Pro Moviemaker Autumn 2019

BUYINGUSED MOVIE MATTERS

CONSIDER THE EXOTIC!

While our guide sticks to everyday kit for professional filmmakers, buying used also means you might be able to afford some truly exotic bit of kit you’ve always dreamed of. This might be a camera, but chances are this would be something like a cinema lens. Lenses like Cooke, Arri or Angénieux have been used in Hollywood productions since the start of cinema itself. From the Keystone Cops to Game of Thrones , these expensive lenses are often what give feature films a really unique cinematic edge. But some of these lenses cost tens of thousands and have waiting lists to buy them even if you have the cash, so are out of reach for many filmmakers. But if you want used – and often the vintage aesthetic of these lenses is what stylish cinematographers want – then there is a way to own them. They hardly ever appear at dealers or online, but they do come up at specialist auctions. British- based SAS are a such a specialist and often have listings for some incredibly cool glass at prices that can, in some cases, be affordable. “There is an exceptional market for rare lenses at the moment,” says SAS director Hugo Marsh. “And most are converted for use on digital SLRs.” And therefore will fit on the majority of cinema cameras. “I’m not wise enough in cinematography to know if it’s the same as the ‘Cooke Look’, but people get excited about the painterly look they get from the out- of-focus parts of an image using a fast Dallmeyer Super Six wide open, and the bokeh,” explains Marsh. “We have some very interesting equipment in our next sale, like Cooke Speed Panchro lenses.”

SONY FS700

If there has been one camera that still is in widespread use despite its age, it’s the FS700. That’s because it has the same sensor as the very latest Sony FS7 Mark II and FS5 Mark II and, like them, can be used to shoot Raw. But you can get a one for around £1400/$1700. The FS700 may not have the more traditional user-friendly shape of its newer cousins, but it is still relevant. It was the first affordable Super35 camera capable of recording 240fps in Full HD. And like the FS5 and FS5 Mark II, the FS700 uses a low bit rate internal codec. But it can output 10-bit 4:2:2 and 4K Raw to an external recorder for quality you’d be hard pushed to tell any different from the latest FS7 or FS5.

PANASONIC GH4

The Lumix GH5 and GH5S may be the range-topping Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras, and those may have been overshadowed by the new full-frame range. But for less than £350 or $400, you can pick up a Panasonic GH4, which shoots 4K internally in 8-bit or will record 4:2:2 10-bit to an external recorder. The GH4 has focus peaking and zebras, along with adjustable shutter angle, showing its credentials as a serious bit of moviemaking kit. And the price is just ludicrously reasonable for something that is so capable.

“The GH4 has focus peaking and zebras, along with adjustable shutter angle, showing its credentials as a serious bit ofmoviemaking kit”

ZEISS CP.2

The cinematographyworld fell in love with the Zeiss CP.2 lenses when they hit the market, as they offered stunning quality in a real cine-style manual focus package. Built like a tank to take a beating, the lenses are still used by filmmakers all over the globe every day and remain hugely popular. However, Zeiss launched the upgraded CP.3 lenses in a far smaller package, along with other upgrades. And that means there are some CP.2 lenses now on the market used, as some people have upgraded. From around £1200/£1300 upwards, you can buy a Zeiss CP.2 in a Canon EF fit that will last for a very, very long time. And theywork well on everything from DSLRs to cinema cameras with EFmounts.

More info specialauctionservices.com

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PRO MOVIEMAKER AUTUMN 2019

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