The Top 5 Documentary Cameras at Sundance 2024

What are the go-to documentary cinema cameras for the cinematographers behind 2024’s best documentaries at Sundance?

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CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro
1:48 - Full List of cameras
2:33 - What surprised me from that list
3:45 - First take away from the cameras selection
6:02 - A word from today’s sponsor
7:16 - Why this particular camera is not in the list
13:10 - Final thoughts

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[chipcurry]

I love to say "a camera is like a saxophone" the quality is important, but the handling of it is where The real work is done.

[Tommy_Beal]

I bought an FS7m2 at the beginning of this year because you recommended it so highly. It’s my A-cam and has brought me enough work to stay busy fully-time as a freelancer. I’ve got to shoot for Comcast multiple times with it, I DP’d a biotech shoot a few weeks back with it, and lots of other shoots! It’s been super solid, and I don’t think I’ve lost a single good shoot, because I’m using an older model camera.

[BrianMakesFilms]

Form factor and usability is everything. As a wedding and local internet commercial/social media content creator I went from the FX9 - much as I loved it - to the FX3 and FX30 because that's the form factor that works for my projects. Low profile, small, mobile, cheap media - makes sense. But if I was primarily shooting bigger docs, something like the FS7 or FX9 would make so much sense. I actually quite appreciate the Super-35 of the FX30s because of some of the lens options. All to say - knowing how you like to work and what works for what you're shooting is key. Unless you REALLY screw up your images (in which case you have bigger concerns) the end viewer will have no idea what you filmed with and won't care.

[laurenoe]

As an FS7, FS5 and FX3 (and FX30) shooter, the camera I reach most for is the FX3. Its small, can be put on my gimbal and aside from a variable ND leaves nothing to want for. I do wish for a BNC timecode connector, and a viewfinder but that's about it. Maybe the new FX camera they are talking about will give me those things.

[bendiagram]

I disagree with the premise of why there aren’t FX6s on the list and believe it has far more to do with how long these films take to make, the FX6 is somehow still too new and hypothesize that we’ll starting seeing FX6s on these types of lists in the coming years.

[juliusherth]

look how beautyful Porcelain War shot with Bmpc4k as A and B cam looks.

[dr.gregoryf.maassen]

It totally makes sense for filmmakers to stay with a camera if they like the form factor. I shoot with Canon C70s and see myself using them in 10 years. I understand anyone who bought a C500 in 2012 that they keep on using it if the client allows it. Netflix for example has minimum camera standards for commissioned work.

I am happy that you address RAW. The workflow for independent filmmakers like me is already complex enough and we don't need to add more with RAW.

You also address Sundance as a market that is out of reach for many filmmakers because of the costs involved producing competing documentaries. So true. Sundance is not a market for one men/women filmmakers. Neither is Hollywood.

We have many excellent documentaries that are specifically filmed for other markets, such as public television. This is a totally different market with equally impressive documentaries.

I would love to see an analysis of camera equipment used for these more accessible markets. I wouldn't be surprised to see lots of old gear as well.

Thanks for sharing your wisdom. Your channel makes perfect sense.

[rpace]

Great video! I couldn't agree more. My setup is an FX9 and FX3 and for TV and Doc work the main to cameras that I see requested are still the FX9 and FS7.

[brycheiniogfilms]

Slightly confused. You mostly use the FX9 in Super 35 Crop mode with super 35 lens. Yet use the FX3 as your B camera. Do you use the FX3 in crop mode even though it’s limited to 1080? How do you reconcile the footage? Great interesting video btw.

[Valleedbrume]

FX6 does the job for me, regardless of its age.Even shoot sports with it.Customers love it.Fx3 is the best B-Cam and in some cases .

[GripGyver]

Thanks for this - great points made.. I'm still kind of confused why the FX3 vs Sony A7sIII - I love my viewfinder!

[alejandroramirez_FoodScapes]

Great channel! I've been following it for some time now and will continue to do so. To have more fun I propose to play a game: take a shot every time Luc says, "as a cinematographer with more than 10 years of experience..."

SALUD!

[rakeshdharan]

I use Panasonic DVX200 for my documentary projects.

[HoGa]

That's why I bought the Zv-e1 and If I had the money I would have gone for an fx9 or even fs7.

In my mind, once the tech reaches a certain level, most upgrades are about usability and not the end result, so I never really felt like there is any reason for me to spend a bit more and get an fx3 since it will also need just as much to rig as the ZVE1 to get it to that sweet spot. I want either a heavy, mechanically feature rich camera out of the box or the cheapest version of a good sensor and rig it myself.

[romdunn]

For those who remember, Griffin Hammond shot a lovely short documentary "Sriracha" (20min) 10 years ago and he only used a GH3. Even back then it was considered as a consume camera, not that great in many aspects but still, the documentary was beautiful, very interesting and entertaining. It won the Best Short Film prize at the NYC Food Film Fest and at the Chicago Food Film Fest.
Even though ai could be biased because I have an FX6 and an Fx3 It is definitely NOT the camera that wins the hearts

[mickandtrudie]

Can’t believe no one‘s mentioned the Panasonic S5iix I shoot all my documentary films with it and an old Gh5 for b-roll

[WhySteve]

The quality of tech is getting so good thesedays. I went to an expo the weekend and put a $4000 cine prime on my Fujifilm X-T3 and of course it looked better than my kit lens, but not $3000 better. Granted, the camera it's matched with will make a big difference, but considering somebody filmed a great looking award winning feature on a Panasonic GH1 a few years back "proving" that it's about the glass and not so much the body, to me, all I'm seeing is that you can do some crazy cool stuff with some crazy cheap gear that is crazy good considering.

[DavidHaverty]

what is the name of that high pitched sharp sound effect at 0:06 I have been searching for a clean version of that for months but don't know the keyword to find it. Reverse glass break?

[anirudhtd]

I think GH7 has incredible potential to be a great documentary camera

[RobertsIslandLivingAdventures]

A lot of concerns for time code, but my Davinci editing software matches up the clips beautifully.