FUJIFILM's GFX ETERNA 55 has joined IMAX’s certified digital camera lineup, while Canon’s EOS C50 has been added to Netflix’s approved list.
The FUJIFILM GFX ETERNA 55 has joined the list of IMAX-certified digital cameras, placing it in some august company with the likes of the ARRI Alexa LF, RED V-Raptor, and Sony Venice. Image quality is everything at IMAX, and certified cameras are selected for their high-quality image capture and the ability to shoot in IMAX's exclusive Expanded Aspect Ratios.
IMAX-certified digital cameras are a critical component of the Filmed For IMAX program, which kicked off with Top Gun: Maverick and Dune in 2020. With the tallest digital filmmaking sensor currently available on the open market, the GFX ETERNA 55 always looked like it was going to be a good fit here. Users can record using the full sensor height (32.71mm) in Open Gate mode, prioritizing image area and vertical scale, which are, of course, key attributes of IMAX.
It expands the current list of approved cameras to eight, and also at $16,499 provides a new entry level into shooting digitally for IMAX.
Specific guidance for the EOS C50 is that shooting Full-Frame 3:2 or Full-Frame in HQ/ST is preferred for RAW workflows, stepping down to XF-AVC YCC422 10-bit and Canon Log 2 when shooting compressed 4K. Netflix notes that Canon Log 3 provides the same highlight retention, but with one or two less stops in the shadows. "This
provides a cleaner image that is often easier to handle in a high volume post production process," it says.
It also very reasonably adds that productions should also run camera tests beforehand to assess the appropriate Base ISO setting for their specific shooting scenarios given the camera's Dual Base 800 and 6400 nature.