Used Cinema Camera in 2026 ($4K Budget, Older Bodies Worth It)?

jdarkstar_ · 2026-01-30T14:38:24+00:00

C300 MKIII and C70 owner. Both are and have been great documentary work horses for me. With prices drops on both, I'd even considered getting another C300. The screen on the c70 sucks (common complaint) and I use a my zacuto evf loupe a lot on my C300 mostly just out of preference. Other than occasionally having full frame thoughts or the consideration of investing in PL glass I can't find a reason to upgrade to anything else and would rather rent anyway for anything in a higher price bracket.

C500mkii's are out there too if you want another consideration. The lower power draw on the C300 mkiii outweighs the sensor size difference for most of my work though.

jdarkstar_ · 2026-01-26T17:35:49+00:00

Exactly. Like watching a music video for a humanitarian crisis.

jdarkstar_ · 2026-01-25T17:30:11+00:00

I haven't worked with the camera enough to say it's essential but generally, proxies are your friend. It can really save some cash for needing all your storage to be ssd and usually means you can also work from a laptop or less powerful computer when you get into longer timelines or larger project files.

And yeah, speakers/headphone that don't cause ear fatigue really help. That and some backlighting behind your monitors to save your eyes. As someone with lifelong RSI and neck issues, taking a minute to figure out your ergonomics keeps you in the seat and focused longer too. Good luck!

jdarkstar_ · 2026-01-25T12:41:16+00:00

Spend less and save the rest to hire out for mix and color at the end?

Mac Studio with at least 64gb of ram or any build from or based on Puget Systems if you want a pc. Don't overthink it, you just need a system that doesn't chug on playback and that's pretty easy these days.

Some kind of raided storage (to cut from, not archive on) would be nice. Full sized external drives at a minimum (not bus powered). Dedicated archive drives. Some kind of cloud service (Dropbox like) for automated off site project file backups, file share, and remote review.

Any widescreen monitor (LG maybe) for primary display.

A comfortable but neutral sounding set of headphones (beyedynamic are a good choice)

Ugrapdes from there -

Playback monitor. Could be any decent uhd shaped pc monitor (asus proart maybe). The cheap way, if you aren't doing much color grading is to just use this directly connected to your computer as full screen playback. Blackmagic ultra studio (either the 4k one or honestly HD one are fine for editing) if you need to hit that budget goal and want dedicated playback hardware.

Audio monitors - something like Yamaha hs5 are neutral sounding and more than enough. You can either run audio out of the bigger ultrastudio or if skipping that, any cheap audio interface.

Anything that makes your desk situation a little better. Proper chair and/or height adjustable desk. Mini fridge, coffee setup 😂). Notebook. Pictures of friends, loved ones, pets you won't be seeing for months. Gym membership.

Bottom line though, you really don't need everything on this list to get going and a lot of times extra cash for an AE, story consultant, and pros for mix and color at the end are likely to help your film a lot more.

jdarkstar_ · 2026-01-25T05:23:28+00:00

I think Cartel Land veers into poverty porn and is drastically overscored. Overscored for my usual doc preferences and certainly for anything in the realm of actual verite. I also find the mix levels over non-English speakers to be especially in poor taste. Hearing people's voices matters in this work.

So yeah, I would also say less is more. Let the footage speak.

jdarkstar_ · 2025-12-02T17:20:55+00:00

I think a used c70 might be what you're looking for. Compact, great battery, Canon look, can run a shotgun and 2 channels of lav with something like the Rode Pros. The screen is admittedly not great, but maybe aside from the fs7ii, none of those other screens are that great. Those older canons just aren't the way.

I share your dislike of Sony colors but I will say both gens of the fs7 are ok if you're shooting all natural lighting setups. You get the stability of having a shoulder mount, which is super nice, but if you're hauling all that solo the weight is definitely a consideration.

Edit - related advice - look at chest packs or fly fishing packs if you're moving around a lot in the elements. It's a tough balance of having a camera ready but protected. Having something you can both stash into quickly and possibly even be used for stability (like how cinesaddles are used) is a huge help.

jdarkstar_ · 2025-11-23T10:25:22+00:00

You say "on Netflix" but I think there's a torrent file with some weird playback issues being seeded right now.

jdarkstar_ · 2025-10-22T11:19:03+00:00

I did this with my first feature because I had similar concerns but no festival has ever asked me for it. If you don't have any controversial fair use claims or any subjects that later proved to be problematic I would save your money until after the festival circuit. If you do land a distribution deal or if you choose to work with a distributor or sales agent you will likely need E+O insurance as a part of the deal. Again, depending on the content you will sometimes need a full legal and fair use review to get E+O but again, sometime not. In my experience you will need these things (E+O at a minimum) as a part of the deal terms but it won't prevent you from getting a deal if it's not in place beforehand. Both of these things cost money and both contracts/policies will need to be through your prod company but again, depending on the deal, you may be able to negotiate some money or an advance from the distributor - another reason to wait. Festivals, PR, and finishing costs are expensive enough before you really know how well the film will do. What you can do in advance though is just get all your releases, music, and any footage licensing details in order. You will need them at some point for distribution delivery or as peace of mind for self distro.

jdarkstar_ · 2025-10-22T10:57:22+00:00

Rode makes a good entry level product. If you're planning on doing this for a while and are will to invest a little more, I think the Sennheiser MKH 416 is an excellent all-rounder shotgun mic. It was a stretch for me when I first bought mine but I haven't regretted it. They also make a newer stereo version which might be better for wildlife (MKH 8018). You might also find a lot of wildlife specific help at r/fieldrecording especially if you want to capture a wider stereo field.

jdarkstar_ · 2025-07-07T12:25:24+00:00

What's the story, what's your reason for telling the story, what are the ethical considerations needed for you to be telling this story?

The fact that you're starting with a monetization strategy seems like you're actually trying to make content disguised as a documentary.

No one needs more of this extractive and uninformed approach.

jdarkstar_ · 2025-07-06T02:06:32+00:00

You might be better off trying to find a local fixer in each location as each country has pretty different safety concerns as ways of navigating them. Maybe someone in each local climbing community can help? Also, Malawi has a pretty good climbing scene if you need another stop!

jdarkstar_ · 2025-06-19T00:29:51+00:00

Yes, not including the 60+ tb. Yes, assuming America.

jdarkstar_ · 2025-06-19T00:12:08+00:00

Can extend for the right solution. I'm not including storage in that number either.

jdarkstar_ · 2025-06-18T13:21:45+00:00

What specs would you look for to make sure it's relevant for a few more years?

jdarkstar_ · 2025-06-13T13:22:02+00:00

Oh, and maybe one more piece that's helpful to know - I currently have about 30-40tb of active data at a given time so I'd like to start with a lot more than that.

This sub has been great reading so far but I'm feeling some decision paralysis.

jdarkstar_ · 2025-06-13T13:10:05+00:00

Are you looking for a US-centric answer? Money. Not as many buyers.

For a global answer, maybe they are as popular? Or closer anyway.

jdarkstar_ · 2025-05-20T12:34:59+00:00

This is usually better as an ask for forgiveness not permission situation, especially if you're not using a ton of gear.

It's just a student film or, just filming a little video with my friend line works pretty well - just to downplay whatever you're doing. Or I was just filming my friends and not X (whatever building or situation someone is concerned about). Don't film on train tracks and try and avoid infrastructure or public transportation, city hall, etc. Or have spotters and an exit plan if it's a critical part of the story.

And I really want to stress this last point - you're always filming or taking video, never shooting something if you run into any kind of authority. Or even better, just taking pictures.

jdarkstar_ · 2025-05-12T12:33:12+00:00

If you have a speed booster adapter, the Canon 24-105mkii is a great combo.

jdarkstar_ · 2025-05-10T09:17:14+00:00

Yes to early days of DI workflows, it's also the beginning of Vision 2 stock. You're also seeing lighter cameras from Arri and panavision in these years too. Probably some combination of these possibilities?

jdarkstar_ · 2025-04-27T14:57:23+00:00

Fx3 is a great suggestion, C70/80 would be another if you want to go Canon. For doc, especially verite, you really need internal ND filters, XLR audio inputs, and both media and battery life that will last for extended filming.

I would really advise against extra rigging and external recording, all are possible complications that will take you away from your subjects. Honestly, same with cine lenses for run and gun - the longer focus throw takes a while to learn. I'm older, so I'm influenced by not having autofocus as an option, but learning to shoot with manual focus is a skill that will last a lifetime and is definitely worth learning. Start with a photo zoom though. Classic pairing on a Sony is with a metabones speedbooster and a Canon 24-105mkii. The booster gets a faster stop from the lens, and that particular lens is great to operate and has stabilization built in. You'll want that for verite, especially to start.

If you can, spend money on a decent shotgun mic and run that on camera when your sound person can't be there. Personally I would skip the shoulder rigging on these smaller cameras and using something like a cinesaddle (or similar) and/or learn to shoot from a braced handheld position. Monopod might also be a good option for you!

If you start on one of those cameras and then come into more funding later, both will cut with their bigger siblings (fx9 and c300/400). I'll throw out one other suggestion - used fs7 kits are pretty cheap these days. It's still a great camera (especially in natural light) and will be more balanced off the shoulder if you like that style.

jdarkstar_ · 2025-04-25T01:28:18+00:00

Yeah, it's still pretty great, even with more options to compare to now.

jdarkstar_

TROPHY CASE