Collaboration agreement between Canon and Technicolor

How much time does photochemical have left, what’s next for DSLR cameras, film labs working with digital still cameras, what’s going on?

In the latest online newsletter of Cameraman magazine, reference is made to an agreement reached between Canon and Technicolor announced at the last Nab. The truth is that no specific details of the agreement are disclosed, but in itself reveals a couple of important facts:

On the one hand, DSLR cameras are consolidating their position in the audiovisual industry as a real option for film shoots. When the Canon D5 appeared, many doubted its permanence in the professional scene. However, after these years, and the appearance of multiple accessories that adapt the camera to film shoots, these cameras have established themselves as valid options when facing an audiovisual project.

The truth is that I do not intend to defend or attack them from a technical point of view, I was one of the first to criticize them for their lack of film shooting features (beyond the resolution of the sensor). However, as I say, the industry has made a niche for them through the creation of shooting adapters. It is now clear that they have not been a fad.

On the other hand, the agreement reinforces the trend of laboratories towards digital processes instead of photochemical: what is called “digital development”. There are many formats (H264 from Canon among others) that require a conversion before starting the post-production processes (of course this process depends on the specific workflow of each project, it is not always necessary).

These processes (or transcodifications) are not always easy or fast to do in “domestic” computers and software. This is where the digital lab comes into play, although the process is not mandatory for them to do it (as was the case with the photochemical), they do relieve the editing department of a great weight and responsibility. Within these processes is also the creation of dailies for the correct viewing of the material shot daily.

You can see the magazine article here