Time for good tech reading before receiving the camera ?

[Gregory Leno]

Greg,

I think more than anything the most important bit of the zone system is to make you sit down and think about what image you're creating, how, and why, rather than flying by the seat of your pants. Of course, I'm sure i'm preaching to the choir!
W

I agree... Preach on :innocent:

Maybe we should make a topic for this in the 4k workflow section... I bet we could come up with some cool ideas/applications of the complete zone system, not just the originating negative side.

W

Sounds good. You want to start it?


~ Greg

 

[mezmo]

Hi Greg Leno,
I'm on the other side of the planet hence the deelay in reply.
By modified zone system I mean a system suitable for Red and
perhaps more for it's higher end post paths.
A system that DP's could use to determine the best possible ISO,
exposure, shutter speed for Red and it's wide dynamic range in
any given scene.
A system that's fast and reliable.
Most digital files for larger productions will end up back in RGB land
and in boxes like scratch,I.Q,nucoder ect. Directors change minds
and shots have to be recoverd from dark areas,detail rescued from hot
parts of the frame. Post production "printing" if you like.
Getting the best possible Bayer file and having an easy system to
determine what is the best file on set could be very important.
You could "bracket" every shot you shoot but this is usually time
consuming and not at all practicle on a film set.
Red seems to be behaving quite well in the hands of expierenced DP's
on various test shoots taking place at the moment.
I suspect they are also using the more traditional methods of determining
exposure and dynamic range windows.
Not having met the camera I don't know exactly how a zone system would
work for Red or how you would implement it in the digital system.
The principals should be somwhere near the same for film and RED.
Hence the idea for a modofied Red zone system.

 

[chuck colburn]

I thought he was asking about the relationship between ASA, shutter and apereture.

 

[Antoine Fabi]

you're right Chuck,


I remember the relationship but not the equivalents, the numbers.

The rest is a lot easier to remember.

In the meanwhile, i'll shoot a lot of stills with my old Leica.
...but i dont even remember how to properly use my old GE light meter... hee hee...

With the RED ONE, will i need an external light meter ?

 

[Gregory Leno]

Hi Greg Leno,
Most digital files for larger productions will end up back in RGB land
and in boxes like scratch,I.Q,nucoder ect. Directors change minds
and shots have to be recoverd from dark areas,detail rescued from hot
parts of the frame. Post production "printing" if you like.
Getting the best possible Bayer file and having an easy system to
determine what is the best file on set could be very important.
You could "bracket" every shot you shoot but this is usually time
consuming and not at all practicle on a film set.
Red seems to be behaving quite well in the hands of expierenced DP's
on various test shoots taking place at the moment.
I suspect they are also using the more traditional methods of determining
exposure and dynamic range windows.
Not having met the camera I don't know exactly how a zone system would
work for Red or how you would implement it in the digital system.
The principals should be somwhere near the same for film and RED.
Hence the idea for a modofied Red zone system.

Yeah I think I underestand the idea of what you are proposing. And I think it 's a great idea. I'm just not sure I understand how it would be implemented in the digital "neg" and onto the "print" which in this case could either be a film out print or any given monitor or projector.

In the still world a Zone system, and its derivatives, were used to squeeze as much info out of a scene onto a neg and then onto a print.
In Red's case I am wondering how much a system like that is needed given the sensors wide latitude and the ablity to use curves to pull that info out all ready.

It does leave the question of how to determine the best possible exposure for a given situation. Which is what I think you are talking about.
The old "expose for the highlights and develop for the shadows" maybe one way to look at this. I'm just not sure how to use it here. I mean how do you "develop" for the shadows in Red's workflow other than just pulling it out in the curves.

Maybe Graeme can shed some light on what is the best approach here. (no pun intended)

~ G