BTS footage reveals the strange possibility that one of the main cameras behind the ultra-mega-budget project, F1, is the prosumer DJI Ronin 4D ($9,999 on Amazon) , or we should call it, DJI Ronin 4D IMAX. Explore it below.

F1 movie: Shot by Claudio Miranda on the Ronin 4D

F1 is an upcoming (and super anticipated) American sports action drama film created by the winning TGM (Top Gun: Maverick) team: Jerry Bruckheimer as producer, Joseph Kosinski as director, Claudio Miranda as the DP. YMCinema is investigating this intriguing project (articles here). Similar to TGM, F1 is a “Filmed for IMAX” movie. We don’t know yet the main camera, however, we can guess that those filmmakers picked the Sony VENICE as their main weapon of choice. Additionally, F1 will be aimed at movie theaters, and especially at the huge canvas, as confirmed by Kosinski: “It’s shot for the big screen will have an IMAX version that has over an hour in full IMAX, you know, full-screen format, so you’ll get that expanded picture. We’ve always approached it as a theatrical film. As for when and where it appears downstream, I think that’s still to be determined, but the only way you’ll be able to see it when it first comes out is in theaters”. F1 is a mega-budget project ($300 million) with a very high ‘complexity rate’ regarding filmmaking and production. Nevertheless, the BTS footage indicates that the main camera is the DJI Ronin 4D, which is utilized handheld by Miranda, who is a DJI Ronin fan himself. Check out the BTS below: 

Combination of Ronin 4D, VENICE, and bespoke Sony action 6K

For now, we know that F1 utilized the same methodologies implemented on Top Gun: Maverick, and by the same filmmakers, as mentioned. As you remember, the camera in TGM was the Sony VENICE Rialto. However, on F1 they used bespoke Sony cameras (some kind of Cinema Line – an improved version of FR7) that can shoot 6K and have PTZ capabilities. In an interview with Deadline, Kosinski elaborated: “We have bespoke cameras for this that are very small and light so that they don’t impede the performance of the car too much and that’s key because you don’t want to have a race car and then put 200 pounds of gear on it. Our camera mounts were designed with Mercedes as well. The cameras are specially designed by Sony. It’s the next generation from what we did on Top Gun. Everything is much smaller and the big innovation that is that we’re now able to control the movement of the cameras on the cars. We’re not locked into these kinds of fixed positions we had on Top Gun. Now we have real-time control of panning and focusing them while shooting through a very extensive RF network that we’ve built around the tracks”. However, BTS footage shows that the production used a couple of DJI Ronin 4D, including Miranda.

Ronin 4D and IMAX

Before we get calls from Sony and IMAX (yes, we got some of these), it’s important to take those BTS with a grain of salt, not regarding the camera, but regarding it role in the production. First, most probably the Ronin 4D is not the main camera, as the main one is the VENICE. Second, the Ronin 4D was well utilized shooting F1, but is certain shots only, together with the bespoke Sony action 6K PTZ camera. Nevertheless, it’s an honor for DJI to be used on this mega-budget project, and the fact that Miranda appreciates DJI’s professional products, helped to get the Ronin 4D into F1.

Product List

Here are the products mentioned in the article, and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers. 

• DJI Ronin 4D 4-Axis Cinema Camera 6K Combo Kit
  • BUY on B&H

• DJI Ronin 4D 4-Axis Cinema Camera 8K Combo Kit
  • BUY on B&H