Color matching the HD100 with XL2
 

Any one have good info on how to color match with a Canon XL2 using it's stock 20x lens with the HD100? I'm using the stock 16x on the HD100, but I'll be shooting SD 24p this weekend.

Joe C.

Hi Joe,

I wish I had gotten around to create a matched setting for the XL2 before I sold mine.

In the Spring of 2005 I was planning to shoot a feature doc with the XL2 and tested almost every possible combination of settings with a lit subject and a macbeth chart. The project was delayed and I eventually settled on the HD100, but I remember a few things.

The one important thing I can say about the XL2 is that you must manually set the shutter speed to 1/48th when in 24P modes. For some reason Canon decided to make the default 1/24th.

I definitely remember that setting gain to -3 helped with the film look as well as Knee at LOW and Black on STRETCH for max dynamic range.
I also like the cine gamma and cine matrix, but I have no direct comparison against the HD100.

I would suggest using M mode and shooting for as much dynamic range as possible (with the settings suggested above.) Set Zebras to 100% on both cameras and use that to match the exposures.

The best XL2 information destination on the net is Chris Hurd's XL2 Watchdog.
http://dvinfo.net/canonxl2/index.php

If I can find my test tape I'll capture some frame grabs and upload them. In fact, maybe I'll donate them to Chris and he can add them to the watchdog.

Thanks, I"ve actually been using an XL2 to shoot on a local production and quickly found out about the shutter issue. I'll try the other things you suggested. They are going to want me to shoot 480x24p on the HD100 so they don't have to convert it.

Best way to get two cameras matching is point both cameras at a color chip chart and feed them into a waveform monitor + vectorscope. Make sure you're VERY familiar with the color settings that both cameras provide. Start tweaking away until you can cut between the two cameras on your scopes and not see any (or at least very minimal) change in the raster. Voila!

I found that XL2 test I conducted last year.

Step through the quicktime one frame at a time to see the different settings.

Chris, feel free to add this to the XL2 watchdog if you want. I also have the original (and much longer) DV file.

Whatever is listed in blue marker on the chart is the menu setting that changed from the previous setup. It was a quick test so not as perfect as I'd usually prefer, but you get the idea of the effects of the different settings.

Tim