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A very interesting R3D test – good results
I’ve always been a big fan of going back to the debayer to get the best possible exposure out of an R3d before I start tweaking with primary nodes. Aside from getting my temp and tint right, I’d tweak both the shadow and the ISO to expand the image to a full curve.
I did this because I assumed being closest to the raw data would get me the best image, and I’d have to stretch it less post-debayer.
Turns out this isn’t the best approach.
I took a bunch of shots that came out of the camera pretty flat. (Pre-MX chip, lifted shadows, low highlights.)
I did 2 tests:
In test 1, I left them at very low ISO’s (like 200), and didn’t touch shadows in they debayer. And I stretched them waaay out with a primary node.In test 2, I pre-tweaked the debayer to get to the same place I had gotten with my primary correction.
I assumed test 2 would prove better results.I set render to full quality premium, 16 bit, and rendered out several shots. Turns out they were basically indentical. In fact on a really dark shot, Test 1 actually turned out much nicer than test 2.
From this I think the following is possibly true:
– that 16 bit debayer access means that the debayer probably isn’t a bottleneck to the raw data.
– setting the debayer to an under-exposed ISO, and then stretching the image, gets a cleaner image.Cheers,
Blase -
5 Replies
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I tried a similar test with near-clipped highlights and results coincide with yours – with 16 bit debayer, fussing with ISO doesn’t seem to matter all that much.
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Thanks for posting this. I wouldn’t have assumed this was the case. It will make things a bit faster as messing with the red stuff on a per shot basis isn’t fun.
Question though, Can you describe how it looks better? Less noise? Smoother curve?
Joseph Mastantuono
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Interestingly the non-tweaked shot had a much lower noise profile, and a smoother curve.
I think the raw sensor on the old RED’s was analogous to a 250 or 320 ISO, and that’s where the curve naturally wants to be. -
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I think the MX is probably closer to 400 ISO. I’d bump it down to 400 or 500 and stretch it up rather than going to 800.
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