I get asked this question a lot:

“Hey Jay, hope you’re doing great! I’m going on a hunting trip and I want to try my hand at filming it. Do you have any recommendations for a good entry-level camera I can get at Best Buy?”

It’s always the same: “What camera should I get?”

When I was just starting out, like fifteen or sixteen years ago, the camera you used was a big deal. The technology was new and every year, they seemed to put out something good. Resolution was a big deal too, from 720p to full HD or 1080p. That’s 720 lines of data and then 1080 lines of picture information. And then 4K video recording was the next big thing. Now, it’s not uncommon for cameras to have double that resolution at 8K lines of information.

Frame rate was also important. When cameras started offering “cinematic” frame rates (24), videographers were thrilled. No more looking like “video” or 30 frames per second. Now we’re making films. The next move was to offer over-cranking frame rates like 60, 120, or even 180 frames per second. This allowed us to film everything in slow motion. Oh my gosh, we were so excited!

But what always got me most was the bit depth of the recording formats. The first time I put 10-bit footage into Final Cut, I was sold. This would always be the most important feature I looked for in a camera. And now you even get this on the new iPhones and GoPros.

My point is, the camera you choose doesn’t really matter all that much anymore. Unless you’re doing this professionally, just find the camera that fits your budget. Any new(ish) camera is going to do just fine. And really plays second fiddle to what’s more important… how often you take it out and use it.

But, here are a few of the things I recommend, especially if you’re just getting started.

1. Resolution: get something that records 4K video footage.
   Here are some important things to keep in mind when choosing a camera:
2. Auto Focus: A blurry or soft final project can be a real bummer. Some cameras still struggle with autofocus, even though they’ve improved a lot in the past few years.
3. Zoom: Just because a camera has a 20x zoom lens doesn’t mean it’s the same as having 20×56 binoculars. A 20x zoom means that the lens can go from 18mm to 360mm. So, not all 20 power zooms are created equal. Be careful with this, and stick to optical zooms. Even though some digital zoom lenses are decent, they can introduce digital artifacts and lower your image quality.
4. Sensor Size: Generally, the bigger the sensor, the better the camera. In the most expensive cameras, you’ll get Full Frame sensors. Then there are crop frame sensors like APS-C, Super 35, and Micro 4/3. Most handheld camcorders are even smaller, with 1” being the typical size of the best camcorders. It goes down to fractions of inches from there.
   
   One thing to keep in mind is that often, the camcorders with the most impressive-sounding zoom lenses often come with smaller sensor sizes.
5. Use It!: Regardless of what camera you choose, the most important thing is to use it. Don’t just get a camera for your hunts and then never use it again. You need to have a solid understanding of how the camera works and what you’re going to get from it. You need to know where all the settings are so you can get to them quickly if you need to make a change. So, don’t just get a camera for your hunts, get a camera and use it in your life!