We at Resonant have been Content Creators for 5+ years, and in those 5+ years have gone through a multitude of different cameras, from DSLR’s to mirrorless, point and shoots to video-specifics. No two cameras are created equally in the digital age, and a quick search of entry-level cameras will bring you up a long list of cameras to choose from. Choosing purely on what the manufacturer says can often be difficult, and you might often feel deflated after buying your new rig, something you should never have to feel. That’s why we’ve done the ground-work, and broken down 3 of the most current entry-level cameras you should consider, either for personal or for business use!
Sony A7III
The Sony lineup has often been one that’s confused first-time buyers, as within their range they’ve now got a few models to choose from. To break it down, the A7 range is their Hybrid body, the A7R range is their Photo-centric model, and the A7S is their Video-centric offering.
Their entry-level rig being the A7III we feel is one of the best entry-level cameras your money can buy, and many pro photogs we know even use this camera commercially. The body features a 24.2mp CMOS Sensor, 693 Phase-Detection AF Points for lightning fast autofocus, a 10fps Shutter, and 5 Axis In Body Image Stabilisation. On the video side, the A7III can record 4K 4:2:0 8 Bit Video, has a 5x Slo Motion Option, and is capable of filming in S-Log2 and S-Log 3 for HDR Recording.
Main Specifications:
24.2mp Full-Frame Back-Illuminated CMOS Sensor
5 Axis In-Body Stabilisation
10fps Shutter
4K Video Recording
5x Slo-Motion Recording Option
610 Shot Battery Life
HDR & S-Log Recording Profiles
From our real-world testing, at the price-point of £1699 (Body Only) you’d be hard-pressed to beat the A7III for what it offers. There’s a feature in the body for everyone, whether you’re looking for a Photo camera to take amazing stills with, or looking to branch out into video shooting, and shoot your videos in a large range of colour profiles. Sony also have an extensive lens range with varying price points that has something for everyone, whether you’re a hobbyist or a pro (something not always equal between brands).
Panasonic Lumix S5
Coming in hot on the A7III’s tail, and the newest camera out of the bunch, is the Panasonic Lumix S5. Always known for their work in the video-camera industry, Panasonic’s S5 is now direct competition with the giant that is Sony, and boy does this setup stack up. Some of the features in this camera you’d only usually find if you were spending an extra £2000-£3000, and it’s amazing we’re now seeing these features trickle down the lineup.
The S5 is a Hybrid model, featuring a 24.2mp CMOS Sensor, 225 Contrast-based focus points and a 7fps Shutter as highlights on the Photography side. The video side is where the real punch is, though. The camera boasts 4K60p 4:2:0 Internal Recording, 4K24p 4:2:2 10 Bit Recording, and 5.9K 12-Bit Raw over HDMI, something never seen before in a body of this price range.
Main Specifications:
24.2mp Full-Frame Back-Illuminated CMOS Sensor
5 Axis In-Body Stabilisation
7fps Shutter
4K60 4:2:0, 4K24p 4:2:2 10 Bit Internal Recording
5.9K 12-Bit Raw Over HDMI
Dual Native ISO
V-Log Capable
14+ Stops of Dynamic Range
At the price-point of £1699 (Body Only), in 2021, there’s no other camera that offers a similar spec sheet (video-wise) to the S5, it’s in a league of it’s own. The video features this camera packs into it you’d expect to find in a camera that’s worth at least 3-4x what the S5 is worth, which makes it, specs-wise, one of the strongest cameras of it’s level.
The one drawback this camera has, is it’s lens options. Currently there aren’t many 3rd party companies making reasonable-affordable lenses for the S5. You can pick up some of the older Canon lenses for pretty cheap, but to find an L-Mount comparison, you’d have to part with a bit more cash. If you’re coming from Canon however you can get an adapter to mount your EF Glass onto this body, which opens up the range slightly, but the AF will unfortunately never be as good as if your lens was native.
Canon EOS RP
Coming in last on our list of entry-level cameras is the Canon EOS RP. A year newer than the Sony A7III, the EOS RP is another Mirrorless Hybrid Camera, featuring a 26.2mp CMOS Sensor, a whopping 4779 AF Points, and a 5fps Shutter. On the video-side the EOS RP features 4K Video Recording, but no Slow Motion options or Log Recording profiles.
Coming in at £1049, if you’re currently shooting on a Canon DSLR camera with Canon Lenses and are looking to dip your toes into the world of mirrorless, we’d recommend this offering. The ability to use your current EF glass with a Canon body means you can test shooting mirrorless in a small form-factor, without a heavy price-tag. Otherwise, we’d stay away from this one.
Main Specifications:
26.2mp Full-Frame Back-Illuminated CMOS Sensor
5fps Shutter
4K Video Recording
EF Compatible w/ Adapter
14 Bit RAW Photos
The RP doesn’t feature much of the offerings found in the other two bodies we’ve listed, and to be honest, we’d struggle to see another reason (other than the one mentioned above) to buy this camera. No IBIS, no Log recording options and minimal Video codecs mean it just isn’t on par with either the A7III or the S5. The only benefit it has is compatibility with the EF lenses via an official adapter, but even then, it’s debatable whether that adapter is any better than one offered by a 3rd Party.
Thanks for reading our blog, we'd love to know what you thought! Keep posted on our Socials for more blogs like this coming soon.