Cameras in movies and TV shows

[melek]

When a camera is shown on TV or in a movie, I usually try to figure out what they're using, particularly if it's a production that is set in a different era.

So I was watching this trailer for a show ("Severance") that I won't be watching because I don't have Apple TV. In it, the guy uses a camera to take a staff photo, so I paused and backed it up.

This appears to be a Leica (the red dot has been covered by a gray oval), and it uses a Voigtlander Nokton lens, and also an electronic flash and cable release. Not sure of why he needed a cable release but whatever.

I also notice that most news photographers seen in movies and TV shows have no idea of how to actually use a camera. Anyone else ever notice or is bothered by that?

[Julio1fer]

Could be a M6. Maybe a M4.

Do not remember examples of improper use in movies, but then I do not watch that many. A lot of that in fashion magazines, though.

[GrahamS]

The most famous of all- Nikon F in Blow Up. Nikon F & Nikkormat FT in Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. Nikon F5 in Jurassic Park. Nikon F in Diamonds are Forever. Nikon F2 in Jaws. Here are two lists of cameras in the movies:

Nikon in the movies.png (108.58 KiB) Viewed 5178 times

Cameras in the movies.png (79.02 KiB) Viewed 5178 times

[GrahamS]

News photographers don't appear to know how to use a camerta in the movies because they are not news photographers, they are extras employed at the studio gates just for the day.

[Julio1fer]

Nikon cameras appear a lot in films.

Another classic is the Exakta in Hitchcock’s Rear Window

Here is a puzzle for camera trivia experts:

As Graham mentioned The French Connection, at the beginning the older French character (Charnier) gets a gift from his girlfriend, a SLR in the presentation box. Do you remember which camera it was?

[PFMcFarland]

Could be a M6. Maybe a M4.

Do not remember examples of improper use in movies, but then I do not watch that many. A lot of that in fashion magazines, though.

Definitely an M6 Classic, and a Leica flash unit too. Not only did they replace the red dot with that oval but the M6 logo is covered up with what looks like a bit of black tape. You can still make out the battery chamber lid under his middle finger tip. If it had been an M7 then there would have been a viewfinder indicator in the view window (.58, .72, or .85) bottom reflector which would be hard to cover up without noticing it. If it was an M6 TTL then there would be another frame reflector in the top of the viewfinder window to match the bottom one.

One common thing I see with movie photographers is they seem to have verrrry long rolls of film in their cameras.

PF

[GrahamS]

Nikon cameras appear a lot in films.

Another classic is the Exakta in Hitchcock’s Rear Window

Here is a puzzle for camera trivia experts:

As Graham mentioned The French Connection, at the beginning the older French character (Charnier) gets a gift from his girlfriend, a SLR in the presentation box. Do you remember which camera it was?

Nikon F Photomic? See list above.

[GrahamS]

One common thing I see with movie photographers is they seem to have verrrry long rolls of film in their cameras.

PF

That is their solution to the problem of running out of film at the crucial moment......no film in the camera at all.......

[scott]

Was rewatching the pilot for Lost In Space (the 1965 version) over the weekend. Mind you, the pilot takes place October 16, 1997. In Mission Control, a press photographer is seen in the control room, shooting pictures with... A 4x5 Graflex. Yeah - they were ahead of their time on all the futuristic tech on that show...

[Julio1fer]

Nikon cameras appear a lot in films.

Another classic is the Exakta in Hitchcock’s Rear Window

Here is a puzzle for camera trivia experts:

As Graham mentioned The French Connection, at the beginning the older French character (Charnier) gets a gift from his girlfriend, a SLR in the presentation box. Do you remember which camera it was?

Nikon F Photomic? See list above.

Graham, my recall is that it was a Pentax or maybe Canon. I have tried to find the film but no luck so far.