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Red Scarlet Footage looks so dark...

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Robert Wauu

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I have been looking through a lot of Red Scarlet videos on the internet and almost always does the footage look too dark and underexposed. Does the red scarlet-x really have a native iso of 800 or is it 320 ??? Almost every second video looks underexposed....
 
Thanks, I looked through your links. But ultimately it really looks like the red scarlet doesn't handle lowlight so good. Maybe they will fix this with the new Dragon sensor?
 
Scarlet and Epic use the exact same sensor and processing; Epic just has more processors so it can handle more frames per second.

So, if you think Scarlet looks dark, but Epic does not, then it's a User Error, not a camera issue.

But yes, Dragon will be better in lowlight for both Epic and Scarlet. Although, we aren't yet sure what the upgrade path will look like yet. Red is still figuring it out; Jarred recently talked about this over in the Recon forum.
 
The real reason why many Scarlet videos might look little dark is the simple fact the most Scarlet owners do not have the budget to deploy proper lighting.
The Scarlet is 800 ISO native - identical to the Epic. I have shot ton of material on it that has quite the opposite problem - I needed to use ND filters to not to over-expose the footage...

Peter
 
I have a feeling the Scarlet sensors are somewhat degraded compared to EPICS.. I honestly don't for a moment believe they are completely identical.
 
I think a distinction must be made between lowlight sensitivity and shadow detail. The scarlet is a beast at shadow detail. You can underexpose a subject 3 stops and still see fine detail in the darks. At 320 ISO you have a whopping 8 stops in the darks. I think a lot if scarlet stuff is underexposed because that's where the camera shines. The camera on the other hand is not as sensitive at 800 ISO as other cams and going past 1000 will require denoising where other cams are safe to 6400. Darks are where the scarlet is strong, but not sensitivity. You gotta shoot accordingly.
 
Robert Wauu said:
I have been looking through a lot of Red Scarlet videos on the internet and almost always does the footage look too dark and underexposed. Does the red scarlet-x really have a native iso of 800 or is it 320 ??? Almost every second video looks underexposed....
Click to expand...

Which videos specifically?
 
Scarlet handles lowlights well:

139f2f1f.jpg


well exposed images well:

ccd77178.jpg


and images pushed to overexposure:

A001_C033_102102_zps0e7701eb.jpg


Poor footage is user error or poor shooting conditions.
 
Michel Rabe said:
Isn't that just what RED defines as the sweet spot, making sure people don't clip highlights? :)
RAW exposure check is more like ISO 320?!
Click to expand...

I'm agree with you, Red seems to say that Scarlet is 800native to protect highlights, but when we refer to the raw, it s more like the sensor is calibrate in 320iso.
 
A lot of what this is seems to be:

- lighting scenes properly
- understanding exposure
- grading properly (either developing style or inexperience)

A015_C004_12302V.0000226.jpg


Contrast, generally speaking, is one of the main concepts when it comes to lighting. When dealing with narrative we are often left with the concept of skintones landing approximately around midtone values. There are reasons to adhere to that rule and reasons to break that rule. Every camera provides the simple question how to create the best image possible for your desired look. Exposure is a tricky mistress and there is a technically correct answer, but there's also the creative answer. That creative answer often comes from a willingness to experiment and experience. High Key is often explored in comedies or family genres, Low Key is often explored in dramas or horror. The fun thing about Epic, Scarlet, and the Red One is that they are digital motion picture cameras and function like that. Meaning a great deal of latitude and a flexible raw file. If you want to see what you can do with Red cameras check out the last 10 or 15 features shot on Red. Lot's of variety from very experienced cinematographers with a crtical eye for quality control.

In my opinion when it comes to cinematography and photography lots of exploring and experimenting should be done. If possible on a daily basis. Especially when it comes to lighting. Starting out it should almost feel like a part time or full time job to do camera and lighting tests. Digital workflows allow you to learn and progress faster than ever. Being critical and seeking out that critique from professionals you respect can help move you along. That's exactly what I did a long time ago and it helped me out a great deal. There is such a thing as a desire to just point a light at it and roll, but without the critical mind and that desire to learn the quality within those images will never increase.

The amazing thing here on Reduser is that you have access to many working professionals who have been more than willing to share information regarding process and how to get the most out of your camera. David Mullen's thread is a tremendous resource for instance.

These days it's easier than ever to shoot a movie. Which means image quality is going to vary wildly. Like any craft, practice and effort will pay off.

Cameras don't kill images, people do.
 
Phil, I have seen your shorts also and they are awesome. Did you shoot that "pic" with the Scarlet? It looks great.
 
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Robert Wauu said:
Phil, I have seen your shorts also and they are awesome. Did you shoot that "pic" with the Scarlet? It looks great.
Click to expand...

Thanks Robert. Glad you like them. That was shot with the Scarlet at REDCODE 8:1 at f/2 or f2.8 rated at ISO 3200 or 6400. Can't remember, it was a while ago. The keylight light was the match though and if graded properly results like this are certainly within your reach.
 
I'm all with you Phil, "proper" exposure is incredibly subjective. it's all about exposing what you want to expose, or don't want to. that's what sets mood, look, and motivates story. if everything was technically perfectly exposed 100% we'd have incredibly flat images all the time. all bright with no contrast. it's really important to know what ratios you are going for, and land that exposure in the areas you want it to create the setting you are trying to.
 
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