Rec.ommendations for Display Gamma

Old news really as this white paper from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standardizing gamma for HDTV was released in March 2011! But the topic of Gamma Correction as it pertains to Display Gamma is one that comes up constantly in conversation with colleagues in both post and acquisition. So much so that as I was combing through old NegativeSpaces articles detailing monitor calibration, I felt that a post on Gamma for broadcast monitors is one well warranted.

The ITU, which is located in Geneva, Switzerland, is the inernational governing body for broadcast, transmission, and television system standards. And like most international bodies, the ITU has no real authority and can only make rec.ommendations, such as Rec. 601 for digitally encoding interlaced analog video signals, and Rec. 709 for HDTV broadcast which after only a few years of widespread implementation is about to be superceded by Rec. 2020, a guideline for UHDTV, higher than HD resolution television systems (read 4k and beyond).  

So soon? Yep.

Anyone involved with the creation of motion picture content should be aware of Display Gamma as a factor that has a profound effect on the way an image is perceived by the end user. And one that cannot be controlled by the content creator!

No point in reinventing the wheel here as a wonderful knowledge base is readily available at the excellent site, Cambridge in Colour, a learning community for photographers. This snippet from their article provides the best explanation and examples of Display Gamma I've been able to find. 

Here's a link to the full article, Cambridge in Colour - Understanding Gamma Correction. Additonally, their article on Input and Output Tone Curves is an excellent companion to this topic. 

Gamma is an inevitable part of the digital imaging process and can mean different things depending on where in the chain we're looking - file gamma, camera, display, etc. But as we see in the above example, what gamma effects is the midtones. That is - grayscale which is neither black nor white but somewhere in-between. In all optical perception, the separation between midtones and black or white is ultimately what defines the contrast. And as we can see in the most simple terms in the examples above, the exact same image seen with various display gammas will be profoundly different. 

This topic is a doozy and one I have no intention of delving too deeply into. To any academic reading this, they will no doubt find what I've written to be overly simplistic and only glossing the surface of a very complex topic. That's ok. There are plenty of great scientific and very thorough bodies of work already out there on the topic. Being a technician for motion pictures that are primarily broadcast bound, my concern is Display Gamma for HD Television Systems. The problem is the current "rulebook" for HDTV, that is Rec. 709, actually makes no mention of gamma. Because of legacy technologies - NTSC, sRGB, and others - we've arrived at a defacto "average" display gamma of 2.2. Despite this number not ever being specified by the ITU in Rec. 709, it is the display gamma you are likely to find on virtually any HDTV found in the home, on laptop and LCD computer displays, and many tablets and smart phones. And again, this number of 2.2 is a ballpark figure with many devices measuring at odd numbers such as 2.15 for the iPad Mini for example. The long and short of it is Display Gamma is one of the most critical components in digital imaging as it pertains to the end viewer experience and one that's in desperate need of a universal standard. 

Enter ITU-R BT. 1886

(Another way these recommendations are listed is ITU-R BT."#", "BT" denoting "Broadcast Television". "ITU-R BT.709", reads "Radiocommunications Sector of International Telecommunications Union Recommendation for Broadcast Television #1886", the truncated version being BT. 1886 or simply Rec. 1886.)

 Why this new recommendation? (from the white paper)

"This Recommendation specifies the reference electro-optical transfer function (EOTF) that the 

displays used in HDTV programme production should follow in order to facilitate consistent picture 

presentation2. The reference EOTF is specified as a simple equation, with exponent function, based 

on measured characteristics of the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)."

Because...

a) that reference displays play a crucial role in television programme production as they are used as reference for picture presentation; 

b) that the characteristics of reference displays should be unified to ensure consistent picture presentation of programmes produced for use in broadcasting; 

c) that historically, picture presentation characteristics were determined based on Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) characteristics, and the opto-electronic transfer characteristics were implicitly based on the CRT physical characteristics; 

e) that CRT reference displays are no longer available; 

f) that the electro-optical transfer function (EOTF) of CRT displays differs amongst manufacturers, amongst models, and amongst regions, as well as varying with the settings of contrast and brightness; 

g) that for the consistency of picture presentation, it is desirable that newly introduced display technologies have an EOTF that closely matches that of the CRT; 

h) that the reference EOTF for a non-CRT display has not been defined in any ITU-R Recommendation; 

j) that Recommendation ITU-R BT.709, provides specifications for the opto-electronic transfer characteristics at the source, and a common electro-optical transfer function should be employed to display signals mastered to this format

Buried in Annex 1 (page 2) is this very important bit of business -

γ (Gamma): Exponent of power function, γ = 2.40

As of Rec. 1886, the ITU is now recommending a Display Gamma of 2.4 for HDTV Systems.

But what does this mean for acquistion and post production where our work (for now) will almost universally be viewed on 2.2 displays?

The reality is, if you're monitoring and mastering at 2.4, contrast in these images will always seem slightly lifted on 2.2 displays. So for example, if the room we're coloring in has a Sony OLED using a gamma of 2.4, then our deliverables will look quite a bit different when seen on our client's 2.2 gamma iPad or MacBook Air. Rec. 1886 was desperately needed but is far from universal implementation. I would guess you could ask many a technician in both the field or in post if they had even heard of it and you would likely hear "no" more often than not. My own personal rule of thumb is that in situations where I'm handling the deliverables myself and those deliverables are for 2.2 displays, I set my monitors to 2.2. When I'm working with a facility and a colorist whose monitor is set to 2.4, then my monitors are 2.4. It's very important to be on the same page with whoever gets the stuff next and it will be different from project to project. The Sony OLED's fortunately have several choices for User Display Gamma which have made these monitors indispensable tools in today's digital imaging workflow chaos. 

At the end of the day, Rec. 1886 is just that, another rec.ommendation, but a step in the right direction.

UPDATES:

My Wireless HD Video article (Cutting the Cord) has been updated with several more systems as per reader suggestions. I got great feedback on this post and the content was improved because of it. Thanks for that. I truly appreciate it and makes the hours I spend researching and writing a blog post totally worth it. 

The new site is coming along great albeit terribly slow. Working TV hours, I have to be realisitic about just how long these projects take. That said, If I can go live with the new version before 2014 shows up, I'll be feeling great. I've been writing this site in the form of HD Cinema on Blogger since 2007 and on this domain since 2010. For better or for worse, I can't shake this project and it's something I'll probably continue to do for as long as I'm involved in this business. Looking forward to getting its next iteration out there. 

Domain Outage

In preparing for the new NegativeSpaces site, the current version has unfortunatey been offline for the past few days due to some name server issues. The problem has been corrected and everything is back to normal. The Sony OLED Calibration article was linked in today's Tao of Color Sunday Mailer so I apologize to anyone who got a dead site. 

Tao of Color currates an excellent reading list that goes out every Sunday. I highly recommend signing up for it >>>

Sony OLED Calibration

Some time ago I did a blog post on how to correctly white balance your monitor and how essential this is to creating a calibrated viewing environment. I would go on to say that this is the MOST important component in any set to post workflow as color correction data generated on monitors that aren't displaying 100% chroma free white, is in fact completely useless. 

So how does one determine if their monitor is displaying white that is truly white?

The only way to properly calibrate is to shoot your monitor with a probe. There are a lot of options out there, many of which remain "facility level" tools because of their price, but for field monitors I'll go out on a limb and say that the X-Rite i1 is pretty damn good. This probe is less than $1000 and with free software from Sony, you can measure and align any display be it a reference monitor, on-board monitors, home TV's, laptops screens. Basically anything with RGB Gain and/or Bias controls can be objectively measured and adjusted using these tools. All monitors, even the most high end require a little love to bring them in line. Additionally, most sub $5000 displays I've encountered not only ship completely out of whack but many lack the subtle controls for accurate calibration. The frustrating reality is everyone is seeing something completely different and even with sophisticated alignment tools and careful calibration, closing the monitor gap will always be an uphill battle. 

There is good news though and display technology is constantly improving (maybe too quick for some of us). Sony's Trimaster Series OLED's, both BVM and PVM, are really making our lives a lot easier. The BVM E and F panels are truly reference grade, facility quality monitors that also perform very well in the field. The PVM's, with some calibration, can get about 95% of the BVM performance (this is my own arbitrary number mind you) which for many users is more than adaquate. When these panels first came out there was a lot of misinformation swirling around about how to best calibrate them. First, they were supposedly "perfect" right out of the box. Later it was recommended that they be aligned to the traditional targets for CRT's and LCD's of x .313 y .329. Turns out neither of these are correct. 

Two things - I always felt there was a strong green tint in all of these OLED monitors out the box and when aligning them using the targets of x .313 y .329, this to me resulted in a cleaner white but one that was still just a touch warm / yellow-green. Apparently Sony came to similar conclusions so they are now recommending the following targets for all of their OLED displays:

x .307
y .318
Y 100 

Sony has actually been recommending these targets for quite some time now but never really went public with this information. These new targets really helped me out immeasureably aligning my BVM monitor to facility displays and then matching PVM and now PVMA monitors to the BVM as well. There are so many of these OLED displays in use so with Sony's permission, I'm making this information public to the benefit of anyone doing color critical work with them. 

Using the X-Rite Probe, Sony White Balance Software (Windows only, sorry!), and these new targets, you can get your OLED monitor reproducing an extremely neutral gray scale. This will make anyone on the set who is referencing it confident in what they're seeing and will ensure that any color correction data generated using it will actually be beneficial. Is the calibration using this probe as accurate as one done with a probe costing $14,000 more? The answer is no but you might be surprised how close you can get with this relatively inexpensive tool. 

According to B&H, the X-Rite i1 probe is no longer available. That would be a real shame. X-Rite customer support is pretty good so I would imagine emailing them about this product would be a good place to start if you're looking for one. 

The accompanying software is free but is somewhat buried on Sony's site under various tabs.

http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-monitors/?CP=nav:electronics:for_professionals:products:monitors:pro

From here, click the RESOURCES tab and then under the section, SOLUTIONS & TECHNOLOGY, there is a download link for Automatic White Balance Software. This Windows software does have an automated component but I think it's best to use it manually as it will really give you a sense of what's going on under the hood with your display. Below this link is one for a pdf instruction manual which may be of use as well. 

I wish I had some better illustrations but I don't. Here's a simple breakdown of the process. 

You will need two test signals to do this, 100% white and 20% gray. If you have a Thunderbolt enabled Mac, the AJA T-Tap ($269) or Blackmagic Designs Ultrastudio Mini ($137) are the cheapest way to get SDI video out of your computer. 

1. With USB, plug the probe into your Windows machine and run the software.

2. With the calibration cap (solid, light-tight black cap) firmly on the probe, select the X-Rite i1 from the probe choices in the software. If the probe and computer are communicating, in a moment the CALIBRATE button will become available. Hit it and your probe is now calibrated and ready to read. 

3. Remove the cap and put the probe in the cradle that allows it to hang flush on the surface of the monitor. Leaning the monitor slightly back will help gravity hold the probe in place. 

4. Send 100% white test signal into the monitor via HD-SDI. In the software, you will get a reading for x and y, which is color temperature and Y which is Luma, or white level measured in cd/m² (candela per meter squared) aka "nits". All of these variables are intrinsically related so affecting one will likely affect the other. Hitting all targets requires a good deal of back and forth adjustment. 

5. Using your monitor's CONTRAST control, adjust until Y hits 100 nits or as close as possible. 

6. Using RGB Gains, you will now affect the x and y point. You shouldn't need to adjust Blue unless your reading is way off from your target. Red gain adjustment largely affects x and Green gain adjustment largely affects y. Adjust your gains until you hit the recommended targets of x .307 y .318. It's likely that doing so will lower your Y reading so adjust Contrast again to hit Y 100. If this affects your x y reading, adjust Red and Green gains accordingly. Rinse. Repeat.

BIAS.

1. Bias affects the dark tones of the picture. In my experience with Sony OLED's, once you get the white point aligned, usually Bias adjustments will be minimal. Just as the case with white, we want gray to be reproduced completely chroma free. Our x and y targets for bias are the same as for gain, x .307 y .318. Y (Luma) however is obviously a different level and and one that is dependent on what level of gamma we're using. 

2. Send 20% gray test signal to the monitor via HD-SDI. In the RGB Parade of this signal, all 3 channels should be hitting 20 IRE exactly. If they are not in equilibrium, there is chroma contamination in the video. 

3. If you're using gamma 2.2, your Luma target is 2.6 cd/m². For 2.4 gamma, use  2.4 cd/m². And for 2.6, 2.1 cd/m². If you're not hitting your target, adjust BRIGHTNESS until you're there. Then if necessary, adjust Red and Green Bias until you hit x .307 y .318.

4. If you had to do a lot of adjustment here, go back and double check white. If you start swinging things too far in Bias, you'll likely affect Gain and visa versa. 

Footnote: 

Sony PVM's ship overly saturated and with a white point around 170 nits which is substantially brighter than what you would typically find on a monitor used for critical evaluation. I've found these displays require a good deal of calibration but using all of the available controls - chroma, brightness, contrast, RGB Gain, RGB Bias - and hitting as close as possible to Sony's new recommended targets, you can produce an image that's remarkably similar to what you find in the BVM series monitors. Not 100% but dare I say, "good enough". 

Here's some technical reading from Sony that helped me put all these display technologies into a more historical context. 

The case of "A".

There is a big problem with these OLED panels and that is they have a brutally unforgiving viewing angle. There is so much color temperature shift when you're off axis that the only way to safely view is to sit right on top of them. It's a real problem when you have three or four people crowded around one monitor and Sony knew it from day one. About 18 months after the initial release of the Trimaster OLED series, we now have the updated "A" line which greatly improves this viewing angle problem.

What does this mean to all of us who have a significant investment in "pre-A" OLED monitors? Tough shit! The useful life expectancy for any digital motion picture equipment these days seems to be about 12 months, if not less. It's getting harder and harder to get a return on investment in this business climate. I have some real strong opinions on this which I think are best saved for a later date. 

DDC?

Digital Dailies Colorist. 

In the January issue of ICG Magazine, this short statement by cinematographer Paul Cameron, ASC caught my eye..

Soon after I began hearing rumors of movement towards the establishment of a new union classification, something like an "On-Set Colorist", to distinguish the task of creating color corrected dailies from the traditional role of the Digital Imaging Technician (DIT). 

Here we are in April now with IATSE Local 600 elections around the corner and I was very surprised to read this mailer in email tonight - 

<begin>

To CAMERA GUILD/ Local 600

Brothers and Sisters,

My name is Paul Cameron. I am a Western Region Candidate for NEB Director of Photography & Visual Effects Supervisor.  I have been a Director of Photography and member of the Camera Guild for over 20 years.  Recently I had the opportunity to testify on behalf of Local 600 in a closed deposition aimed at reducing rates for First Assistant Cameramen.  It reminded me that decisions are made every day to challenge our Union and its Members.  That now is a time to be focused and aware of our future. That now is the time for all members including myself to participate in our Union .   A union that provides the Film Industry highly talented and qualified craftsmen and women.   A union that secures our rights in the work force.  Secures our rates as Technicians.  Provides its members options for Health benefits and secures a plan for Retirement funds. 

It became apparent to me at the last Board Meeting that all the issues that came to the floor were vital.  Being a board member means looking at the issues we face as a union in an environment that wants organized labor to vanish.   It's also a time of great change with the advent of Digital Capture.  A time where technology is changing exponentially.

One of the issues I would like to address immediately is the re-classification of DIT - Digital Imaging Technician to DDC - DIGITAL DAILIES COLORIST.  The responsibilities of the DIT have changed dramatically over the last 10 years.  It's my firm belief that the position of DIT was created to help bridge the transition and development of new technology in Digital Capture. It was a time when the DIT matched digital camera bodies during the check out and painted the cameras on set while wrangling the endless amounts of new cables and conversion boxes.  The DIT became this hybrid Electronic Engineer/Camera Assistant.  Cinematographers and Camera Assistants were relying on DIT's to handle Camera settings and make decisions regarding how images were captured.  Then almost overnight Cinematographers lost the Off Set Dailies paradigm.   Dailies were no longer sent to be transferred or graded by labs or Telecine facilities.  The DIT became the On Set Colorist.  Now Cinematographers are relying on DIT's to handle all Color Timing and Transcoding of Dailies with those looks applied.   The job of the DIT has shifted.  Producers are aware of the change but confused what a DIT really does.  The DIT color corrects and transcodes all Dailies at this point.  That is certainly the present + future of that position.    Camera Assistants need to stop relying on DITS for Camera Settings and Reloads.  Traditionally the Camera Assistant never let anyone touch much less change a frame rate or shutter angle on a Camera.  It is my belief Camera Assistants need to reclaim that space.  Part of that means additional training for Camera Assistants on current Digital Capture Systems.  Current DITS’s also need further training in Color Correction as well as Data Management.   Establishing the best Digital Workflow is the responsibility of the Cinematographer and the DIT.  The DIT is now responsible for helping establish and securing Cinematographers looks through the Metadata/Digital Pipeline.   Once Producers + Producers understand DDC -Digital Dailies Colorist they will value that position more than ever.  Once there is an honest acknowledgement that DDC's Color Correct all Dailies from Cinematographers there will be a new found respect for that position.  The DDC's are also integral in interfacing with Production and Post Production in the ever-changing world of constantly changing Digital Workflows and needs in Deliverables. There is also the opportunity now to welcome into Local 600 the best Digital/Telecine Colorists from Labs + Post Production facilities and make them union members. The DDC can also be a position in Post Production facilities and Studios can hire to ensure Timed Dailies and Work Flows are being handled correctly in Near + Off Set Labs.  I hereby advocate the transition of DIT to DDC.   Regardless of whether I am asked to serve on the Board or not I plan to push this through.  This is one example of a few changes I will try to bring to the Board.  We need this re-classification as soon as possible.

This would be the first time I serve on the board. It would be an honor to represent and be a voice for each and every member.

Thanks for your consideration. Vote now and send your Ballots in.  Your voice counts.  Every small step or action you take means something.

Paul Cameron, ASC
Candidate -Western Region -  NEB Director of Photography & Visual Effects Supervisor.

</end>

To anyone actively working as a Digital Imaging Technician, the constantly evolving nature of our job description is something that keeps the work very interesting but can also be nerve wracking as the future of the position is clearly so tenuous. What I take from this piece is that we need more standardization among our ranks. The reality of so many independent owner/operators offering such a helter skelter variety of services at completely arbitrary rates, has done little more than put a gigantic question mark in the brain of many producers as to what a DIT is, what a DIT does, and most importantly - why do I need one? 

The problem is that two distinct skill sets have emerged - video and computer. There are many talented operators out there who excel at both and can effortlessly jump back and forth between doing a live color correct for four cameras one day and then handling Codex deliverables on a workstation on another. But then there are those who really better suited for either one or the other because of their background, interest, conviction about what the position "is and isn't", etc. The problem is obvious. In the eyes of a producer, we are all the same because we are all DIT's. Is there are a 1st AC out there who doesn't pull focus? Or one who only builds the camera? No matter what your opinion is on this sensitive subject, I think we can all agree we have a "brand" problem as a union classification. 

What do I personally want to happen? It doesn't matter. The market will decide. I, like everyone else, just want to keep busy and for the position to remain viable. Whatever it's called. 

negativespaces.com UPDATES. 

I have not been posting because this site is undergoing a massive overhaul. New design, new functionality, I will be opening it up to advertisers for the first time, and the biggest new feature will be a forum for discussion and information sharing. This has been in development for awhile and will hopefully go live within a month or two.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Codex XR.. finally

At last.. integrated Arriraw recording in the Alexa camera.

<From Codex Announcement >

Codex has worked closely with ARRI during the development and launch of the Alexa family of cameras. The Codex Onboard Recorder was the first recorder to be certified to record ARRIRAW from the Alexa back at the beginning of 2011 and has since been used on hundreds of feature films and commercials worldwide.

ARRIRAW has become the output of choice for feature films, including The Avengers and Skyfall and Codex recorders have become the recording standard. The ARRI Alexa features a 35MM CMOS bayer sensor. The sensor data is output over T-link to the Codex Onboard Recorder, where it is recorded on a Codex Datapack or Capture Drive. ARRIRAW is 12 bit logarithmic raw Bayer data. The resolution for 16:9 is 2880 x 1620 and for 4:3 it is 2880 x 2160. ARRIRAW can be output and recorded at up to 60FPS for 16:9 and up to 48FPS for 4:3 to an external recorder.

Fast forward to 2013. ARRI and Codex announce the new Alexa XR (extended recording) Module. Building on the success of the Alexa/Codex combination, Codex and ARRI have developed a module that incorporates Codex recording technology directly into the camera. This alleviates the need for cables between the recorder and camera, makes the camera package smaller, and further simplifies ARRIRAW recording. It also enables higher speed ARRIRAW - up to 120FPS for 16:9 and up to 96FPS for 4:3. These developments are bound to intrigue cinematographers and further cement the Alexa/Codex/ARRIRAW workflow as the standard for digital production.

The XR Module provides several recording options in a single package. ARRIRAW at up to 120FPS (16:9) can be recorded onto a high performance Codex Capture Drive. In addition, Apple ProRes or Avid DNxHD can be recorded to a Capture Drive, making longer recording times possible (up to 2.1 hours of ProRes 4444), or with an SxS adapter, to an SxS PRO card.

<end>

Anyone who's spent some time working with the Alexa and Codex on-board recorders can attest to how desperately needed internal Arriraw recording is. Just about everything about the Codex system is thoughtfully designed and executed - the stability of the recording, robust equipment, and control of metadata and deliverables with the Virtual File System. The big problem is the deck is quite large, is an expensive rental, and there are inevitably BNC cables running between it and the camera. Not to mention getting the Codex working happily with the Alexa means matching many menu items on the two devices, several of which are labeled differently and mismatch can result in irreversible recording errors. It's a good system but it's one that's by no means bullet proof.

In any video recording system, whenever a cable is introduced between the camera and the recorder the possibility for error is exponentially increased. A native, integrated recording system controlled solely by the menus within the camera greatly reduces all these problems and makes for a faster and more intuitive user experience. Needless to say I'm thrilled to see this functionality coming to the Alexa and think Codex was the obvious partner given their expertise with Arriraw. Why reinvent the wheel if you don't have to?

All new Alexa's (except the entry level 16x9 camera) will ship with the XR module and will be called Alexa XT (Extended Technology).

All existing Alexa cameras can be upgraded with the XR module. Sony SxS cards for ProRes recording only will still be able to be used with an adapter. In addition to native Arriraw recording, XT cameras will feature new processing hardware, 120 fps recording, 4:3 sensor and anamorphic desqueeze, and IFM In-Camera Filter System for behind the lens IR ND filtration. <via Film & Digital Times>

Behind-the-lens ND is actually another godsend and something I've been preparing a separate post on. Conventional, Front-of-the-lens filtration and use of heavy ND, sometimes 7 or more stops, is the most destructive factor in digital imaging and something that is easily remedied by putting the glass behind the lens. As Digital Imaging Technicians, painting out color temperature offests in neutral density filters is one of our most common tasks and another factor that it seems technology will alleviate us of. Much more on this later..

Conveniently the integration of Arriraw into the camera solves another big problem for us, and means another blog entry I don't have to finish writing, which is the problematic workflow for on-set color correction with Codex recording.

Because all the current external Codex decks - M, S, and Arriraw - require the Alexa's REC video outputs, getting a Log-encoded video signal to be used for on-set color correction presents a host of challenges. Ordinarily, the DIT would use one of the camera's REC Output's for a clean, 10 bit, 422, Log-encoded video signal to be used with color correction software such as LinkColor or LiveGrade. This allows the operator to create data directly on the set in the form of ASC-CDL or 3DLUT's to be used for color corrected production dailies. When the camera's REC Out's are being used to feed the deck and the deck in-turn doesn't output a video signal that's useful to us, the user has to get creative to get their workflow working.

This tends to be the workaround -

Alexa REC Out's to Codex Input's. Even with a Single-Link 3G recording, the camera's other Rec Out still ouputs a data stream that isn't useful for video monitoring.

So in order to get Log-encoded video for the DIT's use, the camera's MON Output needs to be put into Log C. Addtionally, the MON Out can only output a Legal levels video signal unlike the REC Out which can be set to Legal or Extended levels. There are workflows that require an Extended level video signal so if we can't get one out of the camera, this can present more problems to be solved.

Using a 3-wire BNC video harness, one cable is used to monitor the Codex' output which unfortnately isn't useful for anything other than verifying the recording. The second cable takes the Log-encoded MON Out from the camera to the DIT where it's color corrected and then using the third cable in the harness, is fed back to the camera to be used by the assistant's on-board monitors.

The main problem with this is it's often impractical to send a color corrected return back to the camera to be used by the AC and operator. This can be for any number of reasons - long cables runs, wireless video for a vehicle shot, process trailers, etc. In practice, it really isn't fair to them to have to focus using Log C video as this flat, washed out image makes their job even more difficult. The operators tend to hate it as well. Codex XR solves these problems. A separate video channel for users at the camera, an in-camera recording, and a single video link to the DIT is always ideal. Or better yet - a single wireless link. Less is more. Keep the recording and monitoring as simple and discrete as possible and everyone in the camera department - DP, operator, assistants, and engineering - can do their best work.