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Best camera to use to match Alexa?


Joey Riggs

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Original project was shot on the Alexa in Anamorphic (log c), in ends up being about 2K resolution.
Need to film some additional shots and find an alternative camera.


What camera would best match an Alexa? One of the REDs? C300? Other?

Thank you

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I've never cut one against the other, but the surprise hit might be a Blackmagic Cinema Camera. They have lots and lots of dynamic range and something of the same nice highlight handling. It wouldn't work if you were doing energetic, handheld camerawork, with regard to the rolling shutter.

 

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Black magic can match. I insterted a pocket with some Alexa stuff and it's nearly impossible to tell the difference. Cinema camera would be similar. The 4K wouldn't since that's a whole other sensor family from the pocket/cinema.

The other option would be the Amira; but at that point, you might as well get an Alexa.

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In my experience, the F5 or F55 will match better than a Blackmagic. I've had all 3 on a job, and been in involved in the subsequent color correction. The F55 material matched much better than Blackmagic.

 

You have to shoot SLog3, and then start in the color correction with the LC709A LUT. That gets you 90-95% of the way there.

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Thanks guys. Budget is the main reason we can't use the ALEXA agian or any other comparable camera in that range.

 

We were leaning toward an epic/dragon as I can get a decent deal on that,

but is the concensous that a Black Magic would be better?

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To compound matters we originally shot with Anamorphic glass which is out of the question this go around,

so it will look differnent no matter what but within those constraints, I'd like to match as best a possible.

 

Thank you

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I'd go BM camera and then maybe a streak filter if you need the streaks and use the savings on lighting and grip.

Hell I wonder if you could even do a Bokeh hack with a ovular matte somewhere if you need the anamorphic like out of focus area.

Also I'd lean towards pocket with good S16mm glass in PL mount as it has a slight dynamic range edge on the 4K. I don't much like the 2.5K because, well it's wierd for lensing in a lot of ways being a non-standard sensor size.

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I agree with Nate Weaver, about the Sony. I would defiantly prefer a Sony F5(or F55 if budget allows), there are so much easier to deal with on a shoot, no monster rigs, no weird adapter, professional standards, and they would cut better than BMCC or EPIC and are much cheeper to rent than Alexa.

 

If you can't get a Sony get the BMCC, as RED has a look of their own, which I feel is slightly more difficult to match to Alexa.

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I've used the BMPC 4k and Alexa and had decent results on the feature "Unearthing". We used Canon Cinema Zooms on the Alexa and the Canon Cine Primes on the BMPC. I used the BMPC for hand held and Ronin shots as well as tight spaces like car INT's. We tested in post and had good results shooting 4k RAW. My DMT found the BMPC footage easy to work with to get a close match while grading the dailies on set. It also has a global shutter so we didn't have problems with rolling shutter.

 

Anyway, my 2 cents on it. Hope it helps. Good luck.

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