1. Tech : How a digital image is born ; Demystifying digital: how digital cameras capture a color image ; The film look: aspect ratio ; Death of a standard...goodbye to 1.85:1? ; The film look: frame rates ; The film look: resolution ; The film look: sensor size: size matters ; Bits and bytes: the bottleneck of data rates ; The "raw" deal: what's involved in recording raw imagery? ; Digital cameras and color: the 411 on 4:4:4, 4:2:2, and 4:2:0 ; Maintaining your image integrity: masterclass on monitor calibration
2. Optics : Deeper into depth of field: understanding a "filmic" depth of field ; Field notes: Depth of field pull in Miracles ; Optical illusions: understanding interchanging optics ; Making the switch: lens mounts and interchangeability ; A closer look: diopters ; Field notes: Split-field diopters used In popular movies ; Through the looking glass: lens adapters ; Through colored glass: lens filtration ; Field notes: From the trenches: Free enterprise ; One plus one equals blue: calculating camera filters ; Light reading: learning to create and control lens flare ; Field notes: Paul Cameron on Total recall ; What makes a good lens?: Part I. Sizing up how to properly size up optics ; What makes a good lens?: Part II. Considering lens style and focus style ; Modulation transfer function: understanding lens resolution ; Further into MTF: a specific look
3. Camera : What's the best camera? ; ISO, EI, ASA, and you ; How to determine your camera's ISO ; The tools of digital exposure, part I: the waveform monitor ; The tools of digital exposure, part II: the histogram ; When is white not white?: A look at white balance ; Field notes: Different colors in time ; Seeing the invisible, part I: Dealing with infrared contamination (Red Epic Test) ; Seeing the invisible, part II: Dealing with infrared contamination (Arri Alexa Text) ; A steady hand: a look at camera stabilizers
4. Lighting : Adventures in lighting: Light sources 101, part I. Tungsten ; Adventures in lighting: light sources 101, part II. Fluorescents ; Field notes: Fluorescents in-shot ; Adventures in lighting: light sources 101, part III. HMIs ; Adventures in lighting: light sources 101, part IV. LEDs ; Adventures in lighting: fixture types 101, part I. Through the eye of the fresnel ; Adventures in lighting: fixture types 101, part II. The ellipsoidal reflector spotlight ; Field notes: Night for day ; Adventures in lighting: fixture types 101, part III. The PAR ; Mixology: additive and subtractive color mixing ; Color temperature ; The magic of mireds: to gel or not to gel, that is the question! ; White balance on-the-fly ; Inverse square dancing: a practical look at the inverse square law ; Adventures in lighting, part I. Beauty lighting ; Adventures in lighting, part II. The gleaming specular ; Adventures in lighting, part III. Unwanted reflections ; Smoke and fog ; Using a light meter to maintain atmosphere ; More adventures in lighting: when daylight fades ; The composition of sunlight ; Art of darkness: no light lighting ; Night lighting ; Natural day for night ; Ghostly lighting: cinematographer Bill Roe, ASC, discusses lighting for The X-files ; Adventures in lighting, part IV. Eternal flame ; It ain't easy being green: estimating green screen lighting ; Adventures in lighting, part V. 12 pages, four scenes, 12 hours: an exercise in lighting simplicity and versatility ; A motel-room meltdown: shooting the dollar baby paranoid ; Dancing in the dark: shooting under UV light ; Illuminating workout: lighting an exercise video series ; Keeping the lights on: basic electrical management ; The perfect travel companion: lighting kits
5. Misc : A twisty tale: a few key knots ; Bring the noise: tips for better audio production recording ; Sound advice: interview with Emmy Award-winning post rerecording mixer Eric Lalicata ; Shoot the moon: tips for celestial cinematography ; Carnet chronicles: international travel with equipment ; Understanding post color correction ; Colorful communication: working with a colorist ; Raising the roof: how to build a flat ; Field notes: Carpentry skills save the day ; To film school or not to film school? ; Learning from mistakes: Block, light, rehearse, shoot ; I'm Captain Kirk!: Musings on the role of the director ; Great relationships: Jack Green, ACS, Clint Eastwood, Bruce Surtees, and Joe Dieves
Glossary.