Starting camera for cinematography?

[Hrvoje Simic]

Sony A6000 with Atomos recorder, practically any lens you want on E-mount, and cleaner image than 5D/7D mush.

 

[Jon D Kline]

I also endorse the "work at a rental shop" plan. You'll get to see a lot more gear.

There are things that are worth spending extra money on. Those are the things you might still be using in ten years, like a nice tripod, lights, PL-mount lenses, and sound equipment. The cameras are where all the glamour is, but they all become paperweights eventually. No one ever threw away a C stand for being out of date.

 

[James B.]

The cameras are where all the glamour is, but they all become paperweights eventually. No one ever threw away a C stand for being out of date.

Couldn't have said it better!

I would only add, keep asking the right questions!

 

[Glen Powell]

I'm going to step out of line and suggest that working / volunteering at a rental house isn't that great of an idea...

Here's why:
- In a rental house you aren't going to meet D.P.'s, Directors, or any of the people who will hire you / you will hire along your journey.
- You will see a lot of gear; but mostly in travel cases as you load it in and out of trucks.
- You'll count a lot of equipment, but you'll never see it in use.
- You'll meet a lot of 1st & 2nd A.C.'s, who will dog you with requests for their favourite ________, and not the one that's set out in their package.
- Making the jump to set won't be that easy.

Where you should be is on set starting as a P.A. - and not your cousin's best friends 'Indie Feature' crewed by noobs and people from Craigslist - but rather real professional film sets.

Here's why:
- You'll see D.P.'s, Directors, Gaffers, grips in real work situations, lighting and framing.
- You'll meet all the people who will help you along your journey; from art dept, to wardrobe, to craft services.
- As a pre-production P.A. you'll drive the D.P. & Director & Producer on the Tech scouts - you'll listen to them decide on gear for that shoot, you'll learn why they chose a Leko over a ____. A PeeWee over a ___.
- On a set you'll learn the culture of filmaking, when to talk, when to shut up, who does what, when and why. Invaluable.

In all my years of working as a P.M. / assistant Producer / Line Producer / Head of Production I never once went to a rental house except for the Christmas party. Only once did I have a D.P. who wanted to stop by the rental house to look at the package; and that was mostly because he couldn't stand the director and wanted to leave the production office.
I never once heard someone on set make a recommendation that we should hire "That guy who works over at Panavision".

My input - may mean nothing to you, but I've done pretty well for myself by following the on set from the bottom track.