Ben Zenker

Canon 5D Mark III vs. Black Magic Cinema Camera: An MPS shoot-out video, technically comparing the dynamic range, noise, workflow, color reproduction, compositibility, sharpness and aliasing of both systems. These cameras were put to the test via a sequence of scenes designed to illustrate each image quality attribute.

This video focuses on the creative aspects of video production that would drive an individual to use one camera over the other. If you'd like additional technical details, view the science section of this project.

A proper camera shoot-out should include a wide range of scientific measurements and technical comparisons. The learning, planning, preparation, and execution that our team carried out cannot be described simply. We do however have a technical document that explains as much of it as possible.

An excerpt from our conclusion

Based on these findings, the Canon 5D MK III was chosen as the better camera overall for strictly image quality, however, this is only a viable conclusion when your workflow is RAW and contains the necessary knowledge to handle the color grading implications. The Blackmagic Cinema Camera has the best out of the box and easy to use workflow footage that is ready for exhibition straight out of the camera, when shooting in a pre-processed video mode.

Shoot Out - Technical Paper

One of my core roles in the post-production of our shoot-out video was to create consistent and clean graphical animations. These helped brand the footage of each camera, distinguish key features and guide the viewer through our story with more than just words.

In this animation string-out, you will see the branded assets, examples of how they were used, and additional 2D animations that I created. Notice the pop and bounce style that I've added by extending animations lengths, adding keyframes, and perfecting interpolation speeds.