Have you ever wondered which cameras are behind big-budget films? What about indie films or Netflix Originals? These are the most popular filmmaking cameras today.
Let’s dive into the cameras used on this year’s biggest films and see how ARRI, RED, and Panavision came to dominate the camera market for big-budget feature films.
ARRI Cameras and Films
With over 100 years under their belt, ARRI has continued to set the standard for cinematic filmmaking. Used from the ’20s through the ’40s, it was only after WWII that ARRI took off in popularity, and Americans eventually got their hands on the compact ARRIFLEX 35 film cameras they had heard so much about. By the ’60s and ’70s, many directors breaking studio norms were turning to ARRIFLEX 35 cameras. The ARRIFLEX 35 BL was used by Martin Scorsese on Taxi Driver and Raging Bull.
In the ’90s, the ARRIFLEX 435 and 535 models were the next massive camera hits. These two cameras went on to capture films like Star Wars: Episode I, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Fifth Element, Hot Fuzz, and The Avengers. By 2000, the ARRICAM went on to shoot films like Children of Men,Munich,Brokeback Mountain,Casino Royale,The Departed,and a collection of Harry Potterfilms.
That brings us to the 2010s, when ARRI released the first ALEXA — their new digital camera. The ALEXA line continues to be the industry standard, capturing modern blockbusters like Rogue One,The Revenant,Arrival,The Jungle Book,Creed,andnearly every film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
2019 Films Shot on ARRI Cameras:
- Avengers: Endgame — ARRI Alexa 65 IMAX
- Us —ARRI ALEXA, ALEXA SXT, ALEXA Mini
- Shazam! —ARRI ALEXA SXT, ALEXA Mini
- The Lion King —ARRI ALEXA 65, ARRI ALEXA SXT
- IT: Chapter Two —ARRI ALEXA SXT
- Aladdin —ARRI ALEXA SXT, ALEXA Mini
RED Cameras and Films
Even though they’ve been around for 20 years, RED didn’t announce their first camera until 2006 — the RED ONE. By 2009, RED introduced the Digital Stills and Motion Capture (DSMC) system. These cameras included the Epic, Scarlet, and Dragon.
In 2015, RED released the DSMC2 system, and has since tried to simplify its naming structure. The DSMC2 brain is available with several sensor types: Monstro 8K VV, Helium 8K S35, Gemini 5K S35, and Dragon-X 5K S35.
RED cameras have quickly grown in popularity among commercial and indie filmmakers, and they have been used on major motion pictures — particularly to capture VFX-heavy sequences.
2019 Films Shot on RED Cameras:
- Rambo V: Last Blood —DSMC2 Gemini S35
- Maleficent: Mistress of Evil —DSMC2
- Dragged Acrossed Concrete —RED Weapon Helium
RED has also partnered with another camera manufacturer — Panavision — to create the Millennium DXL. It’s a Panavision camera using RED’s sensor technology. Upcoming films using the Panavision Millennium DXL include The New Mutants.
Panavision Cameras and Films
In 1953, Panavision started as a company focused on creating anamorphic lenses — popular among CinemaScope filmmakers in the ’50s. The company expanded into general motion picture equipment, primarily focused on cameras and lenses. In 1972, Panavision introduced the Panaflex 35mm camera. It was an instant hit — subsequent models went on to shoot Rocky, Back to the Future, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, GoldenEye, Batman Returns, and L.A. Confidential.
In the ’90s, Panavision released the Millennium camera series, which went on to capture films like The Sixth Sense, Donnie Darko, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and X-Men.
As previously mentioned, Panavision has also partnered with RED to create the digital version of their Millennium cameras — the DXL and DXL2 8K. Panavision is also technically a rival of ARRI’s, but the company owns quite a large supply of ARRI cameras for their rental operations. Their ARRI cameras have been modified to Pan-Arri, which are modified to accept Panavision lenses.
2019 Films Shot on Panavision Cameras:
- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood — Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2
- Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker — Panavision Panaflex Millennium, Panavision Panaflex System 65 Studio, IMAX MKIV, IMAX MSM 9802
Films with Multiple Cameras
When it comes to production, you should always rely on the right camera for the job. That means that films can easily combine multiple types of camera bodies, from several manufacturers. This is pretty standard for big-budget blockbuster films. Whether it’s those with select IMAX sequences — like the upcoming Star Wars IX — or films with VFX-heavy sequences.
If you break down Captain Marvel, you’ll find cameras from all three manufacturers above.
Captain Marvel Cameras:
- ARRI Alexa 65, Panavision Sphero 65 Lenses
- Panavision Millennium DXL, Panavision Sphero 65 Lenses
- RED Weapon 8K VV Monstro, Panavision Sphero 65 Lenses
It’s not uncommon to see multiple cameras used for various aspects of the filmmaking process. You can even go back to the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — Iron Man was captured on the ARRIFLEX 235,Panavision Panaflex Millennium Camera, and Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL Camera.
So is there really a best camera out there? Not really. Every film tends to shoot with what the director and the cinematographer are comfortable with. It’s all about the right camera for the right job, not the camera with the best specs.
Cover image via Huns.
Want more breakdowns like this? Check out these posts:
- The Cameras and Lenses Behind 2019’s Oscar-Nominated Films
- The Cameras Behind Popular Netflix Originals: Films and Series
- The Cameras and Lenses Behind the Scenes of HBO’s Original Series
- Building The Ultimate, High-Versatility Cinema Camera Package
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