS-C sensor cameras? Well, probably not.

The price has never been better for a full-frame hybrid camera, capable of high quality still photos and sharp, high resolution video at high framerates. If you were making an investment today in a camera to get your new video business off the ground you would be hard pressed not to pick one of the solid full-frame options I previously mentioned. After all, many of these camera bodies only cost between $500-$1000 greater than their APS-C counterparts. There remains a few reasons why an APS-C sensor camera is still a solid option for a small studio or independent filmmaker though.

One reason you might buy an APS-C sensor camera in 2020 is that you are already invested in an APS-C system. For instance, it makes more sense for me being invested in an Sony APS-C system to upgrade to the a6600 as opposed to look at the new A7C. If I were to switch to a full-frame body I would ultimately want to pick up full-frame lenses and accessories. By the time you add up the total cost you are looking at a hefty investment. Additionally even if you are not already invested in an APS-C, the lenses will cost much less than full-frame lenses due to their size and crop factor.

Another reason you would want to opt in for an APS-C camera is for the size. While the bodies for full-frame cameras have gotten smaller, the size footprint for the lenses remain the same. The size advantage still belongs to APS-C when you consider the fact that since the lens can be smaller you can operate with a smaller tripod, a gimbal rated for less weight, and operate handheld for longer without fatigue.

Why am I not scared about the future of APS-C then? Does it not seem like it is only a matter of time before the price gap closes on these entry level full-frame cameras and the APS-C sensor is left in the dust? I do not think so. I believe APS-C camera bodies have their own shrinking down left unannounced. I believe the smaller glass of the system will continue to be an asset to handheld and gimbal camera operators. Lastly, besides the Fujifilm X-T4 which is probably the most feature filled APS-C sensor camera on the market, the strongest showing we have seen on the APS-C front is the Sony a6600 in late 2019. We are due for some new APS-C releases from Canon, Nikon, and Sony (as the a6600 was essentially a a6500 with a bigger battery, flip screen, and no recording limit). There is a good chance these new cameras will provide competitive features to their compact full-frame counterparts at a lower, competitive price point.

Where do you think the future of APS-C sensor cameras lies? Are they done for good? Have the major camera companies figured out how to make full-frame work in small bodies without compromise? What is your next potential camera upgrade? As always, I would love to hear your thoughts in the discussion below.

New Cameras, YouTube, and Potential Upgrades

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This week’s post is a little different. I apologize for missing last week’s post here on the website, however it was meant to be a text re-post of the tutorial I created about delivery settings for YouTube which you can find here. You can find all sorts of DaVinci Resolve and Video Production tips and tricks on the channel, if that is your kind of thing please consider subscribing.

It was two weeks ago when I produced the first YouTube tutorial on the Sword & Shield Studio channel. Since then we have heard some pretty interesting camera news. For one, Sony released the A7C, one of the smallest full-frame cameras now on the market. It is certainly an intriguing little camera, it does make me wonder where Sony’s APS-C camera line is headed in the future…bigger tech in smaller packages always means bigger better things to come though, doesn’t it?

In addition to the Sony camera we have seen the Canon EOS C70 cinema camera come to light, an entry-level cinema camera at an intriguing price point (in the world of cinema cameras, that is). It does make you question how the R5 and R6 ended up with the video capabilities that they did since they were developed in concert with the C70…but I will not dive into that. The C70 in and of itself seems like a capable cinema camera for those who are in the market for one. As a solo video freelancer, however, I can simply relish in its existence from a distance.

While I have been dreaming about cameras above my pay grade, I have been making some considerations about what I should upgrade to myself within the $1000-$2000 price range. You see I am using an a6000 I got in 2015 and it still serves me as a great multi-purpose camera. I have picked up a couple high quality lenses for it over the years and in 2020 it is an excellent 24MP stills camera, just wish it had a little more power in the body for professional video work.

My most natural upgrade path would be to get a Sony a6600. This way I can keep my same Sony E-Mount APS-C lenses, upgrade the body, and have better image quality when I take video without spending much…plus I would have money left in the budget to potentially get another lens. Another tempting consideration has been Blackmagic Design’s Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. It seems like I would be able to get higher fidelity video with it than the a6600 and of course Blackmagic Design’s BRAW files would play nicely with my main editing suite DaVinci Resolve…but the lack of continuous autofocus and a flip screen make it less appealing for my YouTube work where I do have to record myself from time-to-time. Not to mention the high fidelity BRAW files will require me to upgrade my data storage solution. Still, it seems like a great consideration for capturing professional looking video without breaking the bank.

Well that is what has been on my mind. Dumped here in text form on the Internet for everyone to read. What about your plans? Are you thinking about upgrading cameras soon? What do you have your eyes on? Do you have a YouTube channel that you have just got started? Let me know in the comments, I would love to Subscribe and support a fellow YouTube noob. Have a great one.