Cameras used in Films and OTT Streaming Shows

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Note:
Most cinematographers change cameras and lenses if the situation calls for it. What I’m showcasing here are the cameras used by these cinematographers for their last three to five films. It doesn’t mean they haven’t used any other cameras or lenses. It also doesn’t mean these cameras are their favorites, because they might be using it out of compulsion.

Roger Deakins predominantly uses an Arri Alexa, the most recent being the Alexa Mini LF for Empire of Light. He also prefers Arri lenses, earlier the Arri Master Primes, and more recently Arri Signature Primes.

Caleb Deschanel uses an Arri Alexa, the most recent being the Alexa 65 for The Lion King. He also uses a wide variety of lenses for his projects, from Zeiss to Panavision.

Rodrigo Prieto has recently moved to the Sony Venice for his latest. He shot R&R with the Sony Venice.

Robert Richardson used to shoot on film until very recently. He might still do in the future, but for Venom he picked Arri Alexa cameras, and for Emancipation he used Red cameras and the Panavision DLX2, which is basically a rebranded Red camera.

Emmanuel Lubezki is an Arri Alexa guy like Roger Deakins, and prefers to use Arri lenses suiting the format.

Hoyte van Hoytema still shoots film whenever possible, and he goes big with IMAX and other film cameras. He prefers Kodak stock. When he shoots digital, he picks the Arri Alexa 65 to match the 70mm look.

Christopher Doyle is another cinematographer from the film era that has transitioned to digital, with the Arri Alexa for Love after Love.

Matthew Libatique also uses the Arri Alexa, but for The Whale he picked the Sony Venice.

Dion Beebe predominantly films with the Arri Alexa and its variants. He mixes up his lenses.

Mandy Walker has used the Arri Alexa 65 in the last three films as of this writing. The lenses she pairs it with are the Panavision Sphero 65 lenses. She also uses other Arri Alexa cameras.

Chung-hoon Chung is one of the rare cinematographers who still shoots with the Arri Alexa Mini, among other Alexas. He mixes it up with lenses.

Janusz Kaminski predominantly shoots in film for Spielberg’s work. Kodak is his film stock of choice and he mostly uses Panavision lenses. For The Call of the Wild, he picked the Alexa 65 and Arri lenses.

Vittorio Storaro, winner of three Oscars, is a legend who filmed some of his recent work with the Sony F65.

Darius Khondji has transitioned to Arri Alexa cameras, the most recent being the Alexa 65, which he used for Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths.

Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, known for Call Me By Your Name and Suspiria, is a cinematographer from Thailand who used to shoot in film with Kodak stock, but has recently transitioned to the Arri Alexa LF.

Edward Lachman predominantly shot with the Arri Alexa Mini on his last few films, and a variety of lenses.

Robert Elswit is one cinematographer who still mixes up things. He’s used four different cameras on his last four features. Arri Alexa, the Alexa 65, The Panavision DXL2 and film. With all of these he mostly sticks to Panavision lenses.

Bill Pope, known for The Matrix, is an Arri Alexa person, with lenses sourced from Panavision.

Linus Sandgren shoots on film with Kodak stock. He uses all kinds of lenses.

Claudio Miranda is a Sony Venice guy, and has also shot with the Sony F65 in the past.

Greg Fraiser, cinematographer for The Batman, Dune and The Mandalorian. Even though he used a Sony Venice in The Batman he used the Arri Alexa LF for Dune and The Mandalorian. He also uses a process called DFD – Digital Film Digital, which is a technique to add film grain and texture by moving to film and then back to digital, to sort of mimic the gritty film look.

Benoit Debie used the Arri Alexa LF and Mini LF this work on Seneca – On the Creation of Earthquakes, and his works with Gaspar Noe like the Vortex.

John Toll used the Red Monstro for 80 for Brady, but went with the Sony Venice for The Matrix Resurrections and Harriet. He sources his lenses from Panavision.

Sean Bobbitt uses the Alexa SXT and Mini, and now LF for shows like The Rhythm Section, Judas and the Black Messiah.

James Friend used the Alexa 65 on All Quiet on the Western Front and Willow, though for Your Honor he picked the Sony Venice.

Florian Hoffmeister picked the Alexa 65 and LF for Tar, but chose the Sony Venice for Antlers and Divine. One can see the Sony Venice making inroads which was once Red’s space.

Phedon Papamichael is an Alexa guy, and picked the LF for The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Ford vs Ferrari. He used the Alexa Mini for Brighton 4th.

Dariusz Wolski is also an Alexa guy, and shot House of Gucci and The Last Duel on the Mini LF. News of the World was shot with the Alexa LF.

Senthil Kumar, the cinematographer of RRR, shot it with the Alexa LF and Arri Signature Prime lenses.

Finally, we have Ari Wegner, who shot The Power of the Dog and The Wonder on the Alexa LF. She shot Zola on Film, and, like Greg Fraiser, uses DFD to get the film look even when she shoots digital.

For Streaming shows, here’s the table:

What did we learn? It looks like it’s an Arri Alexa show, and Sony Venice has some firm believers. Curiously, the number of great cinematographers who use Red cameras is too few; it makes no sense, unless they’re just not a fan of the look or the cameras. Maybe the productions don’t find it worthwhile. Care to guess in the comments below?

Here’s the distribution of cameras from this comparison:

The big winner here is the Alexa LF, which, along with the original Alexa and Alexa Mini, are the most widely available cameras around the world. The Alexa 65 is rental only, and is not available in all markets. However, they’re all pretty much the same sensor, which is a miracle.

To know what makes the Alexa LF special, check out my review of the camera: