BSC Film & Digital Image Evaluation
 

A couple of weeks ago the British Society Of Cinematographers carried out a side by side test of all the latest film and HD cameras. Although no results have been published quite yet, it will be interesting to see what conclusions they came to and the set-up itself looks pretty comprehensive from the pics. Link below:

The British Society of Cinematographers

The organiser, Joe Dunton made a HD digital magazine for the Arri SR a few years ago.

I don't know about his later rental company, but at his original London company premises - before it was bought out by Panavision - Joe Dunton's desk was on the camera rental floor, rather than up in an office somewhere.

There's more info about the test here:

IMAGO - European Federation of Cinematographers

Looks very interesting. But where's the Canon XHA1? Probably worried it would embarass all the other cameras :)

I can't wait to see the results. Disney and ASC did something similar but considerably smaller in scope recently.

Has anyone seen any published results yet?

The BSC are planning a series of roadshows in various British cities shortly where they will be displaying the footage and the results of the tests. I attended an earlier show in London 18 months ago at the NFT and the schism between traditional film DP's and those more open to digital imaging was huge and the debates were quite heated. On those tests there was no RED, F35, SI 2K, unlike these new tests and after Slumdog's success maybe minds have been changed?

The digital cameras have improved in the last 18 months, the kits around then were mostly video cameras and in the mean time a number of RAW cameras have come out. Also, 35mm sensors have become more common that enable DPs to use the film lens and accessories.

That's not to say you won't still have a hot debate, you will, film still has advantages in a number of areas. Having that difference of opinion is important, because it places demands on the digital camera manufactures to improve their products.

Perhaps "Slumdog" is a mixed bag because 40% was shot on 35mm film, but it does show one way things can happen.

The BSC have now announced the first Digital Evaluation Roadshow for the above will be at the National Film Theatre at the BFI on the South Bank in London on July 8th, where we will see the results of the sisde by side tests the BSC ran a few months ago. Tickets are £25 and you can register here, where thereis also a short making of demo video available.

The British Society of Cinematographers

See you there!