Today's Technologies: High-Definition Video

Film as a medium has inherent limitations, such as difficulty of viewing footage whilst recording, and suffers other problems, caused by poor film development/processing, or poor monitoring systems. Given that there is increasing use of computer-generated or computer-altered imagery in movies, and that editing picture sequences is often done digitally, some directors have shot their movies using the HD format via high-end digital video cameras. Whilst the quality of HD video is very high compared to SD video, and offers improved signal/noise ratios against comparable sensitivity film, film remains able to resolve more image detail than current HD video formats. In addition some film has a wider dynamic range (ability to resolve extremes of dark and light areas in a scene) than even the best HD cameras. Thus the most persuasive arguments for the use of HD are currently cost savings on film stock and the ease of transfer to editing systems for special effects. Notable directors who have used HD to a large degree thus far are: George Lucas, Michael Mann, and Robert Rodriguez.

Many television shows with science fiction themes and special effects such as Star Trek: Enterprise, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis and the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica have also begun to use digital cameras.

Movies that have been shot on HD digital video include: