A busy week of camera releases in the filmmaking industry! Nikon and Canon have both raised the bar for compact cinema-quality cameras—Nikon with its bold fusion of RED’s color science in the ultra-light Nikon ZR, and Canon with its powerhouse EOS C50, boasting groundbreaking 7K Open Gate RAW capture in the smallest Cinema EOS body yet.  Will you buy one of these new cameras?  

Nikon ZR

Nikon has officially entered the cinema camera space with the Nikon ZR, a compact, full-frame cinema camera born from a collaboration with RED Digital Cinema—a company Nikon acquired in 2024.

Key Highlights:

• 6K RAW recording, up to 60fps, along with 4K120p capability and internal support for RED’s R3D NE RAW, Nikon RAW, and ProRes RAW formats 
• RED color science, offering strong dynamic range (over 15+ stops), and post-production flexibility such as adjusting ISO and white balance in R3D files 
• Compact design: lightweight (~1.19 lb), magnesium alloy chassis without an EVF, but featuring a 4″ vari-angle touchscreen, internal 32-bit float audio, IBIS, and weather resistance 
• Shipping in October 2025, priced at approximately $2,199 (body only), with lens kits and an ME-D10 hot-shoe mic (around $340) available.

Canon EOS C50: Compact 7K Hybrid Cinema Powerhouse

Canon's new EOS C50 is turning heads as one of the smallest, lightest full-frame Cinema EOS cameras yet, offering professional features in a compact body 

Standout Features:

• 7K full-frame sensor with internal RAW recording at 60fps, plus 4K120p and 2K180p capabilities 
• 3:2 “Open Gate” mode, an industry-first in Cinema EOS series, allowing flexible aspect ratio extraction—a huge advantage for anamorphic and creative framing 
• Hybrid power: 32MP still capture (up to 40fps), Dual Base ISO (800/6400), Canon Log profiles, and fast Dual Pixel CMOS AF II autofocus 
• Professional ergonomics: detachable top handle with XLR inputs, zoom rocker, start/stop button, timecode terminal, livestream support, and more 
• Shipping timeline:  shipping expected by November 2
  

Zacuto Wishlist: What do Creators Want Next?

Filmmakers are buzzing: With Nikon and Canon pushing innovation, what gear should Zacuto build next? Tell us in the comments or send us an email- mandy@zacuto.com