The tool that will change the way you expose your video

As an image maker, it’s crucial to have control over light in a scene. That's how we create create depth and give volume to an image. We have different tools built into the camera and external monitors that help us to expose the image, such as zebras, histograms, or false colors.

Those tools are great as a guide, but what if you could be more specific? What if, somehow, you could convert your camera into a light meter, giving you the ability to precisely know the stops of light and contrast that your frame has? Well, it’s here, and that tool is called the EL Zone System, developed by cinematographer Ed Lachman. To me, crafting an image that captivates, engages, and inspires emotions in your viewers is everything, and when I understood the power of this tool, it blew my mind.

This system works with the reference point of 18% gray. The EL Zone System takes 18% gray as a reference, and each incremental value of light, whether brighter or darker, is measured by stops. It’s easy to get confused with false colors, but remember, this system measures stops, while false colors measure radio signals that started with the Lumière brothers back in 1895.

I started using this tool a month ago in all our projects here in the Washington, D.C. metro area (DMV), and it has already improved my workflow. I’ve also been able to more accurately achieve the intended look, without using a light meter.

At the moment, you can find this tool in external monitors like SmallHD and the new monitors from Atomos and Sigma cameras.

If you test this tool, let me know what you think.