COMMONLY USED NON-NETFLIX APPROVED CAMERAS
Check out these examples of cameras that aren’t approved but are often used in Netflix productions. Click on the “Camera Guide” links to see Netflix’s recommendations for optimizing their usage.
| Camera Model | Resolution | Recording Formats | Color Space | Gamma Curve |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 12 ProCamera Guide | 4K (4096×2160) | h.264 / h.265 | Rec. 709 | Standard |
| DJI X5SCamera Guide | 5K (5280 x 2972) | Cinema DNG (5K), ProRes (5K) | D-Log | D-Gamut |
| DJI X5RCamera Guide | 4K (4096×2160) | Cinema DNG (4K), ProRes (4K) | D-Log | D-Gamut |
| DJI X7Camera Guide | 6K (6016×3200) | Cinema DNG (6K), ProRes (6K) | D-Log | D-Gamut |
| GoPro Hero9 Camera Guide | 5K (5120×2880) | h.264 / h.265 | GoPro Color | Flat |
| GoPro Hero11 Camera Guide | 5K (5312×2988) | h.264 / h.265 | GoPro Color | Flat |
| GoPro Hero12 Camera Guide | 5K (5312×2988) | h.264 / h.265 | GoPro Color | Flat |
| Panasonic AW-UE150 Camera Guide | UHD (3840×2160) | No internal recording. See the camera guide. | V-Log | V-Gamut |
| Phantom Flex 4K Camera Guide | 4K (4096×2304) | CINE RAW | Phantom Color | Phantom Gamma |
Here are some additional things to keep in mind:
- The iPhone 12 Pro automatically applies a scene-referred color transform to its video footage. This means that the colors in your footage will be accurate to the scene you’re shooting, regardless of the lighting conditions.
- The iPhone 12 Pro also supports an “Extended dynamic range” setting. This setting will capture more detail in the highlights and shadows of your footage, but it may also make your footage look a bit noisy.
- When editing iPhone 12 Pro footage, it’s important to use video editing software that supports Dolby Vision. Otherwise, you won’t be able to see the full range of colors in your footage.
When dealing with a camera not officially approved, it’s crucial to take measures for optimal capture quality. If you’re contemplating a camera not listed in the approved lineup, consult with your Netflix Post Manager and conduct real-world tests to confirm compatibility with your main camera and workflow.
RECORD FORMAT
The record format providing the highest quality should always be used. This could be either a “RAW” format or “compressed baseband video”. When recording compressed formats, opt for the highest bit-depth and lowest compression available. Intra-Frame formats are preferred over GOP-based formats as well.
- RAW – RedCode, Cinema DNG, ArriRaw, Canon Cinema RAW Light, Sony X-OCN, etc.
- Compressed Video (Intra-Frame) – XAVC-I, ProRes, DNx, etc.
- Compressed Video (Long GOP) – h.264, HEVC, etc.
COLOR & TRANSFER FUNCTION
Recording should always happen in the camera’s “native color space”. This is typically set via one or two menu items. Please refer to the manufacturer documentation for specific settings.
- Transfer Function – Sony S-Log3, Arri LogC, GoPro ProTune Flat, etc.
- Color Space– REDWideGamutRGB, Panasonic V-Gamut, etc.
- NOTE: Many cameras default to the Rec.709 or sRGB color space. While fine for monitoring purposes, this is not a color space that should be used for capture and care should be taken to record in the camera’s native color space instead.
Source: NETFLIX
