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First DSLR lawsuits

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Rob Ruffo

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A lawyer friend in L.A. has told me that apparently, DSLR aliasing/strobing can trigger an epileptic fit, and that the first lawsuit against a network broadcasting 5D footage is about to begin. Yikes kids, I told you it wasn't safe to shoot with those things...
 
I guess I shouldn't have shot that live action episode of Pokemon with the 5D. Oops.. Sorry kids.

art_pokemonCartoon.jpg
 
Confused how this is possible? I thought epi fits were from strobbing lights, is this general filming that can cause these fits?
 
My source is a junior lawyer in a firm bringing forth this case.

The theory is this: your eye is drawn to the odd movement on-screen created by the aliasing. This aliasing strobes in an unexpected way - which is apparently particularly bad for epileptics - to be taken by surprise by strobing when they do not expect it. The aliasing strobing is also 30 frames a second, which is unusual. I am no doctor, and I am not epileptic, but this was my very rough understanding. The point of the matter is that his client fell and hit his head as a result of watching a show shot on DSLR (not sure which brand/model) after following an aliasing air conditioner grate with his eyes. His client would not watch a show like Pokemon, but he would watch a slow-paced documentary (as he apparently was), as he very reasonably expected it would be "safe".

Now the network faces a lawsuit so- Saving a few bucks ended up being mighty expensive.
 
Get you fishin' rods out! Cause we're going TROLLING!
 
America - suing her way through life since 1999.
 
Aliasing is and always has been all over TV. It's "color aliasing" that causes most IQ issues with DSLRs and is hard to deal with in post. Unless they can prove that the colors caused epilepsy it's dead in the water.....
 
OptiTek said:
Aliasing is and always has been all over TV.
Click to expand...

I have to say, ever since the extreme backlash against DSLR's for this issue, I trained myself to look for it while working.

Now, while I rarely see it in my footage ... its all over TV. I mean really all over. I see it on shows shot in 35mm - including feature films- and with "real HD cameras" like F900 and Varicam. I see it in re-runs of old shows, and I see it in new shows.

A lot of this is added in the broadcast chain after post is complete. Really though, its at such a level that I really doubt you could blame DSLR's for a notable percentage of aliasing, strobing and moire on TV.

So, in the end, all that looking for these effects on my DSLR footage has taught me is how to enjoy television less.
 
OptiTek said:
Aliasing is and always has been all over TV. It's "color aliasing" that causes most IQ issues with DSLRs and is hard to deal with in post. Unless they can prove that the colors caused epilepsy it's dead in the water.....
Click to expand...

That's possible - I am not defending their attempt on this lawsuit, nor claiming it has merit, merely pointing out that it exists. I would say that DSLR aliasing is much more pronounced than anything that preceded it ever was. It gives me strong headaches, which is probably why I've become such an anti-DSLR guy.

SUre most cameras alias here and there - but not every second shot in a super-pronounced way.
 
Wow someone is suing about something in America- they must be 100% justified and not just grabbing for cash. I really wonder what it is they're teaching in U.S. law schools these days...

Noah
 
Rob Ruffo said:
The point of the matter is that his client fell and hit his head as a result of watching a show shot on DSLR (not sure which brand/model) after following an aliasing air conditioner grate with his eyes.
Click to expand...

How does he know he fell as a result of watching TV? I've fallen over hundreds of times, sometimes sober too...

Next, the're'll being suing McDonalds because their coffee's too hot...
 
Rob Ruffo said:
That's possible - I am not defending their attempt on this lawsuit, nor claiming it has merit, merely pointing out that it exists. I would say that DSLR aliasing is much more pronounced than anything that preceded it ever was. It gives me strong headaches, which is probably why I've become such an anti-DSLR guy.

SUre most cameras alias here and there - but not every second shot in a super-pronounced way.
Click to expand...

Betacam ENG cameras have worse aliasing than the 5D ever had. The whole "don't wear black, white, or checkered patterns" thing was coined because those cameras have five stops of dynamic range and crazy, crazy aliasing. dSLRs are bad in this regard, pretty spectacularly bad by today's standards, but nothing unprecedented.
 
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I had a long in depth response to this post yesterday about how ridiculous this is, and I decided not to post it...I will say this much...its times like this I am embarrassed of my fellow Americans, and don't want to be associated with them... Just hang and shake my head...
 
So really this case wouldn't go THAT far if it's always been going on right? I mean if this was ACTUALLY a problem we'd have tons of people falling over and having fits right?
 
I have to ask, in the first instance how the viewer making the complaint knew the footage originated from a DSLR? People I know that dont shoot, dont have a clue what they are watching.

So whats occured is someone had seisure during a programme. That person complained to the network who then said dont blame us for the programming? its the fault of the DLSR it was shot on?

Sorry cant believe it.
 
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