List of films shot on digital video prior to 2012
Introduction Starting in the 1990s, films had been shot on digital video and videotape rather than film stock. Some of them are independent, low-budget productions, while others are major studio productions. Since the mid-2010s, most films are captured and distributed digitally. Among the 200 highest grossing theatrically released films each year, a majority of films were shot on digital video for the first time in 2013, in 2014 over 80% were shot digitally, and by 2016 over 90% of films were shot digitally.
Notable firsts * First major studio film shot primarily on digital video: ''Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones'' (2002)* First film shot digitally in Official Competition at Cannes Film Festival: ''Russian Ark'' (2002)* First nominees for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography shot mainly on digital video: ''The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'' and ''Slumdog Millionaire'' (2008)* First winner of the Academy Award for Best Cinematography shot mainly on digital video: ''Slumdog Millionaire'' (2008)* First winner of the Academy Award for Best Cinematography shot entirely on digital video: ''Avatar'' (2009)* First film shot with the Red One Camera: ''Che'' (2008)* First film shot with the Red One MX, and first film projected in 4K theatrical distribution: ''The Social Network'' (2010)* First film to be shot mainly with the Arri Alexa: ''Anonymous'' (2011)* First film to be shot mainly with the Red Epic Dragon and in 6K resolution: ''Gone Girl'' (2014)* First film shot mainly with the Arri Alexa 65: ''The Revenant'' (2015)* First film shot mainly with digital IMAX cameras: ''Avengers: Infinity War'' (2018) and ''Avengers: Endgame'' (2019)* First film shot mainly with the Red Weapon Vista Vision and in 8K resolution: ''Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2'' (2017)
List of films The movies listed are shot mainly digitally. The list includes films released before 2012.TitleCinematographerCamera typeLens typeYearNotes''Setup''Mike GuntherRed One2011''Catch .44''Aaron HarveyRed One MXHawk V-LiteV-Plus Lenses2011''Albert Nobbs''Michael McDonoughRed One MX2011''Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close''Chris MengesArri Alexa2011''11-11-11''Joseph WhiteArri Alexa2011''The Wholly Family''Nicola PecoriniArri Alexa2011''Once Upon a Time in Anatolia''Gökhan TiryakiSony CineAlta F352011''Wild Bill''George RichmondArri Alexa2011''This Is 40''Phedon PapamichaelArri Alexa2011''The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo''Jeff CronenwethRed One MX, Red Epic MXZeiss Master Prime2011Red Epic was used to shoot scenes in both the US and Sweden. The film was also the first to employ a workflow higher than 4K resolution from production to presentation. ''The Darkest Hour''Scott KevanSony CineAlta F352011''Final Destination 5''Brian PearsonArri Alexa2011''Young Adult''Eric SteelbergArri Alexa2011''The Muppets''Don BurgessRed One MX, Red Epic MXZeiss Ultra Prime2011''Hugo''Robert RichardsonArri Alexa2011Winner of the 2011 Academy Award for Best Cinematography''Immortals''Brendan GalvinPanavision Genesis2011''Jack and Jill''Dean CundeyArri AlexaCooke S42011''A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas''Michael BarrettPanavision Genesis2011''The Three Musketeers''Glen MacPhersonArri Alexa2011''Vicky and the Treasure of the Gods''Christian ReinArri Alexa2011''Rampart''Bobby BukowskiArri Alexa2011''Killer Joe''Caleb DeschanelArri Alexa2011''Headshot''Chankit ChamnivikaipongRed One MX2011''Dolphin Tale''Karl Walter LindenlaubRed One MX2011''Our Idiot Brother''Yaron OrbachRed One MX2011''Anonymous''Anna FoersterArri Alexa2011The first feature-length film to be shot with Alexa''Contagion''Steven SoderberghRed One MXRed Pro Prime2011''Margin Call''Frank DeMarcoRed One MX2011''The Inbetweeners Movie''Ben WheelerArri Alexa2011''The Devil's Double''Sam McCurdyRed One MX2011''Drive''Newton Thomas SigelArri Alexa2011''In Time''Roger DeakinsArri Alexa2011''Captain America: The First Avenger''Shelly JohnsonPanavision Genesis2011Underwater sequences and epilogue shot with Arri Alexa''Zookeeper''Michael BarrettPanavision Genesis2011''Horrible Bosses''David HenningsPanavision Genesis2011''Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star''Michael BarrettPanavision Genesis2011''Bellflower''Joel HodgeCustom based on Silicon Imaging SI-2K2011''Melancholia''Manuel Alberto ClaroArri Alexa2011Phantom HD Camera used for high-speed photography''Mr. Popper's Penguins''Florian BallhausArri Alexa2011''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''Amir MokriSony CineAlta F352011Most non-action scenes/close-ups shot with 35mm film''Return of the Moonwalker''Mike MariaRed Epic MX2011''Pina''Hélène LouvartJörg WidmerSony HDC-15002011''Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides''Dariusz WolskiRed One MX2011''Prom''Byron ShahArri Alexa2011''TT3D: Closer to the Edge''Thomas KürzlRed One MX2011''The Lincoln Lawyer''Lukas EttlinRed One MX2011''Shark Night 3D''Gary CapoFusion Camera System, Sony CineAlta F352011''Sanctum''Jules O'LoughlinFusion Camera System2011''Drive Angry''Brian PearsonRed One MX, Silicon Imaging SI-2K2011''Cedar Rapids''Chuy ChávezArriflex D-212011''Like Crazy''John GuleserianCanon EOS 7D2011''The Future (film)''Nikolai von GraevenitzRed One M2011''Sick Boy''Sean C. CunninghamCanon EOS 7D2011Canon EOS L-Series lenses, StickyPod, Redrock Micro "Captain Stubling" rig and Lensbaby Muse''Sound of My Voice''Rachel MorrisonCanon EOS 7D2011''Tron: Legacy''Claudio MirandaSony CineAlta F352010Phantom HD Camera used for high-speed photography''Blue Valentine''Andrij ParekhRed One MCooke S42010Present-day scenes shot on Red, flashback scenes shot on 16mm''Red State''David KleinRed One MX, Canon EOS 7D2010Canon 7D used only for 'running with camera' shots''Winter's Bone''Michael McDonoughRed One MZeiss Master Prime2010''Sarah's Key''Pascal RidaoRed One MCooke S42010''Jackass 3D''Dimitry ElyashkevichRed One M2010''Hubble 3D''James NeihouseIMAX Cargo Bay 3-D Camera2010''The Devil's Rock''Paul CampionRed One M2010''Fair Game''Doug LimanRed One M2010''Resident Evil: Afterlife''Glen MacPhersonFusion Camera System2010''The Social Network''Jeff CronenwethRed One MXZeiss Master Prime2010First film to feature a 2K pipeline, from production to presentation. ''127 Hours''Anthony Dod MantleEnrique ChediakCanon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon EOS 7D, Silicon Imaging SI-2K2010''Machete''Jimmy LindseyPanavision Genesis2010''Certified Copy''Luca BigazziRed One M2010''Casino Jack''Adam SwicaRed One M2010''Date Night''Dean SemlerPanavision Genesis2010''The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader''Dante SpinottiSony CineAlta F232010''Rosario''Carlo MendozaArri Alexa2010First Filipino film to be shot with the Arri Alexa''Yogi Bear''Peter JamesFusion Camera System2010''Step Up 3D''Ken SengFusion Camera System2010''Death at a Funeral''Rogier StoffersPanavision Genesis2010''Film Socialisme''Fabrice AragnoPaul GrivasSony PMW-EX1, Sony HDR-TG1E, JVC Everio, Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Samsung NV24HD, Archos 404 Camcorder2010''Killers''Russell CarpenterArriflex D-212010''Grown Ups''Theo van de SandePanavision Genesis2010''Rabbit Hole''Frank G. DeMarcoRed One M2010''Rubber''Quentin DupieuxCanon EOS 5D Mark II2010''twelve''Steven FierbergRed One M2010''Avatar''Mauro FioreFusion Camera SystemFujinon 6.3-101mm T2 and 7-35mm T1.82009First 100% digitally photographed film to win the Academy Award for Best Cinematography''The Informant! ''Steven SoderberghRed One MRed Pro prime2009''Youth in Revolt''Chuy ChávezSony CineAlta F352009''The Box''Steven PosterPanavision Genesis2009''Zombieland''Michael BonvillainPanavision Genesis2009''The Final Destination''Glen MacPhersonFusion Camera System2009''District 9''Trent OpalochRed One M2009''The Secret in Their Eyes''Félix MontiRed One M2009''Valhalla Rising''Morten SøborgRed One M2009''Public Enemies''Dante SpinottiSony CineAlta F232009Some car interiors during chases shot on Sony XDCAM EX-1''The Girlfriend Experience''Steven SoderberghRed One MPanavision C-series anamorphic2009''Gamer''Ekkehart PollackRed One M2009''Antichrist''Anthony Dod MantleRed One M2009Phantom HD Camera used for high-speed photography''Samantha Darko''Chris FisherRed One M2009''Surviving Evil''Mike DownieThomson Viper2009''Tetro''Mihai Mălaimare Jr.Sony CineAlta F9002009''Crank: High Voltage''Brandon TrostCanon XH-A12009Fifteen Canon HF10 were used as Crash-Cams''The Book of Eli''Don BurgessRed One MPanavision Primo2009''Knowing''Simon DugganRed One M2009''Achchamundu! Achchamundu! ''Arthur WilsonRed One M2009''Like You Know It All''Kim Hoon-kwangSony PMW-EX12009''My Bloody Valentine 3D''Brian PearsonRed One M, Silicon Imaging SI-2K2009''Leaves of Grass''Roberto SchaeferRed One M2009''neighbor''Marc Jeff SchirmerRed One M2009''The Spirit''Bill PopePanavision Genesis2008Phantom HD Camera used for high-speed photography''The Curious Case of Benjamin Button''Claudio MirandaThomson ViperZeiss DigiPrime2008Among the first two predominantly digitally photographed films, along with ''Slumdog Millionaire'', to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography''Slumdog Millionaire''Anthony Dod MantleSilicon Imaging SI-2K2008The first predominantly digitally photographed film to win the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. Shot on multiple formats, including 35mm and digital stills. ''Rachel Getting Married''Declan QuinnSony CineAlta F232008''You Don't Mess With The Zohan''Michael BarrettPanavision Genesis2008''Chemical Wedding''Brian HerlihyThomson Viper2008''Che: Part Two''Steven SoderberghRed One MRed Pro prime2008''Che: Part One''Steven SoderberghRed One MRed Pro prime2008The first feature-length film shot with Red One cameras''Get Smart''Dean SemlerPanavision Genesis2008''Speed Racer''David TattersallSony CineAlta F232008''Three Monkeys''Gökhan TiryakiSony CineAlta F9002008''Deception''Dante SpinottiPanavision Genesis2008''21''Russell CarpenterPanavision Genesis2008''Journey to the Center of the Earth''Chuck ShumanFusion Camera System2008''Cloverfield''Michael BonvillainSony CineAlta F232008Segments, other shots include the Panasonic HVX-200, as well as the Thomson Viper''RocknRolla''David HiggsArriflex D-212008''The Bank Job''Michael CoulterArriflex D-212008''Before the Devil Knows You're Dead''Ron FortunatoPanavision Genesis2007''Reign Over Me''Russ AlsobrookPanavision Genesis2007''Youth Without Youth''Mihai Mălaimare Jr.Sony CineAlta F9002007''Zodiac''Harris SavidesThomson ViperZeiss DigiPrime2007''Balls of Fury''Thomas E. AckermanPanavision Genesis2007''Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story''Uta Briesewitz	Panavision Genesis2007''Superbad''Russ AlsobrookPanavision Genesis2007''I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry''Dean SemlerPanavision Genesis2007''Next''David TattersallPanavision Genesis2007''Chronicle of Purgatory: The Waiter''Jason KonopisosPanasonic AG-DVX100 (Andromeda Modification)2007The Andromeda Modification bypasses the DV compression to get uncompressed 4:4:4 10-bit RGB data straight from the CCD block''Planet Terror''Robert RodriguezPanavision Genesis2007''Apocalypto''Dean SemlerPanavision Genesis2006''Once''Tim FlemingSony HVR-Z12006''Inland Empire''David LynchSony DSR-PD1502006''Miami Vice''Dion BeebeThomson Viper2006''Superman Returns''Newton Thomas SigelPanavision Genesis2006BoratAnthony HardwickLuke GeissbühlerPanasonic AJ-HDC27 Varicam2006Shot with two VariCams with occasional use of a Panasonic AG-DVX100''Click''Dean SemlerPanavision Genesis2006''Climates''Gökhan TiryakiSony CineAlta F9002006''Colossal Youth''Pedro CostaLeonardo SimõesPanasonic AG-DVX1002006''Crank''Adam BiddleSony CineAlta F9502006Some scenes shot with Canon XL-2''Flyboys''Henry Braham	Panavision Genesis2006''Them (Ils)''David MoreauXavier PaludPanasonic AG-DVX1002006''Still Life''Zhangke JiaSony HVR-Z12006''Me and You and Everyone We Know''Chuy ChávezSony CineAlta F9002005''Il vento fa il suo giro''Roberto CimattiPanasonic AG-DVX1002005''Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith''David TattersallSony CineAlta F9502005''The Adventures of Shark Boy & Lava Girl''Robert RodriguezSony CineAlta F9502005''Bubble''Steven SoderberghSony CineAlta F900/F9502005''Manderlay''Anthony Dod MantleSony CineAlta F9002005Some scenes shot with Sony DSR-PD100''Sin City''Robert RodriguezSony CineAlta F9502005''Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow''Eric AdkinsSony CineAlta F9002005''Collateral''Paul CameronDion BeebeSony CineAlta F900, Thomson Viper200435mm used for some scenes''Land of Plenty''Franz LustigPanasonic AG-DVX1002004''The World''Yu Lik-waiSony CineAlta F9002004''Dogville''Anthony Dod MantleSony CineAlta F9002003Some scenes shot with Sony DSR-PD100''Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over''Robert RodriguezSony CineAlta F9002003''Once Upon A Time In Mexico''Robert RodriguezSony CineAlta F9002003Was filmed in 2001 but released theatrically in 2003''Pieces of April''Tami ReikerSony DSR-PD1502003Filmed in 2002 and released in 2003''Virgin''Benjamin WolfSony DSR-PD1502003Shot in 2002 and released in 2003''Unknown Pleasures''Yu Lik-waiSony DSR-PD1502002Other scenes shot in Digital Betacam''Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams''Robert RodriguezSony CineAlta F9002002''Russian Ark''Tilman BüttnerSony CineAlta F900Canon ENG2002''Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones''David TattersallSony CineAlta F9002002Cited by the British Film Institute as "the first digitally shot blockbuster to hit cinemas. "''9 Songs''Marcel ZyskindPanasonic AG-DVX1002002Other scenes shot with Sony DSR-PD150''Full Frontal''Steven SoderberghCanon XL-1s2002''Personal Velocity: Three Portraits''Ellen KurasSony DSR-PD1502002''Tadpole''Hubert TaczanowskiSony DSR-PD1502002Shot with three digital cameras''24 Hour Party People''Robby MullerSony DSR-PD1502002''28 Days Later...''Anthony Dod MantleCanon XL-1s2002Some shots in 35mm''Xuxa e os Duendes''Cezar MoraesSony CineAlta F9002001''All About Lily Chou-Chou''Noboru ShinodaSony CineAlta F9002001''The Anniversary Party''John BaileySony DSR-5002001''By Hook or By Crook''Ann T. RossettiSony vx20002001''The King Is Alive''Jens SchlosserSony DSR-PD1502001''The Center of the World''The Chau NgoSony DSR-PD100Sony DVW-7002001Used Digital Betacam for some scenes and the Sony DRV-100 for others ''The Wager''Arnar Thor ThorissonSony CineAlta F9002001Shot in 2001, released in 2004''Vidocq''Jean-Pierre SauvaireJean-Claude ThibautSony HDW-F900 CineAlta2001''You Got Nothin'''Cliff HsuiJonathan ZamesSony HDW-F900 CineAlta2001Shot in 2001, released in 2002.''Xtracurricular''J.P. LipaSony HDW-F900 CineAlta2001Some scenes shot on Panasonic AJ-HDC27 Varicam and Sony DSR-500WS. Shot in 2001, released in 2003''Tortilla Soup''Xavier Pérez GrobetPanasonic AJ-HDC27 Varicam2001Home video release from 35mm Interpostive''Bamboozled''Ellen KurasSony DCR-VX10002000Some scenes shot in 16mm''Chuck & Buck''Chuy ChávezSony DCR-VX10002000''Dancer in the Dark''Robby MüllerSony DXC-D30WS2000Musical numbers shot with 100 Sony DSR-PD100s''Our Lady of the Assassins''Barbet SchroederSony HDW-7002000Premiered September 1, 2000 (Telluride Film Festival)''Ivans Xtc''Bernard RoseSony HDW-700A2000Premiered September 12, 2000 (Toronto International Film Festival)''Everything Put Together''Roberto SchaeferSony DCR-VX10002000Shot entirely on HD in the summer of 1999, premiered in 2000''Solid Ones''Matthew W. DavidSony HDW-700A1999 Shot entirely on HD in the summer of 1999, premiered in 2000''God Wears My Underwear'' Leslie StreitCanon XL-1Canon EOS zoom1999 Shot in 1999, released in 2005The New WomenLarra AndersonCanon XL-1Canon EOS zoom1999 Shot in 1999, released in 2001''The Book of Life''Jim DenaultSony DCR-VX10001998FestenThomas VinterbergSony DCR-PC31998''The Celebration''Anthony Dod MantleSony DCR-PC31998''The Idiots''Lars von TrierSony DCR-VX10001997''Hope''Pete AndersonCanon GL11997''Windhorse''Steve SchecterSony DVW-700WS Sony DCR-VX1000 1996Premiered 1998 at the Santa Barbara Film Festival''The Demons in My Head'' Grant HoySony DVW-700WS 1996Premiered 15 June 1997 at the Sanctuary Cove Village Theater, Queensland, Australia. Also first feature film to be online edited in a computer and projected digitally
See also * List of large sensor interchangeable-lens video cameras* List of motion picture topics* Filmizing* ''Russian Ark'' - The first feature film shot completely in uncompressed high-definition
References
External links * ''American Cinematographer''  article about ''Star Wars: Episode II''* ''American Cinematographer''  article about ''Collateral''* ''DigitalCinemaNow''  article about "HD 2K 4K Digital hi-end cameras"* ''HD Magazine''  "All about HD in all its guises - capture to distribution"*  Official Panavision Media Center & Reference Library* ''Light Illusion''  Various Tech Papers about Digital Cinematography and Digital Film*  Official Sony Professional Website