Read the Televisual Top 10 Rental Cameras report in full

The camera rental houses are hoping for a good year ahead in 2023 after an unstable 2022 that was hit with global equipment supply issues

How it Works

At the beginning of the year, Televisual sent survey forms to a wide range of camera hire companies. Each was asked to list their five most rented cameras of 2022, along with the percentage of hires each model received. An overall ranking of the most rented models was then created by multiplying the average percentage usage of each model by how many hire companies listed it in their top five.

Scroll down for the full top ten

There’s a fair amount of optimism around for the year ahead in the camera rental market. “I’m hoping for a busy year,” says Bluefin. “Everyone seems to be busy or picking up fast.” Films at 59 too says, “the trend still seems to be a buoyant rental market with the promise of another busy year.”

No Drama says that “judging by the visibility of upcoming work we already have in February, March and April, it looks like being another very busy year in the North and Scotland.”

Procam Take 2 notes that “the year has just started, and we’re already seeing some really exciting projects on the horizon. With more HETV series and features getting the greenlight, it looks like it will be an extremely busy landscape across all genres.”

“2023 is already shaping up to be another busy year giving us the confidence to invest in more kit,” reports The Kit Room and VMI hopes for “a more stable year than last if geopolitical issues get sorted.”

But there is a sense that production demand could go either way.

“I thought that at the start of last year, 2023 would be the year that everything is back on track. But with the global events that punished the economic climate worldwide in 2022, it’s sad to say that 2023 could be the worst year of them all,” says Alias Hire.

New day also worries about “clients cutting back on spending as production budgets are trimmed.” Dynamic feels that “2023 will be an interesting year. 2021 was a huge year for almost everyone in the industry. 2022 was very much of a reality check, the new normal wasn’t normal after all. 2023 will be much more of a barometer for the health of the industry than the previous two years post-covid.”

And even if demand is still high, Video Europe says its concern for the camera hire business is “over saturation. There seems to be an abundant amount of gear in the marketplace right now. The question I keep asking myself is, is there enough demand to fulfil supply, I guess only time will answer that question!”

One particular problem that’s faced the camera rental market recently has been the difficulty in simply getting hold of new kit in the first place. “The past year was plagued by supply chain and stock availability issues across the board,” says S+O. “Hopefully these issues will gradually fade away in 2023, as suppliers get on top of backlogs.”

Mediadog too says that “getting hold of cameras isn’t easy with what’s going on in the world so, at the moment, no one knows when they will receive their orders. Getting an FX6 was hard this year as is getting the Arri 35. Hopefully this will change next year.”

In our Top 10 this year, there hasn’t been seismic change in the cameras most in vogue and, while there has been a reshuffle, older models still survive. “We still can’t believe it but the demand for our FS7 fleet still remains incredibly strong, so we won’t be getting rid of them in a hurry,” says Run Hire. Film Store Rental says, “the Alexa Mini remains as popular as ever. After the release of the Mini LF and now the Alexa 35 there was conversation about its longevity, but as an S35 camera that many ops are used to working with it continues to perform well in the rental market.” Shoot Blue too says “the Alexa Mini has proved that it is still relevant and in demand.” ProVision says, “the Venice seems to have held firm across 2022 as a staple choice for 4k+ production.”

At the high end though, most of the excitement is about the uptake of the Venice MkII and particularly the new Alexa 35. Origin says it expects “a surge in demand for the new Alexa 35 and Venice MkII in 2023 – especially within Natural History.”

Verve reports that “everyone is very excited by the Alexa 35 and there has been a large investment across most rental houses we have spoken with.” 247Kit.tv says clients are “looking forward to getting their hands on our long-awaited Arri S35.”

But the transcendence of the S35 could be a slow burn. “Although the Alexa 35 was arguably one of the most anticipated industry announcements in recent years, we do not expect it to immediately take over on those ongoing shows which have been used to hiring Alexa Mini cameras,” says S+O. And, says Dynamic, “it’s a fantastic camera with great colour science but I wonder how long it will keep DP’s interest before they return to the Full Frame look we’ve all become accustomed to.”

For many, the real news is the explosion in lens choice over recent years. “The choices of lenses available now is unprecedented,” says ProVision. “With an abundance of new lens manufacturers coming to fruition rivalling the long-established producers, and the re-housing options bringing new/old optics to the market, the optical choice is endless.”

As Film Store Rental points out: “As much as camera manufacturers push their latest innovations, and as much as we in the industry pore over them, the reality is that the casual viewer will only notice a stylistic choice as a result of lens selection,”

“We are finding that with the diminishing differences between cameras there is a real emphasis on lens choice and filtration,” says Shoot Blue. “There has been a flurry of vintage lens options which our users really want to take advantage of. For cinematography lenses, there is a huge choice and the conversation with our clients is usually more centred around the lenses than the camera. Perhaps a top 10 lens rental survey for next year!”

 

 

01- Sony FX9

 

Average Day Rate £237

Top 5 hire from 247Kit.tv, Alias Hire, Bluefin, Filmstore Rental, Hotcam, New Day, No Drama, Origin, S+O Media, Shoot Blue, The Kit Room, The London Camera Company, Verve

Hired for The Real Manhunter (Bluefin); Bear Grylls (Film Store); Warrior Island – BBC, The Bidding Room – BBC, Gordon Ramsay: Future Food Stars – BBC (Hotcam); Grow with Aldi – C4, Worst House on the Street – C4 (LCC); Live Rugby Union / Various Promos (New day); Hollyoaks for Lime Pictures, Cobra for Sky, Commercials for Sugar Free TV, MTP, Milkmoney, MBP, Sticker Studios, The Chase Factual shoots for Ricochet, Beyond Productions, Chief, LS Films (No Drama); Big Zuu, Selling Super Prime, Outsiders (S+O); The Apprentice – Fremantle Media (Verve); Branded content films for numerous agencies, including LadBible, Conde Nast (Shoot Blue)

Sony’s FX9 has climbed to the number one spot of this year’s Top Ten Rental Cameras survey. And that’s because, says Bluefin, “the FX9 seems to be the go-to camera for TV documentary work.”

At The Kit Room too, it’s the FX9 that rules in docs “For us the Sony FX9 continues to dominate documentary shooting.”

Hotcam points to the FX9, along with the FX6 and FX3 “making a clean sweep in the fact ent space. We don’t foresee this changing as this product range over-specced for terrestrial delivery and is on spec for most VOD platforms.”

The FX9’s Netflix approved spec, means it’s a lower cost alternative to higher end models, says Verve. “Although the Venice and Mini LF are Sony and Arri’s flagship cameras, generally they are cost prohibitive for most shoots that require more than a single camera. The Netflix approved FX9 offers incredible results for its price so is usually the staple of non-scripted entertainment.”

New Day too says that “last year we were seeing a lot of clients shooting with the FX9 and FX6 for productions, rather than the high-end cameras like the Reds and Arris.”

The London Camera Company says “the FX9 has now become the industry work horse  for broadcast factual entertainment TV.  In the past we noticed DOPs hiring and using F5/F55 and self shooters generally favouring the FS7. Whereas now both DOPs and self shooters are using FX9 and FX6.”

Film Store Rental says the FX9 “has firmly displaced the FS7 MkII. As with the FX6 it generates lovely images and works fantastically with Sony G Master glass and PL Cine glass alike depending on the use case. We’re seeing it used more in multicam and studio situations with the FX6 preferred if you’re on the move.”

Origin also says the FX9 and FX6 have displaced the FS7 for many. “Demand for the Sony FX9 and FX6 cameras has grown steadily as operators/production companies phase out their older FS7 workhorse.”

However, it may be the FX6 that takes the crown. “After much deliberation and client input, we are finding that the FX6 has more flexibility, versatility and is more desirable to the majority and so we will be purchasing these instead of the FX9’s,” says Run Hire.

 

02 Arri Alexa Mini

Average Day Rate £454

Top 5 hire from  247Kit.TV, FAVA Rental, Film Store Rental, Films at 59, Mediadog, New Day Pictures, No Drama, Origin, ProcamTake2, ProVision, S+O Media, Shoot Blue, Verve, Video Europe, VMI

Hired for Ads, fashion shoots (FAVA Rental); The Horne Section (Film Store); dramas – BBC, S4C, ITV (Films at 59); Disney, Netflix, BBC, ads, music videos (Mediadog); Great British Architects (New Day); Stonehouse, Biff & Chip, Molly & Mack, All Creatures Great & Small, Triuir, Annika (No Drama); The Lost King, The Railway Children Return, Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, The Love Box In Your Living Room (ProcamTake2); Happy Valley, Vera, Emmerdale, The Reckoning, Princess Mirror-Belle (ProVision); Married at First Sight, Jerk (S+O); This England (Verve); Endeavour (VMI); ads, branded content, feature films (Shoot Blue)

Arri’s Alexa Mini “has proved that it is still relevant and in demand,” says Shoot Blue, but there’s a sense it’s slowly being replaced. “While Alexa Minis have been our most popular cameras over the last 12 months, we expect the Alexa 35 to take over in 2023,” says Fava Rental. Film Store says that “after the release of the Mini LF and now the Alexa 35, there was conversation about its longevity” but, as many ops are so used to it, “it continues to perform well.” Films at 59 picks out a “slow decline now in the Alexa Mini” and No Drama says demand “will dwindle into the later part of this year as Alexa 35 finally starts shipping in numbers.”

 

03 ARRI ALEXA MINI LF

Average Day Rate £847

Top 5 hire from  247Kit.tv, Dynamic Rental, FAVA Rental, Filmstore Rental, Films at 59, Mediadog, No Drama, Origin, ProcamTake2, ProVision, S+O Media, Shoot Blue, Verve, Video Europe, VMI

Hired for  ads and fashion shoots (FAVA Rental); Ford Live (Film Store); Dramas – BBC, Netflix, Amazon (Films at 59); Netflix, Disney, Amazon, ads, music videos (Mediadog); Cobra, The Bay, Maternal, Better, Mayflies, ads (No Drama); Jungle, An Audience With Adele (ProcamTake2); Waterloo Road, Malpractice, Hunt For Raoul Moat (ProVision); Emily Atack, Two Men in a Tent (S+O); ABBA Voyage – Steam Motion & Sound (Verve); Grime Kids, various (VMI); Gassed Up, ads, music promos & shorts (Shoot Blue)

The Alexa Mini LF stays in third place this year. Video Europe says the “Arri Alexa Mini LF and Arri Alexa Mini are still our most popular cameras by volume and utilisation.” ProVision too says “the Alexa Mini and Alexa Mini LF again reign supreme at the top of the list for drama with the Alexa Mini LF becoming more in demand in the second half of 2022. However, with the long-awaited arrival of the Alexa 35 we’re thinking we may have a new kid on the block.” Procam Take 2 says that in 2022 the “Alexa Mini LF was our busiest camera, closely followed by the Sony VENICE. Almost all the DOP wish lists we saw across features, dramas and commercials had the Mini LF or Venice listed. Both have been the go-to options for streaming platform work and large-format glass usage.”

 

04 SONY FX6

Average Day Rate £165

Top 5 hire from  247Kit.tv, Alias Hire, Filmstore Rental, Films at 59, Hireacamera, Hotcam, Shoot Blue, The Kit Room, The London Camera Company, Mediadog, New Day, Origin, ProVision, Verve, VMI

Hired for Repair Shop (Film Store); Various natural history projects (Films at 59); 24 Hours in Police Custody, The Last Resort, Sort Your Life Out, Inside M&S at Christmas (LCC); BBC, Disney , Amazon , music videos (Mediadog); Natural history, music videos (New Day); Soldier, Geordie Hospital, Leeds Hospital, Ferne McCann, The Dubai Hustle, Saturday Night Takeaway, Project Icon, Billie & Greg: The Family Diaries, Love Island: AfterSun (ProVision); Soho Theatre Live (Verve); various (VMI); broadcast docs for Blast! Films (Shoot Blue)

The Sony FX6 moves up to fourth place in the Camera Top 10 and “appears to be the true market successor of the Sony FS7, more so than the FX9,” says Shoot Blue. And there’s “no sign of slowing demand even with supply finally catching up on orders’” says Hireacamera. Film Store says the FX6 “has become the new go to camera in factual reality and fact ent. It has surpassed the FX9 and FS7mk2 in rental volume.” ProVision says the Sony FX6 has “stepped in where the Sony FS7 left off.” And Shoot Blue reports “big demand for the Sony FX6, for its price point this camera performs extremely well and it is very accessible. It is also very light weight, giving a broader range of users to be able to use this camera.”

 

05 SONY Venice

Average Day Rate £724

Top 5 hire from  Bluefin, Dynamic Rental, Film Store, Films at 59, No Drama, Origin, ProcamTake2, ProVision, Shoot Blue, Verve, Video Europe, VMI

Hired for ads (Bluefin); Save Our Squad (Film Store); dramas (Filmsat59); Strange Case Of Jekyll & Hyde, Ralph & Katie, Everyone Else Burns, Hollyoaks, Crime, ads (No Drama); The Loneliest Boy In The World , Rogue Agent, Trying (ProcamTake2); Emily, The Long Shadow, Orpheus, Hullraisers (ProVision); Romesh Ranganathan: The Cynic (Verve); Midsomer Murders, Dodger, Brassic, Phoenix Rise (VMI); Sumotherhood (Shoot Blue)

 

06 SONY FS7

Average Day Rate £158

Top 5 hire from  Alias Hire, Bluefin, Hotcam, The London Camera Company, Run Hire

Hired for  Body on The Beach Viacom/MTV (Bluefin); Married at First Sight: After Party – C4 (Hotcam); Build Your Dream Home in the Country, Dream Kitchens and Bathrooms (Run Hire)

 

07 SONY A7S MKIII

Average Day Rate £114

Top 5 hire from  Alias Hire, Bluefin, Hireacamera, The London Camera Company, Mediadog, Run Hire, The Kit Room

Hired for  True Life Crime UK (Bluefin); Various dry hire clients (LCC); PLT (Mediadog); Promos and online content (Run Hire)

 

08 Arri Alexa 35

Average Day Rate £930

Top 5 hire from Dynamic Rental, FAVA Rental, Mediadog, ProVision, Video Europe

Hired for  commercials, fashion shoots (FAVA Rental); BBC, Disney, ads, music videos (Mediadog); Platform 7 (ProVision)

 

09= RED Gemini

Average Day Rate £450

Top 5 hire from  247Kit.tv, Films at 59

Hired for Various natural history projects (Films at 59)

 

09= SONY FS7 MKII

Average Day Rate £140

Top 5 hire from  Run Hire, The Kit Room

Hired for Save Money on your Supermarket Shop, Nicola Adams: Me and IVF (Run Hire)

 

Many thanks to all the hire companies who took part:
Alias Hire, Bluefin, Dynamic Rentals, Film Store Rental, Films at 59, Hireacamera, New Day, No Drama, Pro Motion, Procam Take 2, ProVision, Run Hire, S+O, Shoot Blue, The Kit Room, Video Europe, VI Rental, VMI

 

The Top 10 Rental Cameras survey first appeared in Televisual’s Spring 2023 issue

Jon Creamer

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