Black Calibration

[Jeff Barklage]

The operator's guide says to do a BLACK CALIBRATION each time you update software [Builds].
OK.
But the guide also says to not do this unless prompted.
So, is the Black Calibration something to do only once in a great while?
Or should it be done monthly or before each shoot?
Is it like a standard Black Balance on a regular video camera that needs to be done per job/per lighting change or per color balance?
Or is it something completely different and thus should be done ONLY after a Build upgrade?

 

[Mike Prevette]

Jeff,

As far as I have cobbled together it works differently than a standard black balance on most video cameras. Red seems to do some trickery to accomplish what we normally consider a black balance.

Originally it was put forward as something you only needed to do when asked by Red. Ie build 12>13 upgrade.

But recently it's become a per upgrade process. I'm assuming that with each new build the pixel map it creates might be different or have differing metadata. Much like the way the codec is evolving.

I've tried doing it in extreme conditions when typically a black balance would be recommended, and I didn't see any advantage.

 

[Stuart English]

Black Calibration

Black Calibration is a more sophisticated process, we don't need to do Black Balance as you would with a traditional broadcast CCD camera.

We recommend it after any firmware upgrade so the DSP knows the precise black point of the sensor. If not you will lose dynamic range.