Best and Cheap Slow Mo cameras for Film Makers – Compared and reviewed

A slow-motion (slow mo) camera is one of the must-have tools for filmmakers today. You could be making a casual video or shooting a vlog or doing some serious filmmaking- having a cheap slow mo camera will enable you to add quite the effect to your work.

Slow-motion is one of the most effective and appealing techniques while shooting any video- but you need a good slow-mo camera to help you with that. But before we start talking about the best slow mo cameras in the market, let’s take a quick look at the most important considerations here.

Best and Cheap Slow Mo Camera Buying Guide

What type of filming are you going to do?

The most important factor that you will need to consider while looking for a cheap slow mo camera is what type of videos are you planning to shoot? If you plan to shoot majorly for social sites like Instagram, then you do not need a 4k resolution- especially since Instagram does not support it. For serious filmmaking, you will need a higher-resolution camera.

Slow Motion Frame Rate

Most cameras today can shoot 60 fps videos at 4k. Many high-end cameras even offer 120 fps at 4k. However- the higher isn’t the better, and how much you need depends on what type of videos you are shooting.

Connectivity Options

Many cameras now come with built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and even NFC. Depending on what works best with your PC, you may want to choose a camera that has one or more of these options for seamless connectivity and photo sharing.

Sensor and Picture Quality

What type of sensor does the camera use? What is the picture quality like? Even though a camera’s photography performance may not matter since you want a cheap slow-mo camera, having a camera that can do a lot more than just video recording is always a good thing.

Other shooting modes

For getting value out of your cheap slow-mo camera, slow-motion is not all that it should shoot. What other video shooting modes does it have (like timelapse), how is the picture quality, etc.- check out the features for other uses as well.

With that, you now have a pretty good idea of what to be looking at. Let’s get on to the best slow mo cameras in the market and what they have to offer.

1. Best Overall: GoPro Hero 8

• Full HD videos at 240 fps
• HyperSmooth image stabilization
• 12MP CMOS sensor
• Affordable

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GoPro Hero 8 is the ultimate cheap slow-mo camera that does it all without burning a hole in your pocket. This camera offers you one of the highest FPS numbers- 240 frames per second while recording slow motion at 1080p- something that not many cameras in the list can offer. It can also be used for 4K video recordings, making it the ideal choice for the filmmaker on a budget.

The camera uses HyperSmooth image stabilization v2.0, giving you great video quality when on the move. It can even shoot time-lapses in 4k at night. GoPro HERO 8 is also waterproof and compact, making it one of the best cameras for recording and shooting in even rough conditions.

2. Best in a Budget: GoPro Hero 7

Features:

• Compact form factor
• Highly durable and waterproof
• Image stabilization, vertical shooting, and 10MP photo resolution
• Touchscreen with simple UI and voice controls

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GoPro HERO 7 continues to be among the favorites of photography enthusiasts. This pocket-sized camera provides excellent performance with slow-mo videos. It lets you shoot at a resolution of 1080x240p, something that not many cameras offer. Its ultra-high frame rate (HFR) slows down videos to 8x to enhance every moment of the capture.

This camera comes with hyper-smooth video stabilization and allows you to shoot even in the toughest of conditions. Apart from slow-mo capabilities, this camera has an excellent time-lapse feature that goes up to 30x, burst mode, and a lot more to offer. 

3. Best for Beginners: Sony RX100 V

Features:

• Compact and easy to handle
• Records slow-mo at 960 fps
• 4k video recording capabilities
• 20MP sensor with ZEISS Lens for high-res images

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The Cybershot RX100 V is a small yet powerful slow-mo camera for beginners. This point and shoot camera allows you to shoot slow-motion videos up to 960 fps, which is 40 times higher than what most cameras offer. This setting is under its super-slow motion mode. You can also use it for 4k video recording.

With a 20MP sensor, you can expect to get premium-quality images from it along with an 11x zoom. It also has a hybrid-autofocus system ideal for outdoor photography.

4. Best for Cinematic Slow Mo Videos: Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera 4k

Features:

• Record 4k 10 bit videos at 60 frames per second
• 1080p upto 120fps
• Professional cinematic video recording with slow-mo
• 5″ display
• Excellent performance in low light

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One of the most advanced slow-mo cameras in this range is the Bmpcc 4k. This camera provides high value for money with its advanced dual ISO sensor and excellent performance in low light. You can record 4k 10-bit slow-motion videos at 60 frames per second using this camera.

If you want to capture professional-grade cinematic slow-motion videos, then this is the best camera for you. It has 13 dynamic range stops that allow for exceptional editing capabilities as well.

5. Best Slow mo DSLR: Panasonic GH5s

Features:

• Record 180fps slow-motion videos with a 1080p resolution
• Can capture cinematic 4k videos
• Can Record 4:2:2 Internally at 4k 60fps
• Decent battery life
• Mirrorless camera with an electronic viewfinder

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The GH5s from Panasonic Lumix range is among the best cameras for video shooting. It has video shooting capabilities beyond the 1080p slow-motion recording at 10x. With this camera, you can shoot UHD and cinematic 4k videos up to 60 frames per second.

The camera also offers many features for high-quality video recording. The ISO performance is excellent.

Picture quality could be better- limited to 10MP for now without any in-body stabilization. The autofocus also needs some speedup. For video enthusiasts, right from beginners to the professional filmmaker, the GH5s has it all.

6. Best Slow mo camera for Travel: Sony RX0 II

• Compact and good-looking design
• Full HD slow-motion videos at 240 fps
• Upto 960 fps Capability
• 180-degree tilting screen
• 15.3MP image sensor delivers excellent image quality

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For Vloggers who want a slow-motion camera that can do it all, Sony offers just that with its RX0 II. This camera is designed just like a small box- simple and easy to carry. The construction is highly durable, water, and rust-resistant.

This is one of the few cameras that allows slow-motion video shooting at 240 FPS in full HD quality. The camera is great for photography too with its CMOS sensor and fast autofocus system. You can shoot 4k videos at 30 fps as well, making it ideal for shooting a variety of vlogs and videos.

7. Best Versatile Slow Mo Camera: Sony A6400

• High image quality
• 1080p at 120 fps
• APS-C sensor excellent for photography
• Autofocus and image stabilization

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The Sony A6400 is one of the most versatile and cheap slow mo cameras in this list. This camera comes with an APS-C sensor that is excellent for high-quality photography. You can use it to shoot 1080p videos at 120 fps.

This mirrorless digital camera comes with an OLED touchscreen and compatibility with Bluetooth and WiFi. It also improves upon the battery life of its predecessors offering almost 120 minutes. The fast Hybrid Autofocus technology further boosts the capabilities of this digital camera.

8. Best Vlogging Camera with Slow Mo : Sony ZV-1

• Seamless smartphone connectivity
• Super slow motion with upto 960 fps
• Large 1.0-type Exmor RS CMOS image sensor
• 2.7x optical zoom with f/1.8 lens

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The Sony ZV-1 is the ideal Vlogging camera, and it also offers some Excellent slow-motion video shooting capabilities. You can use it for shooting 4k 30fps and 120fps at FULL HD and 2 second bursts of 480p at 960fps

The Sony ZV-1 photo lens is powerful with decent zoom capabilities. However- this may not be the best choice for serious photographers as it does not let you control the exposure manually. You can record great footage thanks to its BIONZ X™ processor

9. Best Premium Slow Mo Camera: Sony RX10 IV

• Full HD recording up to 120 fps
• 20.1MP BSI CMOS Sensor
• Sleek form factor
• Good for photography as well

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The Sony RX10 IV may not be a very cheap slow-mo camera, but this versatile camera gives you high value for money. This camera uses HFR7 (high-frame rate) allowing you to capture movie clips that are 40x slower. It lets you choose between time priority (7 seconds) or quality priority (4 seconds).

This camera has a variety of other features including optical image stabilization, macro-photography, high-density autofocus, and a shutter with anti-distortion capabilities.

10. Best Value Slow Mo Camera : FujiFilm X-T3

• APSC Crop Sensor
• Records 120fps at FULL HD
• Supports 4k recording at 30fps
• Good Low light sensitivity

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Designed for Amateurs and Professionals who want the next level in video recording, the Fujifilm X-T3 is easily the one of the most advanced camera in this list for slow-motion video recording. This camera uses a APSC CMOS sensor for exceptional video quality.

You can record 4k videos at 60 fps at 10Bit 4:2:2 and FULL HD at 120 fps. The camera is ideal for shooting cinema-style documentaries and provides video quality surpassing majority professional-grade cameras. Suitable for a range of shooting styles and mounts, there is little that you will have to ask for with it.

Pros:

• Professional-grade camera
• Suitable for various shooting styles
• Tilt Screen
• Great Color Science
• Supports 4k video recording
• Great Autofocus Capabilities

Cons:

• record limit 30 mins
• 1.3x crop when shooting at FULL HD

Conclusion:

With this list, you now have an idea of what to look at while searching for a cheap slow mo camera. Our top-10 cameras cover everything from the best cheap slow mo camera to the best professional grade models in the market so you consider everything before making a choice. Slow-motion videos are surely a great way to express and showcase a variety of things, and with the right camera,

Don’t just go by a single factor like the price or FPS- consider everything including value for money, other features apart from slow-mo recording, and other features that will help you. This will help you select a cheap slow mo camera that can take care of most (if not all) of your video and photography needs.