- Posts: 41
- Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2019 3:46 pm
- Real Name: Devin Pickering
Okay so Blackmagic has killed Cinema DNG. I'm bummed. My company just bought an Ursa Mini Pro, and we've been testing it out the past few months. We've found that DNG has more detail than BM raw. Even in Q0 or Q5. That's one issue. The other issue which is far more concerning, is that BMRAW does not handle highlight recovery and shadow recovery the same way that a DNG file does. There is WAY more information in the image with DNG, and also many more options in the RAW controls in resolve than with BM raw.
Here are the options available with Cinema DNG in Resolve. You can see a dedicated slider for both highlights and shadows - the image shot here has been pushed all the way to the extremes, as you can see the shadows have been lifted and the highlights have been recovered.
https://ibb.co/k5j2MbJ
And here's the same shot with BMRAW - as you can see there is FAR less detail in the shadows and highlights, with no options for shadows or highlights in the RAW control box.
https://ibb.co/5Rwfff6
Now I thought that maybe just because those options in BMRAW aren't there like they are in DNG, that I could still move the shadows or highlights around in the color tab and push it as far as I could with DNG, but no, I cannot, the information seems to just not be there.
So I have to ask - What is BMRAW??? Is it really a true RAW format? Or is Blackmagic just calling it RAW for marketing? Because as far as I can see here - the only actual RAW control I have in post is the ability to change white balance and exposure. And that is not the same as a true RAW codec!
The fact that they are killing DNG so quickly is shocking. And as a production company/cinematographer the entire reason I wanted to work with BM cameras was because it was an affordable RAW option. Now that it's gone, I'm not sure what to do. Should I sell my camera now? I was ready to invest in an entire BM line of a few pocket cameras and the Ursa Mini Pro G2, but now without REAL DNG, I don't know...
Am I wrong?? Is there more flexibility for shadow and highlight recovery than I can find? Please help.
Here are the options available with Cinema DNG in Resolve. You can see a dedicated slider for both highlights and shadows - the image shot here has been pushed all the way to the extremes, as you can see the shadows have been lifted and the highlights have been recovered.
https://ibb.co/k5j2MbJ
And here's the same shot with BMRAW - as you can see there is FAR less detail in the shadows and highlights, with no options for shadows or highlights in the RAW control box.
https://ibb.co/5Rwfff6
Now I thought that maybe just because those options in BMRAW aren't there like they are in DNG, that I could still move the shadows or highlights around in the color tab and push it as far as I could with DNG, but no, I cannot, the information seems to just not be there.
So I have to ask - What is BMRAW??? Is it really a true RAW format? Or is Blackmagic just calling it RAW for marketing? Because as far as I can see here - the only actual RAW control I have in post is the ability to change white balance and exposure. And that is not the same as a true RAW codec!
The fact that they are killing DNG so quickly is shocking. And as a production company/cinematographer the entire reason I wanted to work with BM cameras was because it was an affordable RAW option. Now that it's gone, I'm not sure what to do. Should I sell my camera now? I was ready to invest in an entire BM line of a few pocket cameras and the Ursa Mini Pro G2, but now without REAL DNG, I don't know...
Am I wrong?? Is there more flexibility for shadow and highlight recovery than I can find? Please help.
Last edited by devinpickering on Wed Mar 06, 2019 11:53 pm, edited 5 times in total.