cinetaur - Digital Film Files

A resource for information on 2K Digital Film & 1080 24P High Definition feature filmmaking tools

Cinematography - Shooting with 1080P, 2K and 4K resolution, compressed vs. uncompressed, tape vs. disk image capture, DPX files, single CMOS sensors, direct to disk recorders, tech info, data rates, rental houses, underwater gear, lenses, dockable recorders
Editing & Post - Editing systems, editing in compressed HD, codecs, audio mixing, conversion products, DI workflows, DI creation and finishing tools, post houses
Camera Gallery - Red One, Viper, Arri D-20, Genesis, Sony F23. Dalsa, Phantom, Silicon Imaging, Kinetta, High Speed Cameras, smallest HD camera
Production Links - SAG Indie Contracts, financing
Sound - DAT or Disk Files, Double system sync setups, jamming

Cameras

Viper , Arriflex D-20, Panavision Genesis, Silicon Imaging SI-2K, Phantom HD , Dalsa Origin , Sony's F950 & F23 and Red One are used for higher-end recording of 10-bit (linear or log) 4:4:4 RGB and 4:2:2 data flows with true 1920x1080 and 2K resolutions used to create DPX file, HDCAM-SR tape and other format (file or tape) masters.
Sensors: The D-20, Genesis, Phantom HD, Dalsa, F35 and Red use single Super 35mm sized CMOS sensors (except Genesis which uses "mysterious" CCD technology). This allows the systems to use 35mm film lenses. The Viper, F23, AG-HPX and F950 use 3 CCD sensors which require lenses designed specifically for digital capture. The SI-2K uses a single 2/3" CMOS censor which allows for using 16mm film lenses. The exact resolutions and megapixel counts vary.
The most commonly used cameras for HD tape capture (non DPX and HDCAM-SR ) are Sony's Alta Vista F900 and Panasonic's Varicam. The F900 records in 1440x1080/24P and the Varicam in 720/24P, but it has a variable frame rate (12-60). Both use 3 CCD sensors and record in 8-bit.
Dalsa Origin is a 4K system: 16 bit, 12 stops latitude, 12 Megapixels, DPX files.
Uncompressed 10-bit log 4:4:4 RGB data flows should be captured onto disk drives. S.Two , RaveHD , Megazine , Keisohu Giken offer disk drive recorders - DDRs - to record 4:4:4 RGB tapeless data workflows. SRW-1 VTRs are used for tape capture (HDCAM-SR).
1 hour of 2K DPX 10-bit log files = 1TB (terabyte) of data. Each frame is a 12 MB file. (Each 4K frame is 48 MB)
Sony's SRW-1 VTRs (HDCAM-SR) records onto 1/2" tape and compress 4:4:4 RGB at 2:1:1 in the HQ mode.
Silicon Imaging SI-2K is a 1080/24P direct to disk system with a single 2/3" CMOS sensor which allows using 16mm film lenses. The CineForm Raw format is used for image capture.
Viper has a dockable solid-state recorder. Genesis has a dockable VTR as does the F23.
Infinity is a 720/24P solid state camcorder from Grass Valley using Rev Pro compact flash media
Panasonic's HVX-200 (720/24P) uses P2 flash memory cards and intercuts with the Varicam
Sony's XDCAM system is its entry into tapeless recording
HDV is highly compressed HD using the MPEG-2 protocol - basically upgraded consumers products. A few documenatry features have been shot using Canon's XL-H1, XL-2, Sony's Z-1, A-1 or JVC's HD-100.

Editing

Avid and Final Cut Pro and their premutations - like "express" versions - are the two major non-linear editing (NLE) systems used. Editing software review
Canopus's Edius HD , Abobe's Premiere (Windows based software) and Matrox (a turnkey system using Abode) are alternatives.
What file format to use? With 4:4:4 you record to DPX files and then downconvert. To a certain degree it all depends on the budget and scope of the film. DPX, QT, MXF, AFF, BMP and AVI are the most utilized file formats.
NLEs utilize their own encoding compression codecs: Avid uses the DNxHD codec (AFF), Final Cut uses a QT codec.
Choose a system that fits the specific needs of the project. You can assemble workstations or rent turnkey systems
If you are shooting in HD it is best, if possible budget wise, to cut in compressed HD. And if you are shooting 24P (23.976), it is best to edit in 24P (23.976) - the frame rate it was shot in. Try to maintain the same shooting/editing workflow format.

Data Rates

Looking at the MBps - MegaBytes Per Second - will offer a clue about what data storage capacity is needed (and image quality). This in turn will determine what equipment and budget is required.

HDV - 25 MBps (average)
DVCPRO HD - 100 MBps
HDCAM - 140 MBps
D-5 - 235 MBps
HDCAM SR - 440 MBps & 880 MBps
Single Link HD-SDI - 1.4 GBps - 4:2:2 (SMPTE 292)
Dual Link HD-SDI - 2.9 GBps - (SMPTE 372)
New Single Link SMPTE 424 - 2.9 GBps

Camcorders (F900,Varicam) vs. 4:4:4-2K-single sensor systems

2K, 4:4:4 RGB and direct to disk recording are definitely the wave of the future. At the moment however there are both pluses and drawbacks.

when shooting with single 35mm-sized sensors all the great film lenses are available
an uncompressed 4:4:4 data flow alllows you to capture the richest unaltered images for DI masters but uses a vast amount of disk storage space - 60 min. of 2K 10-bit DPX files (at 12 MB per file frame) equals 1 Terabyte (about what many productions shoot daily - time wise - using film stock)
dockable mag-like recorders attached to the camera are available - Genesis (tape) and Viper Venom FlashPak (data) - but they can be heavy (Genesis) and they need to be downloaded frequently
using HD-SDI or optical viber connections you will often be cabled to a recorder which reduces camera mobility - especially for Steadicam and car shots
uncompressed HD looks green, most productions use an on-set color correction to get an idea of the "real" look
10-bit log 4:4:4 RGB direct to disk systems are a lot more expensive and tech intensive than camcorders
it takes time to set-up a smooth working system for each project
not everyone is comfortable working tapelessly
not for indie filmmaking, yet