Red: Monochrome Cinematography

Black and white cinematography is so challenging and also able to convey shades of grey with classic images.

After introduction of color in cinema, There was separate awards in Oscar for Black and White cinematography as years progressed B/w cinematography faded out.

1990’s with spielberg holocaust film Schindlers list had black and white images…which got attention.

Past few years both at Oscars and Cameraimage films with Black and white images continue to get top honors.

Though it is easy to shoot in color and fix black and white images in post…there many advantages to shoot with a monochrome Digital camera.

Red has recently made a monochrome camera which shoots 8k videos.

RED has announced that their 8K MONSTRO named  “Monstrochrome” which  gives shooters the ability to capture black and white images that contain enhanced resolution and heightened light sensitivity.

Conventional image sensors consist of a fine grid of millions of pixels or photodiodes that record light in proportion to its intensity.

Sensor is constructed with filters to block IR rays, Low pass filters to regulate light frequency, color filter array to bring color.

Each pixel can detect how much light strikes it, but not what color that light is. To provide color information, most manufacturers position a grid of primary-colored filters called a Bayer array with one primary color, red, green or blue, covering each pixel so that each pixel receives only light of that color. Then, through a process known as demosaicing, the camera’s processor (if you shoot JPEG) or your RAW converter (if you shoot RAW) creates a full-color image, using color data from neighboring pixels and interpolation via complex proprietary algorithms to furnish the missing color data for each pixel.

In monochrome camera sensor will not have color filter that allows more light and sensitivity,advantage of getting more tonal range in mid gray region.

Without filters monochrome camera will record more sharper images with extended latitude than a motion picture film.

David Fincher latest film is shot with Monstochrome….the result would be stunning Black and white images with superior 8k resolution.

CJ Rajkumar

Author/ Cinematographer