Dynamic Range Test

A

Andrew J. Allsbury

Well-known member
Someone with the correct tools PLEASE check and post the dynamic range of the AF100. I own an AF100, but have no idea how to conduct the test. If someone would like to DM me and let me know how I would love to do it. I am just sick and tired of hearing all of the "speculation" and ranting on other posts. I really feel like this issue is badly taking away from other important questions and examples.

*For the record: I love the AF100, couldn't be happier. I have done plenty of tests with the AF100 between our XHA1 and our T2i. But, all of those results are only "look at which ones prettier", and with the current wound up state of several people on this forum I think a scientific test really is needed.

Rant complete...:happy:
 
Yes please let's have those tests. From a professional product, such statistics should be standard. What professional would purchase a product with undisclosed statistics, it's like a F1 driver choosing a car without being told it's top speed or 0-60 times.
We need to know what this cam is capable of.
 
I've done the test and reported my results; the AF100 held from ASA 250 to ASA 1250. Visual confirmed by the waveform monitor. That's really good DR.

You can easily perform the test yourself; get a chart, light it perfectly and then run through the ASA settings to see where you lose the ability to distinguish between the bars.

Or, Google.

Good shooting and best regards,

Leo
 
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after we finish this test, will someone please compare these two cameras to find out which tells better stories? :)
 
Ticheli said:
I've done the test and reported my results; the AF100 held from ASA 200 to ASA 1250. Visual confirmed by the waveform monitor. That's really good DR.

You can easily perform the test yourself; get a chart, light it perfectly and then run through the ASA settings to see where you lose the ability to distinguish between the bars.

Or, Google.

Good shooting and best regards,

Leo
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thanks now can you translate that into how many STOPS of usable dynamic range that equates to please? i.e. 8 stops of dynamic range, 9 stops, 10 stops, what?
 
Homunculus said:
thanks now can you translate that into how many STOPS of usable dynamic range that equates to please? i.e. 8 stops of dynamic range, 9 stops, 10 stops, what?
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In my tests, and in seeing what the camera was capable of un shooting "Verse", my opinion is it has 10 useable stops.
 
mcgeedigital said:
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In my tests, and in seeing what the camera was capable of un shooting "Verse", my opinion is it has 10 useable stops.
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thank you. 10 usable stops is a substantial increase for me over 8 or 8.5 or whatever the DSLR's are doing.

I'm not getting Leo Ticheli's test but I might of just figured it out if he is saying it held from 250 to 1250 and with his hint that "if you can count you can figure it out", I can only assume that each bar goes up by increments of 100 ASA which would mean logically speaking that he is saying the AF100 held 10 stops since 250 to 1250 is 10 increments of 100. Can you confirm this Leo?
 
this was admittedly a quick and dirty test, but I just used the marker function to find an exposure at 99 IRE then used the lens to incrementally stop down until the marker hit 0 IRE and came away with a 10 stop difference.
 
Andrew J. Allsbury said:
Someone with the correct tools PLEASE check and post the dynamic range of the AF100.
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I did this on the pre-pro AF100, and it delivered 10.5 stops.

I do not have a production AF100 to test that. Furthermore, the right and best way to do this is not with a frontlit chart or a still life, it's with a backlit video chart, specifically one such as the DSC Ambi backlit charts. It is notoriously difficult to do a proper dynamic range test with a frontlit chart that is reflective. Been there, done that, fought the issues, dealt with the reflections and the light angle, spotmetered the hell out of it, and it's still open to interpretation. Then I went and got the Stouffer, but it's not really reliable, it's not designed for video work, it's designed for scanners.

If you want a be-all, end-all, unquestionable, absolute point of reference, you want a DSC Ambi backlit chart. That test is unimpeachable, it's accurate, and it's not subject to interpretation.
 
Homunculus said:
thank you. 10 usable stops is a substantial increase for me over 8 or 8.5 or whatever the DSLR's are doing.
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On this very detailed test we see more of a 10+ stops of Dynamic Range for the Canon 5D.

http://provideocoalition.com/index....d_how_much_dynamic_range_does_it_have_really/

There are lots of detailed test of the Alexa, red one and red mx. I hope they post test for the Af-100 and then Sony F3 shortly for me to get a good idea of what each of these cameras can do.
 
Zak Forsman said:
this was admittedly a quick and dirty test, but I just used the marker function to find an exposure at 99 IRE then used the lens to incrementally stop down until the marker hit 0 IRE and came away with a 10 stop difference.
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What were the increments?
 
Barry_Green said:
Would love to. Gotta get me a production model first! :)
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And this is what I love about Barry. He's written a whole eagerly anticipated book on the af100, and is already shipping it, people raving with praise and having fainting spells. All without actually having a production camera. That's powerful ESP, and action at a distance. Unquestionably, Barry used "the force" :)

Once he gets ahold of the actual camera, that's when he'll do the Second Edition, based on real life experience. I'm purchasing both, setting them on a shelf next to each other and watching the sparks fly.
 
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