While you’re not going to get that super shallow DOF you do with 35mm lenses, there are some advantages to the smaller sensor size. First of all, they are cheaper to manufacture so…cheaper cameras. Plus, there is a ton of 16mm glass out there, so you might even be able to afford your own PL, B4 or C-Mount set to go with your new camera.
One of the coolest systems has been out for a while: the Ikonoskop shoots 1920×1080 uncompressed RAW footage to a CinemaDNG format. Based on those specs alone, the camera pretty much blows away anything in the sub-Red/Alexa price range. That said, it still costs $10,000, needs proprietary hard drives and creates BIG files. Check out some test footage Snehal Patel shot to get a better idea.
The other system you may have heard about is the Digital Bolex D16. This one is a bit of an odd duck but it looks like it could be pretty neat if it can deliver on all of its promises. The footage hasn’t been too exciting thus far, but the specs certainly are. It shoots 2K and records mostly uncompressed (12 bit – 4:4:4) TIFF, JPEG and Adobe Cinema DNG files which are very versatile and should give shooters some great images. The biggest pro might be the price point at $2500-$3500 based on those specs. The major con right now is the uncertainty of the final product. The Digital Bolex was funded on Kickstarter and there are no fixed specs or releases dates, so if things go screwy in the manufacturing process (a big possibility for a first-time camera maker) expect to be disappointed.
Perhaps the hottest new camera right now is the Blackmagic Cinema Camera. At $3000, it comes in at an affordable price, it has a firm ship date from an established manufacturer and has some great specs. You’ll definitely be hearing a lot about this camera in the future. It shoots 2.5k 12-Bit raw files to standard SSD drives, it has a small form factor and easy to use connections, a great interface, and it’s pleasing on the eyes. Plus, you get DaVinci Resolve for free with it. We will be getting one here at Stray Angel, so keep an eye out for pricing and availability!
