Digital Cinematography with Hypergamma

HyperGamma is a set of new transfer functions specifically designed to maximise the latitude of the camera, especially in highlights. It works by applying a parabolic shaped curve to the gamma correction circuit, so that the huge dynamic range of Sony CCD's can be used in the final recorded picture, without the need for the cameraman to adjust any settings in the camera. This approach also means we do not use any knee, thus removing the non linear part of the transfer characteristic as HyperGamma is a totally smooth curve. This means you remove any traditional issues which occur because of the non-linearity, especially in skin tones, and improve the dynamic range in one step.

There are four HyperGamma curves as standard, two of which are optimised for 100% white clip in a TV workflow (HG 1 and 2), and two for the 109% white clip generally used in traditional film style workflow (HG 3 and 4). Having chosen your white clip point, two curves are available to either optimise for maximum highlight handling (HG 2 and 4) or for low light conditions (HG 1 and 3).

Sony camcorders and cameras that have HyperGamma as standard include the F35, F23, HDW-F900R, HDW-790P, HDW-650P and PDW-700. Please note the PDW-700 requires V1.2 firmware for HyperGamma functionality.

This article explores the benefits and technical features of Hypergamma across 11 pages. The video on the right of this page is an online version of demo footage designed to be viewed on a HDCAM SR VTR and viewed with Grade 1 monitor. If you'd like to see the true quality of this footage, please book an appointment with a Sony Specialist Dealer.