{"id":1894,"date":"2018-10-12T09:31:58","date_gmt":"2018-10-12T16:31:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.movingpicture.com\/?p=1894"},"modified":"2018-10-20T12:01:59","modified_gmt":"2018-10-20T19:01:59","slug":"full-frame-cameras-how-will-they-affect-our-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.movingpicture.com\/full-frame-cameras-how-will-they-affect-our-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Full Frame Cameras: How Will They Affect Our Industry?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The release of full frame cameras like Arri\u2019s LF, Red\u2019s Monstro, Canon\u2019s C700, and Sony\u2019s VENICE has made it clear that the future of cinema is headed toward larger sensor sizes. Of course, we have been shooting full frame video ever since the Canon 5D Mark II. But it\u2019s only recently that high-end cinema camera manufacturers have brought larger sensor cameras to the market.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Large format digital cinema cameras took NAB 2018 by storm. Has the wanderlust worn off? Certainly, the buzz has slowed way down. You also have to ponder: Is this the next 3D fiasco where it was thought that if a movie didn\u2019t have a 3D version, it was doomed to fail?<\/p>\n

So why do people want these full frame cameras? Why is there a buzz?Michael Koerner of Koerner Camera<\/a> in Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon is of this opinion, \u201cAcquisition on these cameras will be for features, high-end display capture, big commercials.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Sony Venice cameras prepping at Koerner Camera-Portland getting ready for the Netflix hit TV show \u201cTinkets\u201d.<\/p><\/div>\n

The LF format is just another arrow in the quiver of a Director of Photography.\u201d And, John Engstrom, DOP, and Owner of Scheimpflug<\/a>, NYC agrees, \u201cLarge format WILL have its place, but for now it will be limited to the big guys who can afford it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s explore this new paradigm shift in image capture for the next 800 (or more) words!<\/p>\n

A Brief History of Full Frame Cameras<\/strong><\/h3>\n

First, a little background.<\/p>\n

Fox developed a 70mm format back in 1928, Cinerama. Paramount\u2019s VistaVision and Todd-AO 70mm appeared in the 1950s, and in 1970 IMAX came on the scene to give audiences the biggest, widest, most immersive cinema experience to date. While better optics and wider aspect ratios then peaked for celluloid, the race continues with digital cinema technology.<\/p>\n

Many younger filmmakers who\u2019ve only known DSLR tend to think it\u2019s the standard sensor size for all digital cameras. To them, super 35mm (the standard since the 1990s) is<\/em> full frame. Of course, with its 1.5x crop factor, 35mm motion picture film is far from full.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until the Canon 5D Mark II with its full-frame sensor appeared in 2008 that still and motion picture cameras started to merge.<\/p>\n

Cameras for High-End Acquisition<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"Sony VENICE<\/h3>\n

The Arri Alexa LF is not the only high-end full frame camera. The Sony VENICE is another. The VENICE, however, is going to have an uphill battle as rental houses in the past have been burned by Sony when Sony created low price point cameras that produced the same image quality a year later for a fraction of the price of their professional line of cameras!<\/p>\n

John Engstrom agrees, \u201cAt Scheimpflug, we\u2019re not yet feeling the demand of full frame, and have not invested in the cameras as of yet\u2026We also believe that the cameras will change faster than the glass will. For us – based on the limited demand and feedback we’ve received from our clients – we believe that it will be hard to pay off this first round of cameras before the next ones arrive, and we don’t have the glass to support them – so, we’re on the sidelines for now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Also, so far, the VENICE does not shoot slow-mo in 4K, and in general, can\u2019t compete with the Alexa’s ergonomics, accessories, user-friendly aspects, etc.\u00a0 However, the VENICE does have nifty flexible lens mounts that change and a sensor that can be upgraded. According to Koerner, \u201cThe lens mount that Arri has developed complicates things (argh!) \u2026 Yet another variable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Who will come out on top? This will be a wait and see\u2026<\/p>\n

RED Monstro\"\"<\/h3>\n

The RED Monstro is a RED (need I say more?!) Like Apple and its iPhone, RED seems to release a new camera twice a year, and it has its own special love-hate relationship with rental houses, just like Sony.<\/p>\n

As a rental house owner, I like to think that what we invest in tends to shape the landscape on what cameras will be used for image capture. Reality check: Probably not the truth, just fantasizing here.<\/p>\n

But moving on\u2026<\/p>\n

Arri Alexa LF<\/h3>\n

Back to Arri: Keeping in line with the Alexa 65 and LF, the imaging is immersive and draws people in with its intimate 3D feel. The company entered the full frame market in order to have an Amazon and Netflix qualified camera because the other Alexas didn\u2019t shoot 4K.<\/p>\n

So, does the Arri Alexa LF hold up in image quality? Yes! Now some speculate that the LF sensor isn\u2019t as good as the Alexa 65, but it\u2019s all about your personal opinion.<\/p>\n

Full Frame Cameras: What DPs Need to Know<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Industry professionals should understand a few things. Here are the top 8 reasons why full-frame acquisition will slow down and\/or not accelerate:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. There is so much spherical glass out there.<\/li>\n
  2. The big boy full frame cameras are expensive: Arri LF, Red Monstro, Sony VENICE.<\/li>\n
  3. Not a lot of full frame glass choices, particularly zooms!<\/li>\n
  4. Data load is super high. Heaps of drive space needed. (Koerner says, \u201cData is VERY cumbersome and complicates workflow, particularly on multi-camera jobs.\u201d)<\/li>\n
  5. The cameras (especially the Arri LF) consume loads of power: 200 watts.<\/li>\n
  6. If you want a 50MM angle of view in super 35 with LF, you must use a 75MM lens.<\/li>\n
  7. The LPL mount is a Unicorn and a royal pain in the ass.<\/li>\n
  8. DP quotes: See them here.<\/a><\/u><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Why full-frame will gain popularity:<\/p>\n