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.
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[edit] Overview
The Dalsa Origin is the first commercially available digital cinema camera to capture at 4K resolution, the emerging quality standard for feature film content. Currently it is the only digital cinema camera with the ability to capture 4K uncompressed.
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 mid-2005. In November 2006, the company hired digital cinema pioneer, Rob Hummel, as President of the Dalsa Digital Cinema.
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, and founder of Cinema Products Ed DiGiulio. During the development of the DALSA Origin camera it was tested by members of the filmmaking world including Daryn Okada, ASC, Allen Daviau, ASC and various members of the commercial and VFX industries.
In 2007 the Origin camera was upgraded to the production version of the camera, and re-branded Origin II. The Origin II upgrade features improved image quality from DALSA's latest generation frame transfer CCD sensor, and a simplified touch screen interface.
[edit] Technical details
The Origin II 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 x 2K (4046x2048). 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 8, 10 or 12 bits. This results in a linear exposure latitude equivalent to more than 13 stops. The images created by the Origin II camera are widely regarded as having more visible resolution and more dynamic range [[1] than any other digital cinema camera.
The current configuration of the camera can run 1-30 frames per second. The Origin II camera features an optical reflex viewing system with rotating mirror similar to 35mm film cameras and uses standard PL mount 35mm film gate lenses. The camera is approximately the same size and weight as an average 35mm film cameras with a 400' magazine.
The camera outputs raw data to an off board storage unit at a rate of approximately 400 megabytes per second. The Origin II connects to the storage unit by an extremely rugged, thin and flexible mil-spec fiber optic cable. This fiber cable can be run for over a mile without any signal degradation or repeating. The storage unit that has been used most often is the Codex Digital recorder, which will hold about two hours of uncompressed 4K camera RAW footage. In January 2008 S.Two began shipping the DFR4K recorder, which can also capture images from the Origin II camera. S.Two also manufacturers of a system of 4K workflow products that are compatible with the Origin II camera's 4K images.
[edit] Filmography and Commercial Projects
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; a beer commercial by Curtis Clark, ASC; a Greenpeace commercial, shot by Florian Stadler; a Motorola commercial, shot by Byron Werner; a short entitled "The Trident", directed by Anurag Mehta and shot by David Stump, ASC; "She Called Up", a music video for the band Crowded House shot by Damian Acevedo; a promo for ABC 7 Eyewitness News, shot by Mark Zavad; and most recently "Reach for Me" a feature film directed by LeVar Burton and shot by Kris Kosskove.
Also, the new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, will feature a complex visual effects shot captured with eight DALSA 4K Origin cameras.
The details surrounding the cameras' use are being kept a secret for the time being. However, the company revealed that the technically ambitious visual effects shot featured Daniel Craig and actress Olga Kurylenko, and involved simultaneously shooting with eight shutter-synchronized DALSA Origin 4K cameras.
[edit] Workflow Overview
While any professional off-line NLE can be used with the Origin II proxy images, in the relatively short life of camera system Final Cut Pro has been the most popular. Just like performing a digital intermediate with 35mm film, any on-line editing system that can access DPX, TIFF or Cineon file types can be used to on-line the 4K images captured with the Origin II.
[edit] Availablity
The Dalsa Origin II is available worldwide for rental only, using a business model similar to Panavision.
