Just How Good Are Low-Cost Cinema Cameras? [VIDEO]

Cinematographer Olan Collardy does a rather amazing compare and contrast between a Blackmagic Production Camera ($2,995) with a Samyang/Rokinon 50mm T1.5 lens ($540) vs. an Arri Alexa ($80,000) with an Angenieux 24-290mm Optimo T2.8 ($74,000) lens.

Unfair fight? See for yourself.

The question in this case isn’t whether the Alexa footage is better but whether it’s $150,000 better. It’s hard to look at Collardy’s footage and conclude it is.

It’s remarkable, when you think about it, that you can create cinema-quality footage from cameras that cost a fraction of what a full-blown cinema rig costs. In the May issue of Rangefinder, we do a deep dive on cinematic filmmaking techniques, and Collardy’s video is a powerful reminder of the power of the tools that are at your disposal.

Now all you have to do is make something beautiful with them.