Sundance 2018: Here Are the Cameras Used to Shoot This Year’s Documentaries

By Chris O'Falt

Nonfiction filmmakers talk about creating the look of their films and how unique production demands dictated their equipment choices.

“The Last Race”

Dir: Michael Dweck
Camera: Canon C300, Sony F5, Canon 5d Mark 3, Go Pro
Lens: Canon L Series, Vintage Arri and Zeiss lenses

Dweck: “We went into filming knowing that we wanted a warm sunlight look that was reminiscent of iconic auto racing films like ‘Days of Thunder’ and the golden glow of ’70s surf photography similar to my earlier photography works. The Canon’s C300 produced a beautiful image that had a great compression for a manageable post-production work flow. It was compact and just all-around fun to use. The Sony F5 was also used with excellent results in some scenes. Canon L Series glass, zooms, and primes, were our primary lens choice. They are compact, have a nice image, and most importantly for this shoot, budget friendly. Vintage Arri and Zeiss cinema lenses were also used on a few occasions. For the cameras that we mounted on the car, we used Canon 5D mark 3s and GoPros in the positions that were most at risk of impact. These smaller cameras allowed us to get right into the bashing, banging, and crashes of the racing.”