ARRI Sharpness & Detail

[LuXor]

I am looking to achieve the most filmic sharpness, with a soft texture, with the ARRI Alexa Mini. With every camera I have used so far, I take the sharpness settings to their lowest, as I think anything above that creates ugly, digital artifacts. But, the ALEXA Mini has both detail and sharpness settings.
I have used the Mini once before, but left the sharpness and detail settings alone, for fear of possibly making the final image worse, which still looked very nice, and not clinically sharp.
When I look at an image shot on film, it has this weird and beautiful anomaly of being sharp yet soft.

What detail and/or sharpness settings would I use, with the ALEXA Mini, to achieve a texture similar to this?

Topic

[Roger Deakins]

I can’t say I ever change the settings on the Alexa Mini or the LF. Personally, I don’t see why you would. Would it not be better to adjust the image in the DI if you feel the need. You could then adjust sharpness and also add grain.

[LuXor]

Thank you for responding, Mr Deakins.

Typically, I do soften the image a little in the DI and add grain as a last touch, but after experimenting with some cameras in the past, I’ve found that, sometimes, when in-camera sharpness is taken too far, it ruins an image to the point of being irreversible, where the texture just doesn’t seem the same anymore.

But, thank you, again, I’ll be sure to be easy on the sharpness settings next time I work with the Mini!

[Roger Deakins]

Interesting. I have not felt that problem with the Alexa.

[Stip]

Could that ‘filmic sharpness’ actually be micro contrast, or a mix of micro contrast and grain? There is a debate whether “micro contrast” is even a thing or just a myth.

I have a Sigma DP Merrill photo camera that uses a Foveon sensor, which in my opinion produces analog-like images like no other digital camera (needs light though). It’s said to have exceptional micro-contrast and color, which cause these analog-like results. I don’t know if it’s true but I recognize that same “filmic sharpness” that you talk about there too.

Outside of Arri I agree that in-camera sharpening can be very problematic if taken too far.

[Stip]

I suspect the ‘detail’ settings to try to mimic micro contrast but that’s just my guess using it in Davinci Resolve. It can introduce a halo effect quickly if overdone.

[quijotesco24]

What debate?
Micro contrast is how contrasty or not are the edges between different tones. At higher micro contrast more apparent sharpness. At lower micro contrast less apparent global sharpness.
Lenses also produce this effect more or less but it’s called acutance.
At least this is how it was taught 20 years ago.

 

[Author]

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