$30 Camera Challenge

Photo and video by Andrew Beall

Words: Alex Kramer

Technology has changed drastically in the last decade. With the advancement and improvement in the quality of multimedia equipment, how has storytelling changed? Two UP staffers tested two sets of video equipment, one that costs thousands of dollars, the other worth no more than a meal for two. A 2008 Flip Camera (valued at $30 today) with merely a few simple buttons for controls was used to shoot the low budget sequence. The higher end sequence, on the other hand, was filmed using a 2013 Canon 70D and a 2016 DJI Phantom 4 Pro combining for a total of $2,844.

After shooting with each set of equipment, which one is worth the price in 2018? The answer might surprise you…