'Blade Runner' Photo Analysis Scene

I remember watching this the first time. I was mesmerized when Deckard (Harrison Ford) used a photo analyzer to get clues from the scene of a murder. Back then, we were using film, which was okay but you'd never get this level of resolution even from large format.



Now, we have voice command and the resolution of digital photography has improved to the point that it's comparable to what's depicted in the scene.

Here's a still captured with the new Canon EOS-1DX DSLR. (From the Canon site)

This was taken with the Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro at 1/125th second, f 14. ISO 100.

Nice. But, the really impressive thing is a 100% crop:

If you push it a littler further the image becomes pixelated, but it's still clear what you're looking at:

Move in even more...

Okay, admittedly not quite what Deckard got from his Esper Photo Analyzer -- but close. In a few years it'll be even better.

When 'Blade Runner' came out I figured the (photo) tech in the movie might become a reality in, like, a hundred years. Maybe. I never thought I'd use a camera or computer software capable of doing what's depicted in the scene. It's very cool to do just that. Today.

As far as photography goes science fiction has, pretty much, become a reality.



















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'Priest' Featurette

Ridley Scott On The Treatment

I've been a fan of Ridley Scott since I saw 'Blade Runner'. (I had no idea who had directed the movie or who Scott was, but I had become a big fan -- I think not only of BR, but of movies made with visual panache). Here's a great interview with Elvis Mitchell on The Treatment. I especially like the discussion of the voiceover work and planned definitive version of 'Blade Runner' on DVD.

They also talk about how Scott started directing commercials. Here's a couple:

Mac 1984

Chanel No. 5

And here's one I'll bet you've never seen -- The Hovis 'Bike' Advert

Scott On Blade Runner, As He Meant It To Be

Transcription and audio of Wired's interview with Ridley Scott. (Photo by Robert Maxwell)

The 5-disc edition is on my wish list.