I am lost in labyrinth of color spaces and bit depths

Hi. Does anyone know the good article or book or video or any source of usefull information about image bit depth in Videography!
As i understand all the dslrs record 8-bit. The more bitrate of codec - the sharper the image? High bitrate doesn't add any bit depth to image?
Top dslrs can record 10bit file.
Blackmagic raw is 12 bit log? Is it similar to 16 bit linear?
I worked a lot with Sony F5 and i always thought it records 12 bit log files. But our camera engineers use CineAlta raw recorder and today I gather that it can record 16 bit linear file and my brain explodes.
I want to take red pill and to go as far as rabbit hole goes to understand all this Sgamuts Slog, bit depth logs and linears but don't know what to start with.
Thank you. And don't throw tomatoes at me

Yes, the first couple of chapters in Alexis van Hurkman's 'Color Grading Handbook v2' are essential reading for anybody new to video, bit depth & codecs. The rest of the book is an excellent introduction to Color Grading and recent versions include a link to downloadable prores files to experiment with.

Acs cinematographers handbook is a must read too. The newest edition covers digital.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Acs cinematographers handbook is a must read too. The newest edition covers digital.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Is this the book you are referring to?

http://www.amazon.com/American-Cinemato ... y+handbook

Acs cinematographers handbook is a must read too. The newest edition covers digital.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Is this the book you are referring to?

http://www.amazon.com/American-Cinemato ... y+handbook

Yes sir, you want the tenth edition. You CAN download it.. I'm not saying how or where but it's worth buying.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks John!

I agree with Craig. The Von Hurkman book is amazing.

I have heard nothing but good things about that book, and gaining a good foundational understanding of these topics is essential, rather than just bits (NPE) and pieces. However, I will endevour to answer your straightforward questions directly...but I imagine you do and will have many more that the book will help you answer for yourself.

As i understand all the dslrs record 8-bit.

All of them have the option, yes.

The more bitrate of codec - the sharper the image?

In a very informal sense for any given codec, one could say that. More precisely, lower bitrates lead to less fine detail, reduced microcontrast, greatly reduced gradeability, and a wide array of different artifacts (prominent examples include macroblocking, banding, "mosquito noise," and many others; very codec dependent, but newer codecs like AVC tend to have less visible ones at similar bitrates).

High bitrate doesn't add any bit depth to image?

Not by itself, though the image may still be more gradeable due to retaining more data and showing fewer artifacts under manipulation.

Top dslrs can record 10bit file.

The 1DC is the ony proper DSLR I am aware of that can do that internally.

Blackmagic raw is 12 bit log? Is it similar to 16 bit linear?

In terms of general quality and gradeability, more or less (Arri thinks so at least), and which is good as you can get on any current or announced camera. They do have slight advantages and disadvantages, but for all but the highest end practical use the distinction is mostly academic, but I, others, or likely the book can explain briefly if you're curious.

I worked a lot with Sony F5 and i always thought it records 12 bit log files. But our camera engineers use CineAlta raw recorder and today I gather that it can record 16 bit linear file and my brain explodes.

It can indeed do that if I am not mistaken, now at certain resolutions and bitrates; and in the future with a FW update at pretty much anything up to 4K 60p. It cannot, however, record any form of internal raw from what I've read, nor have I found any information to the effect that it can record 12 bit log raw. I may, of course, be in error particularly given you've had the chance to actually work with the camera.

Good luck!

Thank you for replies
I think the Color Correction Handbook will be the first paper book i will by in my "life" Always used digital

It comes on kindle

Thank you for replies
I think the Color Correction Handbook will be the first paper book i will by in my "life" Always used digital

Read it SLOWLY. It took me a few months to go through it, because I would read a page or sometimes even a paragraph, and then go "prove" it by making experiments on the computer.

It really is a complete course in the subject if you take it that deliberately.

I literally went from being a complete novice technically to grading and delivering national TV commercials in less than a year because of that book. Amazing.

It comes on kindle

Also on Apple iBooks Store. Latest edition November 2013 and comes with downloadable files for the suggested exercises.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk