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Looking for the Best Low Light Video Cameras and Camcorders? Checkout this guide to answer all your questions.
Purchasing a low light camcorder would require camcorders that are best at balancing conditions where the production of light is insufficient. However, directly heading to the market could be a problem if you do not spend time figuring out a few specs that form the best camcorder for low light shooting.
The choices in the market are huge in numbers and you can easily get confused. But here we have just a few selected camcorders as an example of what you need.
Basically, you would require a camcorder with a standard ISO range or night shooting modes and ability to balance dark backgrounds. With that in mind you can not overlook the quality of the image sensor of the camcorder too. We expect a standard accuracy in our video quality as well.
Let us see what we have in the options as the best camcorders for low light shootings:
Table of Contents
Best Low Light Camcorders:
Sony Hxr-mc2500 Shoulder Mount Avchd Camcorder
Not all cameras can beat Sony when it comes to low light shooting with a camcorder. Similarly, Sony’s 1/4″ back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS image sensor works incredibly well for exceptional low light sensitivity. The camcorder has a very quick Autofocus to speed up the process thereby precisely capturing the details of the subject.
The Burst Mode Shooting makes this camera a hit on the list. You can capture full HD and Ultra HD video recordings at a fast speed. The camera is temperature-proof and waterproof. The body of the camera is made into a very solid and durable structure.
A professional low light shooting through a camcorder requires a proper set of equipment in a camera and that is exactly what you find with Sony Hxr-mc2500. The camcorder also carries SDHC and SDXC connectivity. Wrapping it up for this camera with the last feature that it has 95MB/sec speed for the ultimate transfer rates with some conditions. All in all, it’s a professional deal where you get for what you invest.
Pros:
- Great low Light effect and control
- Decent microphone
- Integrated LED lighting
- Good Autofocus
- Perfect image quality
Cons:
- Does not have 4K video quality. But for a low light shooting, you hardly need a 4k resolution.
2. Panasonic 4k Hc-wxf991k Video Camera
We understand that this mention is going to be a little on the pricier side but the quality of the camera is worth the price. We are talking about the Panasonic 4K Hc-wxf991k camera for low light shooting camcorders.
The camera boasts UltraSharp 4K HD recording in combination with In-Camera Editing for 1080 pixel displays. This cannot be an underestimated feature, providing a lot of quality with convenience to the photographer.
Moreover, the Electronic Viewfinder gives a professionalized recording experience to the user. The camera features 20x Optical Zoom and 5 Axis Hybrid Optical Image Stabilization together. Further, you would love to see the built-in Twin Camera.
Whenever we shoot in the low light, the major problem could be due to some overexposed or some less exposed shooting conditions. For this particular solution, the camera packs High Dynamic Range (HDR) shooting mode- that can balance The Color contrast at its best. If you live for 4K images and videos then let us tell you a fun fact that every feature of this camera ends with 4K quality.
Also Check Out: Best Camcorders for Youtube
It has 4k Post Cropping, 4k Cinema In-Camera Editing, 4k Photo Captures, And 4k Video Frames. You also get a Multi-Camera Seen Picture In Picture recording facility. Lastly, you have the Wi-Fi I connectivity choice for flexible data handling.
Pros:
- 4 k resolution
- HDR shooting mode
- 5 Axis Hybrid Optical Image Stabilization
- Picture in Picture Shoot
Cons:
- None
3. Canon Powershot G7 X Mark ii
The large 1 inch, 20.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor that captures the Dynamic Range of an image to ensure its quality in dark as well as bright light, makes this camera count among the top camcorders on our list. The best part about this camera is that you do not have to set all day long to work on its features and settings with a lot of manual effort.
You can straight away start shooting with its features which are already so feasible. The camera from Canon comes with a very bright aperture value of f/1.8 at the wide-angle and f/2.8 when you fully zoom the subject. The 3 inches LCD monitor is capable of tilting up to 180 degrees up and 45 degrees down.
You can have a continuous shooting speed at 8 FPS, which is simply great with this camera. After all, no one likes to waste time unnecessarily in professions like shooting which is already a lot more time-consuming. The camera really pushes your limits and creativity to help you achieve some m artistic film clips making it a praise-worthy deal.
Last but not least the camera Does not forget to include integrated Wi-Fi connectivity in its other equipment for the further convenience of the user.
Pros:
- Fantastic low light balance
- User-friendly settings
- Good quality sensor
- Fast performance
Cons:
- Lens is fixed
4. Sony FDRAX53/B
This camcorder from Sony comes with a beautiful grip and ergonomics. It is well suited for low light shooting, owing to the set of specs it carries. The camcorder has a 16.6MP, Exmor R sensor and B.O.SS stabilization. It is equipped with 20x and 30 x optical zoom with a 4K image quality. The 3 inches LCD touch panel helps you monitor the shooting easily.
It also includes an Electronic Viewfinder and additional upgraded features such as slow motion shoot , trimming playback, the night shooting and the 4K time-lapse. Apart from these features, you do have a Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity. Further you would love the 5-axis Intelligent Active mode for outdoor shoots.
We feel that the Zeiss branding has really helped Sony to push this low light camcorder up in the market.
The camera has provided various user-friendly accessories along with the camera too. With such specs, this camera from Sony is certainly better than other camcorders for low-light shooting.
Pros:
- Exmor R sensor
- B.O.SS stabilization
- 4K time-lapse
- Night shooting mode
Cons:
- Not best for serious professionals
5. Fujifilm X-t2 Mirrorless 4k Digital Camera
Next, we have the Fujifilm x-t2 model on our list. More or less all the cameras from Fujifilm give us access to 4K video qualities. This is a great camera with 63 points of weather sealing that ensures the body of the camera is safe from any dust or moisture. The feature makes this camera perfect for outdoor requirements.
The only matter that requires a second thought is the cost of the camera. If you are ready to invest in a good 4K mirrorless low light shooting camcorder, this can never be a wrong option for you. The camera has 24.3MP X Trans CMOS III APS-C sensor. It basically helps to reduce the false colors and enhances the clarity of the images.
The X Processor Pro engine further contributes to accelerating the Response Time and the Autofocus. The camera is not just Weather-resistant but it is also Freeze Resistant with better noise control and color production. Fujifilm xt2 camera comes with an OLED viewfinder that further gives you access to the magnification of 0.77 x.
The Ultrafast Real-time Viewfinder with a lag time of 0.005 seconds can highly increase the speed of your work in low light. Moving ahead, the camera features 4K 3840 X 2160 video quality shooting at 30p, 25p, and 24p which you can see on a tiltable touchscreen LCD monitor.
Pros:
- 4K 3840 X 2160 video quality
- OLED viewfinder
- 24.3MP X Trans CMOS III APS-C sensor
- Feasible features
Cons:
- Price forms a concern
6. Nikon D7500
Nikon stands as one of the Crowning brands in the market that has earned a lot of recognition and reputation for launching user friendly cameras. This is a must have for low light camcorders.
The camera comes with a 20.9MP DX-Format CMOS Sensor that lets you enjoy the clear and sharp image quality. It has an Expeed 5 image processor with 8 FPS shooting speed for up to 100 frames.
This not just accentuates the speed of your photography but also adds quality and Precision to it. Moving ahead, we have an Easy-to-use feature set, that includes 3.2 inches tilted touchscreen LCD monitor. You can freely record a 4K Ultra HD video with the resolution of 3840 x 2160 at 30 fps.
The camera is equipped with Snapbridge Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. However, the most admired feature of the camera remains its 51 AF points and a versatile range of ISO. This is the key feature to allow brilliant low-light recordings from this camera. The native range is 51200 and it can be expanded up to 1640000 – 180,000.
Pros:
- Worthy ISO range
- Great Sensor
- Back end image processor
- 51 AF points
Cons:
- Not best for serious professionals
Q. How to find a matching white balance for low light shootings ?
Here you go with some options:
- Fluorescent: You can use this for a luminous light effect.
- Cloudy: This gives a beautiful touch of an overcast sky to your images.
- Tungsten: It brightens up your video if you are shooting in a closely packed room.
- RAW: This shooting format is any day better than JPEG, to save the shadow effect.
Other important specs::
- Shutter speed: Let us understand this with an example. If you are shooting with a focal length of 20 mm the shutter speed should be 1/20 sec. We call this a Rule Of Thumb. This comes into use when you shoot with your camcorder held in hand.
- ISO: Though it is very difficult to obtain a balanced range of ISO you still need to balance it. You can select anything between 51200 and 180000.
- Aperture: Whenever there is a scarcity of light, you should work with a wider aperture for better exposure of subjects that are being recorded. But it is seen that a wide aperture reduces the coverage of the camcorder by decreasing the depth. But it is always better to capture clear subjects than a blurry one even if it demands omission of some other objects from the field area.
- Additional Tip: We would highly recommend you to use a camcorder with RAW Format shooting to save some Shadow effects. Further, you get easy methods of editing the video too.
- 4K (Necessary or not? ): To keep the answer short and simple 4K resolution is never a compulsion for the better low-light performance of a camcorder. A 4K resolution does nothing to low-light shootings. All you need is a higher ISO even if you have to compromise on the 4K quality of your videos.
So these were our picks for the Best Low Light Camcorders. If you feel we missed something, do let us know about it in the comments below.
