AWARDS CAMERAS S ometimes, the winners of the Pro Moviemaker Gear of the Year Awards are cameras that lots of professionals own and trust. Other times, it’s technologically advanced machines that are a dream buy for many. This year, that’s the case in our cinema camera class with the Arri Alexa 35. It’s pricey, but has the legendary image quality and kudos of the most coveted brand in filmmaking. It uses Arri’s first new sensor in 12 years to give 4.6K recording with 17 stops of dynamic range, even though it sticks to the Super 35 format. As the brand of choice of the Hollywood elite, Arri is a rental-only option for the vast majority of filmmakers who want to experience its legendary colour science. The CMOS sensor offers native 4.6K at up to 120p. The expanded dynamic range is now 17 stops - 1.5 of those extra stops are in the highlights, the other in the shadows - with Arri claiming this range is far wider than any other digital cinema camera. Sensitivity ranges from ISO 160 to 6400 with the native setting at ISO 800. There’s also an Enhanced Sensitivity Mode that can be applied when using ISO 2560 or 6400 to deliver cleaner, less granular footage. A total of 19 recording formats squeezing options. It’s a worthy winner. For something far more affordable, the mirrorless class is where so many creative filmmakers spend their money; in recent years it has been a clash between Sony, Canon and Panasonic. This year, there’s are available, including in-camera downsampling and anamorphic de- The Panasonic Lumix S5 II took the original S5 model and finally added phase detection AF, as well as lots of codec improvements. The new version is a much better all-round camera and still undercuts all its full-frame rivals on price. It takes the Editor’s Choice award in the mirrorless category. There’s no internal Raw or ProRes, 4K/120p or 4:2:2 All-Intra 800Mbps codecs. But, truth is, the majority of pros don’t have a massive need for this. If you do want more, spend the extra money and buy the S5 II X or pay for a firmware upgrade. The Lumix S5 II produces great footage, has no overheating – and an effective AF system is far more important for a workhorse camera – the S5 II offers this and more. EDITOR’S CHOICE: PANASONIC LUMIX S5 II
GEAR OF THE YEAR
Hybrid/crossover Canon EOS R5 C
a big surprise as the Nikon Z 9 was voted the winner thanks to its stacked sensor, high resolution and huge choice of codecs, including internal Raw capture. It’s the one camera that can be used for stills or video for fast-moving action, can be pressed into action as a high-resolution studio camera and still be a workhorse. It’s also more affordable than its nearest direct competitor, the Sony A1. The Z 9 is the camera that has put Nikon back on the map for filmmakers and hybrid shooters. As camera ranges expand, the award for best hybrid/crossover camera has become crucial for professionals who want something more capable for video than a conventional mirrorless camera. This is the category where products such as the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro, DJI Ronin 4D Flex, Panasonic
THE WINNERS
BS1H box camera and both the Sony FX30 and more expensive FX3 polled lots of votes. Top of the pile was the Canon EOS R5 C, which brought cinema- style menus and cooling to a new version of the high- resolution EOS R5. It was the camera that filmmakers desperately wanted
the Canon EOS R5 mirrorless to be. It took its video-centric benefits – including the high-resolution 8K files in a massive range of high-end codecs – and removed the overheating woes. And it has useful movie features like waveform monitoring and no limit on recording time.
Camcorder Canon XF605
Cinema camera Arri Alexa 35
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PRO MOVIEMAKER
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