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This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
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Topic: 2013 Academy Award Nominations - Let the griping begin!
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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."
Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 01-11-2013 12:43 PM
quote: Seamus McGarvey
I mean I love film, but I think that digital is offering many great possibilities for cinematographers. Particularly in urban cityscapes and low light photography its allowing us to render what we actually see with our eyes; which is interesting.
Not to knock Seamus McGarvey's knowledge or abilities as a cinematographer, but there's a couple things wrong with that statement.
First, these video camera systems acting as replacements for feature motion picture film camera systems are at their WORST when shooting in low light. Movies shot on video do more to reveal their video-based DNA in low light scenes. A movie scene shot in low light on 35mm could be underexposed, but every frame is still going to be absolutely discrete. No latent, unresolved smeared, ghosted, blurry, soft crap is going to find its way into the next few frames. That laggy feel makes it seem like the video camera is simulating the vision of a drunk person. Both CCD and CMOS devices will struggle in low light. You can crank up the gain (or ISO) to speed up the chip, but that will further soften detail and add more noise. I'm certain video imaging chips will continue to get better, but for now they still have quite some way to go.
Second thing: what we see with our eyes. There isn't a standard film or video camera around that can see what normal, healthy human vision sees. Aside from resolution and field of view of human vision, film and video cameras can't see the dynamic range we see. I've seen one comparision describe human vision being 8 stops wide and a very good camera only 5 stops wide. This is one reason why High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography has become more popular in recent years.
Right now video cameras aren't really meeting all the requirements necessary to end film production. But it appears to be happening anyway. In order for a video camera to really see what we see its imaging chips and perhaps even its lenses would have to be a hell of a lot better than the best of what's available today. Not only would the camera have to perform very well in low light but it would probably have to record HDR-based footage and intelligently tone map it in real time. I don't think we'll see that anytime soon.
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Andrew Thomas
Master Film Handler
Posts: 273
From: Pearland, TX, USA
Registered: Jun 2012
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posted 01-12-2013 12:27 PM
quote: Bobby Henderson
Not to knock Seamus McGarvey's knowledge or abilities as a cinematographer, but there's a couple things wrong with that statement.
First, these video camera systems acting as replacements for feature motion picture film camera systems are at their WORST when shooting in low light. Movies shot on video do more to reveal their video-based DNA in low light scenes. A movie scene shot in low light on 35mm could be underexposed, but every frame is still going to be absolutely discrete. No latent, unresolved smeared, ghosted, blurry, soft crap is going to find its way into the next few frames. That laggy feel makes it seem like the video camera is simulating the vision of a drunk person. Both CCD and CMOS devices will struggle in low light. You can crank up the gain (or ISO) to speed up the chip, but that will further soften detail and add more noise. I'm certain video imaging chips will continue to get better, but for now they still have quite some way to go.
You are completely wrong. Modern digital cams dominate film in low light, while film is still the undisputed king of highlights.
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