Canon EOS M50 Mark II, Sony FX6 and Nikon Z9. The Best Cameras for Filmmakers to Try

An independent film crew shooting a scene for a movie

It is time to try quality at a good price, try the Canon EOS M50 Mark II, Sony FX6 and Nikon Z9. These cameras put production power in the hands of any collaborative filmmaker. These days, empowering filmmakers is now more critical than ever! With Hollywood Studios shut down, because of the WAG, SAG-AFTRA, and PGA strikes. The country’s big budget moviemaking industry is under threat from the numerous layoffs and budget cuts. It’s a crucial time for independent filmmakers and artists to tell their meaningful stories.

Fortunately, the right tools for creative expression through film have become highly accessible. Take the gimbal, a simple device that can immediately elevate your production with transitions and shots that give a cinematic feel. You can also easily get cinema light boxes, which significantly improve the quality of your scenes with lighting.

Of course, these tools only work when you have a suitable camera. But with so many options on the market, it can be challenging to pick the right one. Don’t worry: here, we’ve compiled some of the best options for filmmakers.

Best for budget: Canon EOS M50 Mark II

Canon M50 Mark II Review | Watch Before You Buy


If you want to make high-quality films on a budget, then the Canon EOS M50 Mark II is the right choice for you. The model itself is already quite affordable, but you can also often find it at a much more reasonable rate on the used mirrorless cameras market, which allows buyers to obtain higher-spec products at even better rates.

The EOS M50 Mark II builds on the strong performance of the sought-after EOS M50 with improvements geared toward video. It features a large CMOS sensor with a sophisticated light-capturing design, helping you shoot images and videos with reduced noise. This is true even under low-light conditions, so you can freely explore lighting techniques. The model also has a 24.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor, DIGIC 8 image processor, 4K UHD 24p and HD 120p, allowing high-definition footage for an affordable price.

Best performance: Sony FX6

Honest Review – Sony FX6 Camera (after 2 years of filming!)


If you’re willing to stretch your budget, then the Sony FX6 is a good fit. This professional-grade cinema camera packs incredible high-end specs within a compact body, making it great for solo shooting. It also replicates the 4K quality of the FX9 for a much lower price. For those willing to experiment with their production tactics, this can be a versatile tool for you to use.

The FX6 offers excellent image quality with a built-in ND filter, advanced AF capability, and 14 stops of dynamic range. With its S-Log3 picture profile, filmmakers can enjoy tonal reproduction and fidelity. If you want to create complex sound stories, you can also benefit from its multi-channel XLR audio. And if you want to be a little more experimental, the camera is compatible with Sony’s numerous lenses, allowing you to explore the full range of this high-end camera for your filmmaking needs.

Best all-rounder: Nikon Z9

Nikon Z9 Review


The Nikon Z9 has unmatched capabilities on par with many cinema cameras on the market and can pretty much do everything. It’s a great choice for filmmakers who want to cut their shooting time since the camera already does much of the work for them.

The Z9 features incredible autofocus that uses a deep learning algorithm to track various subjects, from animals to moving vehicles. Its subject detection and AF can also work with as low as -6.5 EV to -8.5 EV, essentially letting you shoot in night-time scenarios with ease. Perhaps most impressive is the Z9’s N-RAW format, which allows recording 12-bit RAW at 8.3K resolution up to 60 frames per second. This lets it record large amounts of scene information for a much smaller file size. So if you’re willing to invest in the best camera in the game, this would be it.

With filmmaking tools becoming highly accessible today, independent filmmakers deserve to have the right camera in to use. These three options will serve your creative stories.

Thanks for spending some time with us! But, like most things in life, it’s not what you have that counts… it’s what you do with it that really matters. P.S. Big thanks to indieactivity.com for the opportunity to share our experience with you!

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About Michael

I review films for the independent film community