The quality of cameras is increasing every 6 months. When I started out 15 years ago as a cameraman I only had about 5 cameras to choose from.

All used big old school tapes and the cameras looked liked they would survive a tank rolling over them. Beta SP, Digibeta and Mini DV are now in the past. Tapeless recording is the way forward.

Now the choice of cameras is in the 100s. Every job I turn up to film has a different camera. Whilst they all do the same job they do it it different ways. For a camera operator, trying to keep up to date with this expanding technology is exciting but also daunting.

I think because the cameras are ever improving it is hard to really get to know what it is capable of them in the menus and operation. Meaning that a lot of people just use them on auto. Bad idea as no matter how good a camera is it don’t believe this is substitute for a good camera operator. Unfortunately a lot of video productions use this as a cost cutting way to film videos at lesser quality.

The game changer in modern day camera technology was indubitably the Canon 5D mkii. It is was cheap compared to other cameras on the market but was designed not as a video camera first off. But what this SLR did was introduce this look of film . A look not possible on other DV cameras like the favorite Sony PD150 and Z1.

This look was possible down to the shallow depth of field that these lenses could offer. There was a boom in filmmakers using these cameras. Now, because of the 5D mkii a lot of new cameras have adopted the use of Photography SLR Lenses. CAnon seems the most popular choice of lenses and old Nikon lens if you can get hold of them.

The cameras that I mainly use now on video production jobs is the Canon C300. This is a great workhouse. Allowing you to record sound straight to camera as well which the 5D mkii did not without quality loss. Also continuous recording without the 12 minute limit the 5D mkii has.

The Canon C300 has a ND filter wheel which is much needed when shooting on the fly. Peaking for focus makes it much easier to use than a 5D mkii. And the histogram scope for light metering is a tool camera operators have missed on a 5D mkii.

But the 5D did  and still does a great job of what it was designed to do. It makes sense that a dedicated camera, at more than double the price, will do a better job. The C300 will be around for awhile, not just because it is BBC approved for 50 Mbs HD Standard, but the usability I think it has over its competitors for the same price range from Sony.