Sundance is over -- the winners have been announced and filmmakers of all types are leaving the small town of Park City in droves -- however, for many, things are just beginning. This festival has a way of inspiring young filmmakers to jump out of their seats and grab their cameras, but probably the biggest question that's asked in the very beginning is, "What camera should I buy?" One way to answer that is to find out what pros are using on projects that closely resemble yours, which is why this list, compiled by Indiewire, of the cameras used by this year's Sundance Film Festival filmmakers is an excellent resource in learning our (future) peers and colleagues' approach to filmmaking. Continue on for the full list of cameras.
This list is much, much, much more diverse than the list of camera's used by this year's Oscar-nominees. The Oscars might've been completely dominated by the ARRI ALEXA and ARRIFLEX, without even a mention of a RED camera, but Sundance had quite an array of cinema cameras and DSLRs, film and digital cams, ARRI, Canon, Panasonic, and yes, even RED. In fact, the EPIC and the SCARLET were used by quite a number of filmmakers. One brand that didn't show up on the list: Blackmagic.
Check out the list of cameras and lenses used by the Sundance filmmakers below, courtesy of Indiewire.
Digital Cameras
- ARRI ALEXA
- Canon XH A1
- Canon 5D Mark II
- Canon 5D Mark III
- Canon 7D
- Canon C300
- Canon T2I
- iPhone
- GoPro
- Panasonic AF 100
- Panasonic HVX200 w/ Letus 35mm adaptor
- Panavision Genesis
- RED EPIC
- RED SCARLET
- Sony F3
- Sony F5
Film Cameras
- ARRIFLEX 16SR
- ARRIFLEX 416
- Panavision 35mm
- Penelope 35mm
- unspecified 16mm & Super 8 cameras
Lenses
Lenses- Alura Zooms
- Angenieux 24-290
- Angenieux Optimo DP 16-42mm and 30-80mm zooms
- Canon L series (24-105, 70-200, 24 1:4mm, 16-35)
- Canon zooms
- Cooke S4
- Cooke 5/i
- Cooke Cine Varotal 25-250mm Zoom
- Cooke Speed Pancros
- Fujinon 19-90
- Hawk V-Lite Super 16mm Anamorphic
- JDC Cooke Xtal Anamorphics
- Kowa Anamorphics
- Leica Summilux C
- Nikkor 35mm f1.4
- Zeiss Super Speeds
- Zeiss Ultra Primes
- Zeiss Master Primes
Though there are a few film cameras being used, indie film is still very much digital. And in a time when DSLRs are putting out such an amazingly cinematic image, I was surprised to see a Panasonic HVX200, using a Letus 35mm adapter, on the list. (I'm not embarrassed to say that that was exactly my first rig ever, and I love her, and she's not going anywhere.)
Be sure to check out Indiewire's article to see exactly which films used which cameras and lenses.
What do you think of this year's Sundance filmmakers' camera choice? How do you explain the difference in selection between this year's Academy Award filmmakers and the Sundance filmmakers? Is it simply because of budget restrictions? Let us know in the comments below.
Link: How'd They Shoot That? Here's the Cameras Used By the 2014 Sundance Filmmakers -- Indiewire
