Digital cameras for Digital Filmmking

Digital cameras
Digital cinematography cameras can be purpose designed professional cameras but cameras designed for domestic use are also used.

‘Red One’ Digital Camera
The Red One was announced in 2006 and released in 2007 as the first camera produced by Red Digital Cinema Camera Company. It has a 12 megapixel bayer pattern CMOS sensor, called the Mysterium. The sensor measures 24.4 mm x 13.7 mm, and has 4520 by 2540 active pixels, though the camera only records data from a 4096 by 2304 pixel area in normal operation. The Mysterium sensor has about the same active area as a Super 35 film frame masked to the 16:9 aspect ratio, allowing the same depth of field to be produced in conjunction with lenses designed to cover the 35 mm film format.
The camera also allows the sensor to be used in a windowed mode in which the sensor can emulate the active area of a Super 16 film frame while capturing 2048 pixel resolution footage. This allows the camera to be used with Super 16 lenses.
Red has measured the sensor's signal to noise ratio at greater than 66 dB, and claims 11.3 stops of total dynamic range. However, the dynamic range reported from many cinematographers including Richard Bluck, place the camera's dynamic range significantly lower, at about 8 stops. This difference is probably attributable to the use of different mechanisms for measuring dynamic range. Red rates the sensor at 320 ISO natively.

Lens Mount
The Red One camera has an interchangeable lens mount. It ships with a PL mount, common for modern 35 mm and 16 mm motion picture cameras. The company has also released an adapter for 2/3" B4 lenses, and for Nikon F-mount lenses. Birger Engineering has announced it will soon release a Canon EF lens mount for the Red One, which will provide full electronic control of EF lenses. Other third parties may also have lens mounts in development for the Red One.

Recording formats
The Red One can record at several resolutions. All recording is progressive scan.
The Red One does not natively capture at standard definition or high definition resolutions. However, as part of the process of delivering the raw image data recorded by the camera, the RedCine desktop software can downscale footage to these resolutions. This process yields extremely high-quality output due to significant oversampling.
Red has indicated that a future accessory (replacing an optical raw port that Red originally planned to bring to market) may allow the camera to record data from the sensor's full 4520×2540 active area, although few details about this are currently available.

Compression and workflow
Redcode RAW is a variable bitrate wavelet codec which allows raw sensor data at resolutions of up to 4096x2304 to be compressed sufficiently for practical on-camera recording. Two variants are offered, one with a maximum data rate of 28MB/s (224 megabits), and one with a maximum data rate of 36 MB/s (288 megabits). Compared with the uncompressed data captured by the sensor, these bitrates represent compression ratios of about 12:1 and 9:1, respectively.
Because Redcode is a wavelet codec, similar to CineForm RAW and JPEG2000, the blocking artifacts associated with other digital video compression algorithms are absent. However, sample images detailing Redcode specific artifacts have been posted on the manufacturer's forum.
Redcode is a mathematically lossy codec, meaning that decompression does not fully restore the original image data captured by the camera. Red does claim the codec is "visually lossless", meaning that the information loss is not visible to the naked eye when images are viewed, however this is a subjective statement.
Unlike cameras that record RGB data, the camera records raw data similar to the DALSA Origin and Silicon Imaging SI-2K. Recording raw data allows white balance, gamma and other image processing parameters like sharpening to be set during post production. Adjusting these settings directly on camera does not impact the raw data that is actually recorded. Such adjustment only influence live monitoring outputs, but are attached to the recorded data as metadata.
Another consequence of the Red's raw-based workflow is that footage must be processed through a demosaicing algorithm before it can be viewed. Red has provided a QuickTime component which allows a fast demosaic to occur in real-time so the footage can be used in applications that support QuickTime without transcoding. Higher quality output can be achieved by transcoding the footage through Red's RedCine or RedAlert! desktop software, although this process is much slower than real-time.

Lenses
Red has announced several Red-branded PL-mount lenses. The company is currently shipping a 300 mm f2.8 telephoto prime and an 18-50mm T*3 zoom. Red has plans to introduce a 50-150mm T*3 zoom, an 18-85mm T*3 zoom, and a full set of prime lenses. Several third party vendors have opened up to Red, such as the widely respected named Cooke, which is in development of a lens set with a list price of $97,000.

Recording media
The Red One records footage to data files on disk or flash based digital storage.
The Red Drive is a 320 GB external hard-drive based digital magazine, containing two 2.5" hard drives in a RAID 0 configuration. It can record over two hours of 4K footage. A Red Drive is usually mounted in a cradle attached to the camera's rod support system. The drive connects to the camera via a specialty locking connector, though the camera and the drive communicate using the standard SATA protocol. The drive has FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and USB2 ports, and can be directly connected to a computer via any of those interfaces, at which point it appears as a standard external hard drive, and files containing the footage can be copied off like any other computer files.

Red also offers a Compact Flash module for the camera, and 8 GB flash cards. An 8 GB card can hold around 6 minutes of 4K footage and 20 minutes of 2K footage. Compact flash is preferable for cases where the camera rig needs to be as light as possible or in situations where sudden motion or intense vibration could cause dropped frames with hard drive based recording due to the mechanical nature of hard drives. While the camera can use industry standard flash cards, most are presently not fast enough to maintain the necessary data rates. Of particular note, Red's testing has shown that none of the 16 GB cards presently on the market are fast enough.
The company has announced plans to introduce a version of the Red Drive based around solid state disks, which should allow for significantly longer recording times than compact flash cards while eliminating the issues related to recording to mechanical hard drives. This "Red Flash Drive" will be significantly more expensive than the mechanical Red Drive, however.

Monitoring
Red offers two on-camera monitoring options for the Red One, a 5.6" LCD screen and an electronic viewfinder. The screen has a native resolution of 1024 by 600, while the electronic viewfinder has a native resolution of 1280 by 848. Both the screen and the viewfinder connect through proprietary interfaces and rely on in-camera processing to generate their data displays, so they are only compatible with the Red One.

The camera also has HD-SDI and HDMI outputs for connection to external monitors. These presently operate at 720p.
The Red One can generate a variety of data overlays which can be displayed on its video outputs, including histograms, waveform plots, false color exposure aids, and two different "focus assist" displays.
Unlike virtually all HD video cameras, the Red One does not generate a video stream in-camera which represents its final product. Its real-time monitoring outputs do not reflect the resolution and dynamic range captured in the raw files it records. The camera's live outputs are intended to be used only for on-set monitoring, similarly to the way a video tap is often used with film-based acquisition.

Audio
The camera has four TA3 ("mini XLR") connectors, and can record up to four channels of 24-bit 48 kHz digital audio.

Physical characteristics
The Red One camera body weighs around ten pounds. Dimensions are 12.02" long x 6.34" tall x 5.2" wide. The camera is based around a modular design concept. It has many mounting points, and accessories like recording devices, viewfinders, etc. are mounted to the camera, rather than being integral parts of the body.

Performance issues
Like many CMOS-based cameras, images captured by the Red One show rolling shutter artifacts. These occur because data is read from the sensor line by line over a short period of time, rather than all at once, so each frame in an image sequence does not actually represent a single instant in time. Rolling shutter artifacts can cause vertical objects to appear to lean as they move or as the camera pans past them, and can cause strobe effects like camera flashes or lighting strikes to appear only on portions of frames, creating a "tearing" effect. Also, in some shots with heavily overexposed highlights (often seen when the camera is pointed into the sun, for example), the brightest parts of highlights are rendered as purple or gray (one would expect them to be white). This is apparently related to some sort of self-protection feature in the sensor. Red have indicated that they are working on resolving this issue.
Footage
RedRelay.net has an extensive gallery of high-quality Red footage in various formats available for download. Red itself also has some footage on its web site, although it is primarily older material shot on prototype cameras.

Preorder
Red ran a reservation for the Red One camera, requiring a $1000 deposit, between April 24, 2006 and October 31, 2006. Around 1000 cameras were reserved during that time. Reservations were reopened from January 21, 2007 until January 24, 2007. The first 1080 reservation holders each received a machined titanium "R" with their future camera serial number engraved on it. Subsequently the camera became available for general ordering, although as of March 2008, there is still a wait time of several months, as Red fills an order backlog for over 3000 units.

Starting early on, the company involved itself in online discussion boards, primarily http://www.dvxuser.com/ and later http://www.reduser.net/ . This policy of taking reservations well before the camera was available, and of involving potential customers in the design and development process through online forum interactions, helped to build a strong online community for the camera well before it shipped, although it also generated controversy among those who were critical of enthusiasm for a product that was not yet available and that some even considered technically unfeasible.

Release
On August 31, 2007, Red shipped the first 25 Red One cameras to pre-order customers. As of April 2008, Red is shipping up to serial number 1750 (though because of the way serial numbers are assigned, there is no way to know how many of those cameras have actually been shipped to customers), and over 4,000 cameras have been ordered.

Firmware updates
Red began shipping cameras with feature-incomplete on-board software, with the intention of rolling out more features and bug fixes over time, via the camera's software updating mechanism. Since the initial release of the camera, new firmware releases have enabled sound, higher frame rates and better image quality, among other features. As with Red's policy of conducting so much of the camera's development out in the open, Red's policy of shipping the camera early and updating the software over time, a practice seen far more often in the computer industry than the film and video production world, has created some controversy.
NAB 2007
At the National Association of Broadcasters 2007 show in Las Vegas, Nevada, three working Red One cameras were on display as well as all-day screenings of a recent 12-minute short entitled Crossing the Line directed by Peter Jackson using two "alpha" versions of the Red camera nicknamed Boris and Natasha. The alpha versions had nothing but a record/stop button and shot at 4K/24 frame/s and a 180 degree shutter. All other features were unavailable. Initially expecting a standard camera test, when Jim Jannard, Jarred Land, and Deanan Dasilva from Red arrived in New Zealand, they were surprised to learn that Peter Jackson intended to shoot a ten minute short set in World War I featuring battles in trenches and in the air. The film was used to showcase the capabilities of the Red One camera in action rather than in controlled test environments. The film was shot in 2 days.
Despite being feature-incomplete, Red assured booth visitors the camera would start shipping before the end of the year.
At NAB 2007, Red announced that Redcode RAW data generated by the camera can be converted using propriety software called Red Cine into a range of formats, including DPX. Redcode RAW is also supported in Final Cut Pro 6. A new set of prime Red lenses was released which includes f2.8 15 mm, f1.9 25 mm, f1.9 35 mm, f1.9 50 mm and f1.9 85 mm lenses for $19,975 as well as a new 18 mm-50 mm (f2.8) zoom for $6,500. The previously announced 18-80 mm zoom has been slightly delayed.
Also at NAB 2007, during the Final Cut Pro User Group Supermeet, the Red team appeared on stage. Although they were scheduled to show footage from the camera, they declined, citing copyright concerns. They also used the venue to announce that they would be developing a "Professional Pocket Cam" and their own 4k projector, but declined to give any more details.

Filmography
Director Steven Soderbergh has shot his two features recently screened at the Cannes Film Festival: Guerrilla and The Argentine entirely with the Red One camera. Soderbergh is very enthusiastic about the camera, saying that "this is the camera I've been waiting for my whole career: jaw-dropping imagery recorded onboard a camera light enough to hold with one hand. I don't know how Jim and the Red team did it—and they won't tell me—but I know this: Red is going to change everything."
The upcoming motion picture Game is also to be shot on the Red One.
The feature Sensored, starring Robert Picardo, currently in post-production, was shot using the Red One camera.
'"The Last Dragon"', an official Australian-Chinese Co-production, will also be shot entirely on RED by director Mario Andreacchio in October 2008 in China.
"Marmayogi" Tamil motion picture which is produced and directed by Kamal Hassan of South India will also be shot entirely on RED.

September 2006 theft
On September 24, 2006, the Red offices in Lake Forest, California were broken into. No sensors or sensor information were stolen. Some of the stolen items, including a prototype camera shell, have since been recovered, and some items such as computers containing in-detail information on the Red One have not been recovered. Red has not revealed the circumstances of the recovery, due to the existence of an ongoing investigation. Red has offered a $100,000 reward for any information leading to the apprehension of those responsible.

Epic
A 5K camera called "Epic" has been announced. It will have a S35 mm Mysterium X sensor and Red has announced that customers who bought the Red One and wish to upgrade may trade their existing cameras in for full credit towards the purchase of the Epic. The Epic is expected to sell for around $30,000.

Scarlet
Red also announced a pocket professional camcorder to be called Red Scarlet set for release in 2009 with a price under $3,000.

Features
2/3 inch Mysterium X Sensor
3K resolution in Redcode RAW format with data rates up to 100 MB/s on dual compact flash
frame rates of 1-120 frames per second. 180 frames/s for short periods
8x zoom lens
full manual and automatic controls
Wi-Fi wireless network capabilities
auto focus and auto zoom

Sony’s CineAlta Digital Camera
Sony's CineAlta 24P HD (high definition video) Cameras are a series of professional digital video cameras that offer many of the same features of a 35mm motion picture film camera.

Concept
CineAlta is a brand name used by Sony to describe various products involved in content creation, production and exhibition process within digital cinema workflow. Now Sony's products branded by CineAlta include camera, camcorder, recorder, cinema server and projector.
Format
CineAlta cameras record onto HDCAM tapes, XDCAM Professional Discs or SxS flash memory cards. They have the ability to shoot at various frame rates including 24fps and have a resolution of up to 1920 by 1080 pixels.

History and use in motion pictures
In 2000 George Lucas announced that Episode II of the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy would be the first major motion picture to be shot 100% digitally. Sony and Panavision had teamed up to develop the High Definition 24P camera that Lucas would use to accomplish this and thus the first CineAlta camera was born: the Sony HDW-F900 (also called the Panavision HD-900F after being "panavised").
For Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith the more advanced Sony HDC-F950 was used, with higher resolution and better color reproduction than its predecessor. The film was cropped to a 2.35:1 aspect ratio from its native 16:9 frame. As a result only 817 of the 1080 vertical pixels were actually used; but there is an anamorphic adaptor lens from Canon, which allows shooting in 2.35:1 without losing any pixels. Manuel Huerga's Salvador is the first movie shot with this adaptor.
Russian Ark was recorded in uncompressed high definition video using a Sony HDW-F900. The information was recorded uncompressed onto a hard disk which could hold 100 minutes, thus allowing the entire film to be shot in a single 90 minute take. Four attempts were made to complete the shot; the first three had to be interrupted due to technical faults, but the fourth attempt was completed successfully. Extra material on the DVD release includes a documentary on the technology used.

Other notable movies that were shot with CineAlta cameras include:
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
Sin City
U2 3D
Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams
Cloverfield
List of CineAlta Cameras
F-23
HDW-F900R
HDC-F950
HDC-1000W/1500L
PDW-F355
PDW-F335
PMW-EX1

The Future of CineAlta
In addition to F23, Sony has revealed some basic features of F35, a Sony version of Panavision's Genesis, which was equipped with a single S35 size CCD and PL lens mount. F35 is said to be available worldwide in the late fall of 2008 at a system price, not including lens, in the neighborhood of a quarter million dollars.
Besides, Sony has also announced that Cinealta 4K, a 4K production suite including a 4K digital cinema camera and recorder, is being developed. The results are still a few years in coming.

Panavision’s Genesis Digital Camera
The Genesis is Panavision's high-end digital movie camera, which uses a proprietary, full frame 35mm-width, 1.78:1 (16:9) aspect ratio, 12.4-megapixel RGB filtered CCD. It was first used by a feature crew to shoot Bryan Singer's Superman Returns and was shortly followed up thereafter by the World War I film Flyboys. However, the CGI-heavy nature of these two movies meant that ultimately the comedy Scary Movie 4 was the first theatrically released feature sourced primarily from the Genesis camera. Genesis has since been used by cinematographer Dean Semler for shooting Click and Apocalypto.

Background
Unlike the 2/3" 3-CCD RGB imaging system used in the CineAlta HD-900F (used in Attack of the Clones), the Genesis uses a single 12.4 megapixel CCD chip with the same width as a Super 35mm film frame. The "Panavized" CineAltas didn't use Panavision's existing range of 35mm film lenses and have different depth-of-field characteristics.
Most photographic lenses designed for film cameras cannot be adapted to work on 3-chip video cameras. In many cases, the prism block simply leaves no room for the rear element of the lens. In cases where the lens does fit, the resulting optical aberrations created by the prism (primarily spherical) would destroy image quality. Apart from this, the sensors on a "2/3 inch" video camera are closer in size to a 16mm film frame and so would produce a similar depth of field.
Panavision originally tried to overcome this problem with optical adaptors that fitted between the cine lens and the video camera but these have all produced an unacceptable drop in image quality. Most productions using the Sony HDCAM cameras therefore used lenses of Zeiss, Angenieux, Canon and Fujinon.

Apart from this, there were a number of operational problems with both the lenses and cameras used for Attack of the Clones, and so for Revenge of the Sith, George Lucas severed his long-standing relationship with Panavision in 2003, obtaining newer-model Sony HDC-F950 cameras and lenses from Plus8Digital instead.

In an attempt to address these and other problems, Panavision followed this up in 2004 with the Genesis, a full bandwidth (4:4:4) camera with improved colorimetry and sensitometry-related specs and, probably most importantly, a Super 35 mm film-sized recording area, thus making it focally compatible with regular Cine Primo lenses and giving a true 35 mm depth of field.

Technical specification
The Genesis uses a 12.4 megapixel CCD chip, arranged in a 5760x2160 horizontally RGB filtered array. The vertical resolution is cut in half to 1080 by pixel binning, so the final output pixel resolution is 1920x1080, about 2/3 the resolution of a 2k film scan. The chip has an HDTV-style 16:9 (1.78:1) aspect ratio, similar in size to Super35 3-Perf film. The CCD active area is .930 in. x .523 in. This is a significant breakthrough in that it allows just about any Panavision spherical 35mm cine lens to be used. However there are as yet unanswered questions about the resultant color quality, since single-chip NTSC and PAL color cameras using the exact same color-stripe sampling technique have always performed poorly compared to equivalent 3-chip models. The main imaging module of the Genesis is made by Sony, but the exact relationship between the two companies is unclear, since their joint partnership was dissolved in 2004 with Panavision's re-purchase of the 8% shareholding Sony bought in 2000.
The Genesis can record in a custom Panalog color space, which is a log color space that it is also 4:4:4 unlike traditional HD. The tone-curve is different than the Cineon log format used for film post-production, but preserves highlight detail that would be lost with typical video gamma correction.

There have also been numerous complaints about the small black and white viewfinders available, which are virtually useless for critical focus. To address this, Panavision uses the Sony HDVF-C30W TFT color LCD viewfinder (960x540 pixels), which is compatible with both the CineAlta and the Genesis cameras. Digital cinema camera competitors to the Genesis the DALSA Origin and D-20 incorporate a reflex optical viewfinder to address this concern.

Filmography
Feature films shot with Panavision Genesis include:
Apocalypto (2006)
Asterix in the Olympic Games (2008)
Balls of Fury (2007)
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)
The Comebacks (2007)
The Condemned (2007)
Click (2006)
Deja Vu (2006)
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) (limited portions)
The Ferryman (2007)
Flyboys (2006)
Grindhouse (2007) (Planet Terror only)
His Majestry Minor (2007)
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007)
The Lookout (2007)
La Maison Bonheur (2006)
Next (2007)
The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
Reign Over Me (2007)
Slipstream (2007)
Scray Movie IV (2006)
Superbad (2007)
Superman Returns (2006)
A Tiger’s Tale
Television series shot with the Panavision Genesis include Night Stalker, Conviction, What About Brian, Justice, 3 Labs., and "Cranford" (BBC TV Series).
Some television pilots shot with the Genesis include Faceless,In Case Of Emergency, Brothers & Sisters, 52 Fights and Protégé.

Competitors
Panavision has many competitors. Several competitors have very similar features and some are already in wide use by the film industry.
Arriflex D-20 (35mm sensor size, 1080p output)
Dalsa Origin (35mm sensor size, 4K output)
GS Vitec noX (1.2", 2K output)
RED ONE (35mm sensor size, 4K output)
Silicon Imaging SI-2K (16mm, 2K)
Thomson Viper Film Stream (2/3", 1080p output)
Sony F-23 (Sony CineAlta) (2/3", 1080p output)
Vision Research Phantom65 (65mm, 4K)
Vision Research PhantomHD (35mm, 2K)

In development Stage
Colorspace True35 (35mm, 2K)
Sony F-35 (announced 2007, late 2008 release in the U.S.) (35mm sensor size, 1080p output)
Drake camera (2/3", 720p)

Arriflex D-20 Digital Camera
The Arriflex D-20 is a film-style digital motion picture camera made by Arri first introduced in November 2005. The camera's attributes are its optical viewfinder, modularity, and 35mm-width CMOS sensor.

Overview
The D-20 uses a single CMOS sensor the width of a Super 35 film gate aperture. Effectively the D-20, when used with current 35 mm PL mount motion picture lenses, yields the same field of view and depth of field as that of Super 35 mm film motion picture cameras.
The D-20 captures images in two main modes.
In Data mode the sensor uses 2880x2160 active pixels generating RAW Bayer-data at 12 bit in a 4:3 aspect ratio. The RAW data then needs to be processed outboard to generate a full color image. A delivery aspect ratio for theatrical release, commonly 1.85:1, is achieved by cropping from the original image, similar to the cropping necessary when shooting 35 mm film. In Data mode the sensor size also allows for the use of anamorphic lenses, producing the 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio from the full sensor height. Captured data is recorded to either flash or hard drives, notably the sTwo data recorder.

In HD Video mode the sensor uses 2880x1620 active pixels to generate an image with a 16:9 aspect ratio. This output is 1920x1080 pixels in either YUV 4:2:2 10 bit (via single link HD-SDI) or RGB 4:4:4 10 bit (via dual link HD-SDI). Typically, the D-20 is tethered to a Sony HDCamSR recorder. Other recording options exist, including the Grass Valley flash mag which provides untethered recording of up to 15 minutes per "mag" in RGB 4:4:4.

The D-20 has a mechanical shutter, variable from 11.2° to 180° or an electronic shutter that simulates a 270° mechanical shutter at 24frame/s. The camera is capable of running at speeds from 1 to 48frame/s, though this shall be improved in the future. Numerous components of the camera were borrowed from Arri film camera models (most notably the 435ES), assuring compatibility with Arri film camera accessories and support equipment.
Though the D-20 system is capable of variable speeds from 1 to 60 frames per second in Data mode, these are currently limited to 23.976 frame/s, 24 frame/s, 25 frame/s, 29.97 frame/s & 30 frame/s in the video mode.

The sensitivity of the D-20 in video mode is regulated by the application of LUTs (Look Up Tables) prior to output. With sensitivity settings ranging from ISO 100 to ISO 320 with linear responses, the D-20 also offers log curve options designed to mimic the response of film negative. Unlike some other digital cameras, the D-20 does not offer gain boost, instead relying on the advantages of adding gain in the post production process. The sensitivity of the camera in Data mode is regulated by applying LUTs in the outboard processing of the image.

Distinctive Characteristics
Of the currently available high resolution digital motion picture cameras, the Dalsa Origin, the SI 2K and the D-20 feature detachable optical viewfinders. Some advantages of an optical over purely electronic viewing systems include:
extremely high viewfinder resolution, with the option to zoom in on the image to check critical focus
availability of viewing area outside the image capture area, useful for predictive framing
ability to set camera framing without need of a power supply
Additionally, electronic viewing options can be added to the camera. Typically, the 6" Astro combination vector/waveform "onboard" monitor is used to both view and evaluate images for the camera.
Uniquely, the D-20 also accepts a traditional film style video assist system, sharing the image available through the optical viewfinder. This can be useful in Steadicam and remote crane applications where visibility outside the sensor capture area is preferable.
Like Arri film cameras, the D-20 is modularly constructed so that both the mechanical and electronic components are upgradable over time.

Similar Cameras
Other single-chip Super 35 mm film-sized digital motion picture cameras directly in competition with the D-20 include the Panavision Genesis camera, the Dalsa Origin II camera and the Red One camera.

Dalsa Origin Digital Camera
The Dalsa Origin is the first camera designed and built by Dalsa Corporation to be used specifically for digital cinematography.

Overview
The Dalsa Origin is the first commercially available digital cinema camera to capture at 4K resolution, the emerging quality standard for feature film content. Currently it is the only digital cinema camera with the ability to capture 4K uncompressed.
The camera was originally shown at NAB '03 in Las Vegas, where Dalsa received four industry awards for innovation. The camera initially became available for testing in 2006, and is available for rental for $3000 per day, including storage, from the company's camera rental facility in Woodland Hills, which was established in mid-2005. In November 2006, the company hired digital cinema pioneer, Rob Hummel, as President of the Dalsa Digital Cinema.
The camera is well suited for visual effects photography employing digital compositing and travelling matte photography on larger budget productions. The system is the brainchild of a collective group, including cinematographer, and founder of Cinema Products Ed DiGiulio. During the development of the DALSA Origin camera it was tested by members of the filmmaking world including Daryn Okada, ASC, Allen Daviau, ASC and various members of the commercial and VFX industries.

In 2007 the Origin camera was upgraded to the production version of the camera, and re-branded Origin II. The Origin II upgrade features improved image quality from DALSA's latest generation frame transfer CCD sensor, and a simplified touch screen interface.

Technical details
The Origin II camera is best known for its image quality, and is generally considered to be the leader in that regard. The camera has a resolution of approximately 4K x 2K (4046x2048). Beyond resolution, the camera is unique in its ability to capture at a very high bit depth. The camera outputs an uncompressed, RAW Bayer pattern 16-bit image, which is considerably higher than other cameras which are limited to 8, 10 or 12 bits. This results in a linear exposure latitude equivalent to more than 13 stops. The images created by the Origin II camera are widely regarded as having more visible resolution and more dynamic range than any other digital cinema camera.

The current configuration of the camera can run 1-30 frames per second. The Origin II camera features an optical reflex viewing system with rotating mirror similar to 35mm film cameras and uses standard PL mount 35mm film gate lenses. The camera is approximately the same size and weight as an average 35mm film cameras with a 400' magazine.
The camera outputs raw data to an off board storage unit at a rate of approximately 400 megabytes per second. The Origin II connects to the storage unit by an extremely rugged, thin and flexible mil-spec fiber optic cable. This fiber cable can be run for over a mile without any signal degradation or repeating. The storage unit that has been used most often is the Codex Digital recorder, which will hold about two hours of uncompressed 4K camera RAW footage. In January 2008 S.Two began shipping the DFR4K recorder, which can also capture images from the Origin II camera. S.Two also manufacturers of a system of 4K workflow products that are compatible with the Origin II camera's 4K images.

Filmography and Commercial Projects
The camera has been successfully used in a number of projects including "Postcards from the Future", directed by Alan Chan and shot by Eric Adkins; a Snickers commercial, directed by Jesse Dylan and shot by Rolf Kestermann; a beer commercial by Curtis Clark, ASC; a Greenpeace commercial, shot by Florian Stadler; a Motorola commercial, shot by Byron Werner; a short entitled "The Trident", directed by Anurag Mehta and shot by David Stump, ASC; "She Called Up", a music video for the band Crowded House shot by Damian Acevedo; a promo for ABC 7 Eyewitness News, shot by Mark Zavad; and most recently "Reach for Me" a feature film directed by LeVar Burton and shot by Kris Kosskove.
Also, the new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, will feature a complex visual effects shot captured with eight DALSA 4K Origin cameras.

The details surrounding the cameras' use are being kept a secret for the time being. However, the company revealed that the technically ambitious visual effects shot featured Daniel Craig and actress Olga Kurylenko, and involved simultaneously shooting with eight shutter-synchronized DALSA Origin 4K cameras.

Workflow Overview
While any professional off-line NLE can be used with the Origin II proxy images, in the relatively short life of camera system Final Cut Pro has been the most popular. Just like performing a digital intermediate with 35mm film, any on-line editing system that can access DPX, TIFF or Cineon file types can be used to on-line the 4K images captured with the Origin II.
Availablity
The Dalsa Origin II is available worldwide for rental only, using a business model similar to Panavision.

Varicam Digital Camera
VariCam is a brand name associated with the specialized Panasonic video cameras that are mostly used to imitate the look and feel of motion picture cameras. They have been used for many feature films. VariCams' main feature is that the framerate can be varied from 4 frame/s to 60 frame/s, offering flexibility in creating rapid or slow motion effects. As a point of reference, film has traditionally been shot at 24 frames per second, while NTSC video uses 29.97 frames per second. Therefore, VariCams can be used for high end video and film production. Their relatively high initial cost inhibits purchase, since a typical VariCam can cost between US$45,000 and US$70,000. However, their low cost in use, compared to shooting on film, has made them popular among independent filmmakers, and they are often available to rent from professional film camera rental companies.

Competition
Varicam can be seen as Panasonic's response to the development of electronic cinematography, competing with its counterpart, CineAlta of Sony. Currently Varicam has only one camcorder, AJ-HDC27H, the successor of AJ-HDC27F, while CineAlta already has 3 cameras with the flagship model, F35, being on its way.

The Future of Varicam
Panasonic has at NAB 2008 show introduced another two members of Varicam family, planned to be available during August 2008. A member of new Varicam, AJ-HPX3700 is the flagship model providing Full 1080p acqusition capability and dual link HD-SDI output, while another new model, AJ-HPX2700 is lack of some features of HPX3700. Undoubtedly it can be seen as a tapeless development of Varicam. Besides, Panasonic has exhibited a mock-up of a camera having cinema camera appearance, previously said to be a potential 4K camera, due to be availalbe in 2010 according to some Panasonic staff.

GS Vitec noX
The noX, designed by the German company GS Vitec, is a 2K digital cinematography camera based around a single 1.2" CCD sensor. The company's web site says the camera was supposed to go on sale around June or July of 2007 in the European market, but as of March of 2008 no updated availability information has been posted. The price is also presently unknown.
SI-2K
The Silicon Imaging SI-2K is 2K digital video camera based around a single 16mm-sized CMOS sensor. It can record direct to disk in the compressed CineForm RAW format, and is notable for its tiny detachable camera head, which can be positioned up to 100m from the recording unit. The head and the recording unit together cost $23,000. The head by itself costs $13,750, and can be used to record to a laptop that has appropriate specifications and software.

Thomson Viper
The Viper, a three-sensor camera design, captures a 1920 × 1080 pixel image. In addition to uncompressed RGB output, the Viper is also capable of outputting RAW sensor data, which allows for more control in post-production.
The camera has a unique feature known as Dynamic Pixel Management, which allows the camera to change its aspect ratio by vertically ganging pixels. This allows the cinematographer to shoot at different aspect ratios without cropping the image (thus losing resolution) or using anamorphic lenses.

The Viper was first used on Rudolf B.'s short movie Indoor Fireworks, though the first feature shot entirely with the Viper was the British independent Production Silence Becomes You by director Stephanie Sinclaire. The first Viper camera in the UK was acquired by Arri Media who loaned the camera for free to the National Film & Television School to test it on director Derek Boyes' award winning graduation short The Happiness Thief. The first major motion picture shot using the Viper was Michael Mann's Collateral, which was followed by Miami Vice (Dion Beebe was the cinematographer for both films), which was shot with the Viper to HDCAM. The 2007 film Zodiac has been noted for its use of the Thomson Viper. Contrary to popular belief, it was not shot entirely in digital format: during the slow motion sequences, more traditional cameras were used.

One of the Viper's strengths is its ability to shoot with extremely low light levels, which allowed much of Collateral to be shot on the streets of Los Angeles, CA at night without the need for substantial supplemental lighting equipment.
While the Viper is designed to produce full resolution raw images in 4:4:4 log data, it can also produce 4:4:4 RGB video images; Michael Mann has used it this way. Tom Burstyn, CSC, using the Viper in the 4:2:2 HDStream mode, was nominated for an Emmy in Cinematography for the first season of the USA Network show The 4400. The camera lacks on-board recording. The signals from the Viper may be recorded to either a tape format or a disk array, depending on what mode the camera is used in.
The Viper is also used to tape popular children's show LazyTown and Flash Gordon.

Vision Research Phantom
At NAB 2006, Vision Research Inc -- a high-speed digital imaging company based in Wayne, New Jersey -- introduced and demonstrated live images from their Phantom65 digital cinema camera. The Phantom65 is the world's first 65mm digital cinema camera. It has 4K (4096 × 2440) resolution with adjustable aspect ratios, up to 125 frames-per-second recording speed, and a 70mm depth-of-field.
They also introduced the PhantomHD high-definition camera. It can acquire images at HD (1920 × 1080) or 2K (2048 × 1556) resolution and shoot at up to 1000 frames per second, adjustable in increments of 1 frame-per-second.

Fusion Camera System
James Cameron and Vince Pace developed the Fusion Camera System aka Reality Camera System 1 as way to shoot features in stereoscopic 3-D. The digital high definition camera was used on Cameron's documentaries Aliens of the Deep and Ghosts of the Abyss. Robert Rodriguez also used the camera to shoot Spy Kids 3-D and The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D.

There is a video about the Fusion system presented at NAB 2007 as the "Sony Fusion 3D Camera System". This is also referred to as the Pace-Fusion and Pace-Cameron system (they do credit collaboration with James Cameron). It uses two Sony HDCF950 HD cameras, which are presumably variants of the Sony CineAlta range.

'Prosumer' and consumer cameras
Independent filmmakers have also pressed low-cost consumer and prosumer cameras into service for digital filmmaking. These cameras typically cost under $10,000 (sometimes under $1000). Though image quality is typically much lower than what can be produced with professional digital cinematography cameras, the technology has steadily improved, most significantly in the last several years with the arrival of high definition cameras in this market.
These inexpensive cameras are limited by their relatively high compression ratios, their small sensors, and the quality of their optics. Many have integrated lenses which cannot be changed.

Standard definition
MiniDV is the predominant standard definition consumer video acquisition format. Steven Soderbergh used the popular Canon XL2 MiniDV camera while shooting Full Frontal. The Danny Boyle directed British horror film, 28 Days Later was also shot on MiniDV using the Canon XL1S, albeit with traditional Panavision 35mm film lenses. One of the first MiniDV cameras used on a feature film was the Sony VX-1000, which was used to shoot Spike Lee's Bamboozled.
In 2002, Panasonic released the AG-DVX100, which was the first affordable camcorder to support progressive scan at 24 frames per second, duplicating the motion characteristics of film and allowing for easier transfers to film. This feature made the camera extremely popular with low-budget filmmakers.

High definition
Sony, JVC, Canon and other vendors have brought high-definition video acquisition to the consumer and prosumer markets with the HDV format. Though it is a high definition format, HDV video can be recorded to MiniDV tapes, which are inexpensive and widely available. HDV cameras are sold at a wide range of price points, with a wide range of capabilities. Many support progressive shooting modes, and some have sensors with full 1920x1080 resolution (though the HDV format itself can only record 1440x1080 pixels, and DVCPRO HD only records at 1280x1080 or 960x720). In addition, some Canon and JVC HDV camcorders have the ability to use high-quality interchangeable lenses, rather than the fixed lenses that are included with most prosumer cameras.

Panasonic also offers a high-definition camera in this price range, the AG-HVX200. The AG-HVX200 uses Panasonic's DVCPRO HD format (also used by their professional cameras) and uses 16:9 native aspect chips. Notably, the camera captures HD video to P2 solid-state memory cards rather than tape. The AG-HVX200 is also notable for its variable frame rate feature.