Here is the Cineform "First Light" Press Release, March 31, 2009:
CineForm First Light Press Release (http://cineform.com/press/rel090331_FirstLight.htm)

"First Light" is a very attractive draw to the Cineform workflow.

So do current users of Prospect HD get a free upgrade of Firstlight?

I like many also are eagerly awaiting the update which allows you to use Prospect HD with CS4!!

;)

But yes First Light sounds great!

Simon

First Light will be in Prospect HD v4.0 (and NEO HD v4.0). Recently PHD upgraders or purchases with get 4.0 for free.

I'm a bit slow.
I read the press release, but I don't grasp the practical difference between First Light- let's say for color correction- and the current CF 32 bit floating CC in PHD v.3. If I add the v.3 CF CC filter to a timeline clip, make my adjustment, it usually previews without rendering and is non destructive to the original clip (I can remove the filter and am left with my original clip).
How is first light different? I don't necessarily mean the actual technology, but from the editor's POV.

Robert, the difference is that all color corrections applied in PPro stay in PPro. So if you adjust color in PPro, and do *not* render the file, then immediately double-click on the same file (outside PPro) to play in WMP, it will have the same old color that was original "baked into" the file.

Using First Light, when you adjust color, the color parameters immediately become part of the file itself, but without rendering - they're "Active" Metadata. So now when you adjust color with First Light, the color is immediately visible in PPro, AE, WMP, Combustion. You can even move the color database to Mac and the color is part of the file - all without rendering the color into the file.

The ability to adjust color without rendering is powerful - it preserves your highlights. When you render color into your file, invariably you're making compromises to maintain range without clipping.

Thanks David.

I can't wait to try it out.

Sounds very useful.

Simon

Hmmm... I see what you are saying.
What happens when you finish the project and render out to a master avi, code for DVD, BD, etc. All the changes and corrections must get "baked in" at that point, right?

If you encode directly to BluRay then no, all the First Light color manipulation does not need to be baked in. However, if you do flatten to a new CineForm AVI/MOV, the activate metadata corrections will render out faster than the NLE own filters.

If you encode directly to BluRay then no, all the First Light color manipulation does not need to be baked in. However, if you do flatten to a new CineForm AVI/MOV, the activate metadata corrections will render out faster than the NLE own filters.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "encode direct to BluRay...". How can you encode to anything without "flattening"? How would you burn a BluRay disk without a final "baked in" copy?

Of course, but I was answering in the spirit of the question -- there is not adding rendering by using First Light, just the opposite.

So, First Light seems kind of like a Photoshop adjustment layer that travels with the file and can be read by a variety of applications.
Warp Speed, Mr. Zulu!!!

So, First Light seems kind of like a Photoshop adjustment layer that travels with the file and can be read by a variety of applications.
Warp Speed, Mr. Zulu!!!

Yes. Any application that support VfW, DirectShow, QuickTime, or our direct SDK -- i.e. lots of Apps.

Hello David. This is cool. Just like non-destructive editing I get using RAW still images in photography, but now available in video. We are now editing the instruction parameters to tell a particular program how to present the media, without having to recompress the orginal data. Is that correct?

And what does that mean to the Vegas users ? Is first light of any benefit to us ?

Peter, the good news is that the calling application does not need to know anything about CineForm Active Metadata. Take a look here at the technical description we put together: Active Metadata Overview (http://www.cineform.com/products/TechNotes/ActiveMetadata.htm). Hopefully it makes clear the point that all processing takes place below the QT/AVI layer.

This also raises the bar on photo apps like Lightroom (which I use all the time), because when you make adjustments in LR the data stays only in LR. With First Light's manipulation of Active Metadata, the adjustments follow the file around, regardless of the calling application.

Chris, Vegas users will get the same benefit. Remember, AM is independent of the calling application.

Will there be a Waveform monitor & Vectorscope included similar to the way Color Finesse does it?

Maybe in time, histograms first. First Light doesn't quite sit in the traditional color correction realm, we will be adding more of those classic displays over time.

I have 2 Neo HDV licenses, and I have to say First Light may induce me to upgrade one or both to Neo HD. Will the white balance adjustment give you something comparable to the on-camera white balance? In other words would this be a little like Raw file exposure adjustment for a DSLR in post-processing?

Pat

I have 2 Neo HDV licenses, and I have to say First Light may induce me to upgrade one or both to Neo HD. Will the white balance adjustment give you something comparable to the on-camera white balance? In other words would this be a little like Raw file exposure adjustment for a DSLR in post-processing?

Pat

Yes, that is the goal. First Light will linearize your source enabling you to do white balance and other RAW style corrections.

Thanks, David, that's fantastic.

Pat

David, would you be able to post a screen shot of First Light for those of us who will not be able to make it out to NAB?

Brian, take a look here: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/cineform-software-showcase/156100-wanted-first-light-alpha-testers.html. Granted, there are some controls below the Window on the right side as the image has been cut, but you get the gist from the photo. We can post another with the uncut bottom controls when Tim releases the next Alpha in the next day or so.

Thank you David. Looking forward to seeing this in action!