Cinematography : What are you shooting with? 2021’s Top Three Hybrid/Digital Cinema Cameras Under $6,000 by Zoran Dragelj

drool Man, people keep eating up that Blackmagic pocket pro, but I just can't trust a camera that isn't looking out for its accessory costs. They have to know that people buy in kits and if the kit costs too much, they'll move on. I've had my eye on the Sony a7s III for a while, though. le sigh

Karen "Kay" Ross I think the 6K Pro is one of the best things they've done. In the past couple of years from 2018 onward Blackmagic has created some really great products, but all in all only a few cameras in this time have made the cut in my mind.

BM created the Pocket lineup which are cinema cameras and they've got great color science and shoot raw internally. Then the's the Canon C70 recently which is also a great camera and it also shoots some kind of 10bit usable image internally. The last one I think is the RED Komodo which is also great since RED has been making professional cinema cameras for years and this one has some great features.

Now don't get me wrong I have noting against mirrorless cameras and DSLRs with which you can get some amazing footage but they're just not cinema cameras which usually means there are some drawbacks. Usually in form of shooting codecs which are mostly all compressed and/or the ability to be able to mount it to different rigs.

I remember Leya and I used to shoot with a DSLR and it was awesome but it took a lot more time and energy to set everything up, decided the white balance and get the exposure right because once it was shot everything was backed into the compressed coded and I remember worrying every single time if the footage would be usable and if shot it right and if we'll have enough latitude to match the shots when grading.

Then when we got our Pocket 4K I just keep thinking how great it is to have all the tools you need on the camera to get the exposure and white balance, which thanks to the DSLR we know how to use a light meter and chromometer and honestly even if we were a little off the raw coded gives you the ability to fix everything later and create the perfect look that you want.

I think that's the real importance when you're creating your film, whatever it may be.

I completely agree with Vital Butinar the compressed footages from DSLR already gives you a lot of limitations in post. It took a while before I learnt that. Always wondered why the quality of my video wasn’t great even when I did the right things, now I know better.

Although, I have also seen some visuals that were shot on the RED and the quality was disappointing which also points to the skill of whoever is handling the tool.

The camera is but a tool with many abilities, the one who understands it can get the best out of it

Oh yeah Adeniyi Joseph I agree with you.

The camera si a tool and of course it matters what kind of tool it is but what matters even more is that a person has the ability and knowledge to use the tool for what they need and want to do.

Yes I'd love to use an Arri Alexa on my short films or a RED Dragon but the Pocket 4K and the knowledge how to use it, gives us great results. When the time comes that we need other tools we'll use that.