That is precisely the question that company Zacuto USA has been trying to answer since 2010 with the “Great Camera Shootout”, where it analyzes the raw technical performance of cameras such as Canon, Sony, Panasonic, RED, and others, and with judges such as Francis Ford Coppola.
This year the method was a little different than previous years though:
Will you see the empirical testing where we set the lighting, keep it constant, and run all the cameras through so pixel pushers are happy knowing they’ve made the right purchase? Sure. What’s new and different is that we’re going to show you what you can do with each of these cameras on the same set by letting expert DPs who’ve mastered these cameras get creative with them. They’ve figured out the best profiles, they know how to light for their camera while keeping color timing in mind. This shootout is about two things- what a camera is capable of and what a DP can do with his abilities to make it look great with all of his skills, experience and talent. The key element here is talent. There are no winners as with all of our tests, since winning is dependent on your abilities.
The footage was then submitted to filmmakers around the world with no knowledge of which camera shot what footage, and they evaluated it.
The winner may shock you!
See Part I here:
Part II, with the discussion amongst filmmakers, can be seen here, and the third part is coming August 15th.
SPOILER:
With such contenders as the Sony F65 ($65,000), and the RED Epic, it was the $700 Panasonic GH2 micro four-thirds camera that won!
