One of the biggest innovations in digital video over the past decade has been the rise of cameras built around large sensors. The large-sensor revolution began with the introduction of Canon’s 5D Mark II as an affordable tool for filmmakers looking to achieve a cinematic aesthetic at an affordable price-point. The vast majority of camera manufactures soon followed suit with large-sensor video offerings of their own and an entirely new category of digital cinema cameras was birthed. But in spite of the beautiful images these types of cameras produce, there are times when they’re not the best choice for tech teams.
The large-sensor revolution began with the introduction of Canon’s 5D Mark II as an affordable tool for filmmakers looking to achieve a cinematic aesthetic at an affordable price-point.
Discerning the best settings for these kinds of cameras, and knowing when they’re the wrong choice, usually boils down to several specific factors. Once you’ve got a firm grasp on the technology itself, and the strengths and drawbacks of large-sensor cinematography, selecting the right camera for your project becomes a much easier process.
Going big
Larger sensors, the most popular of which include Micro 4/3 (MFT), APS-C and Full Frame, have a number of important advantages when compared to smaller sensors sizes such as 1/3” and 2/3” imagers. One of the biggest advantages is the fact that these larger sensors have bigger pixels, which significantly boosts their light-gathering ability. These larger pixels are also capable of capturing footage with a higher dynamic range, an essential factor in creating digital footage that looks closer to film.
Another reason large-sensor footage is considered to be more cinematic is because the sensor’s light gathering abilities and overall size allows for imagery with a much shallower depth of field. This means it’s much easier to create shots where the subject is sharp while the background is pleasingly blurred out. The ability of larger sensors to capture wider angles also makes it simpler to create more visual separation between the foreground and the background.
On the flipside, shooting with large sensors also has some distinct disadvantages, which videographers would be wise to carefully consider. There’s a perception among some tech directors that imagery created by large sensors is "softer" than video shot with more traditional 1/3” or 2/3” cameras. While large-sensor cameras can certainly create very sharp images, their ability to film with much shallower depth of field can make pulling focus more difficult when the aperture is open wider. This also makes it much harder for volunteer camera operators to achieve and maintain focus manually. Finally, the fact that large sensors capture much wider angle of views means that lenses will have less of a natural crop-factor zoom.
Better or best?
So what are projects where a large-sensor camera is the right tool for the job? The most obvious answer is within the context of narrative filmmaking. The sensor’s ability to create shallow depths of field gives cinematographers complete control over where the viewer’s eye is drawn within the composition. Filming with shallow depth of field also allows cinematographers to create great interview footage in environments that would otherwise be too cramped or cluttered if filmed with smaller sensors.
Ultra-wide shots and better control over foreground-background separation becomes possible with larger sensors.
The ability to film with wider angles of view also allows filmmakers to have far more control over their visuals than would be possible otherwise. Ultra-wide shots and better control over foreground-background separation becomes possible with larger sensors. Just as importantly, the increased ability of large-sensor cameras to film in environments where the light is lower and out of the shooter’s control opens new creative possibilities that would not be possible otherwise.
There are a number of situations, however, where the natural characteristics of large sensors could make them an inferior choice. One obvious situation where these cameras could be the wrong way to go would be when filming run-and-gun events where shooters have little control over the action they’re filming. In this case the naturally deeper depth of field inherent to small sensors would make it much more likely that a videographer could achieve critical focus in time to capture that crucial shot.
Situations where the primary operator of the camera will be a volunteer without the experience of a professional videographer might compel tech directors to lean towards smaller-sensor cameras....
Situations where the primary operator of the camera will be a volunteer without the experience of a professional videographer might compel tech directors to lean towards smaller-sensor cameras, as well. In a similar vein, AVL designers trying to keep costs down on a HD-to-4K upgrade project may choose small-sensor cameras to capitalize on already-purchased B4 lenses, thereby keeping overall upgrade costs lower.
The curious case of IMAG
For nearly the entire history of church broadcast ministry small-sensor cameras have been the default for a number of reasons, and for many of the reasons listed above these smaller sensors are still the to-go options for most Imag systems. In fact, many manufactures today continue to choose smaller 2/3” sensors for their flagship broadcast cameras.
There are a handful of churches around the country, however, that have begun to deploy large-sensor cameras as the heart of their broadcast systems. Cameras such as the Sony FS7, Canon C300 MkII and even the RED Epic have been utilized to create broadcasts that embrace a more "cinematic" feel that resonates in those unique contexts. While special training and adaptations have proven essential for incorporating these cameras into IMAG workflows, these churches are deciding that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
Moving forward, the technology that will make large-sensor cameras more palatable for church tech teams will be advances in auto-focus and facial tracking.
Moving forward, the technology that will make large-sensor cameras more palatable for church tech teams will be advances in auto-focus and facial tracking. It will be interesting in the coming years to see whether these solutions create more of a demand for large-sensor broadcast imagery.
In conclusion
Fortunately, choosing between current large-sensor or small-sensor offerings from most manufacturers today is more a matter of choosing between decent results or great results. When selecting a camera, begin by clarifying the primary application the camera will be used for. Secondly, be honest and clear about who will be the primary camera operator for the majority of the time, and go with the camera that user will succeed with. Remember, there’s no such thing as a perfect all-around camera, so locking in on the driving reason for selecting a camera will help you land on which camera’s the right camera.
