Better Blacks
 

So I love what I've been getting so far with my XL2 but inevitablly I have to bust out the color curves in post to get a bit more contrast. I do have it set to " Press Blacks " but still they still come out more of a grey. Wondering what I might do to retain the fantastic look I'm getting but eek out a bit more real world black.

Thanks.

- Ray

Re: Better Blacks
 

<<<-- Originally posted by Raymond Schlogel : So I love what I've been getting so far with my XL2 but inevitablly I have to bust out the color curves in post to get a bit more contrast. I do have it set to " Press Blacks " but still they still come out more of a grey. Wondering what I might do to retain the fantastic look I'm getting but eek out a bit more real world black.

Thanks.

- Ray -->>>

You could try playing with the master pedestal slider. If I recall on the DVX the default setting for the 24p modes had this lowered slightly giving the 24P modes a little black boost. Not sure if this translates to the XL2 or not. I definitely increase the contrast to bring the blacks up to a more "film-like" level in post. It would be nice to get it in camera but you risk losing information in those areas if you decide later you need it.

In the Custom Presets menu go into the Preset Setup and chose Cine Gamma, this will give you deeper blacks and you can play with the knee adjustment and select "Press" for deeper blacks. Then you can scroll to the Master Pedestal and choose a minus setting, to further deepen the blacks. I think there are four or six adjustments either side of the middle plus, or minus so your blacks will be blacker.

Play around, roll some tape and see what you like, but as Marty said, you can always shoot with the shadows a little open and then crush them in post. I prefer my blacks crushed a bit, but that is just me. You will come up with your own settings.

One word of caution: If you're shooting anything that will/might be broadcast be careful messing with your black levels and ped settings.

Yes, we don't want o do anything to make our images "illegal" :~)

Please elaborate.

Thanks,

T.J.

You can also reduce the setup level as well. There are many funky rules for broadcast and sometimes your media will be "adjusted" to broadcast specs and if your MP is too low or too high it can alter the picture when they make it "legal"

This was more an issue a few years ago but the explosion of reality TV and proliferation of DV cameras has adjusted expectations. I bet most the DV source shows you see are "illegal"



ash =o)