MPB: Flagships you can afford!
Posted on Feb 26, 2025 by Pro Moviemaker
If you dream of owning a top-of-the-range cinema camera, now you can if you buy from used specialist MPB
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There is nothing that marks you out as a serious professional filmmaker more than turning up on a job and mounting a genuine large-sensor cinema camera on top of your proper, grown-up tripod. Even the most jaded clients can’t fail to be impressed that they’ve invested their budget in hiring a big-league creative talent. It makes the shooter who turns up with a mirrorless camera – and loads of bolt-on kit to rig it into something more usable for video – look decidedly amateur.
Of course, we all know that the results are in the final edit and mirrorless cameras are more than capable of delivering stunning results. But a cinema camera does offer significant advantages, such as improved ergonomics, higher bit rates, much better battery life, far superior heat management, higher-quality audio inputs and controls, plus built-in ND filters, false colour and waveforms tools.
That’s why so many filmmakers would love to splurge on the latest top-of-the-line cinema cameras, but these are often prohibitively expensive.
However, there is a way to take ownership of a dream camera that’s much more affordable, which is great news for cashflow and the bottom line. That’s to search out a used flagship model, which is not only a more sustainable option but, as these cameras are built to take the beating of everyday professional use, they are made to last. High-end cameras aren’t upgraded as often as consumer-focused mirrorless ones, so you can often buy used versions of them that are a few years old but still use current technology. It’s also quite shocking how many of the very latest cinema cameras are on the used market, as these are often bought for one-off projects and sold soon afterwards. For even more serious savings, a previous-generation model often offers all the tech you could ever want anyway.
When it comes to spending wisely, buy a camera that meets your needs right now rather than over-spending on a model that has features you might not need until several years down the line. Of course, buying such a big-ticket item privately can be risky, as ultimately your reputation and safety is at stake. The internet has brought out all sorts of scammers, and even if you do manage to securely snag a great buy from a private seller, you could still be stuck with a dud – and no comeback.
It makes far more sense to buy from a reputable used specialist dealer that not only has far more stock to choose from but has a team of expert staff to check out all kit properly and offers a guarantee that you’re not buying a lemon.
With bases in the UK, Europe and the US, the leader in used video and stills kit is MPB. The website shows you exact photos of the fully-tested gear and you can even sell your old equipment on it to fund the buy. MPB has big stocks of used equipment from the likes of Arri, Canon, Red, Sony, Blackmagic and Panasonic, all tested and loaded with the latest firmware, coming with a six-month guarantee.
The best used buys right now
For many, Arri is the dream purchase, and although buying one of the latest cameras used would still cost as much as a decent car, MPB even had stocks of the Alexa Mini when Pro Moviemaker went to press. At £14,299 it’s hardly bargain-basement prices, but if you have an Arri itch that needs scratching, this still offers a relatively affordable option.
A more sensible option, with more choices, is to go for a Red camera. These American-made dream machines are famed for giving their footage a unique look, with massive dynamic range thanks to the Raw pipeline. They have solid build quality and often boast interchangeable lens mounts, so you can fit your own glass.
It’s possible to buy a Red Scarlet-X for as little as £900 or a full-frame Epic-W Helium 8K for around £4000. But as Red’s latest range of cameras dropped in price significantly, it makes more sense to go for one of the 6K Komodo range, if you’re OK with Super 35 sensors, or invest in a V-Raptor if you want the ultimate, full-frame Red experience.
When we looked, MPB had a dozen Red Komodo 6K cameras in stock, from a very attainable £2900. With a global shutter to avoid skewed verticals and a Canon RF mount linked to phase detection AF, it’s an incredible entry into the world of high-end cinema cameras. MPB even had stocks of the latest Komodo-X with its new and improved sensor, at £6000.
If you need more resolution, the 8K Red V-Raptor with a Super 35 sensor is available used from £13,800, but it makes more sense to spend the extra cash and go for one of the flagship V-Raptor VV cameras MPB has, from £16,349. These shoot in DCI 8K full-frame and have a maximum frame rate of 120fps in 4K. They don’t have the global shutter of the new X-model V-Raptor, but aren’t far off half the price and will give years of value.
Much of MPB’s Red stock comes with a range of accessories, which can make a real difference as the brand is known for making buyers pay extra for the ancillaries. Reds also don’t have built-in ND filters, so you’ll need to look at variable NDs or a matte box that takes graded ND filters.
For the biggest choice of cinema cameras, MPB has lots of Sony and Canon models. As they have a variety of models that have been on sale for many years, the range of prices and specs is very wide.
For E-mount users, the latest Sony FX9 is a great used buy, but the FX6 is always hard to get hold of. For a real cine cam experience at not much money, that’s still capable of 4K recording and 180fps frame rates, it’s perhaps best to look at the FS7 and FS7 Mark II Super 35 cinema cameras. The FS7 revolutionised filmmaking and is still a workhorse for many indie companies and local TV productions. It’s now a bargain from around £1000, and spend just a few hundred more to get the Mark II version, which offers better colours but the same body and handling. MPB has a choice of more than a dozen.
For Canon EF lens users, a real bargain is the Super 35 EOS C300 Mark III which has a Dual Gain Output sensor with up to 16 stops of high dynamic range for great HDR recording and low noise. The EF lens mount is interchangeable with a PL mount so there are hundreds of lenses you can fit. These are hard to get hold of though, as they sell as soon as they hit the shelves.
In plentiful supply is the EOS C70, as many filmmakers are trading up to the brand-new, full-frame C80 version. The C70 was the first of Canon’s range to use the latest RF mount; it’s still a capable 4K camera thanks to its DGO sensor, and costs from £2500. It also shoots 4K in 120fps but with a significant crop.
The Canon EF mount is also one of the reasons why the Super 35 Panasonic EVA 1 is such a success. It’s a real cinema camera that records in 5.7K and is a steal at around £1600! It uses the same sensor as the pricier Varicam 35, with dual native ISO ratings of 800 and 5000. The EVA 1 captures 14 stops of dynamic range when using V-Log and records up to 60fps at 4K and up to 240fps at 2K.
As always, Blackmagic offers great-value cameras, especially buying used. The Ursa Mini Pro cameras are built to last and are available in various different specs, right up to 12K. A great buy is the G2 4.6K with its Canon EF lens mount, at around £2200. For such a small outlay, you will get a capable machine with the kudos you get from such a pro-level cinema camera. It’s definitely the time to go large, as the outlay can be surprisingly small.
For more information, visit mpb.com
Originally published in the Mar/Apr 2025 issue of Pro Moviemaker.
