If you want to get a filmic/cinematic look with a digital camera you need to buy a good camera. I think it's as simple as that (sadly). This means buying a 25,000$+ camera. A Red Epic, Arri Alexa, or a Sony F-65 or F-55 (the latter being the least filmic/cinematic of the four but also the cheapest), etc... The reason for this is because they have either a Mechanical Shutter or a Global Shutter, which creates a filmic motion cadence/capture as it captures the image in a way similar to film cameras. While having a Mechanical Shutter like the F-65 or a Global Shutter creates a filmic/cinematic look, you can also get this with a Rolling Shutter if, and only if it happens to have an incredibly fast readout speed such as with the Alexa. From what I remember it has a readout speed of 6ms versus other CMOS rolling shutter cameras which have double or even triple the readout speeds. Older digital cameras usually had CCD sensors and global shutters which is why those pioneering digital film cameras looked cinematic/filmic. Cameras with CCD sensors tended to have global shutters but CCDs are virtually extinct now, as CMOS have taken over due to their cheapness and light sensitivity. CMOS sensors are superior in virtually every aspect, but because they read out the image line by line and tend to have slow readout speeds, they usually produce a less filmic look, where as a CCD sensor which captures the image all at once (like a picture) creates that filmic look. The next greatest factor in my opinion is the Dynamic Range of the camera. DSLRs and lower end cameras tend to have considerably less dynamic range than film (14 stops), which essentially means they can't see into shadows well and the highlights can easily clip and get blown out. After that, you want to shoot at 24 frames per second or 24p for a filmic look (the film standard). The next factor is to have a 180 degree shutter angle or 1/48 shutter speed (its not necessary but most films shoot at this SA). Another factor which contributes to creating a filmic/cinematic look is the lens. Lenses play a huge role in creating a cinematic look (bokeh, depth of field, sharpness). Zeiss lenses are known for being very sharp where as Cooke lenses have a distinct look, tend to be less sharp with a warmer feel and unique bokeh). I think one of the most overlooked factors for creating a filmic/cinematic look with a digital camera is what type of file you are recording it in. Use intra-frame codecs. Use Raw or LOG, Prores 444 or 4444HQ at 10bit, 12 bit or higher. It is so important that you use these codecs to get a cinematic image. This is also important for CGI as the reason why CGI looks so bad on lower budget films is usually because they recorded the image at 4:2:0 which doesn't give the effects guys much to work with. Other factors include the color science, grading, lighting, props, acting, etc... If you can't afford a high end camera, I'd recommend saving up. Kubrick was a master filmmaker for many reasons, one of them being he made sure he had the best technology available. If you don't want to save for an expensive camera, I'd recommend the Canon C-300 or C-100s as they are great cameras their price. Hope this post has been helpful.
