increasing dynamic range?

[Joe G.]

I recently read about the Silicon Imaging 2k camera having "11 stops" of light range. I know that some have complained the Red only has 8 or was it 9 stops?

This seems significant. (8/11 is 73%)

Does Red have any plans for increasing the range? Is this possible through a firmware upgrade? Or is the sensor not as sensitive as the 2k Si sensor?

Can you point me to Red One still photos which show off the dynamic range?

 

[Graeme Nattress]

Instead of reading about it, why not measure it? I've not seen a proper SI DR measurement....

For what it's worth, I've measured on RED 11.3 stops, and seen customer shots which have detail over a 12+ stop range without clipping, even though that's over the recordable limit.

 

[jbeale]

Dynamic range can be measured in many ways. A single number is not too useful, unless you know exactly how it was measured. If you try measuring dynamic range on any camera (most people have a digital still camera, try that) to get a consistent, accurate & repeatable number, you'll see what I'm talking about.

I enjoy measurements and numbers (physics/engineering background) but I have to admit, in many cases the most useful comparison between two cameras is simply to use them and compare the final image. Note also- any camera with a "raw" image needs the output "developed" in post and the precise way in which that is done affects everything in the image, including dynamic range. There are many different possible raw workflows. Usually you have to work with a camera for a while to determine what works best with a specific image.

I'm just trying to say that any reliable comparison of cameras is not something that is done quickly or easily. Even when done carefully and consistently, measurements that result in a single number can easily be misleading.

 

[Joe G.]

well

well

Then the question is if RED already increased the dynamic range with firmware upgrades, as compared to when the lower measurements were taken? So what IS the current dynamic range?

Do they have some apples to apples like comparison which would settle the question? I do not know how to measure this, and I don't have either of the cameras to do it on. This is why I posted.

So many people are hostile to the idea of asking VALID PRODUCT QUESTIONS. No one is forcing you to answer if you don't know. Perhaps someone else does.

 

[Graeme Nattress]

The question has been asked many, many times on this forum. What I'm questioning is the validity of lower measurements. There is no real agreement on how DR should be measured. SI can state "11" if they want, just as I will state a measured "11.3" and there's a forum thread about that somewhere... Here I think: http://www.reduser.net/forum/showpost.php?p=89624&postcount=43

Graeme