GEAR | LARGE FORMAT
IMAGES (From left to right) The Sony Venice, Red Monstro and Fujifilm Premista being used with the Arri Alexa LF
full-frame. “The cost differential between large format and Super 35 digital capture is negligible by comparison. Now, the distinctive large format look is available to all,” he says. “Cinematography is a constantly evolving language. In the case of large format, it wasn’t so long ago that the cost of 65mm film prevented most cinematographers from exploiting its unique visual attributes.” Adams sees LF being used “everywhere” – for features, television series, commercials, corporate productions, mixed reality, and even projects conceived for mobile devices. “We are especially seeing wide adoption in mixed-reality production, because LF’s reduced depth-of-field blends individual LEDs in an LED array more easily,” he observes. “Using our Arri Signature Primes and Zooms paired with a large
the DSMC2 and Ranger camera bodies. Jarred Land, president of Red Digital Cinema, comments that large format photography has been “the pinnacle” of image quality for both stills and motion capture. “It used to be very expensive to shoot stills on large or medium format cameras, as well as 70mm motion picture film,” he says. “Now larger format photography in digital form has become more affordable, photographers and filmmakers can enjoy the benefits – such as a creative differential from the majority of micro format imagery being shot today on extremely small sensors, including mobile phones.” The major attraction of LF/ full-frame for cinematographers is the higher quality it brings for the source images. Marc Cattrall, cinema market development manager for Fujifilm Cine Products, highlights that higher resolution LF cameras can offer a larger pixel pitch, enabling capture of a wider dynamic range of light, plus better low-light performance. “Cinematographers like to have choice and flexibility and not be
format camera, crews are finding they can work closer to the LED wall and at deeper stops. The large format look offers a simple and profound combination. For the same distance and f/stop, it results in roughly half the depth-of-field compared to Super 35. Curiously, this increases the sense of depth within the image.” Another contender in the LF arena is the Panavision Millennium DXL2, introduced the same year as the Alexa LF. It was developed following comments and input from users of Panavision’s earlier foray into LF, the Millennium DXL. The second generation – which is 8K and combines Panavision optics and physical design with Light Iron Color 2 science – has fewer cables and more automation. It is based on the Red Monstro VV sensor, as was the original DXL, although the association between the two companies was not made public at the time of its release. Red Digital Cinema is at pains to point out that the VV in Monstro VV does not stand for VistaVision. The sensor itself can be used with
BELOW A modern lens with a timeless look, Arri’s Signature Primes have high data rates and absolute encoders
30 DEF I N I T ION | JULY 202 1
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