Best A6X00 set up for 1080P HD video, photo, and clean HDMI

[dylanmitchell]

What's the best A6X00 set up for 1080P HD video and photo use and clean HDMI out that will work with a capture card like El Gato's cam link. Like to stay around 1k including a general use lens which puts me closer to a used A6000 or A6100 than an A6400. For mostly 1080P HD will 1080P or downscaled 4k from the A6400 look significantly better?

Leaning toward the A6100 with a general use lens like the E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS and for webcam or streaming a 35-55 mm equivalent Prime like the Sigma 30mm F1.4
or Sony E 50mm F1.8 OSS. May get a 16 or 18 to 50 or 55 to see what works best for my setup before picking a prime lens.

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

Welcome!
I think the a6100 would suit you well. The autofocus and general performance between the 6100 and 6400 is the same, but IIRC the 6100 has a lower resolution eyepiece (doesn't sound like you need that) and no picture profiles (which, if you're streaming and not color grading footage in post means this may not be a big deal either).
I use my a6400 for 1080p video all the time (my laptop and hard drive can't really handle 4k) and my favorite video lens is the Sony 35 f1.8. I also have the 18-135 and its a very useful range in a lightweight package for travel photography. The Sigma 16 or 30 might be good lens options for you for streaming from your desk (Twitch?) but I think 50mm might be too tight.

 

[dylanmitchell]

Thanks. A6100 and 18-135 plus Sigma 16 or 30 and a capure card sounds like good starting point. Goal is to record short videos and do basic editing trimming, sequencing clips, and adding transitions. I also shoot photos so looing at mirrorless camera vs camcorder.
I video conference from home for work and school and create short video podcasts or vodcasts for my online classes mostly recorded at my desk. 1080P and basic editing is all my laptop can candle with Davinci Resolve Studio. I do plan to add a desktop with a good GPU as I get more into video. Latop is i7 1185G7 with the integrated Iris Xe G7. Good internal GPU but video editing really needs a dedicated GPU.

Welcome!
I think the a6100 would suit you well. The autofocus and general performance between the 6100 and 6400 is the same, but IIRC the 6100 has a lower resolution eyepiece (doesn't sound like you need that) and no picture profiles (which, if you're streaming and not color grading footage in post means this may not be a big deal either).
I use my a6400 for 1080p video all the time (my laptop and hard drive can't really handle 4k) and my favorite video lens is the Sony 35 f1.8. I also have the 18-135 and its a very useful range in a lightweight package for travel photography. The Sigma 16 or 30 might be good lens options for you for streaming from your desk (Twitch?) but I think 50mm might be too tight.

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

Thanks. A6100 and 18-135 plus Sigma 16 or 30 and a capure card sounds like good starting point. Goal is to record short videos and do basic editing trimming, sequencing clips, and adding transitions. I also shoot photos so looing at mirrorless camera vs camcorder.
I video conference from home for work and school and create short video podcasts or vodcasts for my online classes mostly recorded at my desk. 1080P and basic editing is all my laptop can candle with Davinci Resolve Studio. I do plan to add a desktop with a good GPU as I get more into video. Latop is i7 1185G7 with the integrated Iris Xe G7. Good internal GPU but video editing really needs a dedicated GPU.

Do you definitely need the capture card? I know you should be able to connect the camera to the laptop via USB (but never tried using it as a webcam myself). Don't forget to budget some money for additional storage if you need it, those video files add up over time!

 

[dylanmitchell]

Do you definitely need the capture card? I know you should be able to connect the camera to the laptop via USB (but never tried using it as a webcam myself). Don't forget to budget some money for additional storage if you need it, those video files add up over

A good suggestion to try it via USB. May work for recording short video to my computer and video conferencing and save me a few dollars I have heard it can be glitchy but capture cards can have their own issues. Leaning toward El Gato's capture card if I get one unless there's something better.

Thanks for the help. Leaning toward an A6100, Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 and Sigma 24mm F1.4 or Sony 24mm f/1.8 to start out. Please explain the concept of Prime lenses for webcam use or recording at my desk vs a zoom. From what I've read and seen in reviews a Prime 22mm or 24mm is close to a 35mm equivalent and may work best for recording short videos at my desk and as a webcam vs the Sony E 16-55mm options. What's the disadvantage of using a 16-35mm I can zoom in and out vs a Prime lens?. Sony E 16-55mm kit lens is cheap but looks mediocre the G version looks
like it will produce gorgeous images but it hard on the pocketbook.

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

Thanks for the help. Leaning toward an A6100, Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 and Sigma 24mm F1.4 or Sony 24mm f/1.8 to start out. Please explain the concept of Prime lenses for webcam use or recording at my desk vs a zoom. From what I've read and seen in reviews a Prime 22mm or 24mm is close to a 35mm equivalent and may work best for recording short videos at my desk and as a webcam vs the Sony E 16-55mm options. What's the disadvantage of using a 16-35mm I can zoom in and out vs a Prime lens?. Sony E 16-55mm kit lens is cheap but looks mediocre the G version looks
like it will produce gorgeous images but it hard on the pocketbook.

It really comes down to the look you want. If you want to create a blurry background (bokeh), or are shooting in low-light conditions, then you'll want a lens with large aperture (f2.8 or better), which is typically the territory of prime lenses. If that isn't as important, then looking at zoom lenses makes more sense financially. Practically, with the zoom lens you can zoom in/out to pick what is in frame for your video (and how large you appear in your video).
I'd say start with that 18-135 kit lens and play around with different focal lengths. Maybe you will find an "ideal" focal length for your video setup and you can invest in the right prime lens for you, or you may decide it isn't worth the expense! I find the 18-135 to be a great all-round lens, lightweight and great range, with its only drawback being low-light performance.