How does 12 bit sampling improve the DVX images

A

Aejaz

Well-known member
I was reading a DVX review and it says:

''The DVX100A continues on this revolutionary tear with a 12-bit DSP that enables substantially more precise sampling than the 10-bit version it replaces. The 12-bit DSP is capable of assigning one of 4,096 possible values to every sample as opposed to only 1,024 in the previous model. Eight-bit cameras can assign one of only 256 possible values — a limitation that may deleteriously impact the reproduction accuracy of our images''

I was wondering how it actually happens?
 
Re: How does 12 bit sampling improve the DVX image

Re: How does 12 bit sampling improve the DVX image

[quote author=Aejaz link=board=Events;num=1087120433;start=0#0 date=06/13/04 at 02:53:53]I was reading a DVX review and it says:

''The DVX100A continues on this revolutionary tear with a 12-bit DSP that enables substantially more precise sampling than the 10-bit version it replaces. The 12-bit DSP is capable of assigning one of 4,096 possible values to every sample as opposed to only 1,024 in the previous model. Eight-bit cameras can assign one of only 256 possible values — a limitation that may deleteriously impact the reproduction accuracy of our images''

I was wondering how it actually happens?
[/quote]

2^8=256
2^10=1024
2^12=4096

This in essence determines the number of shades of grey that can be represented from pure black to pure white. It improves tonality and contrast.
 
Re: How does 12 bit sampling improve the DVX image

Re: How does 12 bit sampling improve the DVX image

Yes, but after the processing is done, it gets rounded off back to 8 bits for encoding (DV is an 8-bit compression scheme).

So 12-bit processing makes for more precise image calculations (for things like the color matrix adjustments, the white balance shifts, anything that modifies the image in-camera). It's like working with decimal points -- the 12-bit system has two more decimal points of precision than the 10-bit system does. It makes for more accurate calculations and minimizes rounding-off errors.

The difference, in my limited experience with the 100A, is not substantial. It almost certainly makes a difference, but it's not night and day, heck it's not even 10:00 and 10:30... but more precision is always better than less.
 
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