Posted on CML in 2003

XXXXX wrote

Shot in April 2001,

XXXX wrote

Yes Sony and Panasonic have tweaked the

cameras a bit since then, but this isn't necessarily about tweaking as much

as it is about formats.

A (reported) 1/2 to 1 stop increase in dynamic range (Dec 2002, f900 upgrade) "a tweak"? :)

Saw a test recently where the DP setup a HD camera and super 16mm. He lit the scene for film and shot simultaneously. No lighting changes.

Obviously this is a useful exercise in determining the difference in lighting ratios and highlight handling between HD and film.

But it does not produce the best HD image as the lighting contrast ratio is too high in the highlights and too low in the shadows!

In the grade and transfer to film the HD picture was pulled around to try and match the film image, again a misdirected approach, the grader, like the DP should make the HD picture look good not stretch it where it cannot go, certainly since it wasn't lit to within the range of the ccd to begin with!

Having sensitivity for the characteristics of a ccd rather than treating it like film is a more rewarding approach for the audience and the DP.

Mike Brennan

DP

London