Can a 1 chip Optura greenscreen well? at DVinfo.net

John Haskins · April 6th, 2005, 08:43 PM

Has anyone here used an Optura camcorder for greenscreening (chromakeying), with like 'Serious Magic's Ultra' or something similar?
How do 1 chip camcorders like the Optura do with keying?

Is it true ALL THE TIME that a 3 chip camcorder will ALWAYS do better with greenscreen effects than a 1 chip camcorder, or is there some new wisdom on 1 chip camcorders that I need to know, where in some cases a 1 chip can do as good as a 3 chip?

Thanks,
john

Robert Mann Z. · April 6th, 2005, 09:17 PM

on paper a 3 chip camera should do better then a one chip, however that is chips being equal size...

if you are comparing the optura to the pana 250 or 150 i have to say that its not going to make a difference as the colors both of these cams reproduce is not the problem...the problem is noise on both of these camcorders for very fine green screen work

with that said its worth it to try it out as you might have a great luck on the software end of it

Chris Hurd · April 7th, 2005, 12:09 AM

The key is the RGB color filter in the Optura. It emulates the color accuracy of a 3CCD camcorder. So yes the Optura should provide good results.

Xander Christ · April 7th, 2005, 02:42 PM

I chromakeyed with the Optura XI. Take a look.

www.pseudofilms.com/compare

Jeremy Davidson · April 7th, 2005, 03:03 PM

I used my Optura 20 for bluescreen work once. Considering that I really had no clue what I was doing, it turned out OK. I'm sure my GL2 would do better now, but at the time it was all I had. Haven't tried green yet.

Philip Williams · April 7th, 2005, 06:26 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by John Haskins : Has anyone here used an Optura camcorder for greenscreening (chromakeying), with like 'Serious Magic's Ultra' or something similar?
How do 1 chip camcorders like the Optura do with keying?

Is it true ALL THE TIME that a 3 chip camcorder will ALWAYS do better with greenscreen effects than a 1 chip camcorder, or is there some new wisdom on 1 chip camcorders that I need to know, where in some cases a 1 chip can do as good as a 3 chip?

Thanks,
john -->>>

1CCD is fine. Check out some green screen test stuff I did with my old Elura, which doesn't have near the CCD of the current Optura:
http://www.philipwilliams.com/chromatutorial.aspx.

Philip Williams

Kevin A. Sturges · April 8th, 2005, 03:04 PM

Phillip, that is some incredible green-screening you did there without using a 3rd party plugin. Good job.

John Haskins · April 11th, 2005, 10:10 AM

Thanks to you and the rest that answered my inquiry.

You seem strong on Adobe solutions for keying and that is fine.

I am most excited and havent heard anything negative about SERIOUS MAGIC'S ULTRA key system.

Have you tried this?

thanks,
John

Philip Williams · April 11th, 2005, 10:33 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by John Haskins : Thanks to you and the rest that answered my inquiry.

You seem strong on Adobe solutions for keying and that is fine.

I am most excited and havent heard anything negative about SERIOUS MAGIC'S ULTRA key system.

Have you tried this?

thanks,
John -->>>

Never used it. If its been optimized to work with DV's lousy color sampling, I'm sure it will be fine. A few years ago greenscreening DV was very difficult and most people ended up choking the matte down to the point where people looked like paper cutouts superimposed over video. Now that software has caught up, its pretty much a snap.

One more note for AE users, running the Magic Bullet "de-artifact" above the Keylight filter typically yields a somewhat superior matte. Magic Bullet really helps knock those blocks out.

Philip Williams
www.philipwilliams.com

Philip Williams · April 11th, 2005, 10:37 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Kevin Sturges : Phillip, that is some incredible green-screening you did there without using a 3rd party plugin. Good job. -->>>

Thank you, but I really can't take much credit. I mean, my source footage was absolutely terrible. Keylight is simply an amazing product. When I look at the crappy grainy footage that it keyed, it amazes me every time. When I get some spare time (ha!), I'm going to set up another short greenscreen test with the Optura 30 + some real lighting and see how that goes.

April 6th, 2005, 08:43 PM	#1
John Haskins Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Byron Center, MI Posts: 29	Can a 1 chip Optura greenscreen well? Has anyone here used an Optura camcorder for greenscreening (chromakeying), with like 'Serious Magic's Ultra' or something similar? How do 1 chip camcorders like the Optura do with keying? Is it true ALL THE TIME that a 3 chip camcorder will ALWAYS do better with greenscreen effects than a 1 chip camcorder, or is there some new wisdom on 1 chip camcorders that I need to know, where in some cases a 1 chip can do as good as a 3 chip? Thanks, john

April 7th, 2005, 12:09 AM	#3
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	The key is the RGB color filter in the Optura. It emulates the color accuracy of a 3CCD camcorder. So yes the Optura should provide good results. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

April 7th, 2005, 03:03 PM	#5
Jeremy Davidson Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Eau Claire, WI Posts: 167	I used my Optura 20 for bluescreen work once. Considering that I really had no clue what I was doing, it turned out OK. I'm sure my GL2 would do better now, but at the time it was all I had. Haven't tried green yet. __________________ There's no way for you to know if what I'm saying is true unless you know what the truth is, and there's no way for you to know what the truth is unless there is a truth that you can know. -- Frank Peretti

April 7th, 2005, 06:26 PM	#6
Philip Williams Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Snellville, Georgia Posts: 614	Re: Can a 1 chip Optura greenscreen well? <<<-- Originally posted by John Haskins : Has anyone here used an Optura camcorder for greenscreening (chromakeying), with like 'Serious Magic's Ultra' or something similar? How do 1 chip camcorders like the Optura do with keying? Is it true ALL THE TIME that a 3 chip camcorder will ALWAYS do better with greenscreen effects than a 1 chip camcorder, or is there some new wisdom on 1 chip camcorders that I need to know, where in some cases a 1 chip can do as good as a 3 chip? Thanks, john -->>> 1CCD is fine. Check out some green screen test stuff I did with my old Elura, which doesn't have near the CCD of the current Optura: http://www.philipwilliams.com/chromatutorial.aspx. Philip Williams

April 11th, 2005, 10:10 AM	#8
John Haskins Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Byron Center, MI Posts: 29	Phillip ... Thanks to you and the rest that answered my inquiry. You seem strong on Adobe solutions for keying and that is fine. I am most excited and havent heard anything negative about SERIOUS MAGIC'S ULTRA key system. Have you tried this? thanks, John

April 6th, 2005, 09:17 PM	#2
Robert Mann Z. Skyonic New York Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NYC Posts: 614	on paper a 3 chip camera should do better then a one chip, however that is chips being equal size... if you are comparing the optura to the pana 250 or 150 i have to say that its not going to make a difference as the colors both of these cams reproduce is not the problem...the problem is noise on both of these camcorders for very fine green screen work with that said its worth it to try it out as you might have a great luck on the software end of it

April 7th, 2005, 02:42 PM	#4
Xander Christ Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 115	I chromakeyed with the Optura XI. Take a look. www.pseudofilms.com/compare

April 8th, 2005, 03:04 PM	#7
Kevin A. Sturges Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 167	Phillip, that is some incredible green-screening you did there without using a 3rd party plugin. Good job.

April 11th, 2005, 10:33 AM	#9
Philip Williams Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Snellville, Georgia Posts: 614	Re: Phillip ... <<<-- Originally posted by John Haskins : Thanks to you and the rest that answered my inquiry. You seem strong on Adobe solutions for keying and that is fine. I am most excited and havent heard anything negative about SERIOUS MAGIC'S ULTRA key system. Have you tried this? thanks, John -->>> Never used it. If its been optimized to work with DV's lousy color sampling, I'm sure it will be fine. A few years ago greenscreening DV was very difficult and most people ended up choking the matte down to the point where people looked like paper cutouts superimposed over video. Now that software has caught up, its pretty much a snap. One more note for AE users, running the Magic Bullet "de-artifact" above the Keylight filter typically yields a somewhat superior matte. Magic Bullet really helps knock those blocks out. Philip Williams www.philipwilliams.com

April 11th, 2005, 10:37 AM	#10
Philip Williams Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Snellville, Georgia Posts: 614	<<<-- Originally posted by Kevin Sturges : Phillip, that is some incredible green-screening you did there without using a 3rd party plugin. Good job. -->>> Thank you, but I really can't take much credit. I mean, my source footage was absolutely terrible. Keylight is simply an amazing product. When I look at the crappy grainy footage that it keyed, it amazes me every time. When I get some spare time (ha!), I'm going to set up another short greenscreen test with the Optura 30 + some real lighting and see how that goes.