# Camera report

Source: https://storiara.com/glossary/camera-report
Last updated: 2026-09-14
Author: Nick Harty, Storiara

> A camera report is the log the second assistant camera or loader keeps for each film roll or digital card. Each line records the scene and take, lens, T-stop, filters, frame rate, and notes such as circled takes, MOS, or focus problems. Copies go to the lab or DIT, the editor, and the production office.

## A report for one card

The header identifies the media and the camera. Each line is a take.

```
THE LONG DRIVE   CAMERA REPORT   Day 6   3/10
Camera: A   Card/Roll: A014   Body: (camera model)   FPS 23.976   Shutter 180
Codec: (recording format)   2nd AC: Kira Mendes
```

| Clip | Scene | Take | Lens | T-stop | Filter | Circle | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A014C001 | 14 | 1 | 32mm | 2.8 | ND.6 | | Wide master |
| A014C002 | 14 | 2 | 32mm | 2.8 | ND.6 | O | |
| A014C003 | 14A | 1 | 50mm | 2.8 | ND.6 | | Soft focus end of take |
| A014C004 | 14A | 2 | 50mm | 2.8 | ND.6 | O | |
| A014C005 | 14A | 3 | 50mm | 2.8 | ND.6 | | MOS, insert of mug |
| A014C006 | 14A | 4 | 50mm | 2.8 | ND.6 | | False start, tail slate |

A film camera report adds footage columns: feet exposed per take, short ends, waste, and the roll total ("Roll 12: exposed 940 ft, short end 60 ft, total 1,000 ft"). Those numbers are how production tracked stock usage before digital, and accounting still reads them on film shoots.

## How the 2nd AC keeps it

The [2nd AC](https://storiara.com/roles/second-assistant-camera) updates the report after each [take](https://storiara.com/glossary/take), usually from the [slate](https://storiara.com/glossary/slate) they just clapped. Lens and stop come from the 1st AC. Circled takes come from the director through the script supervisor, and the 2nd AC checks them against the [continuity report](https://storiara.com/glossary/continuity-report) at the end of each setup. When a card comes out of the camera, the report travels with it to the [DIT](https://storiara.com/roles/digital-imaging-technician) or loader, who confirms the clip count while offloading.

## Where reports cause problems

A clip count that doesn't match the card is the scary one, because it could mean a missing file or a mislabeled card. Other errors: marking a take as circled that the script supervisor has as a no good, forgetting to note [MOS](https://storiara.com/glossary/mos) takes (the editor goes looking for sound that doesn't exist), writing the wrong frame rate on an off-speed shot, and never recording a tail slate, which makes syncing slower.

## Where copies go

The editorial team uses the report to sync and organize [dailies](https://storiara.com/glossary/dailies). The DIT checks it against the offload. The production office files totals for the [daily production report](https://storiara.com/glossary/daily-production-report). Its partner on the sound side is the [sound report](https://storiara.com/glossary/sound-report), and the scene and take numbers on both have to agree.

## Frequently asked questions

### Who fills out the camera report?

The 2nd AC, or the loader on a film shoot. The 1st AC calls out lens and stop changes, and the script supervisor confirms circled takes.

### Do digital shoots still use camera reports?

Yes, though many are kept in an app or spreadsheet rather than on carbon forms. Camera metadata records lens and settings automatically on some systems, but notes about bad takes, MOS, and circled takes still have to be entered by a person.

### What does MOS mean on a camera report?

The take was shot without sound. Marking it tells the editor not to look for a matching audio file.