We have seen a few people take a mirrorless camera and build a cage around it to create a more video-centric cinema camera. Old Fast Glass has taken it to a whole new level with the OFG Custom 65 rehoused cinema camera, which has the medium-format Fujifilm GFX100 II inside a fully customized body. It’s a very cool idea, and it works!
Key features
- Nearly 65mm Format Sized Sensor, larger than FF, LF, and VV
- 14+ Stops of Dynamic Range
- 12-Bit ProRes RAW recording: 8K Up to 30 fos, 4K Up to 60 fps
- Dual Stainless Steel LPL / PL Combo Mount
- Custom Integrated Aluminum Housing & Cage
- Integrated ARRI BUD-1 Base Plate and Accessories
- Gold Mount Battery Plate with Remote RS
- 3-Pin Fischer, 2-Pin LEMO, & D-Tap Power
- 3 x SDI and 2 x HDMI Outputs
- 4-Pin XLR AC Power Input
- 2 Cooling Fans
Old Fast Glass is a Los Angeles company that specializes in renting older cinema lenses for modern cameras and has a vast collection of modern lenses. They state that they have one of the largest collections of vintage cinema lenses in the world and a quickly growing inventory of modern cinema lenses, with exceptional options for spherical and anamorphic, primes and zooms, large format, Super 35mm, and Super 16mm. They also have several cinema cameras available.
They said the FUJIFILM GFX100 II was the perfect camera for this rehousing. Its medium-format sensor and color science are very good, and the video specifications allow it to be used as a full-blown cinema camera. It just needed to be more user-friendly for filmmaking. It has one of the largest available sensors for cinematography, approaching the size of the rental-only Alexa 65.
They modified the camera and designed a new housing that completely integrates the camera, RAW Recorder, video/power distribution, and cooling system, as well as a cage, handle/EVF, and baseplate systems ready for the demands of professional sets. We wanted to remove the mess of cables, rods, adapters, and messy builds that come with using compact mirrorless cameras. In short, They created a rehoused cinema camera in which the user can pull the camera out of the case, attach it to a battery and a lens, and be ready to shoot.
The 65 has so much power distribution. On the front is a 2-Pin LEMO for your EVF or monitor and a 3-Pin Fischer for your ARRI CForce RF Motor. On the back are more 2-Pin, 3-Pin, and D-Tap ports to power all your accessories. The camera has such a low power draw that you can power the camera and all on-board accessories off a single 90 wh or 150 wh 14v battery. There are mounting plates on all side of the camera, so builds and cable runs can be very clean.
Using the ARRI BUD-1, they utilized ARRI’s shoulder rigs and stabilizer plates. You can easily balance the camera or swap plates without the need for tools. You have 15mm LWS, 19mm studio, and a comfortable shoulder pad. It clamps onto ARRI standard dovetail plates, and you can quickly go from sticks to handheld to Steadicam.
The top handle system can be compact or extended, and right-angle sections can be added if needed. They can also provide an EVF and add any other monitoring options you desire. They use a very adjustable EVF bracket, allowing you to place the EVF exactly where you want it. The camera is very balanced and very comfortable on the shoulder.
The OFG Custom 65 is an impressive rehousing, and it took a long time to get it right. Many others, including me, would love to see Fujifilm make a cinema camera, but for now, Old Fast Glass and the OFG Custom 65 are as close as it gets. As of today they have three available for rentals.
