ABSTRACT
Dynamic range is the camera’s capacity to “see” and transmit, in one camera shot, both the brightest highlights and the dimmest shadows of that scene, simultaneously, without losing quality in the details of either. Some cameras cannot see very bright and very dim simultaneously without sacrificing quality at one end or the other, in a seesaw effect. The bright looks fine while the dim drops off into black. Conversely, the dim part of the scene might display quality detail while the bright elements overexpose until they are indistinguishable white blobs. Other cameras do allow for a much wider gap between the brightest and darkest elements to register both with quality in the same shot. A camera’s dynamic range is rated as numbers of f-stops between the highest and lowest limits of the camera’s ability to process a range of brightness levels. This chapter continues the comparison between the remarkably sensitive human eye and the more limited television camera, to explain the importance of tailoring the lighting intensities to the capabilities of the cameras being used on a production. Examples are given to illustrate the concepts. The chapter concludes with a commentary by noted television lighting designer, Bill Klages.
