How do you maximize Dynamic Range?
- Thread starter mrtreve
- Start date
Rush
DVXuser Sponsor
Hi Teve. The DVX already has 2 stops more dynamic range than similar priced cameras, due to its superior electronics. Careful lighting contrast, and setting precise exposure, will yield incredible results. Meaning, not lighting with too much contrast from the darkest shadow to the lightest highlight, and using your camera's built in meter to make sure none of the highlights go over 100IRE (100% Zebra). That will give you room in post as well.
If you are shooting outdoors, and you have no control over lighting, you can still pick the location, angle, direction, and framing to maintain a good overall scene brightness range (SBR) but without exceeding limits. In extreme situations, you can use contrast reducing filters to compress the scene's dynamic range into one that can fit the camera's. This can be achieved with a spot meter measuring SBR and determining min/max brightness.
If you are shooting outdoors, and you have no control over lighting, you can still pick the location, angle, direction, and framing to maintain a good overall scene brightness range (SBR) but without exceeding limits. In extreme situations, you can use contrast reducing filters to compress the scene's dynamic range into one that can fit the camera's. This can be achieved with a spot meter measuring SBR and determining min/max brightness.
Barry_Green
Moderator
The chief setting for extending the dynamic range is to use CINELIKE-D gamma. Cinelike-D extends the highlight range by somewhere around a half-stop, maybe as much as a full stop.
Another thing you can do is raise the master pedestal a bit to stretch your blacks out, which may help you see a bit into the shadows. Problem with that approach is that a) it makes the footage look washed-out, and b) the fewest bits are allocated to the darkest stop, so you see banding more easily in the shadows. On a DVX I rarely go above -4 on the pedestal, and usually prefer to run around -8.
Those steps will extend the contrast ratio the camera is capable of capturing. Then, as Rush said, use lighting to modify the contrast ratio of your scene to bring it within range of what the camera can capture.
Another thing you can do is raise the master pedestal a bit to stretch your blacks out, which may help you see a bit into the shadows. Problem with that approach is that a) it makes the footage look washed-out, and b) the fewest bits are allocated to the darkest stop, so you see banding more easily in the shadows. On a DVX I rarely go above -4 on the pedestal, and usually prefer to run around -8.
Those steps will extend the contrast ratio the camera is capable of capturing. Then, as Rush said, use lighting to modify the contrast ratio of your scene to bring it within range of what the camera can capture.
Thanks for your excellent replies. I agree how difficult it can be shooting outdoors, today I was doing some tests and it's amazing to see how quickly you loose the sky under certain conditions. I will definitely try out the Cinelike-D and watch out for contrast ratios.
Do you know of any links to lattitude tests for this camera? If not can you tell me how many stops the camera offers by general concensus?
Thanks again.
Treve.
Do you know of any links to lattitude tests for this camera? If not can you tell me how many stops the camera offers by general concensus?
Thanks again.
Treve.
Barry_Green
Moderator
HVX is around 8 stops, DVX around 7 (when using cinelike-D).
