Imagine trekking through the rugged, unforgiving landscapes of the Kimberley region in Western Australia, where every step tests both your gear and your resolve. That’s exactly what Gavin Rawlings, DoP and co-founder of Venture Films, did—armed with his trusted Sony BURANO, FX3, and FX6 cameras. But here’s where it gets controversial: in an industry obsessed with the latest gear, Rawlings has stuck with Sony for over 20 years, and he’s not just loyal—he’s convinced it’s the smartest choice. Why? Let’s dive in.
Rawlings’ recent seven-week adventure through the Kimberley wasn’t just a test of endurance; it was a showcase of how his Sony trio handles extreme conditions. For his travel show Oz Off Road on Channel 9, reliability is non-negotiable. ‘These cameras haven’t let us down yet,’ he says. On this trip, the BURANO was his A-cam, paired with a Canon 30-105PL zoom for those sweeping landscapes. For tighter, more dynamic shots, he stripped it down, using E-mount glass to keep it lightweight. His B-cam, the FX6 with a Tokina 16-28PL zoom, and C-cam, the FX3 on a gimbal with a 24-70GM MKII, rounded out his setup. ‘Being a solo shooter, the ability to switch between cameras based on the lens I needed was a game-changer,’ he explains.
And this is the part most people miss: Rawlings’ workflow is just as impressive as his gear. For Oz Off Road, he shoots in SLOG/X-OCN with the BURANO, generating proxies in-camera. Using Starlink, he uploads these proxies to a LucidLink cloud drive, where an assistant editor begins assembling cuts remotely via PostLab. Once back in the studio, he takes over, exports an XML into Resolve, and grades the footage. ‘The SLOG and RAW formats are a dream to work with in Resolve,’ he notes. For quicker projects, he simplifies, shooting in XAVC with S-Cinetone or even ‘baking in’ custom LUTs for minimal post-production.
Rawlings’ journey with Sony began with the VX2100 and has since spanned the EX1, F55, and now the BURANO. He credits the FX series for revolutionizing his work, particularly with dual base ISOs (800 and 12,800) that excel in ‘run and gun’ scenarios. ‘The FX3 on a gimbal? It’s a match made in heaven,’ he says. But it’s the BURANO that’s stolen his heart. ‘It’s the true successor to the F55,’ he declares. With its 8.6K resolution, versatile codecs, and reliability, it’s his go-to for everything from TVCs in Chile to corporate gigs in tropical islands.
Here’s the bold claim: Rawlings believes Sony’s cinema line gives him an edge no other brand can match. ‘The ability to intercut footage from an FX3 with a Venice 2 seamlessly? That’s huge,’ he says. But it’s not just about image quality—it’s reliability. ‘On our Kimberley trip, my drone fell apart on those corrugated roads, but my Sony cameras? Not a scratch.’
Yet, this raises a question: In a market flooded with options, is Sony’s dominance justified, or is Rawlings simply playing it safe? Let us know in the comments—do you think Sony’s cinema line is unmatched, or is there room for challengers? Rawlings is already planning his next adventures—Finland this year, Africa next—and the BURANO will be by his side. One day it’s a cine zoom, the next it’s a corporate shoot with G-Master glass. Versatility, reliability, and quality—that’s the Sony promise, according to Rawlings. But is it enough to keep you loyal? The debate is open.
