What is the industry standard?

[NorBro]

I'm not sure if I'm posting in the correct section, but hopefully some pros will see this...

I would like to know what the industry standard format is these days? I know that it depends on so many things and can be anything to everything, but what do people mostly shoot on these days for professional work (TV mostly)?

Film? RED? Arri?

Maybe some DSLR action?

What are some popular choices?

Ideally, I'm looking for a camera between 10k-20k (an actual video camera that's overall good for everything).

Thank you.

[Finnegan]

It depends heavily on the type of show, but it seems like most television shows shoot Alexa and RED these days. Sitcoms still stick to older digital cameras because they're generally multi-cam. Of course, there's always exceptions: Walking Dead is shot on 16mm, Breaking Bad and Mad Men are shot on 35mm. I think The Office still shoots on the F900. Sony's CineAlta camera line is prevalent in television as well, you see the F35 and F23 everywhere.

Are you interested in buying one of these cameras? They're not cheap. None of them are in the $10-20k range. Scarlet can come in under $20k if you forego a lot of the accessories. Canon and Sony both offer professional digital cameras in that range as well, the C300 and F3 respectively - but neither is used in television production (yet).

[jax_rox]

Yeah, even here in Aus where we don't have budgets for TV shows (;)) they use Varicam a lot and are just starting to use Alexa a fair bit. Even the older Varicam is still way out of your price range.

If I had $20k, I'd probably look at an F3. It isn't really used in TV or all that much cinema.. yet, but it's still a decent option.

My question would be, what are you wanting to use it for?

[Phenixone]

If you want my advice, don't go spend 10-20k if you can't aanswer this yourself.
What kind of project do you want to shoot? Maybe consider renting prior to buying.

[Cassius]

A lot of reality shows acquire on the F900, as well as some GoPros and other specialty cameras. I've also seen higher end cameras on some of the better funded projects. Distributors are less concerned with that than they are the strict format needs. But I have never worked on a professional television production in which the company owned the cameras. Renting is the industry standard and a good idea since no one will hire you or rent from you if you're camera doesn't match what they already plan to use.

[NorBro]

Thanks so much for the feedback guys...how about some cameras like the Sony EX3 or the Panasonic HPX500...any of these ever show up anywhere? I'm interested in upgrading to a camera that renders the image differently. I have shot on every single kind of prosumer camera available and all the popular DSLRs (5D, 7D, 60D, T2/3i, etc), but I cannot get that "FULL" look I am looking for. It's so hard to explain, but I'm looking for something different.

I want that broadcast quality feeling..the HPX370/500 have kind of caught my eye...what do you think? Anything else out there in the respective price range?

[nothing]

Renting is the industry standard - if by "industry" you mean Hollywood (the only industry I have experience in).

You need to gain more knowledge before you drop that kind of coin - the cameras you are asking about are all over the map and have little in common. If it's "hard to explain," that's a clue that you don't understand it enough to use it effectively.

[sonofaresiii]

Walking Dead is shot on 16mm, Breaking Bad and Mad Men are shot on 35mm.

Are you sure about that? It was my understanding that the only show still shot on film today/this year was 30 Rock. I could certainly be mistaken though. (Or it could have been the only show on NBC or something...)

[NorBro]

Breaking Bad was shot on Arri for a fact..I am a big fan...

[MadMonkFish]

Walking Dead is S16.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1520211/technical