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The Ultimate Camera Standard
By Roger Macie
In the last issue of
Profiles, I promised an update on my quest for a Uniform Standard for
setting up broadcast field cameras. Well, after nearly a thousand camera
setups, I have achieved a Uniform Standard that has been field tested by
hundreds of network and high-end videographers throughout the country. My
goal was to develop a setup that would eliminate the hassles of multi-camera
matching required by network news and magazine shows and provide the best
overall picture quality.
With the use of the DSC Labs "Optical Signal Generator" (OSG), it is now
possible to set up individual cameras to a single set of parameters and have
them match. This chart, designed to SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and
Television Engineers) specifications, allows for alignments that result in
near-perfect color reproduction. To complete the Standard, use of DSC's
Combi2 chart allows for repeatable picture detail alignments.
With the help of these tools, and after proper setup of basic camera
parameters, I documented the factory preset colorimetry by marking
vectorscope overlays for every broadcast field camera that came through the
shop. What I found was that all cameras had less than true color saturation,
especially green and cyan. To add to the difficulty, some cameras, with
limited range could not obtain full colorimetry. In spite of these
constraints, I was able to achieve a vectorscope overlay that allowed near
true color reproduction with all colors except green and cyan , which I set
at a point between factory preset and SMPTE specifications.
The "Macie Uniform Standard" has been field tested on several hundred
cameras for about a year. Resultant feedback has been totally positive from
crews using this operational standard. Not only do they like the look, but
show producers have begun to request crews that use this Standard. Network
management has also become interested in this new concept because of years
of frustration getting just their own cameras to match, never mind hundreds
of freelance crews. Prior to this OSG and Uniform Standard, it was virtually
impossible to match cameras independently.
Videographers, networks, TV stations, rental and production facilities, can
all benefit from a proven multi-camera matching standard that not only make
colors more vibrant and true, but provides for more consistent, pleasing
setting of detail level. This uniform standard is also the best starting
place for creating a special "LOOK" with lighting, lens filtration or with
the newer digital cameras that use either scene files or setup cards.
A small investment in proper camera setup pays large dividends, improving
the quality of your life and those you shoot for. |
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