Glossary
Digital Cinematography
Digital cinematography cameras capture images using CMOS or CCD sensors chips. The image on the chip is comprised of pixels, which tiny picture squares.
The quality of a picture depends on how many pixels per a set area make up the image. An image is projected onto a single large sensor the brightness of which is determined by the intensity of light reflecting from the object converted into corresponding electrical impulses. This data is recorded onto tape, chip cards or computer hard drive. Professional video is usually High Definition (HD or High Def) employing 1920 x 1080 pixels (dpi) (=2K), 25 frames per second (fpi) and 4:4:4 color (RGB). CGI heavy projects may be recorded using 4K resolution. There is a range from 3 chip to single chip cameras. For semi-professional video recording there are also numerous formats.