Bit Depth

[ROA44]

As I'm soon starting my next module in Cert lV in Photography. I was looking at some youtube info regarding a bit more understanding of Bit Depth (pardon the pun) and found this clip and thought others may find this helpful not only just to Bit Depth but also how it relates in technology.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...5E8&FORM=VIRE7

Hopefully helpful for more people like me who are not tech. savy

If this clip is more suitable in a different forum site please feel free to move.

[Gazza]

He explained that well -

[ameerat42]

Maybe just into F-stop.

Yes, he did explain it well enough - and basic terms and analogies.

An interesting fact I recently discovered is that most new TVs (I do not know about older ones) are
10-bit display capable (Sony, Samsung, Panasonic - of the 4K, Smart TV variety.

[ROA44]

Thanks AM I did consider that and also Colour section.

[arthurking83]

....

Hopefully helpful for more people like me who are not tech. savy

.....

He's explained it perfectly for the non tech person. Especially his reasons for why bit depth is important, even tho you probably can't really use it. .. the banding issue!

The only thing I want to elaborate on with respect to the video is that it appears to be targetted towards video capture(I think .. dunno).
But the reason is, with your still image capture device you won't get a 10bit option for still image capture!

You don't have an option for 8bit capture either .. this is simply what you get with your camera generated jpgs!
(note and this is what almost everyone is referring too when they say that you should shoot in raw format in camera .. jpgs are only 8bit .. and now you know why this is inferior! .. and they are cooked .. in that the in camera processing is hard set into that file format. So shoot raw .. and now you know why you should do this! )

The other options you will get for raw file bit depth(and this is the only format in camera that MAY have an option for bit depth) .. it will be either 12bit or 14bit.
You won't see any other options.
Many of the lower end consumer grade cameras don't give you any option for bit depth.
Eg. In Nikon terms .. the D3xxx series doesn't, I don't think the D5xxx series does, but the D7xxx series will give an option.

The only downside(if you could call it that) to higher bit depth is a larger file size.
On the D800E I remember the file size difference between 12bit and 14bit is something like 25% (or more) larger on the 14bit images. The difference will depend on the actual files too .. and processing.
And because the 14bit image contains more info, it can also be pushed even harder in processing(before it starts to break down), so the final image size differences can be even more again.

12bit files are usually plenty enough, if you practise good exposure techniques.

And @ Am .. I think that if the TV is 10bit, then this is almost certainly because it could be a 4K type .. not just because it's a 10bit panel.
That is, I find it unlikely that a manufacturer woudl create a 10bit panel for a 1920/HD tv. 10 bit panels are expensive and unless it has a specific purpose not really needed or wanted. It'd be expensive for no added benefit. If the 4K tv isn't 10bit, you'd be wary of purchasing it ...
Reason is(I think .. I'm sure .. can't remember really .. but!) the agreed on 4K broadcast standard specifies 10 bit transmission(rec. 2020).
So that is, most broadcasters have all agreed on this rec. 2020 standard, which says 10bit colour mode.
You can get 8bit 4K panels, but they probably won't display this 4K broadcast standard(so a hardware decoder would be needed).

For us photo geeks or tech heads .. this is all actually good stuff!
it means as 4K tvs permeate the market in greater numbers, that more 10 bit panels need to be designed and manufactured .. so the prices will come down over time(hopefully a short time too!) ... 32" 10-bit PC screens for cheap, anyone?

[ROA44]

Thank you for your added Info I think I'll have to start a word doc file of all your info & explanations so as I can read at a later time.

[Mark L]

As I'm soon starting my next module in Cert lV in Photography. ......

Have you found this is helping you get better photos? Or just PPing them better? Or just understanding the reasons why everything happens? Or are you doing it to get the qualification for some reason? (mainly interested in the better photos question)

[tandeejay]

The other options you will get for raw file bit depth(and this is the only format in camera that MAY have an option for bit depth) .. it will be either 12bit or 14bit.
You won't see any other options.
Many of the lower end consumer grade cameras don't give you any option for bit depth.
Eg. In Nikon terms .. the D3xxx series doesn't, I don't think the D5xxx series does, but the D7xxx series will give an option.

Not sure about the older D5XXX cameras, but the D5500 does have an option to choose between 12 bit or 14bit RAW