Choosing your camera system

I’ve been shooting on Fujifilm cameras since 2020, but have also had professional experience with other mirrorless systems such as Canon and Sony, as well as cinema models from Blackmagic. When investing in my own kit for freelance and personal use, I’ve had to consider the below questions.

Solo shooter vs. crew: this is probably the most basic issue. Are you investing in a system used with other people, or just one for you? Thinking of oneself as part of a squad, with a particular set of lenses and camera bodies, really changes one’s approach. I knew I wanted to be a solo shooter, so this didn’t really factor into the equation on my end. However, I have seen 2-3 person crews share resources and operate in a way that is extremely efficient, so this might tip your scales a different way. You will also have other considerations such as connectivity to consider if working in specific environments like live TV or feature films (SDI ports, etc.)

Hybrid shooting: increasingly, clients want cameramen who can also take stills. This might not be your preferred option or skillset, and deciding whether you need solid photo capability will affect your choice. I started shooting professionally in a news-driven environment where all types of skills were required, including stills, so I invested in a system that would allow me to capture both photos and video.

Lens selection, price & quality: what drew me to Fujifilm was the relatively solid lens selection, portability and affordability. They often say to choose a system based on the lenses, not the cameras themselves. Although new lens systems have launched since then (L-mount alliance, Canon’s RF mount), I still believe the compromises offered by Fujifilm are worth it. There are caveats - such as a lack of real ultra wide options - and you often pay a premium for faster lenses (as you do everywhere else). Yet, the basic kit is accessible and easy to find.

Portability and size: depending on certain shoots, you might not want a heavy cinema camera. I like how small the Fujifilm system is, and with solid power supply on the newer bodies (NP-W235 battery), you don’t need to add much to the camera itself to get shooting. However, as with other mirrorless cameras, I have been caught out on shoots where I should have been using a larger, more accurate monitor than the LCD on the camera itself.

Low light, depth of field & AF: video shooting can be very demanding, and if your needs are focused on low light capture and/or fast AF for sports - then you will want to look into a system that is tailored to these needs like Sony. Neither of these were really a concern for me - although I did have to upgrade my X-mount lenses to be as fast as possible in terms of compensating for the APS-C (cropped) sensor size. Any aperture smaller than 2.8 quickly became less useable. I was lucky to get the Tamron 17-70mm zoom lens with a constant f/2.8 aperture, which really sold me on the system long term. This also affects depth of field - as smaller-sensor systems such as MFT will make it harder for you to achieve shallow DOF.

Long-term expandability: investing in a system means you will most likely want several camera bodies, not just the one. I have personally owned a couple of Fujifilm models (X-T5, X-S20, X-H2S) and have found their affordable price a huge long-term advantage. This meant I could experiment and shoot multi-camera setups or stills without worrying about having to pay off investments with each gig.

Accessories: I am personally suspicious of camera systems that ask you to invest in many bespoke accessories. This means you are tied to components that are not transferrable, which adds cost and risk. If you are a professional DP, then this becomes inevitable, especially on an expensive cinema camera rig. However, for the solo shooter, this is often difficult to justify unless your kit really is the thing that gets you hired.