Sharpness (b-movies)

[MadMan]

Is the reason that some budget movies' image isn't sharp because not so much light is poured onto the set or because some b-movies are filmed on digital with not so many pixels or other reasons?

Hope you get my question

EDIT: OOPS, wrong category

 

[knightly]

Thread moved by user request.

 

[knightly]

I think low light is a lot of it, but I think some is just sloppy camera work and some is probably the amount of post work done to the image and still more is how people treat digital cameras like film cameras (film has more resolution and holds up to wider shots better than digital - spend your pixels wisely, there's a limited number of them).

 

[WideShot]

There are many things that can impact the sharpness of the picture

During production:

- Lens resolution
- Lens condition
- Lens calibration/collimation
- Eyepiece calibration
- Sensor condition
- Sensor condensation
- Focus
- Focus drift
- Light leaks on mag or eyepiece
- Far overexposure or underexposure
- Improperly loaded film
- Age/condition of film

And during post:
- improper project settings such as resolution, field order
- poor codec compression
- poor telecine
- poor DVD or other transfer
- multiple generations of analog videotape
- poor filtering techniques
- Not compensating for removal of in-camera sharpening used during acquisition

 

[WideShot]

Knightly, regarding the comment, "spend your pixels wisely, there's a limited number of them" I totally agree and highly recommend if shooting on anything other than the best of digital cameras to skip wide shots and shoot as many closeups as possible. Then the lack of resolution isn't quite as noticeable.

 

[knightly]

I've seen amazing shots come out of $300 1-chip cameras that are carefully lit and mid CU to CU shots. Good enough to make me ask what kind of camera they were using. It ended up being a little Canon camcorder, I was blown away. It's made me really believe that any detractors from the DV camp are detracting because they're shooting outside the scope of the format... Work within the limitations of the format... whatever format... and you can achieve amazing things.

 

[squeegly646]

I've noticed that with digital cameras they always look better in a lot of light. dim shots go out of focus and look like balls. so just try to keep lights on and stuff. get some work lights for outdoor night shots or shine headlights on the area. I mean, I'm not a professional at all, but thats just some amateur techniques I use, and they usually come out looking at least better. I just wish I could afford a better camera. Knightly speaks wisely by the way

 

[knightly]

Actually, I fake wisely Cameras capture light...if you don't provide light, capture it your camera cannot.

 

[harmonica44]

Knightly, regarding the comment, "spend your pixels wisely, there's a limited number of them" I totally agree and highly recommend if shooting on anything other than the best of digital cameras to skip wide shots and shoot as many closeups as possible. Then the lack of resolution isn't quite as noticeable.

I am kind of curious as to what you mean. The amount of sharpness in a close up, is the same as a wideshot, and if anything in the close ups, you see more lack of detail, since you see the face closer, if the movie has a soft looking quality too it. No?