Video camera recommendation

3 Tres
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Albany, OR, USA

I've been getting into creating videos for youtube, just for fun. I've been using my gopro for filming. It's great for up close stuff, but sucks at stuff at any sort of distance. Does anyone have a recommendation for a not-to-pricey good overall camera?

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borg
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7/21/2025 7:16am

I had the opposite experience with Gopro regarding close ups. I'm not sure what you are shooting or viewing the video with but for Youtube, 1080p@30 or 60 frames is fine. For anything inside of 2 feet, I use my phone. Most Gopros and similar are fixed focus. Newer ones have the ability to replace lenses for macro.  I bought 2 different gopros and ended up returning them for various reasons. 

7/21/2025 10:36am
3 Tres wrote:
I've been getting into creating videos for youtube, just for fun. I've been using my gopro for filming. It's great for up close stuff, but sucks...

I've been getting into creating videos for youtube, just for fun. I've been using my gopro for filming. It's great for up close stuff, but sucks at stuff at any sort of distance. Does anyone have a recommendation for a not-to-pricey good overall camera?

There's a guy in the SoCal area that has a Saturday tech radio show. Just this last week

he got the same question. He told the caller to use an Iphone. Said that it doesn't have to be the latest

Iphone, but said 90% of youtube content is filmed with Iphones.

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Sully
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7/21/2025 5:32pm
3 Tres wrote:
I've been getting into creating videos for youtube, just for fun. I've been using my gopro for filming. It's great for up close stuff, but sucks...

I've been getting into creating videos for youtube, just for fun. I've been using my gopro for filming. It's great for up close stuff, but sucks at stuff at any sort of distance. Does anyone have a recommendation for a not-to-pricey good overall camera?

ToolMaker wrote:
There's a guy in the SoCal area that has a Saturday tech radio show. Just this last weekhe got the same question. He told the caller...

There's a guy in the SoCal area that has a Saturday tech radio show. Just this last week

he got the same question. He told the caller to use an Iphone. Said that it doesn't have to be the latest

Iphone, but said 90% of youtube content is filmed with Iphones.

Yup. @3 Tres, get a gimbal to steady out your shots and an iPhone in Cinematic mode will work fine for 99% of what you want to do. Hell, a lot of the horror movie 28 Years Later was filmed with iPhones:

https://www.indiewire.com/features/craft/28-years-later-iphone-hollywood-movie-1235134798/#:~:text=What%20Wasn't%20Shot%20on,since%20the%20rage%20virus%20outbreak.

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3 Tres
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7/22/2025 10:21am

Thanks for the responses. It seems kind of counterintuitive since I'm posting stuff on youtube, by I rock a flip phone and don't plan on getting a smart phone. I want to get a video camera only device.

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The Shop

Falcon
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7/22/2025 11:21am

My son was having his friend film him at Fox Raceway this weekend when he bailed pretty hard. Thankfully, he's OK, but as he was getting up, he wanted to be interviewed for the 'Gram 🤣 The footage from his iPhone was pretty awesome in closeup, TBH.

lwtracer
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Lancaster, PA, USA
7/22/2025 11:52am

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1528018-REG/panasonic_hc_x1500_4k_uhd_full_hd.html

Find one cheaper on ebay. Almost idiot proof.   Auto Focus is great. Stabilization is pretty damn good.  Zoom is great.  Full auto works pretty well but if you want to do slow motion youll need to take shutter speed off auto.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kZTVMXX6LQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EFvOPr08Es

Some of the Road racing shots are from pretty far away.  It was nice to not need a camera with interchangeable lenses. I was a complete novice and this camera allowed me to have some fun.  
 

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borg
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Long Beach, CA, USA
7/23/2025 10:50am
3 Tres wrote:
Thanks for the responses. It seems kind of counterintuitive since I'm posting stuff on youtube, by I rock a flip phone and don't plan on getting...

Thanks for the responses. It seems kind of counterintuitive since I'm posting stuff on youtube, by I rock a flip phone and don't plan on getting a smart phone. I want to get a video camera only device.

I have one of these which works well for many things. Not closeups though. 

https://www.amazon.com/AKASO-EK7000-Sports-Waterproof-Camcorder/dp/B01HGM33HG?th=1

3 Tres
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Location
Albany, OR, USA
7/25/2025 9:59am
lwtracer wrote:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1528018-REG/panasonic_hc_x1500_4k_uhd_full_hd.htmlFind one cheaper on ebay. Almost idiot proof.   Auto Focus is great. Stabilization is pretty damn good.  Zoom is great.  Full auto works pretty...

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1528018-REG/panasonic_hc_x1500_4k_uhd_full_hd.html

Find one cheaper on ebay. Almost idiot proof.   Auto Focus is great. Stabilization is pretty damn good.  Zoom is great.  Full auto works pretty well but if you want to do slow motion youll need to take shutter speed off auto.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kZTVMXX6LQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EFvOPr08Es

Some of the Road racing shots are from pretty far away.  It was nice to not need a camera with interchangeable lenses. I was a complete novice and this camera allowed me to have some fun.  
 

That's pretty sweet, but the price is a bit high for just a hobby camera. I wonder if there's a cheaper version that doesn't lose too much quality.

lwtracer
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Lancaster, PA, USA
7/25/2025 1:42pm

could go with something like the Panasonic HC-VX3.  it does 4k 30fps, and 1080 60fps.

should be able to find one on ebay for $600ish
 

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