Cameras, Cameras and more Cameras

So you've completed you're script, found you're cast and now you're getting ready to shoot. People always ask what's the best camera to use?

It depends. ( People hate that answer) No one camera is the king of everything. Some people say use a Red One, Epic, Alexa, FS100, F3, Canon 5D MII or III, 7D, 2Ti, 3Ti , C300 etc.

Is the Epic a better camera than a 7D? It has a better codec and resolution. That doesn't by default make it the right choice. If money and time are no concern then sure it'd be great to shoot on one.

If you're doing a short, you're not making any money from it. So a DSLR may make more sense. DSLR's are great to able to practice with and shoot with get to know lenses and framing. I think every Indie filmmaker should have a camera they can practice with whenever they want. And they should practice!

Once you're comfortable with the techniques it can be great to work with a more robust format. It also depends on the purpose of your short. Using an Epic on a short with the help of a tech who's familiar with it can be a great learning experience. I do recommend that if you're trying to learn such a camera that you concentrate on the camera work for that shoot, rather trying to direct and learn a new camera.

I have a friend who's a great director and who makes his living as a DOP and an Editor. A few years back I was directing a short. He offered to shoot it so he could “play” with a new Camera and field test it before using the same gear on a feature he was directing.

What am I shooting my new short on? A Canon 7D. I happen to own it and most of the gear needed to go with it. I've taken the 7D with me around the world and it's a good little camera. A 2ti, 3ti or newer 24p capable Canon DSLR would do just as well. I funding the project myself so cost is definetly a factor. I can make the Canon do what I need. Yes an Epic would be nice but it would certainly increase the cost of my project and I'd have to trim corners elsewhere. Now if I had a friend with an Epic willing to come in and shoot for 2 weekends for free I'd be happy to take them up on it.

And remember just because it was shot on a Red doesn't make it any good. It's just as easy to shoot crappy footage on a Red as on a DSLR.

And most importantly content is king. So make sure you have something to say and a good story before you start worrying about what camera you're going to shoot with.