Audience expectations of the cinema experience have evolved significantly in recent years. Today, viewers expect image quality that aligns with contemporary production and post-production standards – with accurate color reproduction, high contrast and visual consistency that preserves creative intent. At the same time, cinema operators are challenged to future-proof their technical infrastructure while integrating formats such as HDR in a meaningful and sustainable way. This is where Samsung Onyx comes in.

One response to these requirements is LED-based cinema display technology such as the Samsung Onyx Cinema LED display (ICD series). Designed specifically for cinema environments, the system introduces new possibilities for image reproduction, presentation quality and operational consistency.

LED technology as an alternative to traditional projection

Unlike conventional projection systems, Samsung Onyx relies on self-emissive LED technology. The display supports resolutions up to 4K with a refresh rate of 120 Hz[1] and achieves peak brightness levels of up to 300 nits[2]. This enables bright image areas to remain clearly visible without color washout or loss of detail.

Deep blacks, an almost infinite contrast ratio, and high color accuracy enable nuanced image reproduction across the full brightness range. Especially in high-contrast scenes, this results in more precise detail reproduction – an aspect that is increasingly relevant for both filmmakers and audiences.

HDR in cinema: consistent implementation of modern workflows

As HDR content becomes more widespread, its reliable presentation in cinemas is gaining importance. Modern cinema displays must not only support extended brightness and color spaces technically but also reproduce them consistently in real-world screening environments. Systems such as Samsung Onyx are increasingly designed to support HDR workflows from mastering through to on-screen playback.

This approach helps ensure that creative decisions made during production and post-production remain visible in the cinema environment, strengthening the connection between artistic intent and the final audience experience.

Flexibility for different auditorium layouts

In addition to image quality, flexibility is a key consideration for cinema operators. Samsung Onyx is available in four standard screen sizes – 5, 10, 14 and 20 meters – and can be scaled beyond these formats to accommodate a wide range of auditorium dimensions.[3] This adaptability allows cinemas to optimize screen size without compromising visual performance.

The system is also compatible with established cinema audio solutions such as Dolby Atmos, Meyer Sound, QSC and JBL, enabling integration into existing sound infrastructures.

Digital experiences beyond the auditorium

Modern display technologies are not limited to the screening room itself. Digital signage solutions enable cinemas to enhance visual communication in lobby and service areas. Energy-efficient color e-paper displays[4] can be used to present programmed information or advertising content and are centrally managed via the Samsung VXT device and content management platform.

Additional Smart Signage displays can be deployed for menu boards, trailers or brand communication, creating a consistent visual experience throughout the entire cinema journey – from arrival to the start of the film.

Display technology is increasingly shaping the way audiences experience cinematic stories. As production standards continue to evolve, solutions like Samsung Onyx illustrate how image reproduction, brightness and color accuracy can be aligned more closely with creative intent. For cinemas, this opens new ways to present content in a technically consistent and visually compelling manner – supporting the medium of cinema as it adapts to changing audience expectations.[5]

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[1] Based on the internal data bandwidth of the screen. Actual frame rates may vary depending on the connected IMB.

[2] Peak brightness is supported when using DCI-HDR-supported IMB.

[3] All measurements in metres refer to the screen width, while all measurements in inches refer to the diagonal. The 10-metre Onyx screen is available now, with the remaining models being introduced gradually.

[4] Thanks to advanced technology, color e-paper consumes significantly less energy than many other digital signage devices, especially when displaying static images. This can result in direct cost savings. The 4,600 mAH battery also offers high energy efficiency.

[5] The quality of film screenings may vary depending on the region and cinema.

The post Samsung Onyx: How modern display technology is redefining the cinema experience first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Advertorial.

Professional productions rarely consider smartphones. They lack ergonomics, reliability, and lens flexibility, and often process images in ways that destroy useful data before it ever reaches postproduction.We usually avoid “smartphone” news unless the device breaks into workflows in a meaningful way. But the legends at epic tutorials found something!

The Pixel 10 Pro may qualify. Unlike marketing claims around “computational photography,” this development deals with sensor-level access to true 12-bit video, a technical unlock that places this handset in a different category. The magic word here is Dual Conversion Gain (DCG), a hardware feature that has existed in many image sensors but has rarely been available for video capture outside cinema-grade gear.

What is Dual Conversion Gain?

Dual Conversion Gain (DCG), sometimes branded as Smart-ISO Pro by Samsung, allows a sensor to simultaneously capture high-gain and low-gain readouts of the same pixel exposure. The two signals are then merged before digitisation, producing a RAW output that preserves highlight headroom while also retaining clean shadow detail.

In practice, DCG produces one single file with:

• Higher dynamic range than standard single-gain readout.
• Finer tonal separation in shadow and midtone regions.
• Lower visible noise in dark exposures.
• Reduced artefacts compared to frame-stacked HDR video.

Conventional HDR modes, particularly in smartphones, often stack multiple exposures across frames. That introduces motion ghosting and temporal artefacts. DCG, by contrast, works at the pixel level and requires no stacking.

Interesting Detail: Google Pixel 10 Pro's Main Camera has 12-bit mode enabled by default!
byu/RaguSaucy96 inGooglePixel

Why is this important in the Pixel 10 Pro?

Previous Pixel devices, as well as Samsung Galaxy phones using similar sensors, already shipped with DCG capability. But manufacturers locked this functionality away. It was inaccessible to standard camera apps, and even advanced third-party software could not invoke it without root-level hacks.

The Pixel 10 Pro is the first mainstream consumer smartphone to expose DCG for RAW video capture directly to third-party apps. That means filmmakers, VFX artists, and technical directors can now record true 12-bit RAW video from a phone without voiding warranties or tampering with the operating system. Orjust ghavcing to deal with the shit-ton of work that is rooting a device these days. This change is not a marketing flourish, it is a concrete technical unlocking of a sensor feature that has been sitting dormant.

Testing and confirmation

Testing performed by developers using MotionCam Pro demonstrates visible improvements. Comparisons of waveform plots and histograms show increased usable dynamic range and visibly cleaner shadows when DCG is enabled. Noise levels in underexposed shots are drastically reduced. Blacks hold structure instead of collapsing into blocky artefacts. Gradients appear smoother, avoiding the typical banding that plagues 10-bit smartphone video.

Independent reports confirm that only the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL models support this feature in video capture. The non-Pro Pixel 10 lacks the sensor bandwidth required.

Professional use cases

Let’s be clear: this is not a replacement for cinema cameras. But there are credible, professional-adjacent use cases.

BCAM/CCAM utility: For secondary angles, reference slates, or onset inserts where a lightweight, inexpensive camera suffices. The ability to record 12-bit RAW ensures that even imperfectly lit material has enough data for correction. But you have to consider how COlors and Contrasts land in, for example, Resolve – there is very little documentation, and you would need to test your footage to have a confident pipeline.

Photogrammetry capture: Tools like Meshroom rely on full-fidelity image data for reliable geometry reconstruction. Having decent video from a compact device could make mobile scans easier without elaborate lighting setups. Now, a LIDAR Scanner would be prefreable, but, in a pinch, with enough pictures, this should do as well.

Reference footage: VFX supervisors, colourists, or continuity staff may need to grab quick visual notes. Normally such reference clips suffer from baked-in compression and tone-mapping. A 12-bit file avoids this somewhat. And we are not talking about ProRes!

This makes the Pixel 10 Pro more of a pipeline tool than a narrative camera. Its footage can fit into established dailies or VFX workflows without breaking colour pipelines.

Cost vs. capability

By professional standards, the Pixel 10 Pro is inexpensive. A dedicated RAW-capable BCAM costs multiples more. That affordability opens opportunities: every team member could carry a RAW-capable capture device without straining budgets.

That said, ergonomics remain a limitation. Phones lack ND filtration, proper I/O, monitoring options, and reliable thermal management for long takes. Professionals should see this feature as an additional tool in the box, not a cost-saving substitution for proper gear.

Industry implications

The larger story here may be about smartphone manufacturers finally unlocking pro-grade sensor features. For years, hardware has been capable of higher-fidelity capture, but consumer apps and OS restrictions kept that potential hidden.

By making DCG and 12-bit RAW accessible, Google signals a shift. The Pixel 10 Pro may not replace cinema cameras, but it demonstrates that latent features can be delivered to professionals if vendors choose to. If this sets a precedent, future handsets may become more reliable companions in production environments.

The bottom line

The Pixel 10 Pro’s 12-bit RAW DCG capture is an interesting tidbit for professionals. Not a final-frame tool, not a marketing gimmick, but a useful side camera with real production/photogrammetrry/documentation utility. Treat it accordingly: a supplement for reference, technical, and capture workflows—not a substitute for your Alexa, Venice or URSA. And we ignored the questions of thermal stability, variable Framerate, standardized colour profiles, and so many more things that make a professional camera and a smartphone two different beats entirely.

A reminder

Innovations like this should always be tested thoroughly before use in production. Smartphone footage may now hold up in a certain few workflows, but reliability and stability remain critical factors.

The post Pixel 10 Pro unlocks true 12-bit RAW with DCG first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Samsung’s Corporate LED Studio Bundle, launched with ARRI and Realtime Department, is not just another “all-in-one” video set. This is a tightly engineered system targeting the growing demand for high-quality corporate, hybrid, and virtual production. This package includes: Samsung’s The Wall LED, ARRI’s ALEXA 35 cinema camera, UNIQVUE automation as well as connection, workflow, and control paths mapped out for reliability, efficiency, and image integrity.

Why this solution?

But why? One use case for modern productions is the “corporate setting,” which, as every VFX artist who has ever worked for an agency can attest, are not naturally integrating compatible with broadcast and post pipelines. Many studios with the necessary technical and artistic chops capabilities aren’t bidding for these projects, and many corporations use out-of-date technology that delivers sub-par results. 

And this is where the turnkey solution comes in: The Corporate LED Studio Bundle is not a mere video “kit.” It’s a technical system—hardware, automation, and colour pipeline—built to deliver studio-grade content on demand. Without external less crew, rental fees, minimal preproduction and rehearsal, with g and Graphics and set assets handled digitally. Also, which is quite sad, no Crew Catering (We love crew catering). But let’s get into the pieces of this puzzle.

Who Provides What?

ARRI ALEXA 35: Supports the full ARRI colour pipeline, Genlock for LED synchronization, SDI and IP video outputs, advanced metadata for post, high dynamic range, and built-in LUT management for instant “look” application.

Samsung The Wall IVC: 12,288 Hz refresh, 384 fps, Micro LED, high contrast, no visible pixel grid, suitable for hybrid live/virtual sets, and minimal artifacting even at short shooting distances.

UNIQVUE: A modular and flexible digital framework that offers live show control, supports both remote and in-room operation, provides a template-driven interface for non-expert users, includes built-in corporate identity colours and graphic styles, and integrates a PowerPoint remote control directly within the show control interface.

Samsung The Wall IVC: Micro LED for the Studio Age

The Wall IVC is Samsung’s broadcast-optimized LED display, used as the visual anchor of the bundle. Its Micro LED panels deliver crisp, realistic visuals at a 12,288 Hz (No Typo: 12+ kHz.) refresh rate and support up to 384 frames per second. These numbers matter for close-up camera work, where traditional LED walls risk introducing flicker lines and artefacts. The Wall IVC simply does not.

The modular design lets the studio double as a boardroom, virtual stage, or traditional broadcast space. The Wall IVC integrates into room and media control systems, managed through UNIQVUE’s remote and automated control layer.

ARRI ALEXA 35: Too Much Camera? Maybe. But Also Just Right.

It’s fair to say that for classic boardroom use, an ARRI ALEXA 35 is “overkill.” This camera is a staple on high-end film sets and Oscar-nominated productions. But the inclusion is more than marketing. The ALEXA 35 brings a 4.6K Super 35 sensor, true 17 stops of dynamic range, and ARRI’s REVEAL Colour Science pipeline, allowing for precise colour matching, low noise, and accurate skin tones. This technical foundation is not just about bragging rights; it’s about keeping every pixel in sync across LED, virtual, and real sources.

ARRI’s colour science is critical in LED/virtual production, where even minor shifts can break immersion. The bundle includes native support for ARRI’s colour pipeline and full calibration routines to ensure LED wall output matches camera input—no “cheap” LED look, and no out-of-sync backgrounds. The robust connection options (Ethernet, SDI, full Genlock, advanced metadata pipelines) allow for direct integration with broadcast controllers, colour grading workstations, and automation triggers.

UNIQVUE: Automation and Workflow Orchestration

UNIQVUE, from Realtime Department, ties everything together and translates technical firepower into accessibility. This system sits at the nerve center of the studio, automating what would usually require a small control room staff. Through template-based production workflows, UNIQVUE offers presenters and producers the ability to drag & drop 3D Backgrounds and content modules and combine them to complex scenes, manage lighting and camera presets, and deploy graphics – often at the push of a single button.

The interface supports real-time show control, including a PowerPoint remote module, speaker notes, and even a stage timer, all available from a single control surface. For rooms with existing AV and media control infrastructure, UNIQVUE integrates easy with all main protocols, making adoption frictionless for facilities
teams. Its modular structure allows for reconfiguration between layouts and formats – one day as a boardroom, the next as a full training studio – without expert operators for most uses.

Concrete Application Examples

For organizations running high-frequency video, explainer, or hybrid events, the math is straightforward: higher output, lower spend, faster time to delivery.

• Product presentations and function demos: Presenters interact directly with content, reducing prep and making every session authentic—no separate voiceover or stand-in required.
• Town hall events: All participants—live and remote—see and interact with the same real-time content, with no need for dedicated technical crew or separate vision mixing.
• Marketing and explainer films: Digital backgrounds, props, and graphics can be swapped, updated, and reused, lowering costs and increasing flexibility.
• Training, internal communication, and PR: “What you see is what you get” production for internal teams, with drastically lower costs and faster turnaround.

Broadcast, But Smarter: Why the ALEXA 35 Matters Here

You probably have been thinking it all this time: The ARRI ALEXA 35 is a bit of an “overkill” choice for simple corporate broadcasting. Yet for virtual production, precise colour science and robust sync are not luxury add-ons, they are essential. The ALEXA 35’s connectivity (Genlock, SDI/IP, metadata, LUT support) is vital to keeping virtual and real elements in sync, colour-matched, and ready for both live broadcast and post workflows. It’s the difference between “looks okay on Zoom” and “ready for every frame.”

And That’s It?

Future articles will go deeper into colour pipeline management with ARRI, the practical realities of The Wall IVC installations, and case studies from the Realtime Department. Stay tuned!

The post Samsung Debuts Corporate LED Studio Bundle: ARRI ALEXA 35 Camera Included first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

The release of the Blackmagic Camera App for Android brings professional digital film features and controls to Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel smartphones. This innovation provides Android users with tools previously only used in high-calibre film productions.

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Range of functions and use

The Blackmagic Camera app allows artists to adjust key camera settings such as frame rate, shutter angle, white balance and ISO with a single tap. The ability to record directly to the Blackmagic Cloud greatly simplifies collaboration on projects with DaVinci Resolve. The app supports video recording in industry-standard formats up to 8K, offering a high degree of flexibility for a wide range of production requirements.

Integration into the VFX pipeline

One of the outstanding features of the Blackmagic Camera App is its full integration with the Blackmagic Cloud and DaVinci Resolve. This integration enables seamless collaboration between different artists worldwide. Through the cloud features, artists can instantly upload and share their shots with other team members, speeding up the workflow. This is particularly useful for VFX projects where quick adjustments and feedback are required.

Technical features and controls

The app’s heads-up display (HUD) shows all important shooting parameters such as histogram, focus peaking, levels and image guides. The interactive controls allow users to adjust settings directly by tapping without having to navigate through complex menus. The app also offers advanced monitoring tools such as Zebra Settings and Focus Assist, which are specially tailored to the needs of VFX artists.

Media management and collaboration

Media management within the Blackmagic Camera app offers multiple options for organising and syncing footage. Users can save clips directly to their phone or upload them to the Blackmagic Cloud where they are automatically synchronised with projects. This functionality is particularly beneficial when multiple cameras are used in different locations and the media needs to be synchronised in real time. This greatly simplifies collaboration in post-production.

Communication and project management

Another useful feature of the Blackmagic Camera App is the integrated chat workspace. This allows team members to exchange information about recordings and give feedback quickly. Everyone involved in a project can see and reply to messages, which makes communication and coordination much easier.

Future prospects and recommendations

The Blackmagic Camera App for Android is a significant step forward for mobile video production, providing VFX artists with powerful tools right on their smartphone. However, as with all new technologies, any innovation should be independently reviewed before being used in ongoing projects. Every artist should try the app to see if it helps with their specific day-to-day tasks.

The post Blackmagic Camera App now also available for Android first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

They have to be big enough – but if we build displays into a classic backdrop, we might get the best of both worlds – and if we look at Samsung’s LED display “The Wall“, it already covers a huge area – and was already used in the film “Die Traumnovelle”(is.gd/traumnovelle_imdb)! That’s why we spoke to two people who did just that – Florian Frerichs and Sven Lehmann!

Florian Frerichs (is.gd/frerichs) founded the production company Warnuts Entertainment in 2008 and has since been involved as a producer in numerous short films, music videos and commercials. He was production manager on the thriller “Gefällt Mir” (2014). As a producer and director, Frerichs shot “Alex” (2013), a fake trailer for a kind of remake of Stanley Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange”. His dystopian science fiction short film “Phoenix” (2014) and the horror short film “In the Ruins” (2016) were screened at several international genre festivals.

Frerichs tackled a completely different subject in his feature film debut “The Last Supper” (2018), for which he also wrote the screenplay together with Stephan Warnatsch. Sven Lehmann was the VFX supervisor(is.gd/sven_lehmann) and was responsible for setting up the screens and communicating with the Unreal Engine (Summer of Unreal graduate).

DP: Hello! “Virtual production” usually means huge LED volumes and caves, doesn’t it – what did you do there?

Florian Frerichs, director: Die Traumnovelle is a modern adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler’s novel of the same name and is set in Berlin. We are a small, close-knit team of film and technology enthusiasts and have been making films together for years. We have always been interested in technical innovations and achievements. In fact, I can say that we were the first to use one of the first RED cameras in Europe beyond mere testing in 2007. We have also been working on the topic of virtual production for some time. Then, over the course of the year, we familiarised ourselves with Samsung’s solutions – which came at just the right time.

Sven Lehmann, VFX: We shot one scene of the film using three Samsung Micro LED walls called The Wall. It was a suburban railway scene in which the protagonist gets on, looks dreamily outside and meets another person. The opportunities to film in the real S-Bahn are limited. Unlimited filming licences are difficult to obtain, disruptions to ongoing passenger services are inevitable and re-shoots are very time-consuming. That’s why we came up with the idea of using virtual production to create the scene background and lighting. So we shot at the S-Bahn dummy in Babelsberg and used footage of an S-Bahn journey on the LED walls and positioned them behind the windows of the train.

DP: And why did you use the Samsung walls for this?

Sven Lehmann: We were already in contact with Samsung beforehand, as we had already experimented with The Premiere short-throw projector. When the film project came up, we found out more about The Wall and realised that it was ideal for our plans. The decisive factor was the image quality with a low pixel pitch, which is essential for shooting details. The solution can also display special studio image rates, which is important for video synchronisation. Samsung’s LED walls are also easy to operate – basically like a normal Samsung TV. The user interface is even pretty much the same. That makes it much easier to use on set.

DP: How many “The Walls” did you use for the set?

Sven Lehmann: We used three different displays. The decisive factor was that the panels work straight out of the box. That means: unpack, connect and you’re ready to go. The scope of delivery also included the corresponding frames on which the screens were installed. this allowed us to roll them and move them up and down electrically. We were therefore able to use them very flexibly and place them wherever they were needed.

DP: How did the shoot go? How did you set up, position and control the screens?

Sven Lehmann: The challenge when setting up the screens was that we had to position two of the three displays on the platform of the S-Bahn dummy and there was very little space around it. We were then able to solve this with millimetre precision using an assembly lift. The aforementioned packaging system for the walls helped us a lot when moving them. When they were raised briefly, they could be rolled, put down again in a different position and then adjusted to the correct height. In terms of realism, the scene was very grateful as it was rather dark.

DP: The scene itself is “theoretically” simple enough – did you have to follow the camera?

Florian Frerichs: The scene is a relatively calm shot. Accordingly, the camera work was comparatively static, without major pans or fast movements.

DP: After the first take, did you make any adjustments?

Sven Lehmann: The size of the shots had to be in the right proportion to the set and the actors. You have to align it precisely so that the overall picture is harmonious and realistic. Florian Frerichs: We also readjusted the brightness. The Samsung panels are very bright, so they quickly became brighter than the real environment.

DP: And during the lunch break you turned the screens into a staff cinema? Florian Frerichs: A display like The Wall naturally invites you to experiment – in many ways. On the first day, I even had a Playstation 5 with me in the car so I could utilise its gaming power. But only four controllers. That would have been unfair to the rest of the team (laughs). In fact, I would like to continue using the screens in the future and integrate them directly into studio buildings, for example as windows. That would make us even more flexible when working in the studio.

Sven Lehmann: My personal impression of The Wall was very positive. In the size and format in which we used it, it was as easy to handle as a “giant television”. For low-budget shoots where the camera doesn’t move much, you can do a lot with it. For example, the setup makes it easier to reshoot if a set is forgotten. In principle, The Wall allows even more, as the specifications can be customised so that ceiling installations or concave designs are also possible. With a fully equipped stage, even more is possible.

DP: If you were to shoot this scene again, what would you do differently? More or fewer screens?

Sven Lehmann: If I could, I would install a huge LED wall on both sides that covers everything, similar to the film “Bullet Train”. Samsung also offers options for this with The Wall. More displays with the same features and sizes of The Wall used would of course make it easier, but the scene was too small for that. So we planned with a manageable amount of effort, and that worked really well for our case. At one point or another, we could have avoided small software problems by testing beforehand. But that was manageable.

Florian Frerichs: Our virtual production specialists Sven Lehmann and Victor Manske did a great job and were very committed to realising the scene in this style. In the end, the work paid off: you rarely get to see shots of a completely empty train. The viewers will certainly not realise this so much, but they will feel it and have the feeling at the end that they have seen something special.

DP: And when it’s all over, what’s the next project? When you can talk about it?

Florian Frerichs: I’ve been dreaming of making a science fiction film for some time now. And I think that Samsung’s virtual production technology would be perfect for this – especially as “The Wall for Virtual Production”, a model specially tailored to the requirements of the film industry, was recently introduced.

The post Virtual production with just one Samsung LED screen? first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.