Company

We take our name in part from the original creators of the “Hot Rod”, skilled Depression-era mechanics, often working in their own garages, using common vehicles, junkyard parts and their own ingenuity to create streamline racers which out-performed most (if not all) of the much more expensive factory cars widely available at the time.

Like those early mechanics, Hot Rod Cameras is on a mission- to build camera and optical accessories that when used properly, will enable cameras to perform at levels beyond the intention of the factory.

With our inventions you’ll derive the highest performance possible, and make your humble camera rival camera systems costing many thousands more.

We build photographic Hot Rods!

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About the President of Hot Rod Cameras, Illya Friedman

Illya Friedman is the President of Hot Rod Cameras and inventor of the Hot Rod PL, the first commercial device to allow PL mount cinema lenses to be used directly on an HDSLR camera.

Illya Friedman began working intimately with professional camera systems in 1990. Before starting Hot Rod Cameras, Illya was the 4K Rental Specialist for Dalsa Digital Cinema, the HD camera rental specialist for Wexler Inc., and the Senior Rental Agent for production equipment at Moviola Digital. Illya has performed technical demonstrations and consulting to A-list Directors, Producers and Directors of Photography, and hosted training seminars for hundreds of industry professionals. He has lead demonstrations at NAB, IBC, Cine Gear, HD Expo, DV Expo, The Image Mechanics Expo as well as DGA and Cinematographers Guild trade events.

Throughout his career, Illya has been involved with many “firsts”; including production of the first HDSLR feature film, 4K Feature Film, 4K music video, 4K commercial, as well as the first major network TV series to shoot in 24p utilizing the Panasonic AJ-SDX900, and the first shot on the Sony XDCam system. In 2005, Illya produced the first project shot on the Panasonic P2-HD format, which also became the first P2-HD project transferred to 35mm Film. As an expert consultant, Illya has been involved with hundreds of projects, been interviewed by most major trade publications, and frequently presents and sits on expert panels at film festivals and events across the U.S.

Illya’s Clients include: ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, MTV, VH1, HBO, Lucasfilm, Bunim/Murray, Mark Burnett Productions, Tollin Productions, Anonymous Content, Green Dot Films, Universal Pictures and Warner Brothers.