Lenilenapi
Carbonite Member
I went to an Alexa workshop a few days ago that put an interesting spin on the shoot out results. The Arri rep said he's learned to think of exposure and lattitude differently with the Alexa but it may apply to all the cameras - especially one as clean as the f3 or the Alexa.
The idea is not to think of the camera as having a set amount of over and underexposure lattitude but a general range of say 11 or 13 stops (whatever that camera is). At any given exposure if you change the gain it won't actually affect the black and white limits of the exposure but rather just bring the midpoint up and down- analogous to changing the gamma. If you then change your iris to maintain proper midpoint exposure you will change the effective balance of overexposure and underexposure lattitude. In the old days you would be adding noise , but on the F3 that becomes insignificant.
Thus - If you want more overexposure lattitude, raise the gain and lower the exposure and vice versa. Its counterintuitive but it makes sense.
The ASC tests arbitrarily pegged all the cameras at ASA 800, but perhaps had they rated the F3 at 1600 or 3200 there would have been more highlight lattitude and less under.
It also makes me think of the cinegammas differently than how they are usually explained. Thus people often say cine 1 is best for bright scenes and cine 4 for dark ones. But cine 1 lowers the midpoint so you may need a higher exposure. However this will overexpose highlights.
Its all a bit of dance and I need to actually test this way of thinking in the field but its food for thought. Perhaps changing the gamma is another way to achieve the same thing.
Lenny Levy
The idea is not to think of the camera as having a set amount of over and underexposure lattitude but a general range of say 11 or 13 stops (whatever that camera is). At any given exposure if you change the gain it won't actually affect the black and white limits of the exposure but rather just bring the midpoint up and down- analogous to changing the gamma. If you then change your iris to maintain proper midpoint exposure you will change the effective balance of overexposure and underexposure lattitude. In the old days you would be adding noise , but on the F3 that becomes insignificant.
Thus - If you want more overexposure lattitude, raise the gain and lower the exposure and vice versa. Its counterintuitive but it makes sense.
The ASC tests arbitrarily pegged all the cameras at ASA 800, but perhaps had they rated the F3 at 1600 or 3200 there would have been more highlight lattitude and less under.
It also makes me think of the cinegammas differently than how they are usually explained. Thus people often say cine 1 is best for bright scenes and cine 4 for dark ones. But cine 1 lowers the midpoint so you may need a higher exposure. However this will overexpose highlights.
Its all a bit of dance and I need to actually test this way of thinking in the field but its food for thought. Perhaps changing the gamma is another way to achieve the same thing.
Lenny Levy