There have been quite a few revolutions that have swept the world of low-budget filmmaking over the years. You can have numerous options, including the compressed tape to the digital single-lens reflex camera or the DSLR. Filmmaking has been made more accessible than before. Following is a compilation of the top ten cameras that has changed the definition of filmmaking. From the cameras and systems in the 1990s till the present moment, the list discusses how consumer filmmaking has changed its course. Amateur filmmaking and professional filmmaking are being influenced the past few years with these technologies. Check them out in detail, especially if you are an aspiring filmmaker.
Sony PD150
Low-budget filmmaking became cheaper and more accessible, thanks to the digital video or DV standard. This is why there has been a boom in the field of home movies after the year 1996. The Sony PD150 is among the standout DV models. The XLR inputs, as well as a 1/3-inch CCD sensor, are the highlights.
Moreover, its small size makes portability easy. In the mid-2000s, filmmakers like Michael Winterbottom and David Lynch used the Sony PD150. For others, they transitioned from film to digital with Sony PD150. David Lynch and the like never looked back since then.
Sony DigiBeta
Sony DigiBeta or the Sony Digital Betacam burst into the scene in the year 1993. The model helped record a video to a tape in a compressed format. One can store up to forty minutes of footage inside the tape. The setup which one needed to purchase a Digital Betacam was a bit expensive and complicated. However, overall, it was considerably cheaper as compared to the previous Betacam formats. As shooting large volumes of footage became quite cheaper, there was a revolution in the world of low-budget filmmaking and the television industry too. Even the Indian film crews continued working with the Sony DigiBeta well into the new millennium's first decade.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, with its ability to click shots with a shallow depth of field, brought around a massive change in the world of filmmaking. Aside from recording videos, this Canon EOS camera was the first full-frame DSLR that could shoot 1080p. The filmmakers had that constant desire for a shallow field of depth over the years. As a result, as soon as 5D Mark II arrived in the market, they flocked to it. The camera played its part in plenty of television shows and big-budget films, including House MD, Marvel’s The Avengers, so on and so forth. The Canon EOS 5D Mark III, its successor, has lived up to its reputation as well.
JVC HD110U/111E
When the HD revolution was about to sweep off the world of filmmaking off its feet, JVC HD110U/111E cameras caught the fancy of almost every filmmaker of that era. There was a host of cameras in the fray at that time. However, the JVC HD110U/111E stood out. This was owing to its interchangeable lenses that offered the kind of flexibility every filmmaker was looking for.
Panasonic DVX100B
After miniDV succeeded DV, the Panasonic DVX100B made its entry into the market. The true 24p frame rate was something that filmmakers were yearning for a pretty long time. With the arrival of the Panasonic model, their long wait ended. The filmmakers love the twenty-four frames per second as this is considered the true frame rate in cinema. The motion picture film also delivers twenty-four frames per second.
The Panasonic DVX100B delivered this frame rate before high definition took the movie industry by storm. Plenty of amateur filmmakers were in complete love with the camcorder owing to its ability to offer a cinematic look. The Panasonic DVX100B carved a niche for itself in the industry. Have you seen It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia? Well, the first few seasons of the series were shot on the DVX100B model.
This quite sums up the list. There are some more interesting choices and some controversial ones, including Canon EOS R5, which some might agree with, and some might not. You can also check out the online video by filmmaker Sareesh Sudhakaran, who is famous by the name of Youtube name Wolfcrow. He shares his knowledge on the various cameras that filmmakers can try.
