Panasonic AG-DVX200PJ Tech Brief - Volume 1 - Page 4

Extended Zoom Range in post, Reframing And Post-Production Camera Movement

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images, but extensive image manipulation in post can reveal the limitations of 8-bit encoding and cause "banding" and "stair-stepping" from one shade to the next. 10-bit footage minimizes those effects because there are up to four shades for every one shade in 8-bit footage. When downconverting UHD/4K footage to 1080p HD, you also get the benefit of converting 8-bit pixel depth into 10-bit pixel depth! Since each 2x2 block of UHD/4K pixels will be summed together to create a single 1x1 pixel in 1080p HD, the individual pixel values and gradations from the source footage can be retained in the downconverted footage. Imagine a smooth gradient of medium gray, gradually getting brighter from left to right. In 8-bit pixel data, a medium gray might be represented by a pixel value of 128, and the next brighter shade might be 129. In 10-bit pixel data, that same medium gray (128) might be represented by a pixel value of 512 (128 x 4) and that brighter shade (129) might be represented in 10bit by a value of 516 (129 x 4). The obvious difference here is that an 8-bit camera can't represent any difference between 128 and 129, but the 10-bit camera (looking at the exact same gradient) could represent a smoother transition between 512, to 513, 514, 515, and then eventually 516. Having 10 bits of data provides for the ability to retain and discern between finer shades of gray (or color). So what happens when we downconvert our 8-bit UHD footage to 10-bit 1080p HD footage? As each 2x2 block of pixels is summed together, those subtle differences in shade are retained, and we end up being able to represent shades that the 8-bit footage couldn't have. Extended Zoom Range (in post): The AG-DVX200 has a 13x optical zoom, providing for the 35mm photography camera equivalent of 364mm of telephoto reach -- but sometimes, you just need more. If you're delivering in 1080 HD, you can crop in post into the central 1/4 of the UHD frame and use that crop as your full 1920 x 1080 frame, effectively "zooming" in post for a total magnification equivalent to 728mm. If your final delivery is going to be 720p footage, you can zoom in post even further, to the central 1/9th of the screen, while still retaining full resolved detail; that would mean a total "effective" zoom equivalent of 1,092 mm. Full optical zoom Post crop of center of image, for 2x "post zoom" Reframing And Post-Production Camera Movement: Sometimes when you frame up a shot, you think you've got it perfect, only to get to the editing suite and realize that there's a microphone in the shot, or something ugly in the background, or perhaps your composition wasn't quite level, or maybe you really wish that you'd zoomed in just a little tighter. When you're shooting in 4K/UHD and finishing in HD, you've got quite a bit of flexibility in resizing, trim-

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images, but extensive image manipulation in post can reveal the limitations of 8-bit encoding
and cause “banding” and “stair-stepping” from one shade to the next.
10-bit footage minimizes
those effects because there are up to four shades for every one shade in 8-bit footage.
When
downconverting UHD/4K footage to 1080p HD, you also get the benefit of converting 8-bit
pixel depth into 10-bit pixel depth!
Since each 2x2 block of UHD/4K pixels will be summed to-
gether to create a single 1x1 pixel in 1080p HD, the individual pixel values and gradations from
the source footage can be retained in the downconverted footage.
Imagine a smooth gradient of medium gray, gradually getting brighter from leſt to right.
In
8-bit pixel data, a medium gray might be represented by a pixel value of 128, and the next
brighter shade might be 129.
In 10-bit pixel data, that same medium gray (128) might be repre-
sented by a pixel value of 512 (128 x 4) and that brighter shade (129) might be represented in 10-
bit by a value of 516 (129 x 4).
°e obvious difference here is that an 8-bit camera can’t represent
any difference between 128 and 129, but the 10-bit camera (looking at the exact same gradient)
could represent a smoother transition between 512, to 513, 514, 515, and then eventually 516.
Having 10 bits of data provides for the ability to retain and discern between finer shades of gray
(or color).
So what happens when we downcon-
vert our 8-bit UHD footage to 10-bit 1080p HD
footage?
As each 2x2 block of pixels is summed
together, those subtle differences in shade are
retained, and we end up being able to represent
shades that the 8-bit footage couldn’t have.
Extended Zoom Range (in post):
°e AG-DVX200 has a 13x optical zoom, providing for the
35mm photography camera equivalent of 364mm of telephoto reach -- but sometimes, you just
need more.
If you’re delivering in 1080 HD, you can crop in post into the central 1/4 of the
UHD frame and use that crop as your full 1920 x 1080 frame, effectively “zooming” in post for a
total magnification equivalent to 728mm.
If your final delivery is going to be 720p footage, you
can zoom in post even further, to the central 1/9th of the screen, while still retaining full re-
solved detail; that would mean a total “effective” zoom equivalent of 1,092 mm.
Full optical
Post crop
zoom
of center
of image, for
2x “post zoom”
Reframing And Post-Production Camera Movement
: Sometimes when you frame up a shot,
you think you’ve got it perfect, only to get to the editing suite and realize that there’s a micro-
phone in the shot, or something ugly in the background, or perhaps your composition wasn’t
quite level, or maybe you really wish that you’d zoomed in just a little tighter.
When you’re
shooting in 4K/UHD and finishing in HD, you’ve got quite a bit of flexibility in resizing, trim-