RED OLPF (OPTICAL LOW PASS FILTER)

RED OLPF (OPTICAL LOW PASS FILTER)

Digital camera sensor is a light sensitive device constructed with various parts like micro lens, hot mirror, circuitry system, color filter (bayern mosaic pattern) active pixel area, black pixel and with low pass filter.

Low-pass filters

A low-pass filter comprises several layers of optical quartz that have been cemented together and placed in front of a camera’s sensor. The main role of the OLPF is to stop high frequency image information and reduce the effects of moire effect and false colour caused by high frequency waves in images.

he OLPF consists of two layers of birefringent plates (birefringence is the optical property of a material having a refractive index) and one wavelength plate.

Light is split while being transmitted through the birefringent plates onto the image sensor.

Apart from regular low pass filter that is a part of sensor construction recently Red cinema cameras have introduced OLPF that can be interchangeable, which enables cinematographer to choose a low pass filter according to his preference of image recording.

Red has released different OLPF models for new series of their camera line up that is DSMC 2, but can also be used for EPIC DRAGON AND SCARLET DRAGON of DSMC series.

• Standard OLPF
• Skin tone OLPF
• Low light OLPF
• H2O OLPF

The Standard OLPF filter enables the RED color space to fall in like the Alexa, which has become the benchmark of our industry. There are also improvements in the highlight the new OLPF wrangles light fall-off to get richer shadow detail. It also avoids the use of external IRND filters before lens as these OLPF clears IR pollution as well.

The DSMC Skin Tone-Highlight OLPF (optical low-pass filter) captures and preserves color quality in highlights, bright colors and well-lit environments. The DSMC Skin Tone-Highlight OLPF produces the best skin tones and protects highlights by adjusting the amount of red and green color (wavelengths) that contribute to the final image.

DSMC Low Light Optimized OLPF (optical low-pass filter) provides excellent color and tone reproduction in extremely dim lit environments. This OLPF will give extra edge to capture and preserve color quality in mid-tones, darks, and shadows.

H2O OLPF is engineered to overcome the challenges of capturing underwater footage at varying depth and lighting levels. It is fine-tuned to produce optimal colors in both shallow and deeper water, where lighting conditions can vary tremendously. Utilizing the DSMC H2O OLPF results in footage that is balanced across the color spectrum regardless of depth offering unmatched exposure performance and freedom for grading in post.

To upgrade to new OLPF the owners have to purchase and ship their RED camera brain (camera body) to the company installation is done free of cost.