Hmm, well admittedly I haven't investigated the Alexa sensor because I wasn't going to buy the camera. But looking at their website it uses the exact same simultaneous dual gain idea I advocated, to achieve the 14.5 stops on their large format iso chart (claim 14 stops+ in the specs). I advocated you could trick other dual gain architectures into a similar latitude expansion (but more than this). But no wonder I don't see people touting it on other cameras, Arri could even have a license/patent to make sure they keep their lead.
The issue has been with increasing single gain at a time architecture you see with the Pocket 4k, lattitude reduced with gain. So, while Red might toot peak gain, if you look at the test charts (which equals spec) you see a drop off and the peak is only in part. But Arri proves this that gain is not just a dirty word.
I had read that people were saying over 15.x - 16.x stops on the latest cameras, which I assumed THEY knew what they were talking about. However, even if no pixel design changes, what normally happens is reformulation/refinement of the sensor chip foundary process which can greatly affect performance (which Sony cross licensed with the Micron sensor child company to get). They have not dubens better pixel, and if they can't even afford to reformulate their chip materials, that would be bad. I question why they haven't got to 20 stops yet. The thing about having more consistent 14+ l, and colour, is this spec allows the camera the deliver better images of verba wider set of conditions, where you would get caught out less. I wonder when the patent runs out on the core technologies, I could get a phone like that that's not some newer Sony sensor with large native latitude. You notice how they market the pixel size thing for noise and latitude. Does that indicate that they have the technology to do better (allowing similar performing smaller pixels or better same sized ones)? Sony has been vacuuming up sensor technology and companies for many years. Arri is fortunate they partnered with one company who vacuumed up some of their own, but that does not equate to the ability to come up with more leading technologies. Those companies taken up are a few of my favourites at the time (where I wanted to use their sensors). I did knock on that company's door and advocate doing a cinema sensor with those technologies, I wonder if this was it? Shortly afterwards there was no communication, and in the precise timeframe to do it, the Alexa camera came out afterwards. But that is the way it has often worked in this side of the industry. Those that have do mediocre, and those that could do more don't get access any longer. I should have used that, pre Alexa, small sensor to do a 720p camera rather than trust cough Red, SI, others, to do the right thing. BM is one of the few companies to do so to an extent. Anyway, enough whining about the past and those wedded to high profit margins.
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Well, looking around I do find people that know what they are talking about, talking about dynamic range over 15 stops (even the Arri spec indicates more than 14 stops). Looks like I was just seeing different people use different definitions of what a stop is overtime. Here is some Inane coversations about it all:
https://www.provideocoalition.com/alexa ... ou_use_it/ This thread here talks about Alexa dynamic range, and will tell you a lot about dynamic range. Phill's pretty ok. He's right on the ball about it being the image and range giving you flexibility and ability to deal with tough real life filming situations. It has other smart people getting their hands technically dirty to understand how to milk the most out of their camera images:
http://www.reduser.net/forum/archive/in ... 15006.htmlhttp://www.reduser.net/forum/archive/in ... 6-p-2.html(Here is another thread from BMCuser to even things out:
http://www.bmcuser.com/archive/index.php/t-16813.html )
I spend a lot of time listening to far smarter people and those who make new technologies. You could learn a lot. Ask David.