CineD Cameras of the Year 2024 – And the Winners Are …

Year in ReviewAward

by Johnnie BehiriYesterday

Time cannot be stopped. The proof? It’s another end-of-year article, and this time, we are taking a closer look at our candidates and the winners for Camera of the Year 2024. Whatever story you want to tell, there’s a good chance the perfect tool for filming is already available.

2024 is slowly but surely fading, and we are left with a bunch of new cameras that represent the pinnacle of current technology. In all honesty, when it comes to dedicated video or even mirrorless cameras, it is hard to find “bad” or even so-so cameras. We are currently at a level of overall picture quality, resolution, features (like autofocus, for example), AND price point that, a couple of years ago, we could only dream of. We will need to see a jump in sensor technology or a “must-have camera feature” to be impressed again. But still, when looking at what was offered during 2024 (see the list of cameras in our Camera of the Year poll here), these are the tools that managed to impress us, be it for their uniqueness and/or value for money. Based on this list, we have come to a conclusion.

Video-specific cameras

Blackmagic Design (PYXIS, Ursa Cine LF 12K), Sony (BURANO), Canon (EOS C400, EOS C80), and RED (V-Raptor X) are our candidates in this category. Every one of them has its strengths or limitations but at the end of the day, we chose the Blackmagic Design Ursa Cine LF 12K, the Canon EOS C80 and (ex aequo) the Canon EOS C400 as our cameras of the year in this category!

Blackmagic Design Ursa Cine LF 12K

This new camera represents Blackmagic Design’s commitment to catering to the higher end of our filmmaking market but at a much more comfortable price. There is no denying that some past offerings from Blackmagic suffered from some reliability issues or even a lack of performance consistency between cameras of the same type. Still, here, it seems as if we are talking about a completely different beast. I’m mentioning this because rental houses are understandably cautious about stocking cameras in their arsenal, which might cause issues. The last thing that they need is customers riding on their backs complaining about such things.

Now, in our opinion, with the introduction of the Ursa Cine LF 12K, it seems Blackmagic Design aims to achieve two key goals: 1) directly challenging established players like ARRI and RED, who have been dominating the larger production arena, and this time with a reliable filming tool and kind of “futuristic ecosystem” workflow. 2) allowing midrange production houses to purchase a “high-end” camera at a much more affordable price.

If you haven’t done so, we encourage you to dive into the lab test we conducted on this camera and see why we are impressed with what Blackmagic is offering here. As Gunther, our colleague, summarized in our lab test article: “This camera sets a new benchmark in terms of features and price”!

If you are considering getting this camera, please note that there is a learning curve. It has A LOT of buttons and a few screens. Even if many of those buttons have the same functionality (or can be assignable), it is still a bit overwhelming. Also, please remember that the camera records to a proprietary dedicated internal media module. While this massive 8TB storage solution allows for no compromise even when recording 12K open-gate up to 80 frames per second, it might be the Achilles Heel in the overall workflow. The module itself has no connecting input/output to a computer, so currently, to copy the material, you need to use the camera (not recommended due to limited transfer speeds) or Blackmagic’s Media Dock, which is far from portable. This Media Dock has three slots, and we hope to see a single-slot device that will allow DITs to manage the transfer of material in the field soon.

Congratulations to Blackmagic Design. All in all, they did a great job of offering a comprehensive filmmaking tool, which is tightly connected to a post-production and cloud workflow.

Canon EOS C80 and Canon EOS C400 – winning ex aequo

2024 represents the year of Canon’s comeback! After a long period of silence, a few solid offerings found their way to the market. But the biggest (pleasant) surprise was Canon’s new pricing strategy. Suddenly, from being a manufacturer known for charging premium prices for cinema cameras, it became a company that is offering great filming tools for prices that can make sense for many.

Here at CineD, we debated to the last minute which of Canons’ cameras to award. Both the EOS C400 and the EOS C80 bring very solid offerings for independent filmmakers. In the end, our inability to choose one of the two cameras over the other is a testament to Canon’s success in tailoring these cameras for distinct user groups – which is why we decided to award both cameras “ex aequo” with a CineD Camera of the Year 2024 Award.

Here’s my (Johnnie’s) reasoning for the Canon EOS C80, and below you find Nino’s reasoning for the Canon EOS C400.

Canon EOS C80 – the affordable full-frame 6K RAW recording one-man-band camera (Johnnie’s take)

For $2,500 less than the EOS C400, the EOS C80 offers fewer connectivity options and features but still includes all the essentials without feeling like you’re compromising much.

This camera brings what Canon is mostly renowned for: warm colors, good autofocus/lowlight performance, and internal RAW recording. Top this with a 6K full-frame sensor (found in the EOS C400, too) and add features that were missing from the EOS C70, and here you get a winner.

Please watch our full-camera review and mini-documentary here if you have a minute.

Canon EOS C400 – the versatility wonder stacking up very well against competition (Nino’s take)

The Canon EOS C400 features the same sensor and similar features to the C80, however it has a lot more connectors, making the camera much more versatile when used alongside other cameras in a multicam setup (Genlock, a 2nd SDI port, return port, 12-pin Port for Lens Control). On top of that, it can shoot up to 60fps in 6K (the C80 can do only 30p) and it records on CFexpress Type B cards instead of SD cards.

I find it funny that the C400 is mostly considered the “larger” camera where arguably, if you look at both cameras from the front, the C400 is smaller than the C80 and probably less intimidating for anyone being filmed. It also only weighs 200 grams more which is negligible.

Essentially, the C400 is competing with Sony offerings such as the FX6 or even FX9, and I have to say, it gives Sony a run for the money. For thousands of dollars/Euros/pounds less, you get a 6K RAW-internal recording, triple base ISO camera from Canon. The closest camera for internal RAW video from Sony is the BURANO which costs more than 3 times as much. Bravo, Canon.

In case you missed it, here are the results from our Canon EOS C400 Lab Test in the Camera Database (article will follow).

Congratulations to Canon. The company did their homework and presented us with a great value-for-money working horse. Now, give us a dedicated viewfinder for even more usability.

Mirrorless/Hybrid cameras

The “bare bone” of our industry continues to be mirrorless/hybrid cameras. These have grown to be extremely capable and, dare we say, very affordable. They also reflect the shift our industry has undergone. Heavy, bulky cameras are almost a thing of the past, and even more significantly, we’ve seen a consolidation of professions. Like it or not, in some segments of our business, mastering multi-functional skills that combine photography and filmmaking has become essential for survival. There is no better way to make the most out of this opportunity than working with these types of cameras. In this category, we had FUJIFILM (GFX100S II, X100 VI, X-T50, X-M5), Canon (EOS R1, EOS R5 Mark II), Leica (SL3), Nikon (Z6 III), Sony (Alpha a1 II, a9 III, ZV-E10 II), and Panasonic (LUMIX S9, LUMIX GH7). As you can see, most of the manufacturers were productive, offering different camera and sensor sizes and, of course, an assortment of functionalities.

This category’s runner-ups are the Sony a9 III and Nikon Z6 III. The Sony camera represents a quantum leap in sensor technology; after all, it is the first to have a global shutter solution for a mirrorless camera. One of our concerns was that the camera’s dynamic range would suffer because of this kind of sensor, but our lab test proved the opposite. The Sony a9 III is the best Alpha camera to date in video mode in terms of dynamic range!

And then, we have Nikon, a company that was perceived by many as very traditional and slow to react to some of the changes in our industry. And then earlier this year, in a surprising move, they acquired RED Digital Cinema. The full impact of this acquisition on our industry is yet to be seen, but for now, Nikon is continuing to deliver solid mirrorless cameras. What Nikon started with the Z9 (our Camera of the Year 2021), evolved into the Z8, a more affordable and user-friendly model. This year, Nikon has captured our attention once again with the introduction of the Z6 III. While this camera is more limiting for photographers compared to the Z8, when it comes to video, this camera is priced at around $2,197—$1,000 less than the Z8 and still gives a great run for the money comparatively. So, with ProRes and N-RAW internal recording next to 6K up to 60p (and 4K/120p), it is a great versatile compact tool aimed at creators of different levels. Please head to our camera database to find out more about the Nikon Z6 III.

So, let’s proceed to the winners of this category…

Panasonic LUMIX GH7 (full body size)

Panasonic had only two major camera releases this year, the LUMIX S9 and LUMIX GH7. We would like to concentrate on the formidable LUMIX GH7. By the time you read this article, we hope to have released our long-term GH7 review, but even if it’s not quite finished, we’d like to share a summary of our findings so far. Since its release, we’ve successfully used this camera on numerous projects. What really impressed us was how quickly Panasonic caught up with implementing excellent autofocus in this camera (next to their latest full-frame LUMIX S5 II and LUMIX S5II X offerings). Also, the stabilization functionality in this camera is one of the best (if not the best) on the market. Implementing an effective stabilization system in a camera with a smaller sensor (Micro Four Thirds) is certainly helpful, but this doesn’t take away from the significance of this achievement.

Moving forward to our lab test, here is what Gunther, our colleague, had to say: “Panasonic did it again – the LUMIX GH7 is in a class of its own considering the Micro Four Thirds sensor size! Not only does it show good rolling shutter values, but the dynamic range results don’t disappoint. They are quite similar to the recently tested Sony A9 III or the Canon EOS R5 C, for example. As mentioned, it plays in the league of recent consumer full-frame cameras with those results (a bit on the lower end, though)”.

More of our findings and conclusions about this camera can be found in our comprehensive lab test here.

Back to working with the camera. On a recent trip to Japan, as part of our review, I used it to film a mini-documentary (watch this space for the link). One of the things I wanted to check is how the footage looks if it is NOT working with Panasonic’s V-Log, as this camera has the alternative to record in ARRI’s LogC3 picture profile (Paid update). The results were very convincing. Finally, I was able to film and avoid the overall red-looking skin color that V-Log tends to give (at least for my taste). One thing to remember when filming with ARRI’s LogC3 is the imposed limitation of not being able to film ProRes RAW internally.

Last but not least, it seems as if Panasonic is one of the only mirrorless camera manufacturers that really cares about audio, as this is the first camera to allow 32-bit audio recording when using their optional DMW-XLR2 XLR unit.

The question of the LUMIX GH7 price is left a bit open. Yes, it is a very orientated and friendly filmmaking device, yet, at $2,198, it is already combating a niche of larger sensor cameras.

Congratulations to Panasonic. Here at CineD (and the filmmaking community as a whole), we are looking forward to seeing what 2025 will bring. Hopefully, it will be the successor of one of your aging flagship full-frame cameras.

And now, in a sharp turn, to our last winner.

FUJIFILM X-M5 (compact body size)

Surprise! As not all mirrorless cameras are created equally in size (and performance), we decided to give an award for a compact camera, too – one that is capable of producing good-looking videos, packed with conventional features, can go with you anywhere, doesn’t make you break a savings account, and has a surprising feature. For less than $1,000 ($799 to be exact), FUJIFILM X-M5, the latest in the company’s offering, ticked all those boxes (a review is coming soon). When we first got the camera, we could not believe how small it was. We have yet to find a photo that does justice to the unbelievably small camera size. Now, the “killer feature” of this APS-C camera is the ability to film internally in 4:2:2, 10-bit, 6.2K (up to 30p) open-gate. Top this with FUJIFILM’s 20 Film Simulation looks and the ability to send clips to the cloud (Frame.io, for example) with no additional grip, and you might have a winner here. Yes, of course, there are some limitations, like the absence of a viewfinder or limited recording data rate, but for a 355g/0.78lb compact camera that costs less than $800, we think it is an achievement.

Congratulations to FUJIFILM. It was a busy year for the company. Keep pushing the performance envelope, and please bring out a firmware update to help with the autofocus performance of more of your cameras.

That’s it for 2024. We haven’t touched the smartphone/action category. The iPhone 16 Pro is too close to its predecessor, and a new DJI Osmo Pocket 4 is nowhere to be seen. Next year, we promise to talk about the newly announced ARRI 265, Blackmagic Design Ursa Cine 17K 65, FUJIFILM GFX ETERNA, and MUCH more!…

What do you think about our Camera of the Year 2024 choices? Is it close to what you were hoping for or miles away from your observation and expectations? Please share with us your thoughts in the comment section below.