What do you use for C1 C2 C3? at DVinfo.net

Brian David Melnyk · January 10th, 2011, 03:06 AM

I want to optimize the three custom dial settings to get a quick set up in the field for the most common situations. I was thinking one for low light, one for sunlight, and the last for either photos or maybe indoor/medium light. Then i have a good starting place and can adjust the K, ISO, etc. as needed without being WAY off in the first place.
What do you use and find the most handy?

Kris Koster · January 10th, 2011, 05:09 AM

Personally, I have C3 set to daylight filmmaking and C2 set to night / low light filmmaking and find this works best for me. I had always intended to set C1 for photography such as you suggest, but I never got around to it. I don't do a lot of photography with my 5D2 anyway.

C3:
C.Fn II.2 High ISO noise reduc. set to (3) Disable
C.Fn II.4 HTP set to (0) Disable
LCD Brightness set to Manual (4)
Auto power off = 4 min
Picture Style = Neutral [Sharpness = 0, Contrast = -4, Saturation = -2, Color tone = 0]
WB defaults to Daylight, ISO defaults to 160
24p

C2:
Same as above except: Saturation set to -1 (I haven't done a whole lot of testing with picture styles at night)
WB defaults to Tungsten, ISO defaults to 640

Evan Donn · January 10th, 2011, 04:59 PM

I stopped using the C modes after a short while. Every time the camera goes into power saving mode or you swap batteries or cards everything goes back to the stored values and you lose any adjustments you've made for the current scene. Just using manual mode this never happens, it always retains the last settings you used. Unless you have settings that you never deviate from those modes just don't seem particularly useful to me.

Jon Fairhurst · January 10th, 2011, 06:55 PM

I'm with Evan. I go manual.

It would be great if you could store your starting points permanently in C1, C2, and C3 then copy them to 'manual' when you want to start filming a scene. That would quickly get us into a known place, buy would remember the mods we made for the current scene.

Liam Hall · January 11th, 2011, 04:30 AM

Unless you have paid to have your command dial upgraded with a lock you should avoid using them. It's too easy to knock the command dial onto the wrong setting. At least if you are in manual mode, you're always checking settings, so it's easy to spot when you knock it.

Brian David Melnyk · January 11th, 2011, 06:24 AM

agreed! i'm finding it quite annoying to have to reset after power-downs just experimenting... in the field i'd blow a gasket!

Dave Partington · January 13th, 2011, 03:41 AM

We only use them in a pre-programmed "I'm in a big rush" situation like running from inside (low light tungsten ) to outside (bright sunlight - different WB, ISO etc) e.g. church ceremonies. We set back to manual the rest of the time.

January 10th, 2011, 03:06 AM	#1
Brian David Melnyk Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg Canada Posts: 532	What do you use for C1 C2 C3? I want to optimize the three custom dial settings to get a quick set up in the field for the most common situations. I was thinking one for low light, one for sunlight, and the last for either photos or maybe indoor/medium light. Then i have a good starting place and can adjust the K, ISO, etc. as needed without being WAY off in the first place. What do you use and find the most handy?

January 10th, 2011, 05:09 AM	#2
Kris Koster Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Gatwick, UK Posts: 185	Personally, I have C3 set to daylight filmmaking and C2 set to night / low light filmmaking and find this works best for me. I had always intended to set C1 for photography such as you suggest, but I never got around to it. I don't do a lot of photography with my 5D2 anyway. C3: C.Fn II.2 High ISO noise reduc. set to (3) Disable C.Fn II.4 HTP set to (0) Disable LCD Brightness set to Manual (4) Auto power off = 4 min Picture Style = Neutral [Sharpness = 0, Contrast = -4, Saturation = -2, Color tone = 0] WB defaults to Daylight, ISO defaults to 160 24p C2: Same as above except: Saturation set to -1 (I haven't done a whole lot of testing with picture styles at night) WB defaults to Tungsten, ISO defaults to 640 __________________ http://kriskoster.com

January 10th, 2011, 04:59 PM	#3
Evan Donn Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 795	I stopped using the C modes after a short while. Every time the camera goes into power saving mode or you swap batteries or cards everything goes back to the stored values and you lose any adjustments you've made for the current scene. Just using manual mode this never happens, it always retains the last settings you used. Unless you have settings that you never deviate from those modes just don't seem particularly useful to me. __________________ My latest short documentary: "Four Pauls: Bring the Hat Back!"

January 10th, 2011, 06:55 PM	#4
Jon Fairhurst Inner Circle Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 5,513	I'm with Evan. I go manual. It would be great if you could store your starting points permanently in C1, C2, and C3 then copy them to 'manual' when you want to start filming a scene. That would quickly get us into a known place, buy would remember the mods we made for the current scene. __________________ Jon Fairhurst

January 11th, 2011, 04:30 AM	#5
Liam Hall Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: London, England Posts: 969	Unless you have paid to have your command dial upgraded with a lock you should avoid using them. It's too easy to knock the command dial onto the wrong setting. At least if you are in manual mode, you're always checking settings, so it's easy to spot when you knock it. __________________ Writer-Director-DOP www.liamhall.net

January 11th, 2011, 06:24 AM	#6
Brian David Melnyk Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg Canada Posts: 532	agreed! i'm finding it quite annoying to have to reset after power-downs just experimenting... in the field i'd blow a gasket!

January 13th, 2011, 03:41 AM	#7
Dave Partington Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: York, England Posts: 1,323	We only use them in a pre-programmed "I'm in a big rush" situation like running from inside (low light tungsten ) to outside (bright sunlight - different WB, ISO etc) e.g. church ceremonies. We set back to manual the rest of the time. __________________ Qualified UAV Pilot with CAA PFAW Aerial Photo / Aerial Video \| Corporate Video Production