The power of RAW

The power of RAW

Here is an unprocessed Raw Canon file that's at least 5 stops underexposed. 

Here is the same file, processed in Light Room 2. 

Yeah there's a lot of noise but look at the above frame. It's black. Yet amazingly there's enough information for the software to put together a halfway decent image. Frankly, I'm a little surprised. I understand very well how raw sensor data works but the technology still never ceases to amaze me. Raster video is great and has it's uses but I think the future of digital imaging is no doubt RAW.

More Canon 7D Test Vids

More Canon 7D Test Vids

I am loving this camera! It's so handy for pre-production - working out camera moves, finding placement and lens choice, working out blocking, etc. Nevermind the fact that it also shoots incredibly high quality raw stills and acceptable quality video. 

I'm trying to figure out if we can use the 7D for a time lapse shot on an upcoming job. I did this first time lapse test in medium quality jpeg just to get a feel for the process. I shot it out of my bedroom window in Brooklyn, NY from 10PM to 10AM. 1 frame per minute, Aperture Priority, f/4, ISO 400. I kept the white balance in Auto and I think for the next test I'll set it around 5000k and shoot in the large Raw file. There is an enormous amount of color temperature difference in available light between nighttime and daytime. At night in the city, it's orange with hard green spikes as street lights have a very low CRI. It then gets very, very cool as daylight approaches but the sun has not yet risen. As the sun appears and sunlight hits the color temp is in the 2800-3400k zone and then cools back off to between 5000-6000k once the sun has fully risen. These numbers are obviously crude approximations but you get the idea. Obviously with Raw, you can control these color temps and find an ideal setting for each time period. Or you can just find one setting that looks great for them all. I'm going to try 5000 Kelvin for my next one. I'm having fun with this and can easily see how it could become an obsession.   

Canon 7D Time Lapse Test 1 from Ben Cain / Negative Spaces on Vimeo.

Canon 1D Mk IV Low Light Capabilities

Canon 1D Mk IV Low Light Capabilities

I've been reading a lot about the amazing low light abilities of the Canon 1D Mk IV with it's extended ISO settings that apparently can "see what our eyes can't even see". Intriguing. Our ASC charts for Incident Key Light don't go beyond ASA/EI 3200 where you'll find that to expose for 18% Reflectance Gray with a T Stop of 1.4 you'll need 1 foot candle. These charts don't even account for <1 foot candle readings despite the fact that light meters can measure them down to 1/10. This makes sense from a film point of view where the fastest motion picture stocks readily available are 500 ASA. Rating them as such and shooting with a stop of T1.4, you still need 5 foot candles for optimum exposure. Up until recently, with the advent of digital cameras that can see in the dark, there has been no real need to expand upon these tried and true charts.

Open moon light is about .1 foot candle and the 1D Mk IV's expanded ISO of 102400 is 4 2/3 stops faster than ASA/EI 3200. Using the ASC charts as a guide, with a T Stop of 1.4 if my math is correct (4 2/3 stops faster than 1 is .048) that should be enough light to actually expose, albeit a noisy exposure no doubt, in available moon light. Has anyone out there had the opportunity to try this camera out in only available night time "light"?

Please someone weigh in. I'd love to hear from you guys more often :)