I've been rocking my Rokinon Cines (non-DS) for almost six years now. I've got the 16, 35, 50, and 85 for narrative/doc work. I've also got a Sigma 18-35 (photo version) for some of my corporate work. I currently use a Blackmagic 6K Pro.

I've wanted to jump to something better now that I've been shooting much more, and the DZO Pictor line caught my eye. I like the idea of having parfocal zooms for my run-and-gun documentary and the footage I've seen from the 20-55 seems nice. It's not tack sharp like my Sigma, and will surely be better built than my Rokinons.

Over the last year, I've been steadily upgrading my lighting & grip kit, so this is the next area I'm interested in investing in.

Has anyone made the same upgrade? How did you feel about the leap?

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I've been seeing a lot of similar music videos lately and since I'm a newbie when it comes to camera equipment I can't really figure this one out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHg7Xh5vuRQ

Hey all, currently in the market for a B cam to my Arri Amira. I often do one man band gigs and documentary work. LOTS of interviews. Was looking for a small light secondary b package that could be tucked away small and/or right in the case with the Amira. Would also like to rig this camera when needed and fly on a gimbal when needed.

I usually pass off to editors but rarely am on projects that go through to a colorist. Often I either have to trust editors skill or do myself. I am decent at color, especially when given the time. But time is often of the essence and if needed want to be able to just pass off close to match LUTs.

Options I was thinking: Canon c70: worked a lot with this. Love its sensor, build, internal NDs. On the larger end of options when it comes to rigging/gimbal. s35 sensor

LUMIX s1h/gh7: seen a lot of incredible footage out of s1h. Gh7 obviously got the arri log update, which is tempting. But still a completely different sensor so color matching still will need to be done. S1h is full frame, gh7 micro 4/3

Sony fx30: have used fx3 a bit. Honestly hated my time with it due to menus and UI. The deal of the fx30 is undeniable though

Blackmagic: the new full frame 6k does not shoot ProRes (which is also important for my clients) but have seen the 6k pro match well. Just hate the amount of internal batteries needed, and want to keep this build small and not build a rig with external power.

Any input helps, thanks!

*For further context 90% of my work is in sports

Also should note lens matching isn’t a huge problem. My primes cover full frame

I’m presenting a few short films to my writers group for inspiration.

I saw this short film on TikTok some months ago, but I must not have saved it. It was a short showing a young man and woman on a train. They were sitting next to each other when it shows a reflection in the window of another girl, symbolizing who he's really thinking about. He sees her in person then it goes back to the original girl in the end. It was an empty train. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

I am a beginner getting into videography n abit of this Cinematography.

I wanted to have another storage that is not my c drive. Maybe an ssd or hdd as i have heard these 2 are good?

I use a window 11 laptop with 500GB storage.

I think what I want to edit will be simple just combining clips together.

The videos taken will be using my phone only for now so will not be 4k or 8k etc hence small file to edit and transfer.

Anyone got links or can redirect so me or other people can easily find them please? Maybe if you guys type it down in can collate it here :) Thanks

When Im grading my Slog 3 footage in PP should i be using a gamma display lut on top of a rec 709 conversion? What are upsides / downsides of this? It tends to give me a underexposed look. Probably because i often neglect paying close attention to my exposure meter and eyeball it more. im sure im just under exposing or not nailing it but I mostly do fine with it following my histogram and all but Im also not using an external monitor with preloaded luts. I shoot all natural light sports often shooting into the sun and at bad lighting angles but want to nail exposure more then i do. Im sick of having some of my video be under exposed some of it perfect and some over exposed. I use a nisi VND. also using just the screen on my a7siii . I shoot in xavc s 4k 120 pp8 10 bit h264 and just want my footage to look more professionaly graded. I do descent but want to much better.

Hey guys! I was watching a short film recently and noticed that same scene will have a wide angle shot followed by a zoomed shot followed by a medium shot etc, for the same scene , and character, are these shot separately several times again and again using the same camera or more than one camera is used? Ideally what do cinematographers do?

I want to preface by saying Deakins is my favorite cinematographer and I love his work, this is not at all meant to diminish that.

With that out of the way, what is the hype about Deakins and why is he the center of so many memes and such? What’s made him stand out UNIVERSALLY as the “best” dp versus some other incredibly skilled and prominent cinematographers like Hoyte and Greig Fraser? How did Deakins get so much more prominent than the latter?

Hello,

I’m a college student looking into purchasing my first camera. I would mainly be using it for film making and personal videos (maybe a dash of photography on the side).

I’m currently looking at the Panasonic LUMIX G85 & G95, Canon EOS r50, and Sony ZV E-10. My budget is about $700-750.

I have little to no knowledge or understanding of cameras and have been struggling to figure out which one of the cameras listed above would help me reach my goal and learn how to effectively use a camera. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I've been looking into vintage lenses the last couple days and I'm eyeing the Helios 44m4 58mm from Iron Glass. The C100 I have looks great but I'm just hoping to get a more unique look from a vintage lens. I am very much an amateur/student and I'm just looking for relatively cheap ways to make my footage look better.

Maybe it’s just my first time seeing this technique but I found it super interesting. Makes a ton of sense if you have a heavy back light but no space for a bounce or fill light between the camera and subject. Can’t quite tell how they attached the bounce to the lens but looks like there’s some sort of frame holding it all together.

I've been searching online for almost the whole day searching for a good camera to buy for a school film and i just can't seem to find one with a high enough resolution, almost all of them are vintage. Can anyone give me suggestions where i can buy an affordable camera with a somewhat high resolution? (Online store please)

I'm a beginner to filmmaking, I made some short videos before using my phone but now I'm planning to get a camera. I asked a friend who has experience, and he suggested the below cameras based on my budget:

Sony a6000 with lens 14-55mm 1,8

Canon 600d with lens 18-50mm 4,3

Lumix g7 or g5 good quality for ur prjts film 🎥

Canon M50 

Nikon z50

Could you please recommend, based on your experience which one should I go for, I aim for high quality videos, I usually shoot scenes in dark so I need one that function well with low light and good battery.

Thank in advance!

ok i will skip the bullshit talk
i need a tripod i dont trust yt reviews or myself to find one that wont break with first use anyone got a tripod to recommend?

my camera is sony rx10 iv ( borrowed of someone ofc )
and i rather not spend more then 100 euros on a tripod

I want to create videos with my A7iii similar to this, this, and this (although I'd have a much darker background/backdrop than them if that matters any), so basically covers with me in the shot doing them. I'd be a one-person team here meaning the camera would be in one position the whole time (I'd probably move the camera at some points though to get another take with alternate shots, kinda like the second and third vid). My videos wouldn't be as greatly lit as those vids though and will probably only have one source of light so there'll more than likely be dark spots, shadows, etc. and while I'm on a budget and looking for a lens in the $400~$600ish range, I need one that won't give noise or artifacting in those dark areas. It's a big reason why I ultimately went with the A7iii, because of everything they say about it being great for low-light. So the camera choice was more simple but there's so many freaking lenses I can't even tell what's best for what, and then I've heard where they say "any lens under $800 is a crapshoot" (like in this post under "What Lens Should I Buy?"), but I just can't afford losing that kinda cash right now, but what I'm thinking to look at are the current Black Friday offers and I'm gonna try to buy one today (since BF sales ends tonight), so that should probably help me out. I think a prime lens would be better for me? I heard they're cheaper and, as I said, I'm a one-person team so there won't be any manual zooming whilst filming (if I need a "zoom" effect I could probably just do it during editing). I'm a complete beginner and still learning about the lens basics but I do probably need to buy one today if I'm gonna take advantage of Black Friday, which I need to do.

So yeah, main idea is I need a full-frame (more than likely prime) lens in the $400~$600ish range (incl. current Black Friday pricing) for my A7iii with best low-light performance (no noise/artifacting in dark areas and still allowing a bright look in a dimly-lit/low-light setting, like this or this), that delivers the sharp, crisp visuals of full 4K. And also one that has a wide/low aperture and is in the 23/24mm-35mm range. I'd be more than fine with a prime lens as long as it'd meet these needs (would probably even prefer it as it's said primes are cheaper and offer superior image quality/sharpness). I was reading on the Sony 35mm f2.8 but I've seen some people say it's older and there's better ones now but I don't know if they'd fall in the same price range as this one or not, and also like I said I'd be shooting in low-light so I'm not sure if a lens being in f2-range like that one would make a big difference for me over one in the f1-range. Any insight, help, advice, recommendations, etc. would help more than you know!! Thx :)

Want to pull the trigger on this lens but want to make sure I have a proper set up.

I’m upgrading from an Atomos Ninja V and leaning toward a SmallHD monitor for its reliability and long-term support. I want something that will last me for 5+ years, and I’ve narrowed it down to these three options:

1. SmallHD Indie 5 – $1,200 CAD (new on Black Friday sales)
2. SmallHD Cine 7 – $1,600 CAD (B-Stock from B&H)
3. SmallHD Cine 5 – $2,100 CAD (new, but I’d need to save for 3-6 months)

What I Shoot:

• Cameras: Sony FX6 and A7S3.
• I do a lot of run-and-gun work (often on a gimbal).
• I also shoot sit-down interviews and client projects, where a larger, brighter monitor would be nice for framing and client monitoring.
• Right now, I don’t do focus pulling, but it’s something I’ll likely start in the next 1-2 years.
• I shoot in both indoor and outdoor environments, so brightness is a factor.

My Thoughts on Each Option:

• Indie 5: Compact and lightweight, perfect for run-and-gun setups, but I’m concerned about whether 1,000 nits brightness will hold up for outdoor shoots and future focus pulling.
• Cine 7: Larger screen (7 inches) with 1,800 nits brightness. Great for interviews and client-facing work, but is it too bulky for gimbal use? Also, it’s a B-Stock unit, so I’m unsure about its longevity.
• Cine 5: Compact like the Indie 5 but offers 2,000 nits brightness and the latest firmware support. It feels like the most future-proof option, but saving for it means waiting 3-6 months before upgrading.

Looking for Advice:

1. For those who’ve used the Cine 7, is it manageable for gimbal work, or does the size become an issue?
2. Is the Indie 5’s 1,000 nits brightness enough for outdoor use?
3. Is the Cine 5 worth waiting for, or should I prioritize upgrading sooner with one of the other options?
4. Any other factors I should consider that might not be obvious right now?

I’m trying to make a smart, long-term investment while still addressing my immediate needs. Any input from those with experience using these monitors would be a huge help. Thanks!

Winter is coming! What warm footwear and possibly pants would you recommend for outdoor filming in winter at -10°C?

Hi everyone, I’d like to start shooting shorts with my phone (i know it’s not the ideal choice, but the camera is the last thing i’ll buy due to budget reasons). I’m looking for a dimmable battery light (so, no cables hanging around) compact and versatile. Possibly with different light temperatures. The budget is up to 180-200$. Have you got any recommendations? Thanks.