Cinematography : Filming gear for students by Frank Van Der Meijden

It is as suitable as it is for a very nice production value, especially when we screen so many clips on ipad, phone, monitor, etc., as opposed to a large format screening room, even then it is not the camera that makes the ultimate breakpoint but the content, including sound design. So a good speaker playback array is arguably just as important, although perhaps less expensive and easier to budget for.

I shared studio space back in 2015 with a professional documentary director who travels extensively and creates content for high-end channels; I viewed one of his films which was so beautiful and emotionally compelling, and I asked him what type of camera he used.

He said "the camera doesn't matter. It's a $10,000 camera but I could just as easily make this film using my phone; or I could use this or a more expensive camera to make something I didn't care so much about and it would be unwatchable."

Of course we cannot help but attribute a tremendous amount of importance to

in-camera production values, because we are reaching for relevance in an

industry where those are mandatory, but depending on all the other relevant factors, there is still a certain freedom to CREATE and deliver a form of art that can hold a viewer's attention or not,

a lot of that artistry takes place in post-production, much of it occurs in advance in the planning and conception and execution and mounting of an idea, but the production of the images that appear on-screen includes so many factors (of which the camera in a sense is simply the filter) that we aspire to transcend the medium,

so yes the camera matters, and no the camera does not matter.

If ultimately we produce and screen and see our work as suffering from the limitations of a constrained equipment budget (or in my case at the moment I have a vision of a brief but important establishing shot for which I might need to rent a camera and hire a pro short-term to operate it!) then we will strive to upgrade and get what we want for the next one, and that passion and obsession is part of what will drive us to create good work.

Thanks for your reply Daniel Stuelpnagel

It is reassuring to read that material is ultimately only relative as well. Interesting to see the documentary filmmaker's point of view. I noticed myself that I once did a good post-processing job on an iPhone film, and it looked more professional than some suspected.

Lots of big budget films have used the Canon 7D. Also, the film 'Tiny Furniture' was shot on a Canon 7D.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkZK05xfde0

Thank you, Stephen Folker! Good to know!

Act Of Valor was shot on 7D and 5D mkII cameras. I personally shot dozens of shorts and 3 features on the 7D. It's totally fine for learning. If you can tell a story using any camera, you'll be in good shape.

If anything, I would source an old manual lens and avoid shooting on that 18-135 that you have set to autofocus. You can find photo lenses on ebay for cheap and use adapters to couple them with the 7D. Get yourself a variable ND as well so you can control you depth of field more creatively.

Again valuable information, Gareth Taylor. Thanks so much.

Cameras are cameras and the principals are always the same. But as far as computer workflow and post is concerned, be careful.

Educators probably want to stick with digital gear that's relatively current. Current file types and bit rates and lens mounts. Digital changes really fast and learning a 7D menu is pointless since nobody shoots on them anymore. It would be like teaching everyone to use the Digital Bolex or an AJA Cion.

If you want to teach a U.I. the Blackmagic pocket cinema cameras are a good place to start. Used ones are cheap. Also the Sony line is getting amazing these days. At least NLE's will recognize the files.

Hi there Frank; thanks for posting!

I can tell you that your Lenses are more important than your camera. That being said, that's a mighty fine camera.

Thank you for this critical perspective, M LaVoie

I heard that more often, Nathan.

Hello! I haven't worked with the BLACKMAGIC URSA yet, I would like to know if any of you have handled this camera. It has the PROS and CONS, but it's for outer planes.