Netflix has published an ‘approved cameras list’, but what does it mean and should you really use it for video camera buying advice?
From Bridgerton to Resident Evil, Netflix is home to a huge variety of movies and TV shows. But you may also have noticed that, whatever the subject matter, Netflix dramas often share a signature crisp, clean look. Why is that? One of the reasons is the influence of what Netflix calls its «approved cameras list».
This is a slightly strange concept. After all, musicians don’t have to use Spotify-approved instruments to record albums for the streaming service. So why does Netflix feel the need to create its own cameras list, and how does it decide which ones make the cut? More importantly, should video cameras that aren’t on the list be immediately deemed worthless and obsolete?
With a little help from Netflix, we’ve answered those questions and more in this explainer. The streaming service’s cameras list is evolving all the time – this week, for example, Netflix added the Sony FX3. This is a significant new entry, because the FX3 is Sony’s smallest, cheapest cinema camera (even if it does still cost $3,899 / £4,200 / AU$6,149).
There’s no doubt that Netflix’s ‘approved cameras list’ contains some of the best video cameras you can buy, but is it the be-all-and-end-all for filmmakers looking to buy a camera? Let’s shine a spotlight on the guidelines to find out.
Since 2018, Netflix has published a regularly updated list of approved cameras (opens in new tab) that filmmakers must use to shoot «90% of a program’s total runtime» on Netflix productions. At the time of writing, that list contains 50 cameras from Arri, Canon, Panasonic, RED, Panavision, Sony and Blackmagic.
So does this mean every film or TV show that you watch on Netflix has been shot with one of those cameras? Not quite. The streaming giant confirmed to us that the cameras list is for Netflix productions only – in other words, just the shows you see badged as ‘Netflix Originals’, like Stranger Things, The Crown and Money Heist.
The rest of Netflix’s library has been shot using whatever cameras the directors liked (or perhaps, could afford). That’s why we’ve seen several movies, like Tangerine and High Flying Bird, appear on the platform despite being shot entirely on iPhones.
There’s no doubt that Netflix’s list of approved cameras errs towards the high-end. But in recent years, we’ve seen some interesting compact models added to the guide, including the Canon EOS C70, Panasonic Lumix S1H and, most recently, the compact Sony FX3.
Not all of them are full-frame cameras either – the Panasonic DC-BGH1 ($1,998 / £1,899 / AU$2,999) earns a spot despite having a relatively small Four Thirds sensor.
