Zebra patterning

Picture of Mendelssohn statue with zebra patterning

Zebra patterning, or zebra stripes, is a feature found on some prosumer and most professional video cameras to aid in correct exposure. When enabled, areas of the image over a certain threshold are filled with a striped or cross-hatch pattern to dramatically highlight areas where too much light is falling on the image sensor.[1][2]

Often, a threshold level can be set, e.g. 70%, 80%, 90%, or 100% (with 100% meaning pure white, or over-exposed, AKA 100 IRE).[3] A lower threshold like 70 to 80% can help correctly expose many skin tones, while higher numbers help ensure correct overall scene exposure.[4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "What is Zebra Pattern and what does it do?". Sony. March 30, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  2. ^ Friedman, Gary L. (2014). The Complete Guide to Sony's A6000 Camera (B&W ed.). Lulu.com. pp. 30–31. ISBN 9781312318793. Retrieved May 25, 2016 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Ortega, Vicente Rodríguez; Delgado, Francisco Utray. "Fundamentals of shooting with digital video cameras" (PDF). Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. p. 3.
  4. ^ Ward, Peter (2013). Basic Betacam Camerawork. Taylor & Francis. pp. 76–77. ISBN 9781136049545. Retrieved May 25, 2016 – via Google Books.