HDTV and Film — Digitization and Extended Dynamic Range

High-definition television (HDTV) is rapidly evolving and film continues to improve. The ability to freely employ either imaging medium while ensuring its high-quality integration in HD post-production promises a new creative flexibility. Of the many attributes contributing to a final high picture quality, dynamic range remains critical to achieving a satisfactory matching of images (by intercut or blue-screen compositing). HDTV charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras have arrived, already endowed with a total dynamic range latitude equal to that of the best motion-picture film. However, the rapid move to HD digital recording and processing raises questions regarding the optimum quantization of the CCD analog output video waveform. This article discusses the complexities of this issue, the tentative decisions already adopted by HDTV equipment manufacturers, and the importance of the studies on this topic currently ongoing within the SMPTE.