Adjusting the 40/40/20 Rule for Specific Camera Features (e.g., Internal RAW, FF)?

Posted by Tyler Morrison in Cinematography February 11, 2026 0 views · 2 replies

Hey everyone,

I’m gearing up for a new short film project, a sci-fi piece that leans heavily into visual effects and requires a lot of green screen work. Historically, I've tried to stick to the 40 Camera/40 Lenses/20 Accessories budget rule, or at least a variation of it, but this time I'm hitting a wall.

We really want to shoot internal RAW for the VFX flexibility, and a full-frame sensor would be a huge bonus for the shallow depth of field look we're after. I’m looking at options like an FX6 or even a KOMODO to hit those specs, but it throws the budget completely out of whack if I try to maintain the 40/40/20. The camera body alone eats up so much more.

I’ve been trying to justify trimming lens rentals or even scaling back on some lighting (thinking PavoTube II 30X and maybe one LS 600d Pro for key), but it feels like I’m sacrificing too much elsewhere to prop up one aspect.

How do you guys approach the 40/40/20 budget breakdown when you have a non-negotiable feature like internal RAW or a full-frame sensor that significantly impacts the camera body cost?