I want to buy a 4k camera for video

I am going to be setting up a new reef aquarium and I want to film the process to help people who are getting started in the hobby and I want a camera, I want to buy a camera to film in 4k inside my home with a tripod & slider, i want to do some up close shots of my aquarium and my fish swimming around. My budget is 600-1500$ I was considering the sony a6300 and the sony rx10 ii, but now that I think about it since Im not really going to use it outside portability and size aren't a real issue and thought a larger camera would be cheaper or I could find a better camera for the same price. What would you suggest? I really like being able to shoot in low light and to do closeups of small crustaceans living in my tank but they are 1-2 feet away so I think I would need a telephoto lens. Thanks.

 

What you want is a video camera, not a still camera that can also shoot video. The video camera will do a better job for you.

 

1-2 foot away, you might be hard-pressed to find a telephoto to focus that close. I'd suggest a macro lens instead.

There's nothing wrong with the a6300. Specially if you want to get into editing using sLog3 files.

 

So a macro shouldn't have any trouble focusing on something that is 1-2feet away? What are sLog3 files? I plan to use final cut pro to color correct and to edit my videos.

 

What is the difference? I want good quality video not gopro or camcorder quality.

 

sLog3 is to video what raw is to images. Macro lenses are designed to shoot up close.

 

The camcorder will outperform a still camera doing video. It has the right kind of shutter to get the job done. Go Pro is pointless because it only has a super wide angle lens. Go camcorder shopping.

 

Sony - Handycam AX53 4K Flash Memory Camcorder - Black

Plus it doesn't have a 29 minute recording limit like all cameras do.

 

Video cameras are physically better suited for taking video than a DSLR, even though a DSLR can take great video. Worst part for me is changing the zoom while shooting - a DSLR it's hard to do without wiggling the camera. A video camera just has a little switch to zoom easily. Another point is the DSLR has a limited time for each segment whereas a video camera will shoot until the memory is full.

 

I heard the people who use DSLR or Mirrorless still camera to shoot video say they want larger sensor for the narrow DOF. But many of these cameras don't use their full sensor for video any way so the sensor isn't all that large. Besides, for your particular project I don't think narrow DOF is a good thing.

 

Does the Sony a6300 have a global or a rolling shutter?

The DPReview of the Sony a6300 Review doesn't say which.
Upwardly mobile: Sony a6300 Review

 

I'm a big fan of DSLR and mirrorless video, and the looks of the large sensors (small depth of field). However, for your goal, small depth might be a little difficult because when you get up close with not too much light (esp. in the lower corners of your tank) you need to shoot wide open and therefore the focus area might be too shallow. On the other hand the larger sensors are better regarding noise. It's a tough decision.
If you have friends who own a DSLR and a videocamera, ask whether you can borrow it and check the results in your aquarium store before you buy.

Regarding the slider: shooting aquarium glass from the side will give you blurry images (if I remember right, only when there is water in it). 90° is your preferred angle. Using the slider, you would have to rotate the head to keep objects that are so close within the frame, and that would result in shooting at an angle to the glass that is not going to produce good results. What I want to say is: you probably don't need a slider. Wow, did I just say that? I totally love sliders.

The 29 minute recording limit shouldn't be an issue for your kind of work, and the zoom shouldn't either. Hardly any Hollywood movie, documentation, sitcom, etc. ever uses zooming while recording.
What's much more of an issue is focus while recording. Your fish and critters move, and your focus should work really well unless you want to get familiar with follow focus devices. The a6300 does an amazing job, so do most videocameras. With DSLRs there are difficulties at times.

Last but not least codec. Sonys XAVC-S codec is great compared to what most DSLRs offer.

And one more: if you think about talking in front of your camera, consider an external mic. You can record external, and synch in post, or have it easier and record into the cam. A lavalier mic on your shirt, or a shotgun mic above your head just out of the frame are good options. Rode has a nice lavallier for the iPhone in case you have one and that is probably the cheapest route.