Menu alteration request ISO

[Stephen Williams]

Now I'm sure this must be something that *I* am doing wrong, either with the camera or in post. But the fact that this is happening means that for this forthcoming shoot, I will be renting 7 or 8 EX3s instead of Reds. And my Red will just sit unused. Which is a shame.

Hi Anthony,

I choose the best camera for the job in hand, in some cases an EX1/3 will be more suitable than a RED one, on others a 7d may be practical.

2K low tungsten are not the Red One's strong points.

Best,

Stephen

 

[Antony M]

But if you would like to suggest a different name for what is being labelled ISO, we are always open to ideas.....

How about calling it "Push/Pull".

The sensor is always a fixed ISO (some say 320, others 200, etc).

But what the menu is doing (if I now understand in film terms) is allowing you to push or pull the image. And, just with the film analogy, all the processing happens after shooting.

 

[Dylan Macleod CSC]

On a previous shoot, it was very bright daylight.

Coming from a film background, I would use 100ASA daylight film.
So I set the Red's ISO to 100, and (as you say) reacted to that change in ISO.

Result?

Totally overexposed highlights, because even though the ISO was set to 100, the sensor was still operating at something like 320.


But, what's the point. Red seems to thrive on confusion and obfuscation. So carry on. You are obviously not interested. I will shut up for now... until I get pissed off again

:banghead:

Hi Anthony

I understand your frustration. There are many things that are unique about RED that make it difficult to understand if you are coming from a "film" background or a video background. I find it a hybrid of the two.

From your above post it is clear that you need to do some testing and research these boards.

Many of us on this board will actually rate the camera at 500 ISO when we go outside (or when highlight detail is important). And then rate it 100 ISO when shadow detail is important - the complete opposite of what you did (or what we do when we shoot film).

This is just one of the many things you will discover by doing some testing. Spend the day with your camera - over and underexposing at different ISO's and then take advantage of the fact that you have a lab and "telecine" in your laptop. Explore the results.

Your images will vastly improve and your frustration over where the ISO is in the menu will disappear.

 

[Andy Taplin]

There are many things that are unique about RED that make it difficult to understand if you are coming from a "film" background or a video background. I find it a hybrid of the two.

I think this confusion about RED's ISO is widespread and potentially disastrous.

Many people from a traditional video background will assume that raising ISO is like adding gain. The film people might think they can push/pull in post not realising the the highlights are gone forever or that they've badly underexposed.

Dylan's right about testing but it would be nice to have the theory nailed down first.

I'd like to see a definitive guide to RED ISO - when to change it, why, what it's impact on highlight protection and shadow detail is, and what to do in post if you change it from REDs 320 recommendation. maybe this already exists? if so it's not obvious.

Shooting RED is not really WYSIWYG, and it's key strength - RAW flexibility - is also potentially problematic. This could be a bigger issue when Scarlet arrives with one man/woman crews trying to work quickly in difficult, changing conditions.