DETAIL level?
 

Just curious what HD100 shooters have their DETAIL level set at for most shots...

I've settled on -6 for most of my dramatic work destined for HDTV or downconversion to DVD. I have gone as high as +4 for "crisp" high contrast action/night shooting.

I'm still undecided on filmout detail setting because I haven't had the opportunity to do my own filmout tests.
(+4 was used on the SWAT Team stuff I shot that was included in Stephen Noe's film out test shown at the Chicago event in February.)

I like to keep it at -7 for HDTV. For DVD production I like it anywhere from -7 to +4 depending on what is being shot but favor -5. For Film transfer I think -9 is best.

I keep it at MIN, 24fps, for a soft look that is not blurry. It's still very nice and sharp without, IMHO, being enhanced.

--
Paolo

-7
 

-7 also. I was down at JVC yesterday and the tech kindly showed me some test charts because he was concerned that I had my detail settings to low. Granted off imo seems too soft almost countering the resolution but for me somewhere between -5 and min seems to be best. personally I find little difference between -7 and min except perhaps min is just a little too soft still in some situations. It was intersting listening to the rep who was trying to convince me that I should not go below -4 . the problem for me is that althogh this gives the best reading on a wave form monitor you cannot get away from the fact that this image at this setting looks much more video like. I thinks most of us indies are prepared to sacrifice a little sharpness in the quest for a more filmic image.

Greg

P.S. I also saw the hd 100 played back through a hi-def crt and compared to a hi-def lcd it is worlds apart. I know it has bee n said before on the forum but I think it's interesting when you see it first hand the difference really does strike you perhaps more than you would imagine.

I usually go between -9 to -2 on HDV 720 depending on available light. However, last weekend I tested slow-mo at HDV-SD 480/60p and I noticed the footage lost considerable sharpness. I adjusted the detail from -6 to +2 (shutter 1/100 for extra crispiness) and it gave me a better look. I still haven't tested HDV-SD 576/50p, but I'm suspecting increased sharpness from 480/60p.

JV

I leave it at "MINIMUM". That has the least amount of aliasing without going too soft (as per "OFF"). One can always add more sharpening in post if needed. However, I'm considering trying "OFF" for facial closeups. Might be an effective look.

Minimum. I just don't like the digital look of anything more. It's too apparent to my eyes, and minimum gets you very sharp without the various highlight and edge crap that you get by dialing it up.
IMO of course.

BTW, here are some sample images shot at "MINIMUM" detail:

HD100 Sample Images

oooh don't ever look at the tele-shot no. 5!!!

Jacob.

Yeah, the last few % of the zoom is best avoided on mine too. I don't think it is that bad though.

this might be a stupid question, but here I go:

what does the Detail Level actually do? Did I understand it right if the level determines how sharp to show details of high contrast? Or does it have anything do to with colors aswell?

its like edge enhancement. Nothin to do with color.

What was the reason for this question? Have you got back on the HD-100 horse?

I've been experimenting with the HD100, and with all the HD cameras. I was comparing HVX, FX1 and HD100 and looking at the edge enhancement. Seemed like the HVX and FX1 really liked the detail set high, and didn't show much in the way of visible edge enhancement at all, even at maximum, but the JVC's higher settings (from NORMAL to MAX) were very noticeably enhanced; at MAX there's huge white outlines. So I was asking to find what users are finding the usable ranges were; in my comparisons I found that the other cameras at MAX (FX1 at +15, or an HVX at +7) were about equivalent to the JVC at -6. That didn't sound quite right to me, but I figured I'd go to the source and ask you guys.

At the six-way shootout we had determined that the JVC's "off" was truly off, and MIN was showing some visible edge enhancement, so I was trying to find ways to equate them for baseline purposes.

But that got me to thinking: if maximum on the FX1 and HVX equates to -6 on the JVC, then -- what level are JVC shooters using? And what do they like? What looks good to them? Do people use the higher levels and accept it?

Interesting to see that almost everyone here is using between MIN and -6, which equates to the usable ranges on the other cameras too. MIN looks like about -5 on the HVX and +5 on the Sony; you can't go lower than +5 on the Sony without the picture becoming irretrievably blurry (I'd say quite a bit blurrier than the HVX at -7 or the JVC at OFF!) Something weird happens to the Sony below 5, the picture looks actively blurred.

So -- just curiousity, and looking for some confirmation too. Wanted to see what those in the field have found as their workable range. Thanks everyone!