Best Cameras for Live Streaming Church

Covid 19 has changed how we do church. Not being able to meet in together means we now rely on cameras and live streaming more than ever.

This calls for the need of some good quality camcorders that can help bring lifelike streaming from the church to people. If you’re looking for a good video camera to facilitate the best live streaming from church, then this can be a helpful read for you.

We have surveyed to bring a comprehensive list of 3 models that have the best combination of features and specifications to facilitate a good quality live streaming. Read along to understand each model in detail and perhaps choose one that suits you the best.

Comparison Chart

Top 3 Camcorders for live streaming

Sony PXW-X70 Handheld Solid-State Memory Camcorder

Sony are known for high level prosumer cameras that produce professional results. Their PXW-X70 is no exception.

What makes this camera ideal for church is it’s highly sensitive CMOS Sensor. This makes for great performance in low light conditions, making it the ideal camera for Church Auditoriums.

If you have a budget of around $1500 for a camera this could quite possibly be the best camera you could get in that range.

Pros of the Sony PXW-X70

• lightweight makes it easy for church volunteers to operate
• Exceptional low light performance – great for Church auditoriums
• Compatibility for HDMI or SDI output – enabling image data to be transported over long distances via bnc cable – perfect for a Church Multi Camera Set Up with Live Streaming
• Very sturdy construction – ideal for volunteer usage.

See the Sony PXW-X70 on Amazon

Cons 

• To make it a 4k camera requires a software upgrade which some users have had some trouble with

Blackmagic Design URSA Mini 4.6K Digital Cinema Camera 

If you are looking for a high-end model to invest in and budget is not a constraint, then perhaps the Blackmagic Design URSA Mini 4.6K Digital Cinema Camera can be a good choice for you. 

This camera is an accurate device meant for cinematic purposes. You can not only expect premium quality live streaming but also still shots as it covers all the aspects of cinema capturing. The only thing to consider is that it comes at a hefty price. 

With a 4608 x 2592 Video recording, the 4.6K mini digital has a 35 mm image sensor which is unreal for real-life like recording facility. It offers compressed raw recording features along with a ready to edit ProRes recording. It includes dual CFast 2.0 memory slots that can shoot full feature films; thus, no interruptions will be observed.

Pros 

• The 4.6k sensing feature is a class apart for providing a multitude of options for dynamic recording.
• The sound quality is supreme with built-in inputs from XLR, and the device offers a compact structure.
• The set of features are real value for money even at a high price.

Cons 

• There is a certain level of exclusivity regarding the memory cards and the batteries which are needed to be specific for this device.
• The price is really a point to consider for the budget.

See the Blackmagic Design URSA Mini 4.6k Camera on Amazon

Canon VIXIA HF R800 HD Camcorder

If you’re working with a tight budget and the church needs a service live streaming device, we have come across one that offers a multitude of features that too within a budget. The Canon VIXIA HF R800 HD Camcorder can be the choice for you, in this case.

This camera provides a 57x advanced zoom along with a 32x Optical and 1140x Digital and Super range OIS. A 3.28 Megapixel full HD CMOS image sensor makes it great for live video streaming and transmission quality video generation. 

A MPEG 4 video recording system is inclusive with the provision of up to 0.4 lux of illumination in low lighting mode. It includes an SD card slot along with a Hi-speed USB terminal. It is compatible with the NTSC standard video colour signal, which is a pretty decent configuration for service streaming in real-time. An HDMI mini connector is also included along with a 3.5mm stereo mini-jack.

Pros 

• 57x advanced zoom enables to zoom and capture high-quality clips of the service for live streaming.
• The device is excellent for recording MP4 files with ease and also incorporates a good calibration mic jack for good audio quality.
• The memory card allows up to seventy hours of video recording, which is more than sufficient for service streaming.
• The HD CMOS image sensor provides clarity and vibrant quality images in low light settings.
  

Cons 

• The accessories and set up equipment in provision with this model are not the best quality.
• Some focus issues have been observed by the users, with the camera going out of focus on some occasions.

See the Canon VIXIA HF R800 HD Camcorder on Amazon

Final Verdict 

Thus, it is fair to say that there are some things you need to consider before making your choice for the camera that would fit you the best. The budget that you have in mind can be the right place, to begin with. It isn’t always about having every possible feature but the ones that would be most useful to you. 

Through our comprehensive research, we have come across these cameras to have been like the best for the purpose of live streaming. Each model listed with its own set of pros and cons will be suitable for a different scale and environment of streaming. We hope that this has been a helpful read for you to pick out the one that best caters to your needs.