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What is EL Zone?

Writer's picture: Locksley LennoxLocksley Lennox

Exploring the New EL Zone Feature on the Sigma FP Camera


The compact and versatile Sigma FP camera.


I've been using the Sigma FP for my personal projects over the past 10 months, and my appreciation for this little powerhouse has only grown. As a filmmaker, I've been striving to make my gear setup smaller and more efficient without compromising on quality, and the Sigma FP fits that need perfectly.

While the Sigma FP does have its quirks (and there are plenty of videos out there discussing them), I'm not here to stir the pot. Instead, I want to talk about a significant update that Sigma recently released for this camera—a feature that has me genuinely excited.



Sigma Listens: The Introduction of EL Zone

The latest firmware update for the Sigma FP introduced a feature called EL Zone. At first, I was a bit confused because I hadn't heard of this before. But the more I researched and experimented with it, the more it made sense. It's surprising that more cinema cameras don't come with this feature built-in.

Up until this update, the only other camera that had EL Zone integrated was the Panasonic Varicam LT, along with some high-end monitors. So, what makes EL Zone such a big deal?

The Challenge with Exposure Standards

There's currently no standardization for digital cameras on how we interpret exposure. Over the years, I've used a variety of cinema cameras and found that each has its own way of determining IRE (Institute of Radio Engineers) values. Most cinema cameras have false color tools based on IRE values, but these values aren't consistent with the stop values on your lenses and light meters. Moreover, IRE values can vary from one manufacturer to another.

This inconsistency means that when switching from one camera to another, I've always had to relearn how their false color tools work because they're all different.

What Is IRE?

IRE is a unit of measurement for analog composite video, named after the Institute of Radio Engineers. Invented over 100 years ago, the IRE scale assigns a value of 100 IRE to represent the one-volt peak-to-peak measurement that defines the range of a video signal from black to white. However, it's not necessarily tied to stop values in exposure, which can create confusion.

Enter EL Zone: A Solution for Consistent Exposure

A few years ago, American cinematographer and director Edward Lachman invented EL Zone to address the lack of consistency when judging exposure with digital cameras. EL Zone is based on 18% gray (the standard midpoint in exposure) and uses half-stop and one-stop increments to help you accurately judge exposure across different tones.

  • Middle Gray (18% gray) serves as the baseline.

  • You can assess exposure for both light and dark skin tones.

  • The scale extends in one-stop increments up to six stops over and underexposed.

  • The color-coded system shows overexposure in warm colors and underexposure in cool colors.

This system allows for more accurate and consistent exposure settings. And when you're consistent, your work quality improves—making you more likely to get hired for future projects.

Why EL Zone Matters

With EL Zone, setting exposure becomes more intuitive. Since 18% gray is a universal standard, you can:

  1. Use a Gray Card: Pull out your trusty color checker or gray card.

  2. Set Your Exposure: Adjust your camera settings so that the gray card reads as 18% gray on the EL Zone scale.

  3. Adjust Accordingly: From there, it's easier to judge whether you need to go higher or lower in your exposure to get proper skin tones and lighting ratios.

This tool simplifies the exposure process and eliminates the guesswork, especially when working with different cameras or lighting conditions.


Setting exposure with a gray card and EL Zone for accurate results.


Conclusion: A Game-Changer for the Sigma FP

Overall, the addition of EL Zone to the Sigma FP is a game-changer. It's a feature that not only enhances the camera's capabilities but also shows that Sigma is listening to its community—much like how Z CAM used to update their products constantly based on user feedback.

I'm genuinely excited to create more videos with my Sigma FP and explore the possibilities that EL Zone offers. If you're a filmmaker looking to improve your exposure consistency and streamline your workflow, I highly recommend checking out this feature.

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