Adolescence (2025) camera and gear - Implications for the industry

[EduPortas]

Since this forum has taken a strong liking to cinema this past couple of years, I'd think it be useful to point out the gear used in this very popular series.

As you probably know, they used a DJI Ronin 4D and a Cooke SP3 32mm to shoot the entire series. That's about US$12,000 in total (not counting storage media).

Either way, it's a breakthrough in the  film industry that wishes to distance itself from the Arri/Sony duopoly. For the independent film industry this is even more important. Yes, for a mere mortal that's quite a bit of money. But for a film project -- any film project that wishes to be taken seriously -- it's basically peanuts.

Arguably, it's a pretty decent looking media product. Only the most ardent film aficionados will notice any difference, if any, from an Arri or Sony film cam. For 99.9% of the rest of the world, it's great quality.

I can see the American film-industry boycotting the Chinese DJI to protect their American gear. The wave of new pro and amateur projects filmed with the setup seen in Adolescence will be huge. We are "there".

[eatstoomuchjam]

FWIW, if you watch the BTS, they were most likely over $30,000 on the camera package alone.  I'm not sure if it was specified whether they used the Ronin 4D 8K or 6K, but I'm assuming the more expensive one.

$10,000 - camera
$5,000 - lens
$280 - focus motor
$400 - DJI transmitter

Then add in the set of master wheels that I saw in at least one BTS photo and at least 3 high bright remote monitors + handles that I saw in another.

$10,000 - DJI master wheels
$1,700 - monitor (x3)
$730 - handles (x3)

And then add in the car mount and a drone strong enough to carry a 15 pound camera, and it's not out of the question that that all would total about $50k.

If your definition of "serious film project" is $1m+ budget, then that is indeed a small portion - but it definitely ain't cheap.

I can also say that as an owner of a Ronin 4D and a person who loves it, it would not be my choice if I could pick only one camera.  To say it has quirks would be the understatement of the century.

As a second camera?  It might be top of my list.  And I'll be in that "wave of new pro and amateur projects" filmed with one - for the feature that I've been asked to shoot, it'll likely be UC12K as the A camera and Ronin 4D for most of the handheld, car-mounted stuff, faux-jib (Flex mounted on a monopod), etc.

[Davide DB]

1 hour ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

To say it has quirks would be the understatement of the century

Could you elaborate on this?

[EduPortas]

1 hour ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

FWIW, if you watch the BTS, they were most likely over $30,000 on the camera package alone.  I'm not sure if it was specified whether they used the Ronin 4D 8K or 6K, but I'm assuming the more expensive one.

$10,000 - camera
$5,000 - lens
$280 - focus motor
$400 - DJI transmitter

Then add in the set of master wheels that I saw in at least one BTS photo and at least 3 high bright remote monitors + handles that I saw in another.

$10,000 - DJI master wheels
$1,700 - monitor (x3)
$730 - handles (x3)

And then add in the car mount and a drone strong enough to carry a 15 pound camera, and it's not out of the question that that all would total about $50k.

If your definition of "serious film project" is $1m+ budget, then that is indeed a small portion - but it definitely ain't cheap.

I can also say that as an owner of a Ronin 4D and a person who loves it, it would not be my choice if I could pick only one camera.  To say it has quirks would be the understatement of the century.

As a second camera?  It might be top of my list.  And I'll be in that "wave of new pro and amateur projects" filmed with one - for the feature that I've been asked to shoot, it'll likely be UC12K as the A camera and Ronin 4D for most of the handheld, car-mounted stuff, faux-jib (Flex mounted on a monopod), etc.

Thank you, that's great info.

They used the 6K model which costs a measly US$5,000. The 6K US$9,999 model includes a very decent T3.0 lens. Again, for Hollywood, that's less than drinks on a Friday.

There's some more technical info here ---> 

https://ymcinema.com/2025/04/16/the-heroes-of-adolescence-dji-ronin-4d-and-cooke-sp3-32mm/

We're about to see come huge changes in the industry now that hegemonic power are being shifted. The camera industry is not impervious to that huge seismic tech shift.