Ten years ago, cameras did stills and video cameras did video. Now, every camera I test shoots 4K video at minimum, often with specs that read like gibberish if you’re not a videographer.

As a photographer who occasionally shoots video for clients or personal projects, here’s what actually matters versus what’s just marketing.

The Basic Specs Explained

4K means roughly 3840 x 2160 pixels. It’s four times the resolution of 1080p Full HD. This is now standard on most cameras.

8K is 7680 x 4320 pixels. Impressive on paper, but you probably don’t need it. More on this shortly.

Frame rate: 24fps (frames per second) is “cinematic” and what movies use. 30fps is standard. 60fps allows smooth slow-motion playback at half speed. 120fps gives you super-smooth slow motion at quarter speed.

Bit depth and color sampling (8-bit vs 10-bit, 4:2:0 vs 4:2:2): This affects how much color information is captured. Higher numbers give more flexibility in color grading but create much larger files. For casual video, 8-bit 4:2:0 is fine.

Codec: H.264 is standard and widely compatible. H.265 (HEVC) offers better quality at smaller file sizes but requires more powerful computers for editing. ProRes and RAW video are professional formats with massive file sizes.

Do You Actually Need 4K?

If you’re posting to social media or YouTube, most viewers watch in 1080p. Even those watching in 4K probably can’t tell the difference unless they’re on a large screen.

The advantage of shooting 4K is flexibility in editing. You can crop or stabilize footage without quality loss. If you’re delivering 1080p, shooting in 4K gives you room to adjust framing in post.

The disadvantage is file size. 4K files are huge compared to 1080p. They require more storage and more powerful computers for editing.

For most photographers occasionally shooting video, 4K at 30fps is perfect. You get modern quality, reasonable file sizes, and it’s easy to work with.

What About 8K?

Honestly, it’s overkill for almost everyone. The files are absurdly large. Editing requires expensive computers. And unless you’re delivering to commercial clients with specific requirements, nobody watching can tell the difference.

The main use case is extreme cropping in post. Shoot in 8K, crop to focus on specific parts of the frame, deliver in 4K or 1080p. This is useful for documentary work or situations where you can’t control framing while shooting.

But for most of us, it’s a spec that looks impressive but doesn’t add practical value.

Autofocus for Video

This is where modern cameras vary wildly. Some have excellent video autofocus with face and eye tracking that works smoothly. Others hunt and pulsate, making footage unusable.

Canon’s Dual Pixel AF systems are generally excellent for video. Sony’s recent cameras have great video AF too. Panasonic has historically lagged here but has improved significantly.

If you’re shooting handheld video of moving subjects (kids, events, documentary-style work), autofocus quality matters enormously. Test this before buying if video is important to you.

Manual focus is always an option and what many videographers prefer for creative control. But it requires skill and practice.

Image Stabilization

In-body image stabilization (IBIS) is incredibly useful for handheld video. It reduces shake and makes footage more watchable.

Electronic stabilization (digital crop and processing) also helps, though it reduces your field of view slightly.

For static shots on a tripod, stabilization doesn’t matter. For handheld work, it’s essential for professional-looking results.

A gimbal (mechanical stabilizer) produces the smoothest results but costs $200-1000+ and requires practice to use well. Start with in-camera stabilization and consider a gimbal later if you get serious about video.

Recording Time Limits

Some cameras limit continuous recording to 29 minutes 59 seconds (to avoid being classified as video cameras for tax purposes in some regions). Others overheat and shut down after 15-20 minutes of 4K recording.

If you’re shooting interviews, events, or anything requiring long continuous takes, research your specific camera’s recording limits.

For most casual video work (short clips, b-roll, travel footage), recording limits aren’t an issue. But nothing’s more frustrating than having your camera shut down mid-interview because of overheating.

Audio Considerations

Built-in camera microphones are usually terrible. They pick up camera handling noise, wind, and sound distant even when your subject is close.

An external microphone makes a massive difference to video quality. A simple shotgun mic that mounts on your camera costs $50-100 and makes your audio 10x better.

Check if your camera has a microphone input jack. Not all cameras do, particularly entry-level models.

For interviews or situations where audio quality is critical, consider a separate audio recorder with a lavalier mic. But this gets complicated quickly.

Log Profiles and Color Grading

Some cameras offer Log profiles (S-Log, C-Log, V-Log). These capture more dynamic range but look flat and washed-out straight from camera.

Log footage is meant to be color graded in editing. This gives you flexibility to create specific looks and recover highlights/shadows.

For most photographers shooting occasional video, standard color profiles are fine. The footage looks good straight from camera, you can edit it in standard video editing software without special color grading knowledge.

Log profiles are for when you’re getting serious about video and learning proper color grading workflows.

What Features Actually Matter

If you’re a photographer who wants to occasionally shoot decent video, prioritize:

Good autofocus during video. This makes handheld shooting practical without fighting focus.

In-body stabilization. Smoother handheld footage without buying a gimbal.

4K at 30fps. Modern standard that’s not overkill.

External microphone input. Crucial for audio quality.

Good battery life. Video drains batteries fast.

Flip-out screen. Incredibly useful for vlogging or seeing yourself while recording.

Features you can probably ignore:

8K video. Impressive spec, impractical reality.

High frame rates beyond 60fps. Unless you specifically want super slow motion, 60fps is plenty.

10-bit color, advanced codecs, Log profiles. Nice if you’re getting serious about video, unnecessary for casual use.

Practical Video Settings

For general use: 4K, 30fps, standard color profile, auto white balance, autofocus continuous mode.

For better quality with more work: 4K, 24fps (for that cinema look), manual focus, manual white balance, flat color profile for grading later.

For slow motion: 1080p 60fps (playback at 24fps = smooth 2.5x slow motion).

For maximum compatibility: 1080p, 30fps. These files are small, edit easily on any computer, and play on any device.

Editing Software

Don’t overlook this. Shooting video is one thing. Editing it is another.

For simple edits: iMovie (Mac) or the built-in Windows video editor work fine for trimming clips and adding music.

For more control: DaVinci Resolve has a free version that’s incredibly powerful. Steep learning curve but professional results.

Adobe Premiere Pro is the industry standard ($32/month) if you’re already in the Adobe ecosystem.

Your computer needs to be reasonably powerful. 4K video editing on an old laptop is painfully slow.

Storage and File Management

Video files are massive. A 10-minute 4K clip can easily be 3-5GB. A day of shooting can fill a memory card and 50GB of hard drive space.

Fast memory cards are essential. Look for UHS-I V30 minimum for 4K. Slower cards will drop frames or stop recording.

External hard drives for backup are even more critical for video than photos. The file sizes add up fast.

Should Video Capabilities Influence Your Camera Purchase?

If you’re primarily a photographer, prioritize still image quality, autofocus for stills, ergonomics, and lens selection.

Video capabilities should be a secondary consideration. A camera that’s great for stills and decent for video is better than a camera optimized for video that compromises on stills.

That said, having good video capability is nice when you need it. Family events, travel, the occasional client project. It’s a useful tool to have available.

The Learning Curve

Video requires different skills than photography. Thinking about motion, audio, timing, sequence. It’s not just “taking lots of photos per second.”

Composition works differently. You’re composing for motion, not single frames. Camera movements (pans, tilts, zooms) add a dimension that doesn’t exist in stills.

Lighting for video is different because you can’t use high shutter speeds. You need continuous lighting, not flash.

Audio becomes critical. Bad audio ruins video in a way that silence doesn’t affect photos.

Don’t feel pressured to become a videographer. It’s okay to be primarily a photographer who occasionally shoots video. Use auto modes, keep it simple, and focus on capturing moments.

The video capabilities in modern cameras are impressive. They open up creative possibilities beyond still images. But they’re also complex and can be overwhelming if you dive too deep.

Start simple. Shoot some clips on your next outing. Edit them together. See if you enjoy it. Then decide if you want to go deeper or if occasional simple videos are enough for your needs.