Documentation
This Documentation will explain in detail how to use Cinematographer and how every settign works.
If you found a bug or have any other unanswered question, head over to our support forums!
This Documentation will explain in detail how to use Cinematographer and how every settign works.
If you found a bug or have any other unanswered question, head over to our support forums!
This video shows a easy one miute setup of a Cinematographer camera.
This video shows how to replace the default unreal camera in the Third Person template with a Cinematographer camera.
This video shows how to easily upgrade an Unreal scene to physically correct lighting.
The link to the Physical Light - Cheat Sheet.
Cinematographer includes the following 13 camera recreations:
All cameras are recreations of common real life cameras, but we can’t name any brands or models for legal reasons.
Cinematographer includes the following 42 lense recreations:
All lenses are recreations of common real life lenses, but we can’t name any brands or models for legal reasons.
A RealCamera (or RC for short) in Cinematographer consists of a camera body (RealBody or RB for short) and a camera lens (RealLens or RL for short). The RealBody and RealLens contain all the unchangeable characteristics of your camera and lens. The RealCamera is what you use instead of the unreal default camera actor or cine camera actor. It contains all of the variable camera settings that you can change to adjust the shot. Every RealCamera has to have a RealBody and a RealLens assigned!
The camera body is all about the sensor’s characteristics. Create a copy of any RealBody (RB_) from the Cinematographer/CameraBodies folder. Rename the Blueprint and open it with a double click.
For our example we will use DXOMARK: Sony A7R IV as reference. Here we got all needed information in one spot. We are not only using the specifications tab but also the measurements!
Enter the full name of the camera body with all extras. This variable is not used anywhere and is for you to keep the overview since naming the blueprint itself is pretty restricted. For our example that would be: Sony A7R IV
First we need to find out, what sensor the specified camera is using. When we got the name, we have to get the size in mm. A lot of sensors have their size in inches in their name. Use a search engine to find the size in mm. Diameters are not sufficient, we need width and height values separately. For your example that would be: 23.8mm x 35.7mm.
What is the biggest image the camera can produce. Sometimes different modes produce different sizes, but we are looking for the maximum size. Pure Megapixel values are not sufficient, we need the width and height values separately. For our example that would be 9600x6376 pixels.
What is the minimum and the maximum ISO, the Sensor can utilise? This value can be a bit tricky to find for mobile phones or other small sensors but is important to create realistic behaviour and limits of the camera. For our example that would be 50 - 102400 .
Cinematographer will be able to calculate a pretty accurate grain representation with the values above but not every Sensor is the same. If the final results on higher ISO’s are more or less grainy than you would expect from your own/example footage use your value to refine it. This value is a multiplier so 0.5 will result in half the amount of grain while 2 will double the amount of gain. For our example we will stick to 1.0 since the grain amount fits the example footage.
The Dynamic Range of the Sensor in f-stops/EV. This is one of the most important values to stimulate the camera look, but can also be one of the hardest to find, especially for cheap gear. DXOMARK is one of the most complete sources for dynamic ranges. In their tests they describe the dynamic range as "Landsacape" score. Just use this number. If you can’t find it there, keep searching online. If you really can’t find anything, try an older/newer model or a comparable camera. For our example the measured dynamic range is 14.8 stops.
If you can change the lens on the body, tick this box. Does the camera body has a built in lens which is not interchangeable? Then don’t tick the box. For our example we tick the box since the lens can be changed.
This value may only be changed if the lens can‘t be changed. Then you can enter the built in lens here, so can camera can only use this lens. This will avoid confusion and mistakes later down the line. The value is greyed out since we beforehand ticked the interchangeable lens box.
And that’s it, our camera body is complete.
This is all about the lens’s characteristics. Create a copy of any RealLens (RL_) from the Cinematographer/Lenses folder. Rename the Blueprint and open it with a double click.
We will use DXOMARK: Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM as a reference.
Enter the full name of the Lens with all extras. This variable is not used anywhere and is for you to keep the overview since naming the blueprint itself is pretty restricted. For our example that would be: Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM
Does this Lens has only one focal length, then tick the box. If the Lens can zoom, by changing the focal length then untuck the box. For our example we would untick the box since it‘s a zoom lens.
Tick this box only when the given focal length is given as a full frame or 35mm equivalent. Most lenses are not, tick this only when it is explicitly stated in the description. For our example we don't tick the box since the focal length is not recalculated to be full frame equivalent.
For prime lenses this is the one focal length the lens has. For zoom lenses this will be the default starting focal length. The focal length is entered in mm not in degrees. For our example it does not matter where the focal length starts but let's use 45mm right in the middle.
The minimum and the maximum focal lengths the zoom lens can utilise. This value is greyed out for prime lenses. The focal length is entered in mm not in degrees. For our example its 24mm-70mm.
The minimum and the maximum aperture the lens can utilise in f-stops. For our example its f/2.8 - f/22
The minimal distance the lens needs to focus in cm. For our example 38cm.
The number of blades defines the bokeh shape on higher apertures. Small lenses with only one aperture don’t have blades since the aperture can’t be changed. In this case just keep the default number. For our example it’s 9 aperture blades.
An arbitrary value from -1.0 - 1.0 | Use positive values for barrel distortion from 0.0 -1.0. Use negativ values for Pincushion Distortion from 0.0 -1.0. Never use 0.0 since every Lens has flaws! Since there are no common used measurements and formulas for lens distortion, you will have to use example footage and some testing to get close to the distortion of your lens. For our example it’s 0.012.
This value describes how un-sharp the lens is. An arbitrary value from 0.0 - 1.0. Never use 0.0 since every Lens has flaws! Since there are no common used measurements and formulas for lens sharpness, you will have to use example footage and some testing to get close to the sharpness of your lens. For our example it’s 0.22.
This value adds additional UN-sharpness to the corners of the lens. An arbitrary value from 0.0 - 1.0. Never use 0.0 since every Lens has flaws! Since there are no common used measurements and formulas for lens sharpness, you will have to use example footage and some testing to get close to the sharpness of your lens. For our example it’s 0.18.
Vignetting is a Lens phenomenon that darkens the image to the edges. An arbitrary value from 0.0 - 1.0 | Never use 0.0 since every Lens has flaws! Since there are no common used measurements and formulas for lens sharpness, you will have to use example footage and some testing to get close to the sharpness of your lens. For our example it’s 0.18.
Purple Fringing is a Lens phenomenon, creating purple outlines around high contrast areas of the image with a more pronounced effect on the edges of the image. An arbitrary value from 0.0 - 1.0 | Never use 0.0 since every Lens has flaws! Since there are no common used measurements and formulas for lens sharpness, you will have to use example footage and some testing to get close to the sharpness of your lens. For our example it’s 0.18.
Chromatic Aberration is a Lens phenomenon that splits the different color wavelengths like a prism with a more pronounced effect on the edges of the image. An arbitrary value from 0.0 - 1.0 | Never use 0.0 since every Lens has flaws! For our example it’s 0.18.
Choose one of the predefined Camera Bodies from the Cinematographer/CameraBody Folder or your own and drag it into the Setup/Active Real Camera Model Slot of your active RealCamera.
Choose one of the predefined Lenses from the Cinematographer/Lenses Folder or your own and drag it into the Setup/Active Real Camera Lens Slot of your active RealCamera.
For realistic results, you should only use lenses that would in reality fit onto the body.
Camera Setups can be restricted to only one lens if their real life counterparts have a non changeable lens installed, e.g. iPhone, via the RealCamera_Preset_Blueprint [$Lens interchangable].
Active Real Camera Model and Active Real Camera Lens only accept Blueprints inheriting from the Real Lens and Real Model classes. The Plugin comes with dozens of predefined models and lenses. You will find them in your content browser under Cinematographer Content/RealCameraLenses or respectivly Cinematographer Content/RealCameraModels. To create your own, just copy one of the presets rename them and add your settings.
Focus settings are just relocated for improved UI experience. Check the original Unreal documentation for more information.
Is just an indicater that the lens in the lens blueprint is marked as prime lens. It's there to avoid confusion why the focal length can't be changed.
The camera will take full or partial control of shuter, apertue and ISO to continuously expose your shots right.
Shutter speed, aperture and ISO will be controlled by the camera.
Shutter speed and ISO will be controlled by the camera while aperture can be set by the user.
Aperture and ISO will be controlled by the camera while shutter speed can be set by the user.
Brighten or darken the results of the auto exposure by this EV.
Only for still images.
For movie sequences.
For interactive media.
Fractions of a second in which light can hit the sensor. So 60 is 1/60 of a second. Low shutter speed -> higher exposure and more motion blur. High shutter speed -> lower exposure and less motion blur.
Describes for how long of the shutter speed the sensor will receive light in degrees. 360° -> the sensor gets lit for the full duration the shutter is open. 180° -> the sensor gets lit for half the duration the shutter is open. 45°-> the sensor gets lit for an eighth of the duration the shutter is open. This informs exposure as well as the amount of motion blur. The most common shutter angle is 180° and the resulting image and motion blur will instantly feel familiar, cinematic and of high production value.
Motion blur will emulate the look appropriate to the Target FPS independent of the actual frame rate. Give your output a filmic and cinematic look and match the look with already existing content. This setting does not change or overwrite your export frame rate!
Motion blur will emulate the look appropriate to the Simulated FPS independent of the actual frame rate. This allows for a filmic and cinematic look while maintaining high frame rate in interactive media. This setting does not modify your frame rate!
Sets the aperture of the shot. This setting influences the exposure as well as the depth of field. Greyed out, if the the lens has only one aperture or Auto Exposure is active.
Sets the ISO of the shot. This Settings influences the exposure as well as the amount of digital film grain. A higher value amplifies the sensors readings which results in a brighter image but produces more false measurements, resulting in a grainy image. The lowest possible ISO is in most cases recommended.
Neutral-density filter are put in front of the lens to reduce the amount auf light hitting the sensor. ND Filters Values are in EV and the final image exposure will be reduced by this EV.
Allows cropping of the image to a different aspect ratio than the one of the sensor.
The first box is the X the second the Y value. For 16:9 - X=16 Y=9.
This list of checkboxes let's you enable and disable different features of Cinematographer.
Enables the contribution of Shutter Angle and ND Filter to the exposure of the shot.
Enables the unique contrast profile of a cameras dynamic range.
Enables Motion Blur.
Enables Barrel/Pincushion Distortion.
Since Barrel/Pincushion Distortion is implemented as a post process image effect, the edges of the image get cut. This setting compensates the change by adjusting the focal length, to get a similar framing. Enabled: Barrel distortion won't change your framing by compensating through focal length. Disabled: focal length will stay the same but the edges of the image get cut.
Enables slight amounts of UN-Sharpness to simulate the lenses physical limitations.
Enables Vignetting, a lens phenomenon that darkens the image to the edges.
Enables Purple Fringe, a lens phenomenon, creating purple outlines around high contrast areas of the image with a more pronounced effect on the edges of the image.
Enables Chromatic Aberration, a lens phenomenon that splits the different color wavelengths like a prism with a more pronounced effect on the edges of the image.
Enables Digital Film Grain.Even disabled ISO will still contribute to the exposure.
Head over to our support forums and let's find out, if Cinematographer will work in your workflow or fix your specific problem!