---
name: "Ben Smithard"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/ben-smithard"
fi1m_id: "ben-smithard"
imdb_id: "nm0810430"
tmdb_id: 966545
wikidata_id: "Q61948282"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "1 January 1970"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 13
average_fi1m_score: 68
average_over: 13
updated: "2026-10-22T02:51:42.562643+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Ben Smithard

## Identity

Ben Smithard

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/ben-smithard
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** ben-smithard
- **IMDb ID:** nm0810430
- **TMDB ID:** 966545
- **Wikidata ID:** Q61948282
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Smithard, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q61948282, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0810430/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/966545

Cinematographer. Born 1 January 1970 in USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 1 January 1970, USA
- **Active:** 1998–present
- **Frequently works with:** [Simon Curtis](https://film.one/person/simon-curtis.md), [Anthony Hopkins](https://film.one/person/anthony-hopkins.md), [Christopher Hampton](https://film.one/person/christopher-hampton.md), [David Parfitt](https://film.one/person/david-parfitt.md), [Florian Zeller](https://film.one/person/florian-zeller.md), [Gareth Neame](https://film.one/person/gareth-neame.md), [Heidi Thomas](https://film.one/person/heidi-thomas.md), [Hugh Bonneville](https://film.one/person/hugh-bonneville.md)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 78 (3), 2010s 68 (6), 2020s 61 (4)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 63 to 62 across 9 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 6 at 60–79, 3 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 12, Comedy 3, History 3, Romance 3, Action & Adventure 1, Crime 1
- **Screen time:** 15 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $561m across 7 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Smithard, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q61948282, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0810430/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/966545

## Coming up

- *Bunker* (2027-02-19), Director of Photography

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*Cranford*](https://film.one/tv/cranford.md) (84), [*Spooks*](https://film.one/tv/spooks.md) (77), [*The Street*](https://film.one/tv/the-street.md) (74)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Father*](https://film.one/film/the-father.md) (89), [*My Week with Marilyn*](https://film.one/film/my-week-with-marilyn.md) (62)
- **Netflix:** [*Downton Abbey*](https://film.one/film/downton-abbey-2019.md) (64), [*Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale*](https://film.one/film/downton-abbey-the-grand-finale.md) (61)
- **AMC+:** [*The Trip*](https://film.one/tv/the-trip-2010.md) (81)
- **Disney+:** [*The Son*](https://film.one/film/the-son.md) (43)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Ben Smithard BSC is a British cinematographer. He trained at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design and has worked in film and television since the 1990s.

His feature credits include *The Damned United* (2009), *My Week with Marilyn* (2011), *Belle* (2013), *The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel* (2015), *Goodbye Christopher Robin* (2017), *The Man Who Invented Christmas* (2017), *Blinded by the Light* (2019), *Downton Abbey* (2019), *The Father* (2020), *Allelujah* (2023), *The Son* (2022) and *Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale* (2025). On television he has shot episodes of *Cranford* (2007), *Return to Cranford* (2009) and *The Hollow Crown* (2012).

Smithard won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for *Return to Cranford* and has received British Society of Cinematographers nominations for his work on *The Hollow Crown* and several features.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, cineuropa.org.*

## On Fi1m (13)

- *Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale* (2025), Fi1m 61, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/downton-abbey-the-grand-finale.md)
- *Allelujah* (2023), Fi1m 50, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/allelujah.md)
- *The Son* (2022), Fi1m 43, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-son.md)
- *The Father* (2020), Fi1m 89, Cinematography, Director of Photography, Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/the-father.md)
- *Downton Abbey* (2019), Fi1m 64, "A" Camera Operator, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/downton-abbey-2019.md)
- *The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel* (2015), Fi1m 58, Cinematography, Director of Photography, "A" Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/the-second-best-exotic-marigold-hotel.md)
- *Saving Mr. Banks* (2013), Fi1m 63, Additional Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/saving-mr-banks.md)
- *The Hollow Crown* (2012), Fi1m 82, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-hollow-crown.md)
- *My Week with Marilyn* (2011), Fi1m 62, Director of Photography, "A" Camera Operator, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/my-week-with-marilyn.md)
- *The Trip* (2010), Fi1m 81, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-trip-2010.md)
- *Cranford* (2007), Fi1m 84, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/tv/cranford.md)
- *The Street* (2006), Fi1m 74, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-street.md)
- *Spooks* (2002), Fi1m 77, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/tv/spooks.md)

## Complete filmography (46)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Bunker* (2027), Director of Photography, "A" Camera Operator
- *VisionQuest* (2026), series, Director of Photography — coming soon, [page](https://film.one/tv/visionquest.md)
- *Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale* (2025), Director of Photography — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/downton-abbey-the-grand-finale.md)
- *Lonely Planet* (2024), Director of Photography, "A" Camera Operator
- *Freud's Last Session* (2023), Director of Photography
- *Allelujah* (2023), Director of Photography — Fi1m 50, [page](https://film.one/film/allelujah.md)
- *The Son* (2022), Director of Photography — Fi1m 43, [page](https://film.one/film/the-son.md)
- *The Bubble* (2022), Director of Photography
- *The Nevers* (2021), series, Director of Photography
- *The Father* (2020), Camera Operator, Director of Photography — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/the-father.md)
- *Downton Abbey* (2019), "A" Camera Operator, Director of Photography — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/downton-abbey-2019.md)
- *Blinded by the Light* (2019), "A" Camera Operator, Director of Photography
- *King Lear* (2018), Director of Photography
- *The Man Who Invented Christmas* (2017), Director of Photography, "A" Camera Operator
- *Goodbye Christopher Robin* (2017), Director of Photography, "A" Camera Operator
- *Diana and I* (2017), Director of Photography
- *Viceroy's House* (2017), Director of Photography, "A" Camera Operator
- *The Dresser* (2015), Director of Photography, "A" Camera Operator
- *The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel* (2015), Director of Photography, "A" Camera Operator — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/the-second-best-exotic-marigold-hotel.md)
- *Roald Dahl's Esio Trot* (2015), Director of Photography
- *Off the Page: Death of England* (2014), Cinematography
- *Saving Mr. Banks* (2013), Additional Director of Photography — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/saving-mr-banks.md)
- *Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa* (2013), Director of Photography
- *Belle* (2013), Director of Photography
- *The Hollow Crown* (2012), series, Director of Photography — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-hollow-crown.md)
- *True Love* (2012), series, Director of Photography
- *I, Anna* (2012), Director of Photography
- *My Week with Marilyn* (2011), Director of Photography, "A" Camera Operator — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/my-week-with-marilyn.md)
- *The Trip* (2011), Director of Photography
- *The Trip* (2010), series, Director of Photography — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-trip-2010.md)
- *Money* (2010), series, Director of Photography
- *The Day of the Triffids* (2009), series, Director of Photography
- *10 Minute Tales* (2009), series, Director of Photography
- *Freefall* (2009), Director of Photography
- *The Damned United* (2009), Director of Photography
- *A Short Stay in Switzerland* (2009), Director of Photography
- *Cranford* (2007), series, Director of Photography — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/cranford.md)
- *Glastonbury* (2006), Director of Photography, Camera Operator
- *The Street* (2006), series, Director of Photography — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-street.md)
- *Eleventh Hour* (2006), series, Director of Photography
- *Vincent* (2005), series, Director of Photography
- *Wire in the Blood* (2002), series, Director of Photography
- *Spooks* (2002), series, Director of Photography — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/spooks.md)
- *Jean* (2000), Director of Photography
- *Cold Feet* (1998), series, Director of Photography
- *The Stranger* (1991), series, Assistant Camera

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/ben-smithard