Re: Where have all the anamorphic movies gone?

The Panavision Genesis camera is HDTV resolution. It uses a 12MP
35mm-sized single CCD with a striped RGB pattern to derive a 4:4:4 1920
x 1080 pixel progressive-scan HD signal -- the extra pixels on the CCD
do not give you a final 12MP image.

I'm probably not completely accurate on this, but I believe to get a
final 2MP for each of the three colors (1080P HD resolution is about
2MP), they basically need 6 mega-pixels, but they have a
lower-sensitivity pixel and a boosted-sensitivity pixel for each color
to increase dynamic range, hence 12 mega-pixels total to get a final
HD-resolution image. However, Panavision likes to call the camera a 2K
camera instead of an HD camera. HD is 1920 pixels across and 2K is
generally considered 2048 pixels across, so calling 1920 x 1080P HD
"2K" is somewhat controversial but not unreasonable. Also, starting
out with a higher pixel CCD for a lower rez image reduces some aliasing
problems.

The Dalsa Origin has a 8MP (4000 x 2000) sensor with an RGB Bayer
filter pattern from which they derive 4K RGB files, so they call it a
4K camera, although many people argue with them over whether it is
"true" 4K if you have to derive RGB from a single 4000 pixel-across
sensor with a Bayer filter. Bayer filters have something like 2
green-filtered pixels for every one red and blue-filtered pixel.

David Mullen, ASC
Los Angeles

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