Camera operators are utterly spoilt for choice these days. While there will never be a perfect camera for everyone, you will be able to find something that works for you that’s also in your budget. This is an ever-changing field, and specific camera advice will be quickly outdated, so I’m focusing here on general advice only. Remember that the adage mostly holds true: you can choose any two from fast, cheap, and good.

An iPhone (or any other mobile phone)

Yes, you can absolutely shoot videos on your iPhone, and according to most reviews, an iPhone does a better job of video than most Android phones do. An iPhone will also be easier to use with your Mac, and it even includes iMovie, so you can start an edit on your iPhone, then transition it to FCP on your Mac. The dynamic range (from shadows to highlights in a single shot) is huge, so you can film in more places. Image stabilization means the image shouldn’t be too shaky. And it’s...