What Camera is Best for Filming Your Own Hunts?
Those of you watching Death by Bunjie over the years know I started my YouTube channel because I really like hunting with a crossbow. It’s true—that changed my hunting life forever.
But just because I like hunting with it does not mean I need to have a YouTube channel, does it? Well, you probably have guessed that I like filming and video editing just as much as I do hunting. Sometimes, even more! (I film all year long, after all, while hunting is seasonal, of course.)
And just like crossbow hunting, I’m always looking at new gear and new techniques for filming, too.
Three different cameras in use for this hunt.
So what camera should you buy? What camera is best for filming? I get that question all the time. There’s no one camera that’s perfect for everyone, just like there’s no crossbow that’s perfect for everyone.
Let’s start with what I use. I started filming my own hunts with a Sony Handycam. It was one of the early HD cameras that was commercially available. Camcorder styles like that are popular for filming hunting videos because they’re easier to use and since they have smaller sensors, they’re easier to keep everything in focus. Nothing ruins a good shot faster than the branches being in focus and you, or the deer, are not. How many times have you seen a YouTuber or even somone on the Sportsman’s Channel talking on camera when the tree behind them is in focus but their face is not? Look for it. Once you start seeing it, it’s hard to get past it.
It’s frustratring, so good auto-focus is important. I do like Canon’s dual pixel autofocus system, and for that reason, I’ve stayed with Canon cameras even though their other features like 4K have lagged behind. For that reason, if I do enter the camcorder world again, a camera like the Canon HFG60 would be my pick.
But most of my videos over the years, both in the field and in the “studio,” have been shot on an entry level DSLR camera. I started with the Canon T5i and upgraded to the T7i years later. For me, the T7i is well-worth the extra money given that it has Canon’s dual pixel autofocus. Your face can be kept in focus all the time with face detect. These types of cameras typically perform better in low light, too.
Don’t get confused about the “800D” language—for some reason, Canon calls their cameras by one name in the USA and by another name in Europe, and I think by even a third name in Japan. Who knows?
So it depends a little on what your plans are. Do you want to film interviews? Do you want your videos to look cinematic? Are you willing to learn the basics of what makes a good image—how to control aperture, frame rates, and light? Then an interchangeable lens camera is probably best for you.
On the other hand, are you looking for ease of use? Do you want the occasional interview, but at the same time, want to make sure you don’t have to mess with different lenses and instead never miss a good shot in the woods? Then maybe the camcorder style camera is your best pick!
But there’s another option. If you want different camera angles, the option of decent 4K or 120 frames per second (so you can slow it down in your computer and get great slow motion video!) and even the option of mounting the camera on your crossbow—then look at Tactacams! You can have 5 of these things set up all around you, and with the push of a button on your remote control, turn them on and off all from your treestand. Yep, think about that! You can have one looking at you, one on your crossbow, and three on the ground pointing in different directions to capture all the action! And all you have to do is push a single button when the deer comes in! (And remember to push it again to turn them off when the deer leaves, LOL.)
There are lots of options from Tactacam. I did another post on those here. I recommend a combination of them, including the wide angle one, to capture everything in the area. You don’t even have to buy them all at once…you can add them as you go, as you see what your needs are. I really like them.
The only downside to the Tactacams is the low light performance. No camera with a lens and sensor that small is going to perform well in low light. The best advice I have is to make sure you have one set at 30 frames per second, so that when the low light arrives, that camera can capture the best image possible. Higher frame rates, especially that 120 frames per second, don’t do well in low light.
And don’t forget your cell phone! There is an old adage in the film and photography industry: the best camera is the one you have on you. And the cellphone is the camera you have on you all the time, right? Cellphones are amazing any more, so much so that if I could depend on the autofocus a bit more, I’d be confident to mount it in the tree next to me and film my hunt with that! I’m serious, it can be done.
This can be rotated, just like your phone, to caputre a horizontal image (which I recommend). You can screw this on to a tripod for those interviews or blind hunting shots, or you can mount it on a camera clamp like I like to use and stick it next to you in a treestand. Tons of options!
If you’ve got all that mastered, and you really want to up your game, the last option is a drone. You can do some great cinematic shots from above. And my drone of choice (you see footage from time to time in my videos) is the DJI Mavic Air. I had an earlier model of drone before this one. That was a flying deathtrap in comparison! This one is a joy to fly, and a top notch camera to boot!
I really do like this stuff! If you have questions, ask. But that’s a good overall view of what I do for cameras and gear!