High definition formats for cinema

DVCPro-HD, HDCAM, HDCAM-SR, XDCAM and HDV are some of the various high-definition formats that the film industry works with today. The key to knowing which one to choose is to be clear about what you are looking for in each production.

During a recent event hosted by Band Pro in Los Angeles, California, Jeffrey Cree, HDVS development manager for Band Pro Film & Digital Inc., referred to several high-definition formats that the film industry works with today. Among the different formats, Cree mentioned DVCPro-HD, HDCAM and HDCAM-SR, and XDCAM and HDV as low-cost alternatives that have emerged in the last two years. The range of options for those who want to produce is wide. "Today we can talk about cameras of 5 thousand dollars and up, up to systems of more than 100 thousand. But, do not be confused-clarifies Cree-; each of these formats offers a different level of performance."

But given such a variety of prices, it should also be noted that each of these formats is aimed at a different market sector: semi-professional productions, events, independent cinema, television or large film productions. In each of these segments, the workflow is complemented by other products to achieve a complete system.

"When talking about digital cinema, we can say that the system is, at last, complete, "says categorically the Expert of Band Pro. One of the things hindering the transition to HD production was the fact that adapters, HD monitors and other accessories were missing that are already available today and we can use. The case of lenses is significant; "There are prime lenses and zooms from Carl Zeiss and a wide palette of lenses from Canon, Fujinon and Angenieux. There are special lenses from Innovision and highly specialized products from Pace 3D Systems, Cobalt 3D Systems and Cineflex Gyro Mount. These are all part of the toolbox of an HD production." As an example of this variety, it can be mentioned that many of the Imax productions are being made in HD, no longer in film.

Cree argues that if a producer decides to work on a large film production in video, it is very likely that he will work on one of these five cameras: the HDC-F950/SRW-1 or HDW-F900 from Sony, the Varicam from Panasonic, the Viper from GrassValley or the Genesis from Panavision. There are other options such as Dalsa's Origin, but they do not yet have much strength in the market. Interesting developments are also made based on the D-20 of Arriflex and the Red One, of Red.

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You don't always need the highest-performing format for a production. "The XDCAM format," believes Cree, "is gaining traction among many of our clients within the independent film environment. Movies that don't have the budget or the need for special effects. A movie may not need to be recorded in 4:4:4, many times 4:2:0 is enough for what one wants. And the quality is sufficient for certain types of applications."

The conclusion of the Band Pro expert is that there is a market that demands complete systems, which fit into workflows for film production. Manufacturers, for their part, are designing and offering specialized products to meet the specific needs of this market.