What's a good 7D setting for those who don't want to color grade?
 

I've seen lots of posts regarding low saturation and low dynamic range setting to allow room in post, but can someone suggest recommended settings for someone who doesn't want to color grade. I'm looking for settings that will either match well with an EX1, or just some good all-around settings to produce quality video. Thanks.

This is a very arbitrary question since the look you're looking for is a matter of taste and might change from project to project. Matching it with your EX1 depends on the settings on your EX1. I'm a 7D and EX1 owner myself and I have settings on both to shoot as flat as possible so I have maximum headroom in post to go the way I want to.

In my opinion it boils down to the fact that the end product will probably be best if you invest time in it, so on location I want to focus on shooting great material and in post I will spend time on making it look the best it can.

If you are using any of the cine gamma pp's (which you probably are) then you should be grading your footage from the Ex1 anyway. I use a 7D and Ex3 but I always grade with both Color (Final Cut Studio) and sometimes Magic Bullit.

I doubt you will match the 7D to your Ex1 in the camera. Compared to the 7D my Ex3 is flat yet I have sharpness, contrast and saturation dialed way down on the 7D.

What is the reason not to grade in post? No time?

7D Color Settings
 

I am quite new to shooting with the 7D, but am very happy with the results that the following settings produce:

First turn on "Highlight Tone Priority" - this will monkey with the low end of the ASA/ISO range (can't set below 200)

Second, go into the Picture Styles Menu and select any one of the three User Definable Picture Styles.

Thirdly, dial the contrast all the way down, dial the sharpness all the way down, dial the saturation down two ticks.

These settings, and careful attention to proper white balance and exposure settings will yield results that are incredibly film like. I cannot take credit for this combination of settings. According the a post I found on this forum, Phillip Bloom uses these settings.

Happy shootings!

I too prefer to let the camera do most of the color grade work. For landscape I've had good luck with a user defined Picture Style based on the Landscape Picture Style. With the exceptions of increasing Contrast +1 and Saturation +2 or 3, I leave other settings at default. The possibilities are endless.

Good luck..

The benefit of these settings I feel is more to give you the look of something close to film or a red before colour grading though! It might look good out of the camera but generally it will look better (once youre happy with the overall RGB balance) to raise the contrast, sometimes saturation and add a little sharpness again if you feel it needs it.

I use picture styles quite effectively for stock footage, I'm producing quite high volume clips and everything I can do in camera helps.

Canon just released some more Canon : Picture Style

Do you mean the option "Highlight Alert" or "AF pint disp."? I can't find "Highlight Tone Priority" on my 7D...

It's in Custom Menu II/3.

FWIW I leave mine off.

Me too I want to shoot at 100 iso.

I use that 'Bloom recommended' picture style except I prefer things a bit sharper than he does so I leave the sharpness setting where it is.

I also ignore the highlight tone priority as I like to shoot at 160 sometimes.

whats the difference between 100 and 160 other than a tab bit more light?

ISO question
 

Corey,
just to clarify are you asking about ISO settings in general, or just whether or not the difference in grain is noticeable at 160 given the 7d's so called "sweet spots" (160,320,640)?
I just don't want to write a big long patronising answer about ISO and how it affects your image if you already know! But Im happy to clarify if you don't
cheers,
Sam

so 160-320,640 are the sweet spots? i am not sure what iso's are the best...when i am in good lighting i shoot 100, and when the lighting is bad i shoot 1600-3200 but there is a good amount of grain...

wow that's quite high even for low light! I cringe whenever I go past 1000 but have been known to do it in places like a dark bar where we only have minimal available light. Do you have a fast prime like the 50mm f1.8 to get some light in there? otherwise you're always going to be pretty grainy with iso settings that high. Also what shutter speed do you use in those cases?