How do you explore your sensor?

[Dr. Sassi]

In the old days each new "film" needed testing to be able to use it at its best.

I think the same is true for sensors.
Seasoned Cinematographers do such tests to get the best results during shooting.
(...and avoid running into the problem zone of a sensor)

My question: what is your standard procedural for this?

Do you test specifically for each project or just one time when a new sensor comes to your life?

I ask here so that I may give my students broader information about this subject.

Thanks for your time.

Sassi

 

[David Battistella]

Test, test, test.

Then stress test. You need to see the breaking point and everything in between to get to haw you want your stuff to look.

Tests have to happen in Tungsten, daylight, fluorescent, mixed lighting, how the camera renders color. Test different shutter angles, different exposures and any variables. Different filtration, how it the image holds up in highlights, low lights, mid tones. What the camera is doing compared to what your eye sees, how to make the two see eye to eye, so the brain can translate what the eye sees into the final image. Push images in post, pull images in post, explore how elastic an image is.

It's about building trust in your images and the process of creating them and in knowing what can and can not be accomplished with the tools at your disposal. No imaging system is perfect but the goal is create and find what works for each person.

There is no substitute for the human eye, but we sure try hard to translate what we see and how we want others to see. that takes a lot of doing.

Battistella

 

[Dominik Muench]

If time, budget and resources permit...always test individually for each project. Simply because every project is usually different from the last and can have new and never before encountered shooting scenarios and lighting situations.
If possible, test your sensor as close to the "real world/ shooting scenario" as possible, if you have access to locations beforehand. shoot there. if you can get a hold of the production/ costume designer, work with them and see if they can bring some stuff along to see how it shows up on camera. especially fi you are shooting with lower end cameras, some costumes or props could cause moire effects.
of course the more shooting you do with a system will allow you having to do less testing in the future as your experience will tell you what the camera/ sensor is capable of.

 

[Dr. Sassi]

Thanks a lot David and Dominik, for your time and input. I follow both of your posts here since long. ) Allways a nice read.
I'm grateful to have your suggestions for my students. )
I read already something that I completely ignored so far: Moire.
Yes, the film/lab workflow is certainly raw/post now and part of the test.
I certainly agree.

 

[Dominik Muench]

Moire is not sooo much of an issue with movie cameras as it can be with stills cameras but still....if there are garments or items with complex or weird patterns in the scene...some cameras might render them unusual and sometimes you wont notice it until you check the footage.

 

[Dr. Sassi]

Thanks again, Dominik. I personally do not use HDSLR more than for a few percent of my work, and I have had so far no moire problems with my REDs either, hence -- why I completely ignored it so far.

My only real problem in the past years was a Sony EX1 sharpening issue, no idea how the sharpening went up again for that single shot, but it showed very heavily on my celluloid print -- if projected largely. I didn't test for it either, my bad.

I certainly have my little routines, but I'm far away from thinking that my "little stuff" of stress testing a camera is good enough for a general advice. This is the first time, in tens years teaching this stuff, that I ask publicly first. So far a nice experience!

I respect many of the RUsers a lot, so I hope to get a good collection of ideas. If I make it to a video tutorial about it (pretty sure I will, I have done so far 1,200, some got even awarded) I will structure the data and give credit of course. Thanks again.

 

[Dominik Muench]

I figured, the scarlet and epic dont really have issues but I guess most of your students probably shoot with the canon mark II or III series or blackmagic or sony systems

 

[Dr. Sassi]

It is certainly a mixed bag, but the variety is across from "a complete starter" and over to "little boutique studios" to "TV stations", as well as (but minor) film.
I'm under the impression that the majority is using RED these days, does not know everyone in the "industry" someone with a RED ;o)
Seriously: I do not have any statics about what cameras everyone is using, but one of my main area is "practical footage" and "CG/3D" integration.
Ten years ago, anything professional was shot by a DP, this has changed dramatically (subjective impression, again -- no hard facts here)

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Anyone else? ;o) ...I found it interesting that, in all my books about Cinematography, there is not a single suggested procedural. Not even in the ACS manual (10th edtition)