Part one of this three-part series explained why Media Composer | First, and some other NLEs cannot support round-tripping, the usual way of color grading with DaVinci Resolve in combination with an NLE (such as Media Composer or FCP X). Part 1 of this three-part also addressed the process of setting up Resolve for a grading project.

Despite the fact that most broadcasters have been slow to embrace 4K production in their news studios, there are a few that have installed the latest cameras in an effort to produce a master file for archiving. They include non-traditional media organizations like Facebook Live, Netflix and YouTube, which all maintain 4K production studios that are made available to users with significant online followers.

CE vendors are starting to push Ultra HD Premium television receivers, but what does it mean for the consumer, what can they watch in UHD and what are the implications upstream for content distributors and creators?

ITU recommendation BT.2020 standardised UHD television parameters, opening the door to the delivery of 4K content to the viewer. 2020 defines the resolutions, 2160P and 7680P, and frame rates up 120fps. The recommendation included a new colorimetry: a wider colour space with new colour primaries. It also recommended the uses of an alternative electro-optical transfer function (EOTF) to the existing gamma of cathode ray tubes (CRT) that would allow for an increased dynamic range. Surprisingly, gamma was not formally defined until 2011 in BT.1886, a bit late for the CRT. 

Another fall, another IBC. Its’ that time of year when we find out if the promises made at NAB are kept, new promises are made and we see if there are real differences between U.S. and the rest of the world regarding technology philosophy and direction.

The ubiquitous waveform monitor and vectorscope provide a standard technical reference for on-set lighting adjustments and display color correction.

The hit series Hunted sees a number of everyday people going on the run from agents who are tracking them down using replicated governmental resources. The series producers, Shine TV, needed to implement an acquisition workflow that would be light, covert and easy to both use and manoeuvre. Shine TV wanted Hunted to look as cinematic as possible. The initial point of reference for the series was the Bourne Identity. DP Dan Etheridge chose the Canon XC10 and LEGRIA mini X for location self-shooting, cutting the footage with broadcast cameras used for the interior shots.

Relaxing in the evening, if there is nothing interesting on the internet I turn to television. When there is no new programming that appeals, I may watch reruns, scripted shows, both drama and episodic. Over the last few years the new productions have such a different look from earlier material, and I got to wondering what are the key technologies that have enabled this change to a more realistic look? I came to the conclusion that the key technologies are the CMOS imager and compression algorithms. The former set the standard of the capture image, the latter allows it to be delivered to the viewer.

It has been over ten years since the first video-capable DSLR cameras hit the market. Not only did the new generation of smaller video cameras turn the video production on its head, but it propelled a decade of innovation of high-quality audio for these small cameras.

There is much talk of 8K ranging from film studios to broadcasters looking to shoot world-class sports events. The Winter Olympics was covered at 8K resolution – proving it's no longer a lab experiment. But is there an advantage in ever increasing resolutions, and what is the business case?

Since the beginning of motion pictures and of television, directors and engineers have been on a quest for better pictures in order to convey artistic intent, or greater realism. This quest includes a move to more pixels, higher frame rates, higher dynamic range, and wider color volume. These together can deliver subtler and more realistic scene rendition and reduced motion artifacts. However, there are constraints, some from the laws of physics, and some from the cost of producing, distributing and delivering higher data rates.

The global pro camcorder market is currently undergoing the largest shift in dynamic since the introduction of the large sensor product in 2010. The 1-inch sensor segment is gathering momentum in the global pro camcorder market.