Founded in 2017 by a small team of cinematographers and camera technicians, Retrocams is a Los Angeles based vintage camera rental company. We offer a wide selection of digitally refurbished vintage video cameras, rebuilt and maintained by our team of analog camera technicians. Our mission is to help filmmakers creatively explore these classic analog legacy formats in the most simple and contemporary way possible.

All of our cameras have been digitally converted to record a vintage analog signal with the ease of a modern digital workflow. Each camera has been fully disassembled, converted, and then rebuilt to output a digital SDI signal which is then recorded to an onboard monitor recorder. We go to great lengths to ensure that each camera system meets the demands of any present-day film production.

Every Retrocams package includes a digitally converted camera, lens, Blackmagic 5” monitor/recorder, media (4x SD Cards), a card reader and all necessary cables and accessories. The Sony Broadcast, Canon XL1s, RCA VHS, and JVC Saticon Tube camera packages include everything that you need aside from camera batteries.

Almost all of our cameras use 12v Gold Mount Batteries. Most productions already carry these batteries but if yours does not, Retrocams can provide Gold Mount Batteries batteries at a small additional charge. The Sony Handycam and Canon Super 8mm use smaller batteries that are included in those packages.

All footage is recorded to included SD cards. The standard definition video is converted to SDI and records as 525 lines at 59.94i, which can easily be converted to 29.97p in post-production.

The monitor/recorder can record the 525, 59.94i video in any of the following codecs:

ProRes 422 HQ, ProRes 422, ProRes 422 LT, DNxHD 220x, DNxHD 145, DNxHD 45, DNxHD 220x MXF, DNxHD 145 MXF, DNxHD 45 MXF, DNxHR HQX MXF, DNxHR HQX, DNxHR SQ, DNxHR LB, DNxHR SQ MXF, DNxHR LB MXF

All of our camera packages include four 32GB SD cards and one USB-C/USB 3.0 SD card reader. Each 32GB SD card will record 42 minutes of Apple ProRes LT footage. It is not recommended to use other SD cards as there are many that are not supported by the monitor/recorder. Additional SD cards are available for a small additional charge.

In addition to the digital modification and battery plate upgrade, most of the cameras feature a 2-pin lemo 12v power output and battery plates feature a 12v port. Each of our cameras can support a noga arm and will attach to any standard tripod or quickplate.

While these are original cameras from the eras that they represent, we have modified them with BNC outputs and modern battery plates. In many cases, if they are seen in the background of a shot they would probably pass as accurate, however their main purpose is to record an analog video signal and not function as a prop.

If your Retrocams rental is intended to be used as a prop, please tell us in advance and we will try to help make it look as believable as possible.