Asia-Pacific Broadcasting (APB) May 2018 Volume 35, Issue 4 | Page 16

16 Shooting through the prism of the most advanced camera lenses Michael Dosch to lead product management for Lawo Radio Lawo has appointed Michael Dosch as senior product manager, Radio OnAir. He succeeds Stephan Türkay, who assumes the position of senior product manager, Networked Audio. In his new role, Dosch will manage Lawo’s entire portfolio of radio products, which includes a variety of physical mixing surfaces, audio processing and routing engines, next-generation virtual radio software, as well as networked audio nodes that use the AES67/Ravenna standard. Stage Tec now part of Ravenna Stage Tec, a Berlin-based manufacturer of professional audio mixing consoles and routers, has become the latest manufacturer to join the Ravenna partnership. The Ravenna technology supports real-time distribution of audio and other media content in IP-based network environments. With its engagement in Ravenna, Stage Tec will be able to provide an even wider spectrum of IP solutions to its customers, said Helmut Jahne, CEO of Stage Tec. “We have been providing IP-based technology since 2012 with the Nexus Dante card XDIP. With the launch of our RIF67 router interface last year, Stage Tec also offers IP audio transport via AES67.” Next Month @ Creation Broadcast AoIP Networking Solutions PANELLISTS Dr Ahmad Zaki Mohd Salleh Group GM, Engineering Media Prima Phan Tien Dung CTO Vietnam Digital Television Mike Whittaker Executive Vice-President and CTO, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, Fox Networks Group Asia April 2018 May 2012 In the world of media production, camera operators have been innovating by adding new elements in shooting scenes. And as Josephine Tan discovers, camera lenses, used in conjunction with a camera system, are helping to turn every second into a long-lasting moment. E very picture tells a story. And behind eve- ry image capture by the camera, it is only completed with the lens — a transmissive optical device that brings the world into focus. Through the array of glass pieces within the lens, cinematographers are able to capture different types of shots — from portrait to panoramic photography — empowering them to add more creative control into digital cinematography. The era of digital cinematography has brought forth the feature of large-format sensor. While a larger sensor generally provides higher resolution by including more pixels, it also has the potential to capture a wider range of colours and skin tones. For instance, ARRI has introduced a complete camera system that is based on a large-format 4K/Ultra HD (UHD) version of the Alexa sensor. The camera package comprises the Alexa LF camera, ARRI Signature Prime lenses, LPL lens mount and PL-to-LPL adapter. Equipped with native 4K/UHD re- cording capability, the Alexa LF camera, according to ARRI, enables filmmakers to explore a large-format aesthetic while re- taining the sensor’s natural colour­imetry, “pleasing skin tones”, and suitability for ARRI has introduced 16 large-format Signature Prime lenses, ranging from 12mm-280mm, which are integrated with the company’s LDS-2 Lens Data System, which offers high data rates and encoders for fast initialising. high dynamic range (HDR) and wide colour gamut (WCG) workflows. Accompanying the Alexa LF camera are 16 large-format ARRI Signature Prime lenses, ranging from 12mm- 280mm, and fitted with the ARRI LPL mount. Besides the ability to exemplify optical precision, the Signature Prime lenses is able to render “organic, emo- tionally engaging” images while “soften- ing and texturising” the large format, said ARRI. Dan Lausten, ASC, DFF, who is renowned for his work on The Shape of Water fantasy drama film, is among a number of cinematographers who have shot with the Alexa LF camera and Signature Prime lenses. He says: “We were trying to tell a story about wide- ness and freedom; the Alexa LF worked really well. The depth of field is so small, creating its own world. “The lenses are lightweight and are not too sharp, but with a certain softness and very specific. With the 25mm lens, you feel like you are there in the scene with the actors.” Another cinematographer who has shot with the ARRI system prior to its release was Wang Yu, who used it to explore the atmospheric studio and creative inspirations of the Chinese art- ist and furniture-maker, Shao Fan. Wang explains: “The camera and lens captured every tonal nuance with unmatched detail, gradation and colour. I love how the out-of-focus areas are rendered, con- tributing to a rich and vivid overall look.” Additionally, the Signature Prime lenses also feature LDS-2, ARRI’s next- generation Lens Data System (LDS). LDS was first introduced in 2000 with the LDS Ultra Prime and Master Prime lens series, then used in combination with ARRI’s film cameras. As a companion for visual- effects work, LDS was later incorporated into ARRI’s digital camera systems, in- cluding the Alexa series of cameras. LDS is designed to describe digital lens settings. Lenses with LDS functional- ity are able to deliver information about its current settings — such as focus, iris and zoom — to the camera; the camera then interprets these values and transmits the information to its recording module. Shooting wide open with ARRI Signature Prime lenses for shallow focus and “gorgeous bokeh”, French cinema- tographer, Matias Boucard, worked with natural light and available sources when he tried out the new system in Thailand. Describing the Alexa LF camera and Signatur