LG’s V30 Smartphone: 10-bit color, LG Cine-Log Video in a Phone?

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by Richard LackeyOctober 13^th, 2017

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Move over Apple, there’s a new kid in town. The LG V30 takes mobile video to new heights with a 10-bit HDR Image Sensor and LG Cine-Log gamma.

In case you didn’t catch that: the LG V30 promises to record 4K video at 10-bit color depth with log gamma encoding. Before getting too excited about this, it is important to separate fact from fiction, and cinema5D will do exactly this with the LG V30 after some thorough tests, the results of which you can expect in a subsequent article.

Meanwhile, check out Parker Walbeck’s LG V30 vs RED Weapon video on his YouTube channel Fulltime Filmmaker:

Regardless of whether we will see true 10-bit video recording from this particular smartphone, what matters is that the technical requirements of encoding HDR video in a consumer device are being taken seriously. I’ve been harping on for a long time that this simply had to happen at some point (see my article: What’s the Deal With 10-bit Color? Wide Gamuts, HDR and The Future) not only as a minimum for professional and prosumer video devices, but for consumer devices as well. For more on the differences between 8-bit and 10-bit color bit depth also take a look at 256 Shades of Grey – LOG, LUTs, 8-Bit and 10-Bit.

Many argue that HDR is more important than UHD resolution when it comes to improving the perceived quality and viewing experience. As wider contrast ratios and wider color gamuts necessitate more data – and substantially higher color sampling – 10-bit is an absolute minimum.

Sony is even offering S-Log and HLG in some of its latest palmcorders, but only in 8-bit XAVC-S at up to 100Mbps. Panasonic seems to have acknowledged that 8-bit video has no place in the world of non-linear gamma encoding and HDR, offering 10-bit 4K in the GH5.

It is very exciting that we may now have a smartphone taking pro video requirements seriously. The thing is, I really didn’t expect it to come from anywhere other than Apple.

Rather than gush enthusiastically (and prematurely) about a device which is probably not quite everything the marketing hype promises, I want to give you some reasons to be optimistic. Until we are able to shoot and dig into the video encoding a bit ourselves, we’re not 100% sure of what to expect from the LG V30, but here’s the published data.

LG V30 camera and video specs

Dual Rear Cameras:

• 16 MP Standard-Angle Lens f/1.6
• Field of view: 71 ̊
• Resolution: up to 4656 x 3492 pixels (default); 1.0 μm pixel size
• Glass Camera Lens – minimizes light dispersion for superior sharpness and color
• 10-bit HDR Image Sensor – capture up to 1 billion colors
• OIS+2.0 and EIS
• 13 MP Wide-Angle Lens f/1.9
• Field of view: 120 ̊
• Image sensor: 1/3.4″
• Resolution: up to 4160 x 3120 pixels (default); 1.0 μm pixel size

Video Recording:

• 4K Video Recording at 30 FPS
• Resolution: up to 3840 x 2160 pixels (1920 x 1080 default)
• Cine Effect – choose from 16 different color grading presets to add a cinematic look
• Point Zoom – zoom in on any selected area within the frame for more stability and control
• Manual Video Mode* – adjust audio focus, manual focus, white balance, frame rates, and more
• LG-Cine Log – when in Manual Mode, capture 200% wider color gamut & Rec.2020 800% dynamic range for enhanced video manipulation in post-production
• Steady Record 2.0 – record smoother, clearer videos on the move
• Slow-Motion Video Recording – 1280 x 720 resolution, 240 FPS
• Time-Lapse Video – record a video that plays back faster than normal
• 1Quick Video Editor* – merge up to 50 photos or videos; trim and add title/text, background music, and theme effect overlays
• Snap Movie* – capture and combine a series of short video clips

If you are a die-hard iPhone shooter, could the LG-V30 tempt you to switch? Let us know in the comments.