The Difference: Videography vs Cinematography
Many have asked: what’s the difference between a videographer and a cinematographer? Distinguishing between these two terms has many buyers understandably confused and frustrated. There’s a discrepancy between the actual definitions of the terms and how they’re being re-defined in the marketing of video companies and freelancers. The unfortunate truth for customers is that, depending on how each company / freelancer uses the terms, there may or may not be a difference.So we’re going to outline exactly what defines a videographer and a cinematographer and what it should mean to you as a potential buyer of videography services.
To be a cinematographer is to be part of a large crew
A cinematographer, also referred to as the director of photography (or DP), is the individual in charge of the camera and lighting crews on a movie or other production. It is the responsibility of the cinematographer to realize the vision of the director by making technical and artistic decisions in regards to lens choice, exposure, lighting, composition, filters, camera movement, color-grading and more. To put it simply, the cinematographer is the person accountable for a film’s cinematography, the art and science of motion picture photography. Every decision the cinematographer makes must also service the director and the story. On a large production, it is unlikely that the cinematographer operate the camera. That’s usually the job of the camera operator, who works under the cinematographer.
Historically, cinema meant film and video meant video
The term “videographer” came into common vernacular as a way to describe an individual who works in videography or video production, as opposed to film production. This means that acinematographer works with film stock and avideographer works with video. However, the line that distinguishes videography from cinematography has blurred with the advent of digital cinema. Since many (possibly most) major motion picture cinematographers have made the transition to digital cameras, does that make them videographers? Not exactly.
A videographer is a camera operator on a small crew or working solo
Drawing a line between film production and video production isn’t the best way to distinguish between cinematographers and a videographers. What typically distinguishes videographers from cinematographers is that videographers operate with much smaller crew sizes, often working solo. Unlike a cinematographer, a videographer operates the camera. Commonly, the termvideographeris akin withcameramanorcamera operator.Videographers are often associated with event videography, live TV, small commercials, corporate videos and weddings. Since videographers often work solo, they commonly handle other elements of production, including editing, sound, lighting and more.
As stated above, acinematographerworks with a large crew, and is responsible for artistic and technical decisions regarding the photography of a motion picture in accordance with a director’s vision. Avideographer, by contrast, works with a much smaller level of production, is usually the camera operator and probably works solo; overseeing a project from start to finish.
Why are videographers calling themselves cinematographers?
If the distinction between cinematographers and videographers is fairly clear, why all the confusion? Since the defining lines have blurred with the advent of digital cinema, videographers have taken the opportunity to either use these titles interchangeably or create a false hierarchy. Another major contributor has been the popularity of DSLR video cameras, which create a more film-like, cinematic image. This, in combination with the public’s perception of videographers, have led many companies and freelancers to differentiate by categorizing themselves as cinematographers rather than videographers.
Wedding videographers have gotten a bad rep over the years
One of the primary reasons videographers like to call themselves cinematographers is simply so they don’t have to call themselves videographers. For good or bad,videographyandvideographerhave been synonymous with weddings. And let’s face it, weddings are a huge (currently $40 billion a year) industry, which means there are bound to be lot of wedding videographers out there. And unfortunately, the stereotypical “wedding videographer”, wearing a cheap tuxedo and standing next to a big, bulky camcorder, is what comes to mind when people hear the wordvideographer. Worst yet, the association has validity, since many videographers still operate this way. So, in order to strip themselves from this negative connotation, it has become a trend for videographers to call themselves cinematographers.

Frontpage recommendation for puplic enlightement.

Nice read.
its nice to acknowledge the original authors though, when posts aren't original.