The HD Camera Family
published in High Definition Magazine April 2003 - updated May 2004
Like digital photography HD requires a degree of discipline from all aspects of shooting including post production and choice and calibration of the display device.
When shooting HD with a compressed recording for a HD delivery you're on the edge. There are no safety ropes. So what is a HD picture? Is it defined by the type of camera or the recording format employed? Is there a way of knowing the providence of a HD image? It is possible to upconvert a picture from a cctv camera to HD. On playback, technically speaking you'll be watching a so called, HD picture. Lets examine the types of cameras so that you know in general where you are starting. Just how HD is your HD camera?
The pedigree of the picture starts with the lens.
A 'proper' HD lens will deliver the shadow detail and overall resolution that is needed for a good HD picture. Be warned that some rental companies suggest that prime lenses designed for standard definition are acceptable for HD. Just like standard definition there are no standards for HD lenses and some are better than others, as a general rule the recent 2nd generation offerings are superior.
The Panavision and Fuji Super HD lenses are superb. They are fast T1.6 and designed to integrate seamlessly into a 35mm method of operation. However this his comes at a cost of size and weight when compared to other HD lenses.
To create a fast zoom lens for a 2/3 inch image plane the front element has to be large. Generally speaking the larger the front element the less depth of field. The 2/3 inch image size of HD is less than half that of 35mm motion picture film. As a result a wider lens is required on HD to match a given angle of view on 35mm.. Wider lenses have greater depth of field, this greater depth of field is both a help and a hindrance. Great for low light work. Not so good for controlling the sharpness of backgrounds in other situations. Depth of field for a given angle of view at T4 on 35mm compares to T1.6 on 2/3 inch chip
We have become accustomed to out of focus backgrounds in movies in modern times and associate sharper backgrounds with TV news and soaps. Interestingly sharp backgrounds were in vogue in the 40s, for example look at Gregg Toland's work. The introduction of less sensitive colour films stocks meant a change in practice, using lenses with wider apertures meant that backgrounds became softer.
Canon Fuji and Angenieux initially produced refined standard definition lenses to cater for the immediate demand of the Sony HDW700 HD news camcorders in 1997. Then came the Panavision lens for Star Wars and Fuji then introduced a set of primes that rivaled the resolution and functionality of the Panavision lenses. Canons second generation zooms launched in 2002 have been designed from the ground up with HD in mind.
Apart from the lower depth of field an audience will not notice the difference between Panavision, Zeiss Fuji or Canon. Bluescreen work would benefit from Fuji's New Super zooms. The Cook and the Angenieux Optimo are rivals in respect of speed to the Panavision Zoom lenses but they too are big and heavy. The front diameter of the Fuji Super zoom is 200 mm! and the Optimo weights 11 kilos. A full 35mm size crew should be employed when using these lenses.
The cost of these lenses is reflected in the rental rates which in some cases is more than the rental of the camera.
Zeiss entered the fray in 2002 with Digi Primes, considered the highest quality set of prime lenses at a fast aperture and launched a 6 to 24mm zoom in 2004.
