Camera setting for Dolby Vision Mastering

What is dolby vision?

Original Camera Sources

For mastering first run movies in Dolby Vision, the original camera files or original film scans are ideal as modern digital camera systems as well as negative film stock can capture 13+ stops of dynamic range.

The exposure and lighting decisions made on set will determine the level of dynamic range and usable color gamut for a Dolby Vision HDR master.  While it is possible to stretch the dynamic range of the content in post-production the best results are really defined by the HDR image that is captured in the acquisition phase.

Digital camera sources:

For any digital acquisition we recommend using either RAW recording (no de-mosaicing / de-bayering performed in camera), or if not available or applicable using a compressed source format in its lowest available compression and highest quantization (bit depth) using a “log style” OETF (Opto Electrical Transfer Function). Intra-frame codecs should be preferred over Long-GOP codecs.

Assuming a correct exposure, the following original sources can be considered as minimum requirements for Dolby Vision mastering.

Capture Format

• RAW - ArriRaw, RedCode, Sony X-OCN etc.

• Compressed - XAVC-I, ProRes or other I-Frame only formats

Quantization (min.)

• 16bit linear

• 10 bit log

OETF - Capture transfer function

• LogC, S-Log,3 Log3G10, etc.

Color Space

• Camera native color space - S-Gamut3, REDWideGamutRGB, Panasonic V-Gamut, etc.

No looks, color corrections or other transforms should be baked into the original camera files. Some cameras’ default color space is set to Rec.709 or sRGB. This color space should not be used for recording. Record in the camera’s native color space, instead.
 

Mobile media sources:

Depending on the budget, story, or when a small, flexible camera is required, creators might want to incorporate content captured by a mobile phone, like the iPhone 12 as well. Using phones to capture real-life situations also often has the advantage that those being filmed are more likely to act naturally than if a larger camera and recording equipment are being used. However, if you are in any doubt about whether a phone should be used as part of your production, as with any other camera selection, this should be checked with those who are commissioning the content you are producing. 

The Dolby Vision iPhone recording specifications (Profile 8.4)

Codec/Format:

• HEVC Main10 video in Apple Quicktime container (.mov)

HDR format:

• Dolby Vision with HLG base layer (Profile 8.4)

Transfer Characteristic:

• HLG (ITU-R BT.2100-1)

Color primaries:

• BT.2020

Chroma sampling:

• 4:2:0

Bit depth:

• 10 bit

Film sources:

Scanning Format

• ADX OpenEXR

• dpx

Quantization (min.)

• 16bit linear

• 10 bit log

Source - professionalsupport.dolby.com/

Dolby Vision Mastering in UAE

HDR

HDR is considered an important new technological step in image display since it provides an immediately visible clear improvement in image quality, even to the untrained eye and independently of image resolution, screen size or viewing distance. In addition, the increase in data rate for an HDR signal is minimal, thus creating great visual impact for small increase in cost.

What is Dolby Vision?

Dolby has played a key role in the development of HDR for both commercial cinema and home theatre applications. The most significant advantage of Dolby Vision HDR is the addition of dynamic metadata to the core HDR image data.

This metadata carries scene-by-scene instructions that a Dolby Vision-capable display can use to make sure it portrays the content as accurately as possible. Dolby Vision-capable TVs combine the scene-by-scene information received from the source with an awareness of their own capabilities in terms of brightness, contrast and color performance.

The minimum specification for Dolby Vision mastering requires the use of reference monitors with a contrast ratio of 200,000:1, peak brightness of 1000 nits, color range ‘approaching’ the Rec 2020 standard, and support for the SMPTE ST-2084 HDR format.

Dolby Vision Content Producers

Netflix, Amazon Prime Video,Vudu, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, Universal and Warner Bros - have all released Dolby Vision contents.
Note - It’s not mandatory for a content creator to deliver both HDR10 and Dolby Vision.

DOLBY VISION MASTERING IN UAE

For more information & services on dolby vision mastering in UAE contact - www.pixelhouse.ae

Color Grading for Netflix

Color Grading: Dolby Vision / HDR

Netflix Originals are mastered, packaged, and delivered in the Dolby Vision format. From this package, we derive Dolby Vision, HDR10, and SDR streams for Netflix customers to enjoy.

Color grading suite requirement

• Professional HDR monitor (Dolby-Vision certified, >1000 cd/m2)

  • Sony BVM-X300 (30 inch, 4K)

  • Dolby Pulsar (42 inch, HD)

  • Canon DV-2420 (24 inch, 4K)

  • Other HDR reference monitors as certified by Dolby for Dolby Vision HDR grading

• Professional SDR monitor

  • Rec.709, BT.1886 / Gamma 2.4, 100 cd/m2

• Color grading software with Dolby Vision support

  • Filmlight Baselight

  • DaVinci Resolve

  • Nucoda FilmMaster

  • Autodesk Lustre

  • Quantel Rio

• Content Mapping Unit (CMU) System (per Dolby specification)

• Dolby Vision License

  • Activates CMU and color grading plug-in

• Dolby Vision Training

What to deliver for netflix?

Dolby Vision VDM (Video Display Master)

• 16-bit TIFF frame sequence

  • Color Space: P3 D65, PQ (ST.2084), full-range

• Dolby Vision XML file containing accurate metadata*

* Please ensure that all XML metadata is accurate, including Color Encoding, Mastering Display, and Aspect Ratio. Please use Dolby's metafier validation to ensure that there are no errors in the metadata.

Dolby Vision - HDR & Future

Technology has moved far beyond current TV and movie imaging standards. Dolby Vision takes full advantage of what’s possible. This end-to-end solution delivers a dramatically different visual experience that fully expresses the original creative intent. Dolby Vision enhances today’s viewing experiences and is ready for the next wave of innovation from TV, movies, games, and streaming services.

The Dolby format offers a high dynamic range (HDR), meaning a wider range between the whitest whites and blackest blacks in a picture, along with features including a greater contrast ratio and color gamut. It can be projected in theaters with a Dolby Vision projection system that use Christie laser projectors.

Dolby researched human visual perception of luminance changes, then developed a new quantization curve based on those findings. The goal was to specify brightness levels from 0 to 10,000 cd/m2 using 10-bit or 12-bit encoding. The resulting PQ curve, approved as SMPTE Standard 2084, replaces gamma for Dolby Vision image encoding. In post-production, this means the image must be graded twice—one time for the standard P3 color space that most cinema viewers will see, and then again in the PQ format that specifies characteristics of the HDR version. Read this 2014 SMPTE presentation by Dolby Labs researcher Scott Miller for the nitty-gritty. 

Disney's Tomorrowland -- the first theatrical release in Dolby VIsion.

Tomorrowland was graded on DaVinci Resolve already has ablility to grade and master in Dolby Vision Format.