HD thoughts

by Phil Millard

Coming from a film background I found working in High-Definition almost like going back a few years to when the majority of 'high end' documentary and corporate work was still shot on Super 16mm.

My first experiences with HD were with the HDCAM recording format, shooting with the Sony HDW-F900 CineAlta camera at 24P, which became something of a revelation. Other, experienced crew members who had only worked on video all said that they couldn't believe that television image could look so great. For me it was a return to a quality of image that one associates with film, one that transcended the compromises of other video formats. Shooting in the 24Pp mode with the HDW F900 has since become my reference regardless of what I'm shooting.

Being well versed in all the other Sony formats from DV through DVCAM, Beta SP, Beta SX and Digi-Beta, shooting with the F900 for me set a new bench mark which has helped me look again at the values of the other cameras/formats, their advantages and what can be achieved with them.

With the speed at which post technology is advancing, it's really important for a DoP to be aware of what's possible at both ends of a production. With HD a DoP can put his own stamp on a project from the start, tweak things if needed as each scene changes and eventually say, 'that's how I see it'.

Here I found having a good rental house, that understands the needs of a DoP, is able to instruct, and give you backup during tests and on the shoot as primary when setting things up. On most documentary style HD shoots a DoP is not going to get anywhere near a 24 inch HD monitor unless a visit is made to the rental house. It's only here that one can really appreciate the true impact of full resolution 1080 x 1920 HD television pictures as they're meant to be seen. On the job a 9-inch field monitor although useful is just not going to cut it especially for focus and a 24-inch monitor is never going to be practical.

Before every shoot I putask as many questions as possible to a producer to try toand find out what their overall expectations are with regard to image and sound and, most importantly, content.

With HD these factors are even more important, especially when foreign productions come to Europe. We're talking progressive scan, interlace, Fps, as well as lighting needs etc and how much it's all going to cost. Many documentary productions on HD at the moment are often part of a series that may have been shot across the globe with different camera crews and budgets and so a DoP needs to find out not only how high the creative bar is but how best to apply his craft to a production where he won't necessarily be involved at the start, or see things through the post process.

One of the problems I've encountered is where a series already 90% shot at 1080 60i comes to town. Until recently the only HDCAM camera on the shelf at most rental houses in Europe capable of shooting at this rate has been the F900, which gives beautiful pictures but may be considered too expensive to rent 'just to shoot interlace for TV'. Then there is the possible problem of shooting 60fps in a 50hz environment with flicker. This has led to a lot of productions being shot with the Sony 700 series of HD cameras. 12 bit processors have been substituted with 10 bit, but shooting at 25P with the HDW 750P camera with a 3:2 pull down in post has been a cost effective way of dealing with things. Producers have really taken to the progressive look. The camera body is lighter than the F900 but using the same picture head block and FIT chips means that the image remains comparable in some ways with that of 35mm, at the same time being ideal for television.

With HD a lot of DoPs are again talking about tonal range, latitude etc and with good reason but the 700 series of cameras with HD broadcast lenses on have a real pick up and shoot side to them which, as the HD market expands, program producers will take advantage of. That said, any one really interested in his or her craft will want to make the most of the many looks that can be achieved using the on board menus in the cameras. Not only can one have instant control over the image as it's being created but at the same time it helps bridge the gap between the possibilities that can be achieved in post and what you as DoP are hoping to create from the outset.

Sony's HDW-730S is now in the frame. It's switchable between 50i and 60i making it compatible in both NTSC and PAL environments. Savings have been made by fitting IT chips but, despite this slight loss in quality, the image is still up where it needs to be. This is seen as the camera that will push High-Def acquisition into the mainstream, replacing the Digi-Beta format, although it's clear that Sony will have to make some modifications before satisfying the army of 'Digi' owner operators. The lack of a separate ND filter wheel is something that many will see as unacceptable on a camera of this quality and price.

Despite any teething problems it can only be a matter of time before the HDW-730S becomes the HDCAM camcorder of choice for productions destined for television and the corporate world.