Have you wondered what are the most popular cinema cameras? Well, by analyzing three main film contests (Oscars, Cannes Film Festival, and Sundance Film Festival), the answer is pretty straightforward. Read our analysis regarding these top film competitions for the past four years. Hint: the answer is in the featured image.

A note about finding the best cinema camera

From 2019, YMCinema covered the cameras used in the major movie contests, which are the Sundance Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, and Oscars (Academy Awards). Every year we gather the information from IndieWire’s camera survey (or by our own), to assemble charts that can demonstrate a certain segmentation. Why do we do that? There’s one answer to that: Because it’s interesting! Obviously, this is just a statistic, and it is far from being 100% accurate. Secondly, there’s no finite answer for that because there’s no such thing as the best camera. The camera’s main purpose is to help the creators to tell the story. Furthermore, other factors are involved here. For instance, we all know that ARRI has the best image quality overall. However, it needs certain lighting and composition. Without it, it can deliver average footage. As for the operation, the VENICE might be more suitable for cinematographers who know it and are used to it, and thus it will deliver better results derived from better utilization. Therefore, this article aims to present the statistics and segmentations based on surveys, rather than on technical reviews and experiments. So keep this in mind.

Looking at Sundance, Cannes, and Oscars

As explained, we chose to focus on three main film competitions in four years duration: Sundance (2021-2024), Cannes (2021-2024), and Oscars (2021-2024). Every competition has different characteristics and criteria for the selected projects. For instance, Sundance focuses on independent filmmakers, Cannes is the same but different, and Oscars deals mainly with more high-budget productions. Although every competition requires different approaches and criteria, we believe that the picked projects preset super talented filmmakers and cinematographers. Also, there’s no compromise on the visuals. Even Sundance demands professional imagery (although there were some selected projects shot on iPhone). But generally speaking, there’s the hypothesis that in order to be chosen for Sundance, you must shoot your project on RED or ARRI. That is not true, but it demonstrates the fact that the project’s imagery needs to look polished and professional. So let’s talk about the results. Note: these charts present narrative projects and not documentary projects.

The cameras of the Sundance Film Festival (2021-2024)

At Sundance 2021, diversity was the key. A lot more cameras were involved. Surprisingly, the BMPCC was picked to shoot three projects. Also, we saw a solid amount of film cameras (ARRICAM) and ARRI Amira. In the list, we saw Sony FS7, F55, and Blackmagic Ursa G2. Furthermore, a lot of filmmakers picked Canon cameras (C300 Mark II), which by the way, was among the most popular cameras in Sundance documentary. However, in narrative DPs preferred older models of ALEXA (SXT). Anyway, the main camera used is the ARRI ALEXA Mini, which was the main camera in the 2022 festival. The major difference in the 2022 festival, is the rise of the Sony VENICE and Mini LF. Furthermore, in 2022 we see a solid presence of RED Digital Cinema, with its Gemini, Monstro, good & old Epic, and of course, Komodo. We can say that Sundance 2022 was the year of RED cameras.

Regarding the Sundance charts of 2023 and 2024, we’ve decided to concentrate on the major cameras rather than on specific models here and there. As for 2023, the ALEXA Mini takes the lead. Second place is the Mini LF, and on third is the Sony VENICE. Interestingly, all the rest are film cameras (ARRIFLEX, ARRICAM, Panavision XL2) and the wonderful Aaton XTR. The ALEXA LF has a good spot in the middle. However, more and more DPs have decided to use the more compact version of it, which is the Mini LF. We can say at that point, that the Mini LF pretty much cannibalized the OG LF. As for the 2024 chart, what can we say? The ARRI Mini is still a go. The Sony VENICE is still in the third place. The Aaton XTR was used on two projects, which is great. However, we have two new cameras: The RED V-Raptor (at the last place), and the ARRI 35 that climbed straight to the second place! There’s no doubt that the ARRI 35 is the new kid in town, and we do expect that it will be the dominant camera in Sundance 2025. Mark our word! Check out the slide below.

The cameras of the Cannes Film Festival (2021-2024)

From our experience, is more of the same as Sundance (regarding the cameras used), but a bit more. That means, more diversity, more camera models, and more interesting charts. So for the 2021 chart, in the first place… guess what… very surprising… The ARRI ALEXA Mini. The Sony VENICE is located at the very respectful 2nd place. Now, Cannes filmmakers love to shoot on film. Hence, the ARRICAM is in the 3rd place, and after that is the ARRI 416. Then we can explore more camera models like the Canon C300, F55, ARRI SR, Sony FS7, and even Sony Alpha 7S. In that list, there’s a solid presence of RED cameras (Monstro, Gemini, Helium) and even the Digital Bolex is there. As said, Cannes DPs like to be creative with their cameras. The Alpha 7S continues to rock in Cannes 2022 as well. The VENICE dropped but Mini LF rose. It appears that Cannes’ DPs proffered the Mini LF over the VENICE when full-frame imagery is needed to tell the story. ARRI Mini is still in first place.

It’s funny that the Aaton XTR continues to hold even in Cannes 2023. But the rest of the picture starts to be boring. That means, ARRI Mini first, Mini LF second, and VENICE third. That was the built pattern of the most popular cameras. Mini, Mini LF, and VENICE. Hence, DPs concentrated on these camera models, Of course, Mini for lower budget Super 35 films, and the others for higher budget and Full-Frame imagery. Similar to Sundance 2024, in Cannes 2024 the ARRI 35 chimed in and jumped straight to the second place. Just like in Sundance 2024. So let it be: ARRI Mini, ARRI 35, and Mini LF. Cannes’ DPs chose ARRI all the way, and also they gave special respect to the Super 35 format. We say conclude that in Cannes 2024 the Super 35 format is back into the game, big time.

The cameras of the Oscars (2021-2024)

The opposite compared to independent film festivals (Sundance and Cannes), Oscars’ DPs think more conservatively regarding filmmaking and the tools they choose. Academy Awards’ cinematographers do not want to take risks, They just want to work with what works – and that would be ARRI cameras. In Oscars 2021 the Mini LF was chosen since many DPs were eager to shoot large format. The Mini was in 2nd place, and the LF in 3rd place. Nevertheless, the ARRI Mini came back to its natural spot, which is 1st place in Oscars 2022. As usual, and similar to Cannes and Sundance, the Mini LF was in second place, and after them, the acclaimed ARRICAM was located. The Panavision film camera XL2 is almost always located in the Oscars’ charts, mainly in the last places. But it’s there, and veteran DPs just love it. Have a look at the chart below:

The VENICE pushed up to second place in Oscars 2023 thanks to the wonderful Top Gun: Maverick movie, which constitutes the most solid reference for how to utilize the full potential of the VENICE Rialto. Surprisingly, no ARRI Mini at the top of the chart, since large format rules here (Mini LF, VENICE, and the medium format camera – ARRI 65). Large format continues to dominate in Oscars 2024 with the Mini LF, and VENICE. However, in the middle sits the ARRICAM which symbolizes the importance of celluloids. We must also mention the IMAX film camera first time in these charts, thanks to Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. We believe that in Oscars 2025 we’ll see the ARRI 35 at the upper part of the chart. Furthermore, we hope to see the Next-Gen of IMAX film camera as well, but in Oscars 2026 and beyond.

Summary

To sum it up, explore the three slides below, which demonstrate the top three cameras used at Oscars, Sundance, and Cannes in the years 2021-2024 (4-years duration): 

Then, we can conclude that the most popular cinema cameras are: ARRI Mini, ARRI Mini LF, and Sony VENICE. Moreover, we bet that next year the ARRI 35 will be among them.