Shallow DOF on TV

Focus This!

Focus This!

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Was watching an episode of CSI last night and noticed MULTIPLE rack focuses throughout the show. Very shallow depth of field. Forgive my ignorance, but how are they acheiving this with digital cameras? They aren't shooting 35mm film are they?
It was spectacular...very "depthy".
 
And his name is Focus This................

CSI is shot Super 35mm and rack focus's are achieved with focus pulling.
 
Plus if they're on a set they could shoot from a distance and zoom in and open, but if they do shoot digital it's probably a 35mm adapter
 
BTW, it's pretty easy to rack focus on the DVX.

Shallow DOF is also possible, but requires some effort.

(See, generally, Barry Green's DVX book.)
 
You can tell that CSI is shot on film because of the crazy overlit backlights and hair lights they use. You couldn't do this with video because it would just blow out.

the way light, flames and highlights look are what give away digital vrs film. Even with an insane camera like the Panavision Genises, you can still note the blowout on highlights. This is why some people say film will never be dead.
 
For whatever reason, most people assume television isn't shot on film. But that's not true. 90% of non-reality TV is still shot on film. Last year was the first year that HD really started to catch on, and that will grow, but very little TV is video for now.
 
shallow depth of field is not a function of film or video - its a function of the size of the image plane and the focal length - the dvx has a 1/3 inch chip - a varicam has a 2/3 inch chip and therefore a possible much shallower depth of field. 35mm can have a shallower DOF then 16mm.

So even if they shot video (which i see they didnt) they could and likely would have a shallow DOF with the cameras they can afford to use
 
It however IS a side-effect of film vs. video, since all film in actual use has a larger image area than most video.
 
just making the point that it has nothing to do with it being video - if the video plane were as large as a 35mm frame - all other things equal it would have the same DOF. If there were a film type that was the same size as a 1/3" chip it would have the same DOF of the dvx. It has nothing to do with the capture medium.
 
smelni said:
just making the point that it has nothing to do with it being video - if the video plane were as large as a 35mm frame - all other things equal it would have the same DOF. If there were a film type that was the same size as a 1/3" chip it would have the same DOF of the dvx. It has nothing to do with the capture medium.
Click to expand...

That film type is called super 8mm. So yes, you are right.
 
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