DEFINITION February 2018

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INTERVIEW NEWS

a mechanical advantage through removing it. Resolution removal is not arbitrary, rather it’s a calculated process most commonly used in the form of an extraction. Extractions are predetermined resolutions that are smaller than the source or master framing. They are purpose-built areas of the frame that are intended to be used as a tool, not for definition. The most common technique is stabilization, which when using an extraction no longer requires a blow-up (as is required in lower-resolution cameras). Another technique is to take two different takes and stitch them together, using the extraction area as padding to achieve a seamless new frame. Other common tricks such as reframing, tracking, compositing and even the ability to zoom out are impossible on sensors that are low resolution. These techniques are not designed to encourage carelessness on the set, rather it’s about achieving higher precision and more creative control when in the post-production process. Definition: What about resolution versus sharpness? MC: For the longest time, an anti- digital bias and anti-resolution marketing have painted the story of resolution as unnecessary, undesirable or unflattering. Unlike film, all digital sensors are governed by polygons which have a tendency to induce contrast because they have uniform 90º edges unlike randomised circular film grain. Because of this limitation, the illusion of digital smoothness (or roundness) can only be achieved when pixels become so small their 90º edges are no longer producing edge contrast. In other words, when edge contrast is eliminated, perceived sharpness decreases and smoothness increases. This means the smoothest digital images are only made possible with a decrease in pixels size coupled with an increase in resolution. The still photography market discovered this more than a decade ago, as digital cameras took off once 30+ megapixel full-frame sensors hit the market. Motion picture cinematography is only now getting its first taste of this powerful relationship. Definition: What’s the relationship between the rods and cones in our eyes and the digital sensor? Dan Sasaki: The rods and cones in our

portion of image acquisition. It’s the relationship between these elements that produce dimensionality. This dimensionality changes the entire relationship of viewer to foreground, subject and background. On a small sensor with fewer pixels, images always appear flatter and have more contrast (which gives the perception of undesirable sharpness). DXL’s large sensor allows this relationship to produce more realism through roundness and is engineered with custom optics to produce the most dimensionality in an image; something every DP shooting with DXL is quick to notice. Definition: Can you explain how directors like David Fincher use resolution as a tool? MC: A common technique filmmakers used when shooting on 35mm was to frame images in the camera based on the exhibition (output) aspect ratio. When our industry made the switch from film to digital, this technique was somewhat replicated, with the most common aspect ratio evolving to 16:9. In the early days of digital high definition (1920x1080), there were barely enough pixels to photograph a high-quality image, so it was common to capture and master using the same 1080 framing. Visionaries like David Fincher have pioneered resolution in a more utilitarian sense, or leveraging it as a tool. Now that some sensors are able to capture with so much resolution (6K, 7K, 8K, etc.) we can afford to use the resolution to provide

ANTI-DIGITAL BIAS AND ANTI- RESOLUTION MARKETING HAVE PAINTED THE STORY OF RESOLUTION AS UNDESIRABLE

LEFT Panavision’s new findings were first published at last year’s Camerimage Film Festival.

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FEBRUARY 2018 DEFINITION

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