A couple of weeks ago we tested a pre-production model of the Sony FS100 camera for both ISO ratings and dynamic range. We came up with some impressive results, but decided to do some more tests with the full production version of the camera.

If you've been following my HD Formats series (Video Formats, Bit Depth & Bit Rate), this blog should help clarify a couple more of those words and numbers we see associated with HD video formats.

There's no denying that Canon HDSLRs have made a big impact on our industry, and while proving to be an amazing tool for cinematographers, some of their limitations become apparent in post-production. While the native HDSLR image is often lauded its for high contrast and saturation, this can also prove challenging to color correct and grade.

Our NAB booth included the PMW-F3 with the new S-Log firmware from Sony installed. I was very impressed with what the new mode added to the camera and was delighted to show it off to guests in our booth. Some of our friends at Next Level Pictures stopped by, and I gave them a short demo. They were so impressed with the effect that they asked to take the camera out for a quick test, which I agreed to. Twenty-four hours later they came back with a plan to take Vegas by storm, and the result was an amazing test of the F3 and S-Log.

In the second part of our three-part series on the Sony PMW-F3, I look into the camera's dynamic range and the various gamma modes that it offers. The test results were quite impressive, and I learned more about the different Cine Gamma modes built into the camera.

We've done a lot of testing with the Sony PMW-F3 camera and had great results. Our tests included sensitivity, dynamic range and low light performance. In a three part series, Mitch and I will cover all of these topics with the hopes of shedding light on what this camera can do.

A few weeks ago, Jesse Rosen wrote an article explaining the technical definition of LOG-encoded video and how it differs from a viewing gamma such as REC709. To better understand how you might use LOG capture in production, I shot this video illustrating the differences.

Our eyes perceive brightness differently than an electronic sensor does. Video monitors are locked into a standard for color and contrast, but now Digital Cinema camera systems are being used to capture images that are used and displayed in media that can see well beyond those limitations.

Today's cinematographer is constantly switching between a variety of cameras and lenses. For a long time, the professional standard in film and sensor sizes were 16mm, 35mm and 2/3". Recently the choice of digital cameras has increased, and this has created a lot of confusion concerning sensor size, focal length and field of view.