The 2025 Sundance Film Festival is off to a rip-roaring start in Park City, Utah and we’re excited to share some firsthand insights into what cameras were used by filmmakers for their films this year.
As we’ve done in years past, we surveyed all of the filmmakers at this year’s Sundance Film Festival to seek out trends and insights into what gear is being used to bring these brilliant films to fruition.
Of course, as you might expect, responses have varied quite simply based on the variety and diversity of projects that are showcased at major film festivals like Sundance. Yet, there are results to share and takeaways to explore, so let’s dive in.
The ARRI ALEXA 35 Reigns Supreme
To the shock of perhaps no one, ARRI’s range of digital cinema cameras was used on the majority of the features that responded to our survey. The ARRI ALEXA 35 in particular took the top spot in our results which reflects trends from years past as well.
Here are some quotes as to why the ARRI cameras, in particular the ALEXA 35, were picked for some of the standout films at this year’s festival.
“The Alexa 35 was perfect for the natural, grounded style we were going for. Its dynamic range was a huge factor—it handled natural light, fire, and candles beautifully, letting us capture all the details in both highlights and shadows. Plus, it’s small and versatile, which makes it great for staying close to the actors and keeping things fluid on set. Clint likes to keep everything minimal and give the cast freedom to move and improvise, and this camera made that approach a lot easier.” — Cinematographer, Adolpho Veloso, ABC, AIP | TRAIN DREAMS
“Cameras used on Plainclothes: Arri Alexa 35, Sony FX3 and Sony Hi-8 — I have always gravitated towards Arri cameras for color and texture, and the Alexa 35 delivers such incredible range in the highlights. The Sony FX3 is an amazing camera in its own right and was handy in tight spots and for Lucas’ subjective panic moments. We used the Hi-8 to create a layer of texture and fractured memory to enhance our main character’s subjective POV. – Ethan Palmer | Plainclothes
“We shot on the Alexa Mini LF with ARRI Prime DNA lenses. I knew that I wanted a larger format feeling to the image since we would be spending so much time with faces, and the subtlety of the performances could be greatly appreciated with this larger format. The Alexa 65 was too big and the workflow too unwieldy for our locations and lower budget, so I was happy to be working with the LF. I think also, after a decade of Alexa Mini, I have just been gravitating towards a slightly different sensor form factor lately. The combination of the lenses and sensor lent such a soft cinematic look to our film that feels quite effortless and helps to define our character as she deals with her interior demons.” — Cinematographer, Mia Cioffi Henry | SORRY, BABY
We’re also excited to share the news that ARRI has just announced that they’re releasing a new, more affordable entry version of their flagship camera with a new ALEXA 35 Base Model—which you can read more about here.
The Best of the Rest
Despite its dominance of the feature films though, ARRI certainly was not the only camera brand used by the filmmakers of Sundance.
Let’s check in on some highlights from the rest of the fest’s diverse programming and explore some of the top camera choices from the likes of Canon, Blackmagic, and RED—plus hear why these filmmakers and cinematographers made their selections.
RED KOMODO
“We chose the Komodo mainly because of our budget. With the limited funds we had, it felt like the best balance between image quality, price, and also, very importantly, size. We also felt that investing in a good set of lenses would make a bigger difference to the overall look, so we decided to put more of our budget toward those. We ended up choosing a set of vintage Zeiss Super Speeds, one of only two sets available in Beijing. These lenses have a beautiful, soft, vintage look with a very nice highlight fall-off that we absolutely loved.” — JJ Lin | HIPPOPOTAMI
Canon 5D Mark III
“It’s the camera I’ve owned since 2012 and have used for multiple features. I was happy to use it again.” — Pete Ohs | OBEX
ARRI SR3 and Bolex
“These are the cameras I am most used to. We used the Bolex for situations where the ARRI was too cumbersome or scenes where there was the opportunity to play with in-camera fx.” — DEAD LOVER
ARRI ALEXA Mini and Blackmagic
“Luz is a film that explores a virtual world set in a timeless space. It’s a digital universe we wanted to portray without losing a sense of craftsmanship and kinetic energy. We chose to shoot with an Alexa mini and anamorphic lenses to achieve a cinematic look, complemented by a small Blackmagic camera to capture more experimental images suited to the VR world.” — Benjamin Echazarreta | LUZ
Stay tuned for more coverage from this year’s Sundance Film Festival and more insights into the cameras and gear that can help your films and projects become more festival-ready.
Author: NFS Staff
This article comes from No Film School and can be read on the original site.
