Dalsa Origin
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The Dalsa Origin is the first camera designed and built by Dalsa Corporation to be used specifically for digital cinematography.
[edit] Technical details
The Dalsa Origin is the first, and currently only, commercially available digital cinema camera to capture at 4K resolution, the emerging quality standard for film content.
The camera was originally shown at NAB '03 in Las Vegas, where Dalsa received four industry awards for innovation. The camera initially became available for testing in 2006, and is available for rental for $3000 per day, including storage, from the company's camera rental facility in Woodland Hills, which was established in 2005. In November 2006, the company hired digital cinema pioneer, Rob Hummel, as President of the Dalsa Digital Cinema.
The Origin camera is best known for its image quality, and is generally considered to be the leader in that regard. The camera has a resolution of approximately 4K by 2K, or 8 megapixels. Beyond resolution, the camera is unique in its ability to capture at a very high bit depth. The camera outputs an uncompressed, RAW Bayer pattern 16-bit image, which is considerably higher than other cameras which are limited to 10 or 12 bits. This results in a linear exposure latitude equivalent to more than 12 stops.The current configuration of the camera can output up to 30 frames per second, but the single charge coupled device sensor can reportedly go up to 48 fps. The Origin camera features a reflex viewing system with rotating mirror similar to film cameras and the Arri D20 and uses standard PL mount 35mm film gate lenses. The camera is approximately the same size as a large film camera.
The camera outputs raw data to an off board storage unit at a rate of approximately 400 megabytes per second. The storage unit that has been used most often is the Codex Digital recorder, which will store about an hour of uncompressed 4K camera RAW footage.
The camera has been successfully used in a number of projects including "Postcards from the Future", directed by Alan Chan and shot by Eric Adkins; a Snickers commercial, directed by Jesse Dylan and shot by Rolf Kestermann; and most recently in a commercial project by Curtis Clark, ASC.
The camera is well suited for visual effects photography employing digital compositing and travelling matte photography on larger budget productions. The system is the brainchild of a collective group, including cinematographer Ed DiGiulio, and is currently being tested by members of the filmmaking world including Darren Okada (ASC), Allen Daviau (ASC) and various members of the commercial and VFX industries.
The Dalsa Origin is available for rental only, using a business model similar to Panavision.
