BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY NOMINEES: 97TH ACADEMY AWARDS

The Best Cinematography nominees by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) for the 97th edition of the Oscars Awards, are “The Brutalist” (Lol Crawley, BSC), “Dune: Part Two” (Greig Fraser, ASC BSC), “Emilia Pérez” (Paul Guilhaume), “Maria” (Ed Lachman, ASC) and “Nosferatu” (Jarin Blaschke).

The cameras used to shoot 2025 Oscar-nominated films include Arricam, Alexa, Sony Venice, and Kodak Negative film stock. These films were shot in a variety of formats, including 8mm, 16mm, 35mm, VistaVision, and 8k. “The Brutalist,” “Maria,” and “Nosferatu” were all shot on Kodak Negative film stock.

Camera Equipment Used for Principal Photography and 2nd Unit.

Arricam: Arricam LT, Arricam ST, and Arriflex 235 were used to shoot The Brutalist 

Alexa: Alexa 65 and Alexa LF were used to shoot Dune: Part 2 

Sony Venice: Sony Venice 2 was used to shoot Emilia Pérez 

Kodak: Kodak Super 8 Camera and Classic Pro 8 were used to shoot Maria 

Mediums, Film & Digital Format Used to Acquire Necessary Footage.

The Brutalist was shot in 16mm, 35mm, and VistaVision 70mm 

Dune: Part 2 was shot in 70mm (Kodak Vision 2383) 

Emilia Pérez was shot in Sony XOCN XT 8k 

Maria was shot in 35mm Kodak color, 16mm negative, and Super 8mm 

Chosen Lenses by Director of Photography 

Cooke S4 and Leica R Lenses were used to shoot The Brutalist 

Prime DNA, IronGlass Helios, Jupiter, Mir, Optica Elite, and Zero Optik Rokkor were used to shoot Dune: Part 2 

Blackwing Tribe 7 T-Tuned were used to shoot Emilia Pérez

Ultra Baltars, Cooke S4 Primes, Super 8 6-66mm Schneider Zoom Lens, Angenieux 8-64 Zoom Lens were the choice of Ed Lachman, ASC to achieve a naturalistic look for Maria.

Original Baltars, Dagors, UHS were used for Nosferatu.

The 97th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences(AMPAS), will take place on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. During the gala, the AMPAS will present Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 23 categories, honoring films released in 2024. The ceremony will be televised in the United States by ABC and be streamed on Hulu, the first Academy Awards ceremony to be broadcast as such.

THE BRUTALIST 🎥🎬⭐️ BAFTA FILM AWARDS 2025 Best Cinematography Winner 

Cinematographer: Lol Crawley 


Format: 16mm, 35mm, VistaVision 70mm 
Cameras: Arricam LT, Arricam ST,  Arriflex 235, Beaumont VistaVision Camera


Lenses: Cooke S4, Leica R Lenses 

The Look: The best way to photograph architecture is with rectilinear lenses that don’t distort the buildings themselves, so it’s only natural that you would look to a format with a wider field of view. We use [VistaVision] not only for capturing aspects of the architecture and landscape, but you can also shoot the most beautiful portraits on the format. Essentially, you’re encompassing two different things: You have the shallower depth of field of a longer lens but also the field of view of a wider lens.

DUNE: PART 2

Cinematographer: Greig Fraser, ACS, ASC
Format: 70mm (Kodak Vision 2383)
Cameras: ALEXA 65, ALEXA LF
Lenses: Prime DNA, IronGlass Helios, Jupiter, Mir, Optica Elite, and Zero Optik Rokkor

MARIA

Cinematographer: Ed Lachman, ASC 
Format: 35mm Kodak color 50D/5203, 250D/5207, 500T/5219 Negative 16mm 250D/7207, and 500T/7219 35mm Black and White double-X 5222 negative Super 8mm 50D/7203, 500T/7219
Camera: ARRICAM 3perf, ARRIFLEX 416, Kodak Super 8 Camera, Classic Pro 8
Lenses: The Ultra Baltars, Cooke S4 Primes, Super 8 6-66mm Schneider Zoom Lens, Angenieux 8-64 Zoom Lens.

The Look: The film explores the life of Maria Callas, and the scenes of her past are shot in black and white Negative with the Ultra Baltars, which was glass used over 70 years ago in “Magnificent Ambersons,” parts of “Citizen Kane,” and “Touch of Evil,” which I also used on “El Conde” with Pablo Larraín. The Baltars have a six-element design and early single-layer coatings that contributed to the period look that we were looking for due to the film taking place from over 80 to 47 years ago; I wanted the look of the film to be affected by the glass that created images in films at that time.

“I also used the Baltar glass in the later color period used in the film for the ’60s and ’70s, depicting the scenes in her life. The Cooke S4 primes were used primarily in the evening scenes where I needed more stop. The 16mm film with an Aaton LTR and 416 ARRI cameras was used for the film crew that we see in the movie investigating Maria’s life. The Super 8 camera and lenses were used as Maria Callas’ home movies for the private moments of the people that were closest to her”.

NOSFERATU

Cinematographer: Jarin Blaschke
Format: Super35mm 
Cameras: Arricam ST  
Lenses: Original Baltars, Dagors, UHS

The Look: The Baltars have a beautiful pastel palette and suppress fine detail while keeping overall sharpness reasonable. The Dagors have a shimmering halation and unique, mist-like bokeh for hallucinations and dreams. The UHS lenses are very fast (T1.1) and allow for real candlelight work on film.

Nosferatu 2025 is a remake of the original 1922 silent German Expressionist vampire film, directed by F. W. Murnau with a screenplay by Henrik Galeen. It features Max Schreck as Count Orlok, a vampire who preys upon the wife of his estate agent, played by Greta Schröder and Gustav von Wangenheim respectively, ultimately bringing the plague to their town.

A thrilling mystery masterpiece - a chilling psycho-drama of blood-lust.

Vampire Count Orlok expresses interest in a new residence and real estate agent Hutter's wife.

Original title: Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922) 

AKA:Nosferatu, a Symphony of Terror, Terror of Dracula

Director: F.W. Murnau

Writers: Henrik Galeen, Bram Stoker

Stars: Max Schreck, Alexander Granach, Gustav von Wangenheim

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Silent Film

EMILIA PEREZ

Cinematographer: Paul Guilhaume, AFC 
Format: Sony XOCN XT 8k
Camera: Sony Venice 2, ALEXA Mini (some scenes in Mexico), RED Komodo (some scenes in Mexico)
Lenses: Blackwing Tribe 7 T-Tuned (Main set). Arri Signature Prime 12mm, Angenieux Ultra 12x, Angenieux EZ-1, and EZ-2 Arri T2.1 (some scenes)

The Look: “The film is hybrid in the ways it’s built and also in the way it’s shot. So, we mixed formats, technologies, and lenses (from 12mm to 800mm). Eighty percent of the time, we were shooting in a studio, and some scenes required a lot of light. Being able to film at 3200 ISO means needing only half as much light. I knew the Venice sensor and had seen what my colorist, Arthur Paux, was able to do with it. During our grading, we mainly focused on creating an organic texture”.

“For the lenses, we compared anamorphic (on a Super 35 sensor to stay light) and the spherical Blackwings T-Tuned on a large sensor. Those tests showed that anamorphic was too prominent for that project. The Blackwings had a modern yet organic look. We loved their unique blue/yellow fringing and the flares they can produce when needed. I also had a single 47 X-tuned in the set for more expressivity when necessary”.

Which film deserves to win the 97th Academy Awards for Best Cinematography?

25 CINEMATOGRAPHY TIPS BY ROGER DEAKINS REVISITED

25 CINEMATOGRAPHY TIPS BY ROGER DEAKINS ASC,BSC

Read below 25 tips on cinematography by Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC.

 

1. Don’t Get Distracted with Technique

“Operating the wheels needs to become second nature as it can be a disaster if the technique of operating distracts from the relationship that an operator has with the subject. When I was starting I practiced doing figures of eight with the wheels and progressed to signing my name with them. I don’t feel the need to practice anymore but I do reassure myself that I can still sign my name each time I start a new film, if I am using a gear head. A gear head is not everyone’s choice and I don’t always carry one but it does have distinct advantages on certain set ups and on certain films.”

2. You Must Discover Your Own Style

 “I am very wary of showing too much in the way of plans and diagrams. Not because I am secretive and I don’t want to give away something that is personal. Not at all  I just remember that when I began as a film maker and a cinematographer I never watched another cinematographer at work. The closest I ever got to seeing ‘how it was done’ was by shooting some documentary footage of Doug Slocombe at work on ‘Pirates of Penzance’. I loved seeing him work but it had absolutely no influence on the way my work evolved.

Our styles could not be more different. That’s my point really. You can’t learn your craft by copying me or anyone else. I hope what I do can do is in some way inspire others but I would be appalled if I though my work was being studied as ‘the right way to do the job’. My way is just one of an infinite number of ways to do the job.”

3. Compromise is Sometimes Needed for a Better Film

 “Sometimes, as with the death row scenes on ‘Dead Man Walking’, it is better to compromise composition, lighting and perhaps even sound a little and shoot with two cameras in order to help an actor get their performance. Sometimes it is better to go wider to include a prop in frame than break an actor’s concentration.

When an actor appears on set ready to do a take it may be too late to change anything. At that time if I see a bad shadow or an eyeline that is slightly off I might talk to the actor or I might not. Perhaps I might think it better to change things for take two. If not then I judge it my mistake and I must try not to let it happen next time. In the end a film can look lousy but work because of a great performance but not the other way round. That’s something always worth remembering.”

4. Work Inside Your Practical Limits

 “I rarely took lights on the documentaries I shot in Africa. Much of the time I worked without an assistant so carrying more equipment than absolutely necessary was out. I did carry some white bed sheets and a silvered space blanket, which I used for sleeping in on cold nights (and it can get very cold in Botswana for instance) protecting the raw stock and equipment from the sun as well as for lighting.

I think the most important aspect of shooting documentary is to make use of what light is available simply through your positioning of the camera - and the subject if you are controlling what you are shooting. For me, using extra equipment, whether it was a tripod or a reflector, was usually a distraction and counterproductive.”

5. Every Film is the Director’s Film

 “I do have a problem with the ease with which you call what we do ‘art’. That is for someone else to conclude. To me it is a job, a creative job that I love to do but a job nonetheless. The collaborative aspect of the job is very important but then so is the hierarchical nature of a film crew. Every film is the Director’s film and we must never lose sight of that.”

- Roger Deakins on Camera Systems

When it was discovered that Deakins was shooting with the ARRI Alexa, and he said he might not ever shoot film again, the film community went crazy. Digital proponents pointed to it as a member of the old guard switching ways and film lovers lamented the inevitability of Deakins’ intentions.But Roger himself was confused over what the whole fuss was about.

B-roll behind the scenes - footage from Skyfall

He takes a no-nonsense approach to cinematography and understands that cameras are just as much a tool as the light meter he keeps on his hip. Despite this pragmatic approach, questions of cameras and camera systems are posed to Deakins quite often (who does his best to skirt around choosing any “right” or “best” camera).

 6. Pick a Camera Based on the Job

 “There is an obsession with technology that I don’t care for. You pick the camera for the job based on cost and many other factors. I think ‘In This World’ or ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ are good case studies in this regard.”

7. “Cinematography is More Than a Camera”

“Cinematography is more than a camera, whether that camera is a Red an Alexa or a Bolex. There is a little more to it that resolution, colour depth, latitude, grain structure, lens aberration etc. etc. etc. The lenses use for ‘Citizen Kane’ were in no way as good as a Primo or a Master Prime and the grain structure in that film is, frankly, all over the place. But the cinematography? Well, you tell me.”

 8. Aspect Ratio is Ultimately a Directorial Choice

“I usually do suggest one format over another for a particular film but the final decision belongs with the director, as with any other aspect of production. Like most of the decisions I make it is, for the most part, an instinctive one based on a sense of the film I get from reading the script.

Some films, like ‘The Assassination of Jesse James…’ or ‘Jarhead’, lend themselves more obviously to a wide screen format whereas I could never imagine ‘House of Sand and Fog’, “The Man Who Wasn’t There’ or even ‘Shawshank Redemption’ in a wide screen format.  I would say my preference is for a wide screen image shot in Super 35mm on spherical lenses but the majority of films I have shot have been standard 1:85.”

9. Film Has Its Faults, Too
“There is as much hype about the ‘excellence’ of film as there is about many of the new digital cameras. How quickly we can gloss over the unstable projection, the scratches and reel change dirt, the quality loss that comes from a poor dupe (any dupe) or a blow up done with a bad optical lens.”

 10. Camera Choice is a Personal Decision

 “In the final analysis you can only judge picture quality by eye and make a personal decision as to what you like and what you don’t like. Perhaps some people really can not see a difference between a 2K scan and a 4K scan of the same negative and I am sure some people really do prefer the look of an image produced by the Red Camera to one shot on film. The choice of a camera system is no different than the choice of a lens set, a camera position or where to put a lamp.”

- Roger Deakins on Film Careers & Getting Work

Roger Deakins has a career we all dream of — a prolific resume (67 films) full of a variety of genres from well-respected critical successes like No Country for Old Men and The Shawshank Redemption to cult classics like The Big Lebowski and Fargo. But, like the rest of us, Deakins had to start at the bottom. And so even though he doesn’t worry so much these days about finding work, he has always pushed his own career forward through his own efforts.

11. Filmmaking Never Gets Any Easier

 “On one of my first dramatic films I had got to the set early only to hear the 1st AD and a Carpenter questioning why someone whom they had never heard of was shooting their film. They turned to me and asked if I knew the cinematographer. I said I did. I then told the Carpenter to rig a beam at the ceiling for lighting and asked the AD to send out for some asprin [sic] whilst I went outside to be sick. I still have times when I feel totally stressed out and sick in my stomach. I explain it to myself in thinking that I have ever higher expectations for what I am working on and consequently it never gets any easier.”

12. There is No “Right Way” or Expected Career Path

 “If you work your way up you might find it easier financially. Also, you will have time to learn your craft and become confident in what you do. On the other hand you may well find yourself stuck for some time at one level and find it hard to make the jump from an assistant to an operator for instance. If you try to start shooting right away you may find yourself waiting a long time between pay days. Have you a showreel? Friends that might give you a break? A family that you need to support?

I never assisted. I went to film school and started shooting right away after that. Well, to be honest I couldn’t get work as an assistant so I called myself a cameraman. I found it no easier to get work as a cameraman but at least I felt better about myself. It was probably 6 months before I got my first paying work but it built quickly after that.”

 13. Contacts Are a Phone Call (or Door Knock) Away

 “It should be easy find a name off the credits of a film and then contact an assistant through the Union. [...] You do see jobs advertised in film related magazines but, if I were starting out today I imagine I would be knocking on doors much the same as I did in the 70′s.”

14. Being Local Helps Your Chances for a Job

“I don’t know what other cinematographers do but my assistant hires our crew. We do sometimes take on a local PA but not often a trainee. Everything is done on per project and the budget has a big influence on who we hire and where they come from. I tend to do lower budget films and hence we hire at least the loader and the PA locally. Sometimes the 2nd AC also.”

15. Being Great is Often Rewarded with Loyalty

 “There are a number of key crew members that I have worked with consistently. Obviously, not everyone is always available especially when work is slow. I have worked with the same 1st assistant cameraman since he was promoted from 2nd assistant for the last two weeks of ‘Shawshank Redemption’ when the previous 1st AC had another commitment. He has yet to make a ‘wrong move’ so I’m not sure what I would do if he did. I would be in shock probably!”

16. Internships Are Scare, Learn By Discovery

 “Personally, when I am shooting a film I am totally focused on the job in hand and find even having a silent observer detrimental. There are many people who ask to be a part of my crew or to merely observe on a production that I might be shooting. Because of my hesitancy to accede to their requests perhaps my consequent feeling of guilt has led to the creation of this site.

For good or bad I never, as a student, had the luxury of observing another cinematographer at work on a set. It was only when I came to work in the US that I actually visited another set. I say this because I genuinely feel that cinematography, like photography in general, is not something that can be learned but, pretentious as it may sound, can only be discovered.”

- Roger Deakins on Camera Assisting

Deakins has claimed on many occasions that he was never a very good camera assistant (AC) and that’s why he became a director of photography (DP). But because of this lack of skill, Deakins holds tremendous respect for camera assistants — especially his go-to guy, Andy Harris, who worked his way up from 2nd AC on The Shawshank Redemption to become Deakins’ preferred first assistant. “Watching Roger work with his first AC and his dolly grip is amazing,” says Daggerlilly, the forum administrator for Deakins’ website. “Andy, his focus puller, can be almost invisible on the set and never seems to take marks and yet the shot is in focus when Roger shoots wide open with very low light and an actor who is never in the same place twice.” So it comes as no surprise that through his relationship with Andy, Deakins has picked up a few tips and more than taken notice of the job of the camera assistant.

1st AC Andy Harris (Left) with Roger Deakins (Center)

17. Pulling Focus is a Tough Job for the AC and the Operator

“The 1st AC’s job is one of the most responsible on the whole crew. I know I could never do it and I have great admiration for someone who does the job well. I have worked with the same 1st AC for many years and we are very much in sync. I do think judging focus is very much intuitive but it is also the job of the operator to watch for image sharpness and for the timing of a pull etc.

Sometimes, as when I am making up the shot or on a particularly tight close up, I will work on a fluid head and have one hand on the focus knob just as if I were shooting a documentary. When you are working fast and without real rehersals, as is becoming the norm, there is little choice to do otherwise.”

18. If You’re Going Handheld, Go with an Experienced AC 

“The first thing I should say is that I work with a very special assistant and he rarely needs to work from marks. If I am shooting hand held, as I was in the boxing for ‘Hurricane’ or for pretty much all of ‘Jarhead’, my assistant will attach a remote focus to the camera or I will control the focus myself. I find this is the only way sometimes, especially if I am ‘creating’ shots as things unfold. I spent many years shooting documentaries where I always controlled the focus myself as the kind of films I was shooting demanded a very instinctive way of following the subject. You could use a fast stock to get a greater depth of field but, in truth, it would give you relatively little advantage. You might need to build the light levels to an F8.0 to gain any real advantage from lens depth of field. I would suggest using an experienced assistant at the end of a remote focus system.”

19. Use Focus Marks Only When You Need Them

 “On the film ‘Jarhead’ we shot often without rehearsals but as I (often with Scott Sakamoto on a second camera) was operating with a hand held camera it was not only possible to react to an actor’s movements but it was just that style we were looking for. Something less formal, more spontaneous and reactive which we hoped would give more of a feeling of being there to the viewer.

After a take we might talk with the actors about the scene and make suggestions to them at the same time as changing the way we were moving with the camera. It became a interesting collaborative process. Lighting had to be more general in this case and neither I or my assistant gave marks to the actors. In fact my assistant almost never gives marks to an actor. He may put a few marks down to give himself an idea of lens position and it’s distance to some points in the space but he will often say to an actor that they are not for them and nothing for them to bother about.”

20. Collaboration and Trust Between the DP and AC is Key

“My equipment list actually changes very little from film to film. Of course equipment has advanced and that has made for different choices but the basic idea of the package is the same. I have worked with Andy for some time now and I rely on him to test the package before a shoot. We work together on concocting any special items such as the ‘helmet cam’ for shooting the game in ‘The Ladykillers’ and we usually spend a day shooting tests even if the film is quite straightforward.”

- Roger Deakins on Working with Crew

As director of photography, Deakins is at the top of the film crew hierarchy. He has to manage several departments — camera, grip, and electric — all while executing a creative vision that serves the story of the film.It’s a complicated task made even more complex by the wildcard of the people you work with. To speed the process and keep it running smooth, Deakins works with a crew he’s assembled over the years, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. Communication is key for him, but so is having a mutual respect and acknowledgement that those crew members are hired for a reason — because they’re good at what they do.Roger knows this and almost always refuses to take sole credit for his work without acknowledging the capable crew that backs him up.

21. Know What You’re Talking About

“I think you need to be very familiar with grip equipment just as you need to be familiar with the range of lighting units available; otherwise you might ask for something that is really impractical or might not produce the right result. It is a Key Grip’s job to come up with a technical solution to a task and also the most efficient way of achieving it but it is the cinematographer’s responsibility to know if the concept will work in the first place. I think this requires a general understanding of the equipment to hand and it’s various usage.”

22. Communicate with Your Key Crew Members

More important than any notes is to spend time with your gaffer and key grip so that you are all in sync with the plans you have of the work ahead. I do remember telling my gaffer once or twice ‘It’s on my diagram’ only to be told that he was going by his memory of what I had said and not diagram I had given him.

23. Feeling Intimidated is Normal

 “I generally feel intimidated! One of my first films was with Richard Burton and I felt intimidated by his talent (‘The Spy Who Came in from the Cold’!!!), at least I felt was until he gathered the crew, thanked us all for one of the most pleasant days he had ever experienced on a film, and then told us he had in fact felt totally intimidated by our youth!”

 24. Plan Ahead with Your Crew

 “After having done a tech scout with the crew I will always draw (sometimes I do them on a computer but not often) plans of each set regardless of how complex the scene or the lighting might be. Each diagram will contain information on lighting positions, lamp types, practical sources, diffusion to be used, camera platforms and crane requirements that was discussed on the scout as well as other things that I have considered since.

Beautiful cinematography by Roger Deakins

"The Assassination of Jesse James by Coward Robert Ford"

Often I will return to particularly difficult locations and scout them with my Gaffer and Key Grip only. Before production I will sit down with my Gaffer and Key Grip to go through all the details of the plans so that we all have a clear of what is involved and so they can communicate these needs to the rigging crew.

Something else that is extremely important is to go through the schedule in detail with your crew. Any pre-rig requirements have to be discussed with the AD and sometimes the schedule needs to be adapted to facilitate the work required.  I couldn’t say that I have any tricks other than that I try to work with the same crew as much as I can. It makes such a difference when you know the people around you and they know the way you like things done. I find that once a shoot starts I am far too busy on other things. Naturally, we refresh ourselves on what is coming up in the next day or so as we go but I think it is important to take the time during prep to look at the overall schedule. It is good to know where you might need extra effort.”

25. It’s Your Job to Find a Way to Work with Others 

 “As I have said before every director is different and may require something different from a cinematographer. The onus is on the cinematographer to find out how best to work for and with a director and with other members of the crew, for that matter.”

For more about Roger Deakins visit his website and forum, deakinsonline.com. 
Originally compiled and posted on July 22, 2013

REVISITING LOS ANGELES DISASTROUS FIRES: ACROSS THE POND

 As wildfires increasingly devastate the planet, filmmakers Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper’s  Incandescence captures the global spread of “mega-fires,” exploring the chaos of the ‘Pyrocene’ era, writes Mark London Williams.

“The planet is entering what some are calling the ‘Pyrocene’—the age of fire, thanks to the climate emergency, thanks to a heating planet. We began thinking about making the film after we personally experienced our town being engulfed in the wildfire smoke from a fire that was hundreds of miles away and realised that everyone, everywhere, is beginning to feel its effects.”

Everyone, everywhere indeed. Whether the fires are literal, or even “merely” figurative, everyone now has been reminded, in the starkest terms, of John Muir’s observation that “when we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.”

Although the picking apart certainly seems to be prevailing over the hitching together here across the pond, almost making a monthly column seem like a quaint throwback to an earlier era of presumed geo-political stability. How much will things have changed in a month? This is being written over the weekend of announced tariffs by the current administration on countries that had been – up until a week or so ago – two of America’s closest allies. 

There are whole columns that could be written just about those levies – and the possible retaliations (particularly from Canada, where a lot of filming and post-production still takes place, and China, where U.S.-based studios had, at least until recently, also relied upon box revenues from audiences there). And while, by the Monday after, much of the now-belayed policy looked like it may have been performative after all (there was a reason the surcharges were announced two days before the markets reopened here) should these tariff wars spread to the EU, as threatened, what happens with accessing all those formerly “cheap” – again, from a U.S. studio perspective – production facilities in eastern and central Europe? Or will those be feint-and-parry policies too, leaving little but broken trust in their wake?

Click here to continue reading Across The Pond-British Cinematographer 

ON THE ROAD TO THE OSCARS. FYC: DUNE PART II

 On the Road to the Oscars. Dune Part II. Click image for information about special photo

Exhibition at the Leica Gallery in Los Angeles.

Click image above for an interview with Dennis Villeneuve and Greig Fraser, ASC BSC

 about the making of Dune II.

BSC 69TH AWARDS 2025

BSC John Alcott Memorial Award

Franz Kraus presents the BSC John Alcott Memorial Award to Milan Krsjljanin

Seamus  McGarvey, ASC BSC presented the Best Cinematography
In a Feature Film to Lol Crawle, BSC for The Brutalist 

Mike Leigh presented the posthumous Lifetime Achievement 
Award to Dick Pope, BSC.

CANON UNVEILS EOS C400, A 6K FULL FRAME CINEMA CAMERA

New EOS C400 Camera Features a 6K Full-Frame, Back-Illuminated CMOS Sensor, With Triple-Base ISO; New CINE-SERVO Lens Compatible with RF Mount Cinema Cameras

MELVILLE, N.Y., June 5, 2024 —Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is pleased to announce the new Canon EOS C400 cinema camera, with a native RF-mount and full-frame, back-illuminated stacked CMOS sensor, designed with the film and live production markets in mind. Canon is also proud to announce the company’s first MOUNT ADAPTER PL-RF, and an RF-mount version of the popular and award-winning CINE-SERVO 17-120mm cinema lens.

“Canon is proud to provide filmmakers and videographers with a variety of tools to capture high-quality and visually stunning images,” said Brian Mahar, senior vice president and general manager, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The new camera and lens strengthen Canon’s already impressive lineup of cinema products.”

EOS C400 Camera Back-Illuminated Stacked Sensor

For the first time in the cinema EOS system, the Canon EOS C400 camera features a newly developed 6K full-frame, back-illuminated CMOS sensor, with triple-base ISO, allowing the camera to deliver stunning imagery in a wide range of lighting conditions. The base ISOs of 800, 3200, and 12,800 maximize the full dynamic range of the camera.

An additional benefit of the EOS C400 camera’s sensor is the support for the next generation of Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus, Dual Pixel AF II. The back-illuminated stacked positioning offers better light-capturing efficiency, which widens the area of the sensor that can be used for autofocusing. The sensor also empowers faster readout speed, as well as better 4K image quality from 6K oversampling.

EOS C400 Camera Recording Options

The EOS C400 camera records in 6K full frame up to 60p in 12-bit Cinema RAW Light. By changing the sensor mode, the camera can record 4K RAW up to 120fps and 2K RAW up to 180fps. This is all recorded in Canon’s latest iteration of Cinema RAW Light, which provides three different recording modes to choose from depending on your file size preference and workflow.

Other recording options include the Canon-developed, industry standard XF-AVC codec which can be recorded in 10-bit 4:2:2 with oversampling from the 6K sensor, helping to create rich detail and smooth imagery, at frame rates up to 120P, without the need for cropping the image from the sensor. Canon is also introducing two new recording codecs into the EOS C400 camera, XF-AVC S and XF-HEVC S. These formats feature an easy-to-manage naming system and folder structure, while recording in the familiar MP4 format and preserving metadata.

All of these options are recorded to the camera’s CFexpress slot with sub-recording and proxy options available to the SD Card slot, which allows for simultaneous recording even when shooting RAW.

EOS C400 Camera Production Options

For live productions, the EOS C400 camera body features a dedicated 12-pin lens terminal for broadcast and cine-servo lenses, a variety of output and input interfaces including mini-XLR audio inputs, DIN connectors for time code, genlock and return video, 12G-SDI and 3G-SDI monitor outputs, a full-size HDMI output, built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, Ethernet and much more. 

The camera also features SRT protocol for IP streaming of video and audio. For shooting scenarios where the camera will be controlled remotely, you can use the Ethernet port or Wi-Fi connectivity to enable remote control, including support for the Canon Multi-Camera Control app, browser remotes, or the Canon RC-IP100 or RC-IP1000 controllers via use of the included XC protocol.

The EOS C400 camera can also provide frame-by-frame metadata in real-time and post-production to support virtual production workflows. Ready for 180-degree VR shooting, the EOS C400 camera has built-in compatibility with the Canon RF5.2mm F2.8 L dual fisheye lens.

CINE-SERVO 17-120mm Cinema Lens

This latest cinema lens from Canon builds upon the legacy of the company’s CINE-SERVO line, with the added benefit of a native RF mount. The additional pins of the RF mount increase communication with RF-mount cameras such as the EOS C400, enabling auto focus, distortion correction and metadata output for virtual productions. The lens comes in either RF or PL mount configurations, with the PL mount version supporting ZEISS eXtended Data and ARIA (Automatic Restoration of Illumination Attenuation)1.

The lens’ new e-Xs V servo drive unit helps to improve its focus and iris speed, enables focus breathing compensation, and includes a USB-C connector for copying drive unit configurations.

PL to RF Mount Adaptor

Canon is also introducing the newly developed MOUNT ADAPTER PL-RF. This adapter opens up a broad range of PL mount lenses to the EOS C400 camera. The adapter maintains compatibility for Cooke i/Technology metadata communication between camera and lens and includes locking plates to help achieve maximum mount strength. To learn more about these new products and Canon’s array of cinema solutions, please visit here.

Pricing and Availability

The Canon Cinema EOS C400 Full-Frame RF Mount Camera is scheduled to be available in September 2024 for an estimated retail price of $7,999.00*. The CINE-SERVO 17-120mm will be available in October 2024 for an estimated retail price of $23,850.00*. The MOUNT ADAPTER PL-RF will be available in September 2024 for an estimated retail price of $1,599.00. * For more information, including accessory prices and availability, please visit here.