Comments on: Testing Your Camera’s Latitude

By: Stuart Wurtman

Stuart Wurtman — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:17:43 +0000

After reading only a small number of your posts in the grand scheme of things, I’ve notice something about your style (which sorry, is now more than likely going to show up in my style). While everyone else out on the net says to do stuff like use a CTO key light on the face and fill shadows with CTB, it all looks so unnatural and even a bit jarring because they push those temperatures very far apart where as you’re running a setup with like a quarter CTB on the fill (or so it seems).
Sorry for the rant, but to me if there’s one thing you’ve taught me it’s that a)you don’t need to conform and b)whacky styles should be for moments when you need THAT style. I just see so many people that after they figure out how to pull of some “hollywood style”, they use it for everything. Like when people shoot clips of their friends at high school football games in 2.35. Who does that haha?

Thank you, this is my enlightenment for the day.

By: Shane

Shane — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 04:13:32 +0000

Fabio Seyding. Yes on DSLR’s the latitude does stay consistent when you’re dealing with specific picture styles. But with the Canon Log 400 ISO is its native, just like the C500′s native is 850, just like the Arri Alexa’s is 800. Native being the ISO which will give you the most dynamic range. Thanks for the comment and support.

By: Fabio Seyding

Fabio Seyding — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 10:01:44 +0000

Thank you for showing us your test-results.

I`m really interested in this native ISO 400 thing. Is this only true for Canon Log/ the 1D C? Is there also a native ISO with the most dynamic range on the other Canon DSLRs (5D Mark II + III, 7D)? Because i always thought the latitude on the Canon DSLRs stays somewhat constant over all ISOs.

By: Shane

Shane — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:53:45 +0000

Tyler Stableford. Thanks for the kind words and support. These tests were shot at 4K.

By: Randolph Sellars

Randolph Sellars — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 02:11:35 +0000

Thanks Shane. Great post BTW! I’m looking forward to running my own tests. My local rental house recently got the camera so I’ve only had a chance to play with it a little. So far, I like it. What’s your feeling about the variable data rate of 500 Mbps? Where do you think it averages at? How did the image compare on the big screen to the 5D Mark II or Mark III?

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 18:30:35 +0000

Awesome post by the way!

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 18:11:01 +0000

Ah Yes, had I thought about it, obviously the ISO is a constant. So the 2 stops over is CC’d, just not labelled as such.

By: Tyler Stableford

Tyler Stableford — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:12:07 +0000

Hi Shane,
Thank you so much for this post, your research and insight is so helpful!
Say, are these tests done at 1080p All-I mode or at 4K mode, or perhaps something else?
With gratitude, Tyler

By: Shane

Shane — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 00:15:53 +0000

Bob Demers. I don’t have the exact foot candles noted, but I will say that the 400 ISO rating was correct for the best dynamic range.

By: Shane

Shane — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 00:01:24 +0000

Per Sjoborg. That looks like a great kit. I would add some Kino Flo technology, the Kino LFo 200 or 400 Diva lights. Its a great soft source, use the Dedo’s as Edge lights, hard lights, and background highlights. Then use the Kino’s for fill or Key. Thanks for the comment and support.

By: Shane

Shane — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 23:54:53 +0000

Drew Ruggles. Foamcore will give a sheen to the bounce, and Bead board has a softer look. You can buy Bead board at Home Depot too.Thanks for the comment and support.

By: Shane

Shane — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 23:00:50 +0000

Pierre Deschamps. Thanks for the comment and support. Could you get a bit more on what you’re looking for and what your budget is? Will oyu have power for the lighting or looking for something portable?

By: Shane

Shane — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:58:10 +0000

Randolph Sellars. The exposure was dialed in by using a light meter, and dialing it in a bit by eye. I chose those exposures to see how far I could push the digital negative and bring it back. Some worked and others didn’t, it was all apart of the test. Also all of these tests we’re processed into DI and put on a 40′ screen, which was the best reference.

By: Shane

Shane — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:24:18 +0000

Darryl Gregory. Thanks so much for the kind words and support.

By: Shane

Shane — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:23:02 +0000

Nenad Mladenovic. Thanks so much for the kind words and support. The 1DX and 1DC do have the same chip. The best way to find the sweet spot is with testing like this. Take a look at the examples here, and the 1DX should react similarly.

By: Shane

Shane — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:15:19 +0000

vid noob. Thanks for the comment and support. Ask away, and I can try and answer it for you.

By: Shane

Shane — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:10:58 +0000

Sam. All of the exposures were shot at the Native ISO of 400 ISO. +2 was color corrected to compensate for the over exposure.

By: Sam

Sam — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 18:33:06 +0000

Why is it that the still above labelled +2 shares the same overexposure characteristics as the one labelled +1?

Seems strange that the +1 1/3 looks hotter than the +2.

Is this because you hit a native ISO? Or is the +2 still frame not actually +2?

By: Bob Demers

Bob Demers — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 01:23:50 +0000

Great test, love the BFL.

DId you happen to note the foot candles (forgive me, old school) and if camera ISO was rated as “advertised”? Did a test on the Blackmagic camera the other day, quick calculations indicated some bragging of about +2 stops.

Cheers

By: Randolph Sellars

Randolph Sellars — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 23:21:02 +0000

Shane, how did you establish your baseline exposure? You mentioned not using waveforms, etc. Did you just “eyeball” judge the grey card and flesh tone for a “normal” look? Also, the over/under stops that you chose to color correct – were those the extremes that you felt could be corrected and still look OK? Could you have gone further over or under with some correction and still get an acceptable or useable image? Obviously, this is subjective and everyone must decide their own “pain” threshold.