Are you wondering why are cinema cameras so expensive? There are significant differences between Hollywood film cameras and regular digital cameras, and the most obvious is their price. A standard digital camera is considerably less expensive than a cinema camera.
However, consumer end cameras from Sony, Canon, Nikon have features like impressive high-resolution autofocus, and you can use the camera instantly after unboxing it. But things are different with the cinema camera. You just cannot start shooting with the camera alone.
You might have observed that a cinema camera usually lacks a viewfinder. Besides, there is no display or even no batteries, and you have to buy them all separately.
Furthermore, most high-end movie cameras lack autofocus or stabilization. Then why are cinema cameras so expensive? In this article, we’re going to find out the reasons. So with that being said, let’s get started.
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One of the significant reasons cinema cameras are insanely expensive is the high dynamic range(HDR). Dynamic range is the amount of color a camera can pick between the brightest and darkest parts of an image.
Most consumer end cameras tend to blow away the highlight or make the shadows pitch black. But cinema cameras like the ARRI ALEXA and RED come with a higher dynamic range. Those cameras are capable enough to find details even in the brightest and darkest part of the footage.
Besides, in a typical DSLR or mirrorless camera, the footage looks sharp, at least sharper than what we see on a cinema camera, and it is because of the internal processing. Those cameras might be sharper but not as detailed as cinema cameras.
Cinema cameras are not unrealistically sharp. You would rather get soft-looking footage out of it, but they are incredibly detailed, which a DSLR or mirrorless just cannot match. Besides, cinema cameras can produce the most natural-looking skin tone that a standard digital camera cannot offer.
In short, the cinematic look we are used to watching the movie can only be achieved by a high-end cinema camera and not by any consumer-grade mirrorless or DSLR camera.
Consumer end DSLR and mirrorless cameras are usually marketed targeting a customer base having a much lower buying ability. Most of the cameras found in the market have a price tag ranging from as low as about $500 to $6500.
On the other hand, the ARRI ALEXA Mini camera body, one of the cheapest ARRI cameras, will cost you over $30,000. However, big production houses still buy those cameras because money is never an issue when it’s a big-budget movie.
For example, Christopher Nolan and his team wrecked about three IMAX cameras while shooting the Dark Knight, Dunkirk and the Dark Knight Rises. And each camera had insurance coverage of about $500,000.
Besides, we can also find significant differences in the design of standard and cinema cameras. Consumer end cameras are designed while keeping in mind the ease of use. All the features given in a DSLR or mirrorless camera will ease and speed up their workflow because this is what they want.
For example, the mirrorless cameras from Canon and Sony have autofocus, touchscreen, stabilization, and other features so that you can just point the camera to your subject and start shooting.
On the other hand, most cinema cameras come with a modular design. You can take off the display, the viewfinder, and even the battery. You can also redesign the whole setting according to your need. Moreover, the manual autofocus of a cinema camera gives a cinematographer the flexibility to choose focus based on the demand of the film.
The most tracking point of a cinema camera is its video specs. Two significant factors differentiate a cinema camera from a regular digital camera: the frame rate and the other is its ability to shoot in raw.
Typical digital cameras do offer higher frame rates, but there are other trade-offs for that. For example, you might have to lower the resolution or get a cropped view to achieve a higher frame rate. On the other hand, cinema cameras are capable enough to offer you higher frame rates per second without compromising on resolution or getting a cropped view.
Another prominent feature of the cinema camera is its ability to shoot in raw. Manipulating raw files in post-production is the same as you are shooting right now on the set. You can tweak any setting you like and still get the most natural-looking output with raw recording.
Besides, a cinema camera lets you shoot in raw without sacrificing quality, which is often not possible for many consumer-end digital cameras.
Why are Cinema Cameras so expensive?
So that was all about why are cinema cameras so expensive. In short, cinema cameras offer the color, details, and quality that a standard camera cannot match. So why do they lack stabilization, autofocus, and other essential features?
As people shift from being camera enthusiasts to professional cinematographers, those features start to get less important. Only image quality becomes the highest priority, and cinema great picture quality deserves a high price.