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RAW This ultimate 16-bit linear RAW format preserves all the information captured in 4K, with 16 times more tonal value than 12-bit RAW. I would be

RAW This ultimate 16-bit linear RAW format preserves all the information captured in 4K, with 16 times more tonal value than 12-bit RAW. I would be interested in real-world benchmarks by professionals not affiliated to a camera company about this. I myself have shot in RAW 12 bpc with Magic Lantern and was very impressed, I am wondering if going higher has advantages, for example less noises in the shadows

Steve44 8y ago
Nikon DSLRs can use either 12 or 14 bit RAW and there is quite a lot of discussions regarding that. The consensus seems to be that for a well exposed picture you can't tell any difference, it's only in some heavily processed edge cases there may be an advantage. Remember it doesn't give a wider dynamic range, it just gives a greater number of graduations within that range. How the image is displayed also affects how it looks, but having a better source should give your less degradation during processing and display.
Joeboy 8y ago
I guess it means you still get 12-bit tonal range even if you're four stops underexposed.
- jacobush 8y ago
  No, that's not it.
KaiserPro 8y ago
its more used for "fuckit fix it post". It allows the DI people to pull out/mix&match bits of the frame that would otherwise be lost to noise. Its also useful in VFX for things like matchmoving, as you can crank up the exposure so the tracker can grab onto something (again assuming low noise.) That's the theory, with RED it never delivered, being noisy and not very sensitive (see DoP/ set deisgner's mutterings in the hobbit.)
- KaiserPro 8y ago
  Actually something is coming back to me. Its useful for "day for night" shots. Originally one would slap a blue filter on your lights and under expose the footage by x amount. Assuming the sensor has a dynamic range wide enough, you can just alter the exposure in post, without clipping the blacks too much.
opencl 8y ago
Adding more bits just reduces quantization noise, so it only helps if the quantization noise is above the actual sensor/amplifier/ADC circuit's noise floor in the first place. The D810 for example can slightly exceed 12 bits when used at very low ISOs, <200. If Sony has managed to make an extremely low noise sensor here then there can be some benefit.

Steve44 8y ago

Nikon DSLRs can use either 12 or 14 bit RAW and there is quite a lot of discussions regarding that. The consensus seems to be that for a well exposed picture you can't tell any difference, it's only in some heavily processed edge cases there may be an advantage. Remember it doesn't give a wider dynamic range, it just gives a greater number of graduations within that range. How the image is displayed also affects how it looks, but having a better source should give your less degradation during processing and display.

Joeboy 8y ago

I guess it means you still get 12-bit tonal range even if you're four stops underexposed.

jacobush 8y ago
No, that's not it.

KaiserPro 8y ago

its more used for "fuckit fix it post". It allows the DI people to pull out/mix&match bits of the frame that would otherwise be lost to noise. Its also useful in VFX for things like matchmoving, as you can crank up the exposure so the tracker can grab onto something (again assuming low noise.) That's the theory, with RED it never delivered, being noisy and not very sensitive (see DoP/ set deisgner's mutterings in the hobbit.)

KaiserPro 8y ago
Actually something is coming back to me. Its useful for "day for night" shots. Originally one would slap a blue filter on your lights and under expose the footage by x amount. Assuming the sensor has a dynamic range wide enough, you can just alter the exposure in post, without clipping the blacks too much.

opencl 8y ago

Adding more bits just reduces quantization noise, so it only helps if the quantization noise is above the actual sensor/amplifier/ADC circuit's noise floor in the first place. The D810 for example can slightly exceed 12 bits when used at very low ISOs, <200. If Sony has managed to make an extremely low noise sensor here then there can be some benefit.