The Thomson Viper FilmStream Camera is a digital movie camera produced by Thomson Multimedia (now Vantiva). Introduced in the early 2000s [1] as makers of feature films were turning to digital cinematography, the Viper influenced subsequent HD, UHD, and HDR cameras. [2]
The Viper FilmStream was announced in 2002 [1] by Thomson after being developed by its Grass Valley subsidiary [3] which it had purchased earlier that year. [4] It followed early Sony CineAlta cameras and preceded the Panavision Genesis [5] by less than a year. The Viper could replay takes immediately after they were shot, something early Genesis versions and other cameras of the era could not. [6]
Films shot on the Viper include Michael Mann's Collateral , Miami Vice , and Public Enemies and David Fincher's Zodiac and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button . Cinematographer Dion Beebe described the Viper as the "primary camera" on Collateral; [7] on both Zodiac [8] and Collateral 35mm film was used only for overcranking. [9] [10] Zodiac was the first digital feature film made by a major studio without using videotape or compression in its capture or editing. [8] [11] Fincher became interested in using the camera on a feature film after shooting commercials for Nike and Xelibri with it. [12]
In 2017, Grass Valley received a Scientific and Technical Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for its Viper. [2]
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