Netflix has approved the PXW-FX9 from Sony and the C500 Mark II by Canon, to join its prestigious Post Technology Alliance.  Would they be used by filmmakers to shoot Netflix originals?

Two brand new cameras get into the list

That was fast! The FX9 and the C500 MK2 entered the prestigious list of Netflix approved cameras. Those cameras have been barely tested on high-end productions, which means they have a lot to prove regarding their reliability and image quality. Nevertheless, it didn’t prevent Netflix from approving them. Judging by the dry spec, those cameras fit Netflix’s demand.

Netflix image capture and resolution requirements

Netflix defines the resolution requirement as a true 4K UDH sensor (equal to or higher than 3840 photo sites wide). A for the codec, Netflix demands RAW (Sony RAW, REDCODE, ARRIRAW, Cinema RAW Light, etc.) and compressed (XAVC, AVC-Intra, ProRes, etc.). Furthermore, there are other capture requirements like Timecode and more. For instance, Canon C200 is lack of TC, and thus was not formally approved to shoot Netflix originals as the primary camera.

Canon C500 Mark II

Canon’s new C500 Mark II features a 5.9K Full-Frame CMOS sensor, user-changeable lens mounts, electronic image stabilization, and internal cinema RAW light recording. The camera can shoot up to 60p, 5.9K, and 4K (2K recording at 120p), and is said to achieve 15 stops of dynamic range. Cinema Raw Light, first introduced in the EOS C200, helps to cut data size to about one-third to one-fifth of a Cinema RAW file, purportedly without losing grading flexibility. The codecs approved by Netflix are Canon’s Cinema RAW Light and XF-ACV(4K). Read our article to explore C500 Mark II’s real-world execution, which means a commercial that was shot entirely on this camera.

Sony FX9

Announced at IBC 2019, the FX9 is the latest XDCAM camera from Sony, featuring a newly-developed 6K Full Frame sensor and Fast Hybrid Auto Focus (AF) system. This new camera seems to benefit from mixing some of this DNA. It combines the high mobility of the  FS7, with an advanced AF system you might expect to see on a stills camera, along with sensor size, color science, and Dual Base ISO inherited from the VENICE. It’s important to note that the FX9 doesn’t offer an exact 6K resolution, but the sensor is downscaled to 4K. Nevertheless, it’s good enough for Netflix. The codecs approved by Netflix are XAVC-I(UHD).

Examine the chart below, which ranks the popularity of cameras used by the best Netflix original TV shows in 2019 (press on image for larger view):

Discussion

Sony is very well-liked by Netflix content creators. According to the statistics, the Sony Venice is in 3rd place right after the ALEXA LF and the RED Helium. Furthermore, the Sony F55 is also pretty much favorable. However, Canon is much less widespread (11th place) with its Canon C300 Mark II, which is the only model that has penetrated that list. See the chart above for the Netflix cameras survey. In case you are eager to learn more regarding Netflix’s strategy to be focused on image capture technology, read our article: Netflix vs. Oscar: Modernization vs. Conservation of Image Capture. It’s crucial to mention that more pixels have nothing to do with image quality, and this factor doesn’t significantly elevate or affect the cinematic look. However, Netflix has its rigid standards and authorization process. Moreover, call me a skeptic, but judging from past surveys, I have a hard time to see those both cameras shooting Netflix originals. Am I wrong? Feel free to correct me in the comment section below.