Canon’s update, Tollywood’s delight

Give it to RGV for doing something as unconventional as shooting a full-length multi-starrer feature film on a mid-range DSLR. When many of his unusual ideas are a miss, the DSLR strategy was one which hit the bull’s eye.The experimentation was indeed done at the right time, when India was witnessing a paradigm shift from analog to digital. While loyalists kept holding the analog fort from falling apart, digital cameras dethroned the once mantelpiece - the analog camcorders.RGV’s ‘Dongala Mutha’ was released on March 18, 2011, which was exactly 33 days after the shooting ended. The filmmaking process was revolutionised through Canon 5D cameras, a first-of-its-kind in the tinsel town and was a commercial hit.

“The innovative challenge of using Canon cameras as opposed to the traditional movie cameras was first technically proved before shooting commenced by making a test print out of a few scenes shot that came out perfectly. Principal photography then started on February 9, 2011 and the entire shooting of ‘Dongala Mutha’ was completed ahead of schedule. The entire film was shot hand held and in natural light with five Canon cameras which were used to capture every shot in 5 different angles simultaneously. No lights or equipment of any sort including jibs, trolleys etc were used. There was no DOP for the film and all the individual operators chose the angles or compositions without the director or anyone guiding or coordinating them,” reads a blog on the movie.

The makers used the cameras because they gave excellent output without using any additional lights. The cost was around Rs 1.5 lakh per camera at that time. The film was wrapped up in a record four and a half days, earlier than the announced five days. Finally, Ram Gopal Varma revealed in a press conference at the promo launch that the production cost of the movie is just Rs 6.5 lakh mostly for renting out a premise and other miscellaneous expenses.Like the movie, RGV’s idea also became an instant hit among aspirants and in mainstream cinema. What once was a game of big bucks became the sport for the children of lesser gods.

Another movie to do similar magic on digital camera was ‘Gaganam’. Guham, one of the makers of the movie during an interaction said, “Digital technology offers a number of advantages.Unfortunately, many in the film industry remain sceptical about shooting with digital cameras. A digital camera negates the use of film thereby reducing the cost and worry about the footage used, is faster and offers good quality. It is ideal for small budget movies.”With the wave remaining unrelenting and Canon giving an update to Canon 5D and re-introducing the Mark III in 2012, Tollywood’s love of the camera grew profoundly. Ever since then, there has been a massive influx, and even amateurs who participated in the competitions like 48Hour Film Festival, came out with brilliant movies like ‘Anukokonda’ which went to Cannes, again was shot on a Canon 5D.

Canon’s latest twins 5DS and 5DS R

While with all the sway, the news that Canon has launched the world’s first full-frame 35mm sensor digital cameras with 50MP resolution – 5DS and 5DS R, has become a delight to the ears of film makers, here.The 50.6 megapixel cameras with and Dual DIGIC 6 Image Processors provide a very high image quality with superfast processing speed. Both cameras have similar features and specifications.Both options offer the same video capabilities as the 5D Mark III of 1080p video recording at 30 frames per second; however, you will have to give up a dedicated mic jack and clean HDMI out. In its place you get a new USB 3.0 connection to help transfer the larger 50.6MP files onto your workstation.Both these are meant to do different jobs, but no matter which camp you fall under, both offerings are truly representative of what we’ve come to expect from a flagship model with the Canon name on it.