Cinematography Mailing List

Goal here is to see what each phase has to offer regarding Dynamic Range.
Intended to work with the Colorist to have them try to Color Correct the images in each Phase back to Normal
using Noise (whatever amount is acceptable to you) as the bottom end threshold.

First begin with taking Phase 1 Normal and working to match that to Phase 2 Normal.

Phase 1

Phase 2 is how I want it to look and matches exactly what my eye sees.
This exercise lets people see how difficult it would be to ask a colorist to do this with every color of every shot.
Now if he didn't have a reference frame for what it should look like how on earth can I expect consistent accurate success.

Second I just leave the Phase 2 look in and shoot that as it already has exactly what I want it to begin with.
This should allow for a greater handling of dynamic range (a little more) where each color is now accurate to begin with.

Phase 2

Lastly Phase 3 is an example of what would happen if you used the Cameras controls to try to recover back to normal looking exposure using a predetermined set of considerations that slowly max the cameras capability out while attempting to maintain the highest quality image with the least noise. Then see how far under exposed you can go before you CAN'T see an image at all. Recovering as much information in Camera first to help post go the rest of the way so that together you have been able to recover as much information as possible when the scene is over or under exposed.

Phase 3

Considerations:
F-Stop should remain the SAME Use Light to Increase or decrease
Shutter can go Wider but not narrower
Gamma and Black Gamma should be used before the Gains.
Digital Gains should be used before the analog Gains.
Low Key Sat and Knee Sat should be used when necessary
A good Black Shade must be set (I use +18 DB Gain Lens Capped Black Lifted to +15 IRE as the way to amplify the blacks for shading purposes then set back to normal.)