Movie Making Manual/Cinematography/Cameras and Formats/D-20
| Related Sections | |
|---|---|
| Table of Cameras | Table of Formats |
| D-20 | |
|---|---|
| Model number | D-20 |
| Manufacturer | Arnold&Richter (ARRI) |
| Intro date | Oct 2005 |
| Category | Film-style HD |
| Price | Rental Only |
| Format(s) | 1080p in HD Mode raw Bayer Data output in Data Mode |
| Mediums | HDCAM SR to Sony SRW-1; DDR using FlashMag, S.two DFR, etc. |
| Sensor resolution | 3018 x 2200 pixels (native) 2880 x 2160 pixels (Data Mode) 2880 x 1620 pixels (HD Mode) |
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 (1.33:1) native 16:9 (1.78:1) readout in HD Mode |
| Sensor tech | CMOS/Bayer Pattern |
| Sensor manufacturer | |
| # sensors | 1 |
| Sensor size | Super35 (24.9mm x 18.7mm) |
| Recording res & fps | 2880 x 2160 pixels (Data Mode) 1920 x 1080 pixels (HD Mode) at 1 to 60 fps |
| Shutter mechanism | ARRICAM style silent reflex mirror shutter |
| Shutter speeds | Electronically adjustable in 0.1° steps from 11.2° to 180° |
| Luma sampling freq. | |
| Chroma subsampling | 4:4:4 4:2:2 |
| Colour model | RAW, YUV (YCbCr), RGB |
| Colour depth | 12-bit Raw in Data Mode 10-bit in HD Mode |
| Low light performance | |
| Available sensitivities | EI 300 |
| Lens | 54mm stainless steel PL Mount (accepts 35mm lenses) |
| In-built filters | Low-pass with anti-static and anti-reflective surfaces |
| Adjustable gamma | |
| Viewfinder | Arri 435/535 style viewfinder/eyepiece system |
| LCD size | |
| Dynamic Range | > 10 stops |
| Signal to Noise Ratio | |
| Video outputs | HD-SDI |
| Video inputs | |
| Audio inputs | |
| Audio Compression | |
| # audio channels | |
| audio sample rate | |
| audio quantisation | |
| Digital IO | HD SDI, dual HD SDI |
| Weight | 10.36kg / 22.84lb |
| Notes | Uses any HD recording system with HD-SDI inputs |
Introduction edit
The D-20 is ARRI's concept of a practical digital movie camera. Like the Panavision Genesis, it uses a single image sensor the same width as a standard 35mm film frame, but unlike the Genesis, this also has the same height as a 35mm frame.
The D-20 uses a custom-designed CMOS sensor rather than the older CCD technology of the Genesis. Instead of the Genesis's RGB stripe filter, the D-20 uses a Bayer Array, similar to that used on digital still cameras. The CMOS sensor's "native resolution" (before the color mask is applied) is 3018 x 2200 pixels, which allows a 1920 x 1080 standard HD output with a resolution similar to the Genesis. Recording can be either on HD Beta tape or a hard disk array.
The D-20 is actually based on a modified ARRIFLEX 435 film camera chassis. It can use any "PL-Mount" cinematography lens, and was specifically designed to be as familiar in operation to a film camera operator as possible. In particular, it retains the rotating mirror shutter/reflex viewfinder that is standard on all ARRI film cameras, which allows the incorporation of a standard optical viewfinder.
This has the advantages that:
- The optical viewfinder image can safely be used for critical focussing, whereas current model electronic viewfinders tend to have insufficient resolution for this.
- No power is needed while setting up a shot, nor is there any particular need for a "video village" of monitoring equipment.
- The camera operator can see outside the frame that is actually being recorded, so (s)he (and/or the focus puller)"can see what's coming". (A major shortcoming of all-electronic viewfinder systems is the camera operator can only see what is actually being sent out to the recording system).
At present (Oct 2005) the D-20 is still undergoing refinement and to date no commercial projects have been shot with it. It has been observed that ARRI seem far less serious about the D-20 than Panavision do about the Genesis, since the CMOS sensor it is based on was principally designed for use in ARRI's advanced film scanner, the Arriscan.
History of the D-20 edit
Currently, as of during the Sundance Film Festival for 2006, there is only one ArriFlex D-20 located in the United States of America. In about a month from the festival, Arri Rental facilities should have the D-20 available for rent. However, rental prices are still unknown.
Rental Facilities edit
ARRI Rental Germany
ARRI Media London
ARRI-CSC New York
Clairmont Camera, Los Angeles
Films made with the D-20 edit
- 1 day's usage on Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (2005)
- 1 day's use on "Caged" - Short film (UK) Official Site
- The entirety of Chapter III of Max Payne: Payne & Redemption (2006)
- Virtually the entirety of The Company
- German Short film Der Häfling des Monats (german: The Detainee of the Month)
- Hogfather (post-production)
- German TV-Serie "Afrika, mon amour", 3 parts, summary 270 minutes