Once again, IndieWire reached out to 90 (!) cinematographers with movies playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) to explore the cameras they used. As the tradition calls, we analyzed the data to find segmentations. There’s no doubt. This is the rise of the ARRI ALEXA 35 and the domination of the Super 35 format thanks to ARRI 35 and ALEXA Mini. Check out the charts below.

TIFF’s 2024 cameras

IndieWire contacted cinematographers with movies playing in the Discovery, Centerpiece, Gala, Midnight Madness, Platform, and Special Presentations categories at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this year. 90 DPs participated in that survey. We took the data to build our Camera Chart. You can find the entire list below (for IndieWire’s article click here). The list contains the name of the project, cameras, and lenses used:

1. ‘Aberdeen’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: ARRI Master Prime Anamorphic, Zeiss Supreme Prime Radiance, Angenieux 17-80
2. ‘Addition’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA LF. Lenses: PanaSpeeds
3. ‘All We Imagine As Light’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Cooke s4i
4. ‘Anora’: Camera: ARRICAM LT. Lenses: Lomo Round Front Anamorphics, Lomo 40-120 zoom
5. ‘April’: Camera: ARRICAM LT. Lenses: ARRI Master Prime
6. ‘The Assessment’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: LEICA SUMMILUX
7. ‘Beloved Tropic’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Zeiss Super Speeds
8. ‘Better Man’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses: Gecko-Cam GENESIS G35 VINTAGE
9. ‘Bird’: Camera: ARRIFLEX 416. Lenses: ARRI Ultra 16 Primes, Canon 10-180mm zoom
10. ‘Bonjour Tristesse’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: Cooke S4/i, Canon FD TLS 45mm, Bausch & Lomb Super Baltar TLS,, Angenieux Optimo 24-290mm
11. ‘Boong’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Hawk C series Anamorphic
12. ‘Bring Them Down’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Master Anamorphic
13. ‘Can I Get a Witness’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: Atlas Orion
14. ‘Conclave’: Camera: RED V- Raptor. Lenses: Blackwing Tribe7, Angénieux 19,5-94 Optimo, Angénieux Ultra 12x 36-435 Optimo
15. ‘The Courageous’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: Cooke Panchro/i Classic S35
16. ‘Crocodile Tears’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses: Cooke Anamorphic/i FF
17. ‘The Cut’: Camera: ARRIFLEX 416, ARRICAM ST/LT. Lenses: ARRI Ultra 16, ARRI Master Primes
18. ‘Dead Talents Society’: Camera: RED V-Raptor, RED Monstro. Lenses: ARRI Signature Primes
19. ‘Diciannove’: Camera: ARRICAM LT. Lenses: Suprime prime t 1.5
20. ‘Do I Know You From Somewhere?’: Camera: Blackmagic Design URSA Mini Pro 12K. Lenses: Rokinon Xeen
21. ‘Don’t Cry, Butterfly’: Camera: Canon C70. Lenses: Lomo CKBK Superspeed Modernized T1.3
22. ‘Don’t Lets Go To The Dogs Tonight’: Camera: Sony VENICE 1 and 2. Lenses: Blackwing7 – Tribe7
23. ‘Else’: Camera:ARRI  ALEXA Mini. Lenses: ARRI UltraPrime
24. ‘Elton John: Never Too Late’: Camera: Sony FX6, Sony FX9. Lenses: Leica R Primes, Angénieux EZ1 & EZ2, Angenieux Optimo 24-290mm
25. ‘Emilia Perez’: Camera: Sony VENICE 2, ARRI ALEXA Mini, RED Komodo. Lenses: Blackwing Tribe 7, ARRI Signature Prime 12mm, Angenieux Ultra 12x Angenieux EZ-1 and EZ-2
26. ‘Escape From the 21st Century’: Camera: Sony VENICE, ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Cooke Speed Panchro, Atlas Orion
27. ‘Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses: Tribe7 Blackwing7, Angenieux EZ Zooms
28. ‘The Fire Inside’: Camera: Sony VENICE. Lenses: Panavision PanaSpeeds
29. ‘Friendship’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Angenieux Optimo 24-290 & 28-76
30. ‘Front Row’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Cooke Panchro/i Classic
31. ‘The Girl With the Needle’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses: Leitz HUGO
32. ‘Gülizar’: Camera: Sony VENICE. Lens: ARRI Master Primes, Cooke 25-250mm MK3 Zoom Lens
33. ‘Happy Holidays’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Angenieux EZ1
34. ‘Harvest’: Camera: ARRIFLEX 416. Lenses: ARR-Optex 4mm, -ARRI Ultra Primes
35. ‘K-Pops’: Camera: Sony VENICE. Lenses: Panavision
36. ‘The Last Showgirl’: Camera: ARRIFLEX 416. Lenses: 16mm bespoke Auto Panatars
37. ‘The Legend of the Vagabond Queens’: Camera: Canon C500, Canon C70, Panasonic GH5. Lenses: Canon Cine Primes
38. ‘The Life of Chuck’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: ARRI Alpha Anamorphic, ARRI Signature Primes
39. ‘Linda’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: Zeiss Super Speeds
40. ‘Little Jaffna’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Atlas Orion
41. ‘The Luckiest Man In America’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: Zeiss Super Speed
42. ‘Matt and Mara’: Camera: RED Komodo. Lenses: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
43. ‘Measures for a Funeral’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35, RED Komodo, RED Monstro. Lenses: Cooke Speed Panchro
44. ‘Misericordia’: Camera: RED V- Raptor. Lenses: Zeiss Supreme
45. ‘The Mother and the Bear’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini.. Lenseds: Cook S4/i
46. ‘My Father’s Daughter’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA LF, ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: Canon K35
47. ‘My Sunshine’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini, AMIRA, BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. Lenses: ARRI Ultra Prime
48. ‘Nightbitch’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses: Panavision T-Series Anamorphic, ATZ2 75-210MM Zoom, ATW2 37- 85MM Zoom
49. ‘Nutcrackers’: Camera: ARRICAM LT, ARRICAM ST. Lenses: Leica Summicron Prime
50. ‘Oh, Canada’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35, ALEXA Mini LF Monochrome. Lenses: ARRI ALFA
51. ‘On Becoming a Guinea Fowl’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Panavision P-Vintage
52. ‘On Falling’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35, RED Komodo. Lenses: Vantage One Spherical Primes
53. ‘On Swift Horses’: Camera: RED V- Raptor. Lenses: Panavision Panaspeeds
54. ‘The Paradise of Thorns’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: Orion Atlas
55. ‘The Party’s Over’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Elite 100, 75, 40, 25 Cooke 50
56. ‘Paying For It’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses: Tribe7 T-Tuned
57. ‘Pedro Páramo’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: Panavision VA Primes
58. ‘The Penguin Lessons’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: ARRI Master Prime
59. ‘The Quiet Ones’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35, Sony A7s. Lenses: Cooke s7/i Primes, K35 25-120mm zoom
60. ‘Quisling: The Final Days’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: Zeiss Super Speed
61. ‘Relay’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: ARRI Master Primes
62. ‘Rez Ball’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lens: C-Series Anamorphic, Panafocal Zoom, VA Spherical Zooms
63. ‘Riff Raff’: Camera: Sony VENICE 2. Lenses: Zeiss Super Speeds, Angenieux EZ
64. ‘Sad Jokes’: Camera: Sony A7 III. Lenses: Zeiss Compact Primes
65. ‘The Salt Path’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: Cooke S4/i
66. ‘Santosh’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses: ARRI Signatures Primes
67. ‘Saturday Night’: Camera: ARRIFLEX 416. Lenses: ARRI Master Primes
68. ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’: Camera: Sony FX6, Sony FX3. Lenses: Canon FD
69. ‘7 Days’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lens: Sigma Primes
70. ‘Shell’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Panavision E Series, Primo Anamorphics
71. ‘Shepherds’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses: Canon K35
72. ‘Sketch’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Cooke Anamorphic/I
73. ‘Superboys of Malegoan’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: Cooke S5/i
74. ‘The Swedish Torpedo’: Camera: ARRIFLEX 416. Lenses: Zeiss Super Speeds
75. ‘Takin’ Care of Business’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF, Canon C500ii, Z-Cam F6. Lenses: Vintage Leica R Primes, L-series Canon Zooms
76. ‘They Will Be Dust’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: ARRI Signature Prime, Angenieux Optima 24-290
77. ‘To A Land Unknown’: Camera: ARRIFLEX 416. Lenses: ARRI Ultra 16 Prime
78. ‘U Are the Universe’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Cooke S4/i
79. ‘Under The Volcano’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses: Olympus OM
80. ‘An Unfinished Film’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF, Panasonic AJ-upx360mc, iPhone. Lenses: Zeiss Supreme Prime
81. ‘Universal Language’: Camera: ARRIFLEX 416. Lenses: Zeiss 16 Super Speeds
82. ‘Unstoppable’: Camera: Sony VENICE 2. Lenses: Angenieux Optima Primes
83. ‘The Village Next To Paradise’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: ARRI Ultra Primes
84. ‘Viktor’: Camera: Canon C500 Mark II. Lenses: EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
85. ‘Went Up The Hill’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA 35. Lenses: Cooke Speed Panchro
86. ‘When the Light Breaks’: Camera: ARRIFLEX 416 Plus. Lens: ARRI Ultra 16, Angenieux 11.5-138mm
87. ‘William Tell’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses: Zeiss Supreme Primes
88. ‘Will & Harper’: Camera: ARRI AMIRA, Canon C300, RED Komodo. Lenses: Cooke Panchros
89. ‘The Wolves Always Come at Night’: Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses: Richard Gale Clavius Primes

The word in the street indicates that rental houses are struggling to make money with the ARRI 35 as many filmmakers are eager to shoot full-frame and don’t want to pay much for Super 35. However, this is not the case here. Moreover, it seems that among top-notch indie filmmakers, the Super 35 format rules and the ARRI 35 is booming.

Toronto Film Festival 2024: Camera Chart

Explore the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF) 2024 Camera Chart below, which is based on the data above. Click on the chart for a full-resolution view:

Discussion

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the most prestigious and largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. It’s not less important than Sundance and Cannes. The filmmakers’ creative minds would be the same for, let’s say, Tiff and Cannes. Hence, the cameras chosen are extremely similar. For instance, the five most dominant cameras (five big ones) are the same (ARRI ALEXA Mini, Mini LF, ARRI 35, Sony VENICE, and the ARRIFLEX for the film heroes). See the charts below which demonstrate that interesting fact.

Moreover, tiff 2024 was characterized by a wide variety of camera models (ALEXA 35, ALEXA Mini, ALEXA Mini LF, ARRIFLEX 416, Sony VENICE 1 & 2, ARRICAM LT/ST, RED Komodo, RED V-Raptor, Canon C500 I/II, ALEXA LF, RED Monstro, Canon C70, Sony FX6 ($9,046 on Amazon) , ARRI AMIRA, Blackmagic URSA 12K, Sony FX9, Panasonic GH5, BlackMagic Cinema Camera 4K, ALEXA Mini LF Monochrome, Sony A7s ($3,698 on Amazon) , Sony A7 III , Sony FX3 ($3,998 on Amazon) , Z-Cam F6, and Canon C300 ($5,999.95 on Amazon) ). But the big winner is the ARRI 35 which is strengthening the dominance of the Super 35, together with the mighty ALEXA Mini. The ARRI Mini turned out to be extremely popular because many filmmakers can afford to buy it as the price is being reduced, but it keeps its excellent image quality and reliability. Filmmakers who want the ALEV 4 look and the best dynamic range on the market, go for the ARRI 35. The word in the street indicates that rental houses are struggling to make money with the ARRI 35 as many filmmakers are eager to shoot full-frame and don’t want to pay much for Super 35. However, this is not the case here. Moreover, it seems that among top-notch indie filmmakers, the Super 35 format rules and the ARRI 35 is booming.