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16 VIDEOMAKER >>> NOVEMBER 2019

than the much smaller 1/3 inch sensor typically

seen in phones. However, image processing

comes into play here as well. Smartphone cam-

eras have image processors that often reduce

image noise, but this can also adversely affect

the color, contrast and detail of the image. The

more powerful image processors of higher-end

cameras provide more consistent image quality.

Here are some common sensor sizes you

may encounter, with some traditional film mea-

surements for comparison:

• 35mm Full Frame: 36 x 24mm


• Super 35 Motion Picture Film: 24.89 x
  18.66mm


• APS-C: 23.6 x 15.6mm


• Micro Four Thirds (M4/3): 17.3 x 13mm


• One inch: 13.2 x 8.8mm


• Super 16 Motion Picture Film: 12.52 x
  7.41mm


• 2/3 inch: 8.8 x 6.6mm


• 1/2 inch: 6.4 X 4.8mm


• 1/2.5 inch: 5.76 x 4.29mm


• 1/3 inch: 4.8 x 3.6mm

Bitrate: File size, image quality

and efficiency

One important feature that’s not often adver-

tised is bitrate. Bitrate is best described as the

amount of data in every second of video — it

determines the size of the files the camera cre-

ates. Low bitrate usually means a high amount

of compression. This means you’ll get artifact-

ing or tearing when there is lots of movement

in your shot. Shoot with a high bitrate when

you don’t need it and your files will be larger

than they need to be.

Color reproduction

Bit depth is sometimes confused with bitrate, but

they are not the same thing. Bit depth is ex-

pressed as 8-bit or 10-bit — sometimes higher on

professional cinema cameras. A camera capable

of recording at a higher bit-depth will be able to

reproduce more colors leading to fewer issues

with color banding and, in turn, giving you more

flexibility in post production

Chroma subsampling involves the compression

of color information. It’s expressed as a ratio of

the pixel width of a sampling region compared to

the number of pixels sampled from each row in

that sampling region. When the chroma informa-

tion is reduced due to chroma subsampling, dy-

namic color grading can reveal digital artifacts in

footage. That’s why a camera supporting codecs

with 4:4:4 chroma subsampling are more desir-

able than those using 4:2:2 or 4:2:0, which store

less color information.

Dynamic range, HDR and log shooting

The dynamic range of a camera determines

how well it can capture details in both dark and

light sections of the same image. A camera with

a small dynamic range will force you to com-

promise in your exposure when shooting in

mixed light intensity, while cameras with a larger

dynamic range will give you more latitude. High-

end cameras offer as much as 15 or more stops

of dynamic range. The result is a more cinematic

image that comes closer to the quality of film.

To get the most dynamic range from a given

sensor, it’s now common for professional and

prosumer cameras to offer a logarithmic picture

profile, usually abbreviated to log. Log shooting

uses a logarithmic curve, rather than a linear

curve, to calculate exposure values. This allows

for a larger number of gradations in some areas

of the spectrum. Log captures more of these gra-

dations and lets you assign what they’ll be in post

using lookup tables, or LUTs. The end result is a

more flexible image with more dynamic range.

An extension of this desire to capture more

detail in shadows and highlights is High Dynamic

Range (HDR), a feature we expect to see more fre-

quently as new cameras are released. Shooting in

HDR results in a brighter overall image with more

details in both the shadows and the highlights.

There are a few different HDR standards,

including HDR10, Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log

Gamma, or HLG. HLG is probably the format

you’ll encounter most often since, unlike other

formats, viewing it does not require an HDR en-

abled monitor.

Low light performance

Low light performance is also something video

producers should be aware of when choosing

a camera. Because video shooters are usually

locked into a single shutter speed and limited

to the maximum aperture of their lens, ISO is

one of the few controls we have to compensate

for poor lighting. However, with each increase

in ISO, the analog signal from the sensor must

be amplified, introducing more noise into the

picture. At a high enough ISO, the noise in the

image will become too distracting, making the

image unsuitable for professional use. At that

point, the only solution is to add more light to

your scene — which is not always possible, de-

pending on the situation.

If you’re concerned about low light perfor-

mance, look for a camera with a large ISO range

and seek out test footage showing how the

camera performs in a variety of shooting situa-

tions. One way camera manufacturers attempt

to mitigate the effects of boosting ISO is with

Dual Native ISO technology. The native ISO of a

camera is the highest ISO a camera can shoot at

before the signal must be amplified. Dual Native

ISO uses two circuits set at different sensitivities

to reduce noise at higher ISOs without sacrificing

quality at lower ISO levels.

Though good low light performance is cer-

tainly desirable, unless you’re planning a lot of

shooting in a dark or in uncontrolled environ-

ments, there are definitely other factors that

should ultimately have more influence over your

purchasing decision.

Frame rate options

The term overcrank refers to the ability to shoot

more frames per second in order to slow down

footage for slow motion. If you want to achieve

glass-smooth slow motion, be sure to check

what max frame rate the camera offers. The

more frames per second it shoots, the slower the

footage will look when played back at normal

frame rates. Everything faster than 60 frames per

second is considered good for cinematic slow-

mo. Some cameras offer the ability to conform

faster frame rates in camera. This gives you the

ability to playback your slow-motion footage

within the camera without needing post-process-

ing to see the slow motion effect. Other cameras

need their footage to be digitally interpreted to a

lower frame rate in the edit suite, which tends to

be hit or miss.

Additionally, often, not all frame rates are

available in every resolution. Make sure you

The Best camcorders

390 B02 Pro Camcorders.indd 16 9/24/19 2:11 PM

VIDEOMAKER >>> NOVEMBER 2019 17

Color reproduction

Bit depth is sometimes confused with bitrate, but

they are not the same thing. Bit depth is ex-

pressed as 8-bit or 10-bit — sometimes higher on

professional cinema cameras. A camera capable

of recording at a higher bit-depth will be able to

reproduce more colors leading to fewer issues

with color banding and, in turn, giving you more

flexibility in post production

Chroma subsampling involves the compression

of color information. It’s expressed as a ratio of

the pixel width of a sampling region compared to

the number of pixels sampled from each row in

that sampling region. When the chroma informa-

tion is reduced due to chroma subsampling, dy-

namic color grading can reveal digital artifacts in

footage. That’s why a camera supporting codecs

with 4:4:4 chroma subsampling are more desir-

able than those using 4:2:2 or 4:2:0, which store

less color information.

Dynamic range, HDR and log shooting

The dynamic range of a camera determines

how well it can capture details in both dark and

light sections of the same image. A camera with

a small dynamic range will force you to com-

promise in your exposure when shooting in

mixed light intensity, while cameras with a larger

dynamic range will give you more latitude. High-

end cameras offer as much as 15 or more stops

of dynamic range. The result is a more cinematic

image that comes closer to the quality of film.

To get the most dynamic range from a given

sensor, it’s now common for professional and

prosumer cameras to offer a logarithmic picture

profile, usually abbreviated to log. Log shooting

uses a logarithmic curve, rather than a linear

curve, to calculate exposure values. This allows

for a larger number of gradations in some areas

of the spectrum. Log captures more of these gra-

dations and lets you assign what they’ll be in post

using lookup tables, or LUTs. The end result is a

more flexible image with more dynamic range.

An extension of this desire to capture more

detail in shadows and highlights is High Dynamic

Range (HDR), a feature we expect to see more fre-

quently as new cameras are released. Shooting in

HDR results in a brighter overall image with more

details in both the shadows and the highlights.

There are a few different HDR standards,

including HDR10, Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log

Gamma, or HLG. HLG is probably the format

you’ll encounter most often since, unlike other

formats, viewing it does not require an HDR en-

abled monitor.

Low light performance

Low light performance is also something video

producers should be aware of when choosing

a camera. Because video shooters are usually

locked into a single shutter speed and limited

to the maximum aperture of their lens, ISO is

one of the few controls we have to compensate

for poor lighting. However, with each increase

in ISO, the analog signal from the sensor must

be amplified, introducing more noise into the

picture. At a high enough ISO, the noise in the

image will become too distracting, making the

image unsuitable for professional use. At that

point, the only solution is to add more light to

your scene — which is not always possible, de-

pending on the situation.

If you’re concerned about low light perfor-

mance, look for a camera with a large ISO range

and seek out test footage showing how the

camera performs in a variety of shooting situa-

tions. One way camera manufacturers attempt

to mitigate the effects of boosting ISO is with

Dual Native ISO technology. The native ISO of a

camera is the highest ISO a camera can shoot at

before the signal must be amplified. Dual Native

ISO uses two circuits set at different sensitivities

to reduce noise at higher ISOs without sacrificing

quality at lower ISO levels.

Though good low light performance is cer-

tainly desirable, unless you’re planning a lot of

shooting in a dark or in uncontrolled environ-

ments, there are definitely other factors that

should ultimately have more influence over your

purchasing decision.

Frame rate options

The term overcrank refers to the ability to shoot

more frames per second in order to slow down

footage for slow motion. If you want to achieve

glass-smooth slow motion, be sure to check

what max frame rate the camera offers. The

more frames per second it shoots, the slower the

footage will look when played back at normal

frame rates. Everything faster than 60 frames per

second is considered good for cinematic slow-

mo. Some cameras offer the ability to conform

faster frame rates in camera. This gives you the

ability to playback your slow-motion footage

within the camera without needing post-process-

ing to see the slow motion effect. Other cameras

need their footage to be digitally interpreted to a

lower frame rate in the edit suite, which tends to

be hit or miss.

Additionally, often, not all frame rates are

available in every resolution. Make sure you

know your final delivery resolution so you can

make sure you’ll be able to shoot in the frame

rate you want at the resolution you require.

Monitoring options

The type of monitoring a camera has can affect

your ability to see your shot well enough to get

proper exposure and focus. Find out if the LCD

screen has any articulation. If so, will it fit your

type of shooting? If you vlog or shoot selfies, be-

ing able to see yourself while shooting is a must.

Choose a monitor that flips out and rotates 180

degrees. Some monitors are highly reflective, so

you might require a tilting screen to be able to

suppress any unwanted glare.

Outside of the monitor connected to the cam-

era, you might need to use an external monitor.

It’s best to know if the camera has an HDMI or

SDI output, and if so, what size it is.

Shot assist tools and extras

Some cameras include nice extras like image

stabilization, autofocus and shot assist tools.

These features will be more or less important

depending on your shooting style and other

existing gear.

In-body image stabilization is good for times

when you’ll be shooting hand-held or even with

a minimal rig. Usually, you’ll find either 3-axis

or 5-axis systems rated in stops of shake reduc-

tion. Look for cameras that advertise optical

image stabilization or sensor stabilization — not

digital stabilization, which will degrade the qual-

ity of the image.

Autofocus is another feature that will be

more valuable to some than to others. Because

focus is so critical to a video’s perceived im-

age quality, we usually recommend pulling

focus manually. Sometimes, though, auto-

390 B02 Pro Camcorders.indd 17 9/24/19 2:11 PM