Difference between SLOG/SLOG2/SLOG3 and Cineflat/Flaat10/Flaat11/Nikon Flat

[bowielow]

I'm starting to learn videography on my D810 and my A7S II and I am wondering how all this work. I understand the theory of it all, i.e flat profiles are able to capture a wider dynamic range and can be worked on in post, applying specific LUTs, grading, correction, conversion from LOG to REC709 and vice versa, printing it to film etc. What I don't get, maybe because of the lack of concrete data on the internet, is the difference/relationship between 10-bit and 8-bit video and how it relates to picture profiles. Also, what is the difference between Sony's LOG profiles? Is this just nomenclature and a Nikon flat profile can potentially achieve the same amount of dynamic range as the SLOG can? What makes a picture profile a log profile and can other picture profiles based on logarithmic exposure curves be called log profiles as well. In that case, isn't the Cineflat profile a log profile as well because it's curved as such? Also Tassinflat and Flaat profiles.

I'm still learning so I have loads of questions to ask. Bear with me.

Also, what's with bandwidth and bit depth? I get bit depth as it relates to photos, does it work the same for video because I assume videos to be just a composite of many photos. Say we have a device recording 100mbps at 10-bits and another recording at 200mbps but at 8-bits, what will be the difference?

[GLCProductions]

If you have a 10-bit camera picture profiles wouldn’t make any real permanent impact on footage since you are probably on a $15K+ camera and shooting RAW. For filmmakers using DSLR’s or 8-bit cameras, you can use picture profiles to tell the camera what information to focus on since with 8-bit compression you will be losing about 40% of the information at post. With that said, how the information is dispersed along the histogram based on the picture profile, will allow you to retain more color or more dynamic range (typically not both at the same time on 8-but cameras) in order to ultimately produce the image style you are seeking in the final product. Whether that be slightly flat, contrasty, etc, to help set the mood. all in all, with 8-bit cameras it’s always best to get it right in-camera since any post production editing on a compressed file with cause rapid deterioration of color quality, artifacts, etc, versus 10-bit raw which won’t have this problem.

 

 Hope this helped.

[Deadcode]

Log is a compressed representation of the sensor dynamic range. 14 EV with slog2/slog3 on paper. 

8/10 bit image capture represents the resolution of this dynamic range. 4 times more gradiation with 10 bit recording.

Log vs flat: if you under/overexpose your image without crushing/clipping, you can recover the image perfectly without any tonality or color issues with log recording (on paper...) but this is not possible with flat recording