Why Camera Loyalty to One Brand is Holding You Back in Filmmaking (Red Komodo x Blackmagic) 

Komodo Eggs 😅

no lies told, these cameras are all just tools and the market is so dense top to bottom with capable cameras that whatever you choose will work.

I've worked in the film industry for over 30 years since my early teens. It's 100% doesn't matter what camera you own or use. The artist/creators and story tellers are those that make it happen at the end of the day not any camera!

As a DP I've never really used a camera that I own when being hired. I love being a DP because they rent the camera of choice so that way you don't have to purchase different cameras. but I was considering the RED but for me those cons are too big of cons for the documentary work I do unfortunately. But I'm proud of you!

I think documenting your journey as a DP is the new wave. Not a DP or YT’er but rather both. I think each can support the other venture. I share a similar perspective on my channel. I was thrown into a crew recently and handed a komodo. Glad I had some experience with it before. I can back up the sentiment that the production expects you to be able to use whichever tool they chose. Btw the X may solve a lot of the situations that the Komodo has.

Loyalty to not pushing oneself to make the best content/story/film possible is whats holding any filmmaker back

This 100%, when I went back to the fx6 from the Komodo, your creative demands dictate the tools you use. Even now, as RU-vid takes a bit more of a front seat, I’ll still change and buy tools that help that, happy for you man, the Komodo image is amazing, and I think it’ll fit your speed real well, he’ll I may grab a used Komodo now that the x is out 😅

Honestly, I dont blackshade very often haha. I just make sure to expose properly and only blackshade if I know we are going to do a drastic temp shift.

MIinute 14. BM - its too heavy! Coulda said that in 14 seconds or known before buying. As for sticking with a brand.. all cameras are the same (apart from the ones that are too heavy) so buy a camera and use it to develop your art? More seriously changing lens mount system is going to cost so that needs thinking about hard. Apart from saving your back changing camera system isnt really ging to make you better?

RU-vid has become a mess of uneducated cinematographers doing it for show not actually getting into the art of it. That's why a lot of their footage looks similar they just copy each other

Brand loyalty isn't the problem. The insane price to switch brands is.

being a youtuber for a while I can assure you there's a tiny tiny tiny fraction of youtubers who get paid by the big camera brands ;) Aside from this, you're 100% right! Just bought my first RED too the other day!

Want to make a response to this bro! Not directed at you but more to people confused about their journey. I think a lot of people in the comments may not understand that everyone is at a different point in their career and it’s okay if you don’t have a big name camera. Just make the most with what you own and NETWORK. That will get you to where you need to go. Too many one man bands stuck in the same place because they feel like a new camera will make them “Better”.

Can you imagine Leonardo da Vinci arguing with Michelangelo Buonarroti over which paint brush they used? There's way too much drama in this industry...when it comes to camera fanboys arguing over which camera is better, it's absolutely pathetic. Just make work people.

Also I think you saying a RU-vidr being loyal is backwards RU-vidrs flip flop and push new cameras all the time and follow trends and push stuff people don’t really need. A lot of DPs rent and maximize their tool set. Buying is a personal preference no one has to own a RED to get better..

i cant help but feeling like swapping so much is holding you back even more. you must be losing a decent amount of money each time you sell and reinvest in a completely different ecosystem unless youre finding incredible deals. its not “brand loyalty” its understanding what you need and not constantly having your head turned by specs the other guys have.

We like new cameras, simple lol

Really enjoyed this video, great info and really well presented. Just as a side note, most RU-vidrs don’t get paid to use a brand. The brand loyalty tends to be because they have built up a viewership that also uses that brand, so changing brands can hurt their channel.

It's "codec"

I have the Ursa G2 and have balanced it on the Ronin 2 and Movi Pro no problems at all with myself or my ACs doing it. You just need the D tap to Xlr power cable because otherwise with even a slim V mount on the back, you won't be able to push it far back enough to balance. So yes it is a bit of an awkward one to balance but def very doable. Happy to send you a video/picture of it ;)

Such a great video, 100% agree with what you are saying and your approach to picking camera's. I personally use Pocket 6K, but I'm always open to try new cameras to see how I can improve my cinematography. Keep up the good work bro, your stuff is dope and I like your honesty

At one point in my life I was chasing what everybody promoted as being better. I had 3 different cameras from 3 different manufacturers. Now I’m just chasing what fits me best in the moment which right now seems to be Sony.

great video

truthfully i dont even black shade anymore. i dont notice a difference tbh.

Hey Moji, respect you a lot as a DP and a unique creative voice online. I would say a reason (apart from the brand fan crowd as you correctly point out) for people questioning is that you made the change so quickly after only having the 12K for a few months which can seem flakey. Totally get your POV of the business side where Reds (and Sony for that matter) tend to just get requested more than Blackmagics. The Ursas are still very much cameras that are slept on. So whatever works for you. I personally am a London based DOP that came up as an AC and have now been using my Ursa G2 for around 1.5 years and it already paid itself off within the first 10 months. I got quite blessed there with a specific client that gave me work almost every month and rented the camera from me as well as many other jobs. When it comes to learning different cameras, totally you should know all the relevant systems out there at least in terms of what the sensor can do and what its limitations are. Let the ACs do the rigging and setting up😂 At least some people do that successfully. Also you can always rent cameras and do prep days before a shoot to test it. No need to go through all of them by owning them. I've used Alexas, Venice, Reds, Canons, Panasonics etc etc. but never owned any other cine camera apart from the Ursa. Ultimately, lighting and storytelling as well as your professional attitude are what will get you hired. Not the camera. Having said that, can't wait to see what you create with the Komodo especially with those Vazen lenses. Have been wanting to try those out for a while!

You gonna switch to the Komodo X? 🤓

Would be lying if I said it was easy but was able to get the ursa mini pro G1 (basically same body) with atlas anamorphic lenses on a ronin 2… was one of my proudest moments as an AC because no one thought I would be able to. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SD9sGdwCXO0.html

I respect the fact you do what works for you. That's the way it's gotta be. UBU. Ever try a Canon C70? That's what I use. Similar to RED in form factor (smaller/lighter) with less RED hassles and 10 stops of ND, plus works with the same lenses as RED. When I read about burning up SDI ports because of sequence I was like yea nah. I do solo way too much to have to say, hang on I gotta get this set up, be with ya in a minute... kinda stuff. Great content.

Man I'm tired of this gear talk

I’m currently on the Sony eco system , Sony fx30, going full frame soon. I agree learning the different type of system makes your very diverse

Looking forward to seeing some Komodo + Vazen full frame lens footage. I've used the rf versions and love them!

40fps in RAW but it can do 60fps Apple ProRes without a hit to resolution or having to crop correct? That’s if you don’t need RAW for every project.

I was the guy that had the debate about you switching from the fx6 to the ursa and how great you spoke about the fx6 then traded lol . I always said that the ursa was too big(Pause) lol but thank you for explaining

As much as I love the image off the Ursa along with braw and the color science, I wouldn't buy it. Not many Producers are asking for it and fellow DPs aren't asking for either. Everybody and their momma is asking for an Arri, Red, Sony or Canon. If you need a cheap camera but hi quality image, it's better to rent an Ursa 12k and have a full camera crew.

This reminds me of a convo that was sparked in the comments section on one of Kofi’s videos and another RU-vidr who switched from Sony to Canon. Everyone was coming for the brand of camera versus the content they made or better yet discounting the tips on cinematography that COMPLETELY disregard brand and it’s all about talent and technicality. But nope. People get butt hurt when you switch brands… like they’re getting paid from these brands.

I don't have brand loyalty, but I do have a finite budget 😑 I'm all Sony right now and I think my personal dream would be the Venice, just by coincidence. I'm personally not very interested in Red, so I suppose the alternative would be Canon or Arri... in my dream world.

My biggest fear is having to learn a whole new operating system and having the ability in learning it to a pro standard and in time for your next shoot That’s why I genuinely still shooting with Canon R6 even though my heart wants to go LUMIX system 😢

Bro I want to hear your story fam. How did you get to where you at?

Congratulations on the Komodo! Regardless of the reasoning, it is exciting getting something new and embarking on a journey. Will you change systems again? Probably. Nothing wrong with that at all. It's such a double edged sword with RU-vid. When I look at your videos, the most popular ones are the gear related uploads. I'm not particularly interested in which camera you're using tbh. There are other channels for that type of content that aren't nearly as capable at producing compelling images, breaking down technique or their philosphy irrespective of the gear. I would like to see more of the images you're making and discover the stories you're telling vs the gear you're using to tell them. The criticism (good and bad) will keep coming. Most is inconsequential due to generality. The specific feedback that comes from a place of good intention will bring a lot of value whether positive or negative. The harder part is discernment between the two. Keep pushing Moji!

All good just keep doing your thing.

Basically, owning a *Red* camera opens up more opportunities in the industry than *Blackmagic* cameras. The industry has that *Red* look in their videos and you can tell when you see it. Not to mention, *Red* is the cheapest version that can come close to *Arri* in look. Thats why people choose *Red* because *Arri* is too much money. The End...

How does this channel not have 500k + subs!? Those shots were gorgeous. 😳🙌🏼👏🏼

Ive always tell them same when we spoke 3 years ago Tools. fun fact 12k G2 Is solid and in 8k mode 85% Rolling shutter free to is solid also 6k B cast daul iso solid full sensor read out no crop Best fun fact b-raw is really r3d code re-masked to favor Arri color space. aka Braw based on Red firmware builds 4.32-6.23.1 as Red & BMC has always shake hands. I favor Red as I never lost $ on the camera or any camera I used / own as Im putting the gear to work. yes you can balance that 12g can be blanched on gimbals just need accessory knowledge Im do few build pre Cineagear for you with pedro from cinmilled

love your content , keep doing your thing !

Not a single lie told. Cameras come and go but the journey continues

Good talk, I'm still waiting for a camera with all the features i want and It's not about resolutions for me but more about the workflow, great video!

Thanks for keeping it real 💯

First time I saw the Red Komodo rec709 footage I was actually impressed.

I agree with the DP vs RU-vidr scenario. As DPs we have to use different camera systems that require different technical information. A Alexa could be the perfect system for one type of story while the RED could work for another. A venice might be great for a documentary feature. It really depends on the story. It's great to use other camera systems and know the capabilities of that sensor.

Only reason I’m loyal to one, which is canon, is to match footage when I either do multi cam setups for filming or to follow continuity when filming. I don’t mind using other cams though, what’s the point of not learning how other things work, if it’s available trying out stuff is always a W.

All you need is Sony.

This is really good info. All my "content creator" friends always rag on me about wanting a RED but this info applies to people who has industry aspirations as a DP which is my goal. Thank you!

Obviously Blackmagic has great image quality and flexibility in post, but I don’t think it’s worth it to have the various quality control issues along with it that I hear a lot of people talking about. I’ve only been on a couple smaller sets where Blackmagic is being used. Most of the sets I’m on the DP is using RED, Sony or Cannon. I haven’t been on any sets with an Arri, but I know that is standard at the higher levels. I guess my point is, I think it makes sense to learn an ecosystem like RED through their entry level camera, then when the big jobs come, you know what your doing on their higher end models. Blackshading, exposure, etc.

Totally agree, back when I was in school we used canon's, sony's, go pro, dji, panasonic, etc. It was whatever worked for the task at hand or learning to use something not suited for the job but to the best we could make it work. It's all about who's behind the camera, not what camera they're behind. The same goes for other accessories, lenses, and gear. Do not be ashamed if what you have availabe to use has a fixed/baked on lens.

Amen to all of this. True stories here always.

Great review in setting expectations as to the baseline for rational reasoning in selecting a camera as a for the purpose intended; to find the most appropriate tool for the image desired, and the related work. Also adapting to the demands of professionals as a DP vs performing client work is very significant.

Can't wait to see what you shoot with the Komodo!

Proud of you brother. #skillssharpensskills

Thank you for your transparency

Good video. Keep keeping it real bro.

So True !

well done!

Dang. You almost had me sold on picking up a used BM 12K before this dropped ha. For the longest time I haven’t been able to get past that it doesn’t offer prores. And I think that’s the main reason it doesn’t get rented to requested much for paying gigs. Pretty much every larger job I’ve worked required a prores option. But your videos on it were getting me hyped about trying it haha.

Bigggg Facts in this video!!! If you truly want to become a skilled DP and creative, it's important to broaden your knowledge beyond just one camera system. Learning about different systems can be challenging, but it's definitely worth it. I don't understand why anyone would want to limit themselves. It's frustrating when people try to impose their opinions on you instead of valuing your unique experience. It's disappointing to see how some individuals don't take the time to think before commenting. Lame behavior 😆😫😂

Camera loyalty is usually traced to one specific thing: They have a loan on it and need to pay it off. DPs that make a living with a camera they own will always be loyal to that camera. Most of the larger, more professional DPs don't own cameras. Horses for courses.

Thank you always for dropping bangers after bangers man. You are a very inspiring person and an add on to how I approach my projects🔥❤️‍🩹