Need Advice on settings for PDW700 at DVinfo.net

Mike Marriage · August 12th, 2009, 02:25 AM

Hi guys,

I've shot with the 700 in the past but never had much time to really play with the settings.

I always thought the detail level is too high out of the box. However tomorrow I was planning some slow-mo (720p50 converted to 720p24) and was looking for advice, particularly in regards detail. Final output is 35mm prints and digital projection.

I'll have an EX3 as the B cam so also need to match that....?

The shoot is in a theatre with quite a high contrast lighting setup and predominantly black set. Any ideas on gamma settings would also be of use. The footage will be graded in post.

Thanks!

Steve Phillipps · August 12th, 2009, 04:30 AM

A lot of people seem to like Detail ON, at -20. The BBC settings doc has it much lower but it seems a little soft. If it was me I'd put in the BBC settings and just change the detail, as the rest of the BBC settings look good.
Steve

Mike Marriage · August 12th, 2009, 07:07 AM

Thanks Steve,

Is that for 1080p and 720p?

Steve Phillipps · August 12th, 2009, 11:27 AM

I used the same settings for both. The only problem I could see with the 720 was having to transcode it to be able to conform it in Cinema Tools. It takes ages, but also seems to degrade it a bit. That's why I sold it and bought a Varicam!
Steve

Eugene Kosarovich · August 12th, 2009, 09:32 PM

Which BBC settings doc did you guys mean, this one?

BBC - R&D - Publications - WHP034

I was looking in that for settings for the F335 or F700, but only found them for the old XDCAM SD cameras and the EX cameras.

Thanks.

Alister Chapman · August 13th, 2009, 01:54 AM

I tend to set detail to around -12 depending on the gamma curve etc on my 700. I also set frequency to +35. The BBC settings that are doing the rounds were created to make the 700 look like film and give a pretty soft look. It should also be considered that apparent image shapness is also a function of contrast and not just detail settings.

Steve Phillipps · August 13th, 2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eugene Kosarovich

Which BBC settings doc did you guys mean, this one?

BBC - R&D - Publications - WHP034

I was looking in that for settings for the F335 or F700, but only found them for the old XDCAM SD cameras and the EX cameras.

Thanks.

Eugene, Alan Roberts sent me the settings for the 700 directly, and I must say I couldn't find them on the |R&D site either. You can get a link to them here BBC - Commissioning - Producing High-Definition TV Down the right hand edge there is a list of cameras including the 700.
Steve

David H. Brown · August 14th, 2009, 03:27 PM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/p...ony_pdw700.pdf

August 12th, 2009, 02:25 AM	#1
Mike Marriage Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NE of London, England Posts: 788	Need Advice on settings for PDW700 Hi guys, I've shot with the 700 in the past but never had much time to really play with the settings. I always thought the detail level is too high out of the box. However tomorrow I was planning some slow-mo (720p50 converted to 720p24) and was looking for advice, particularly in regards detail. Final output is 35mm prints and digital projection. I'll have an EX3 as the B cam so also need to match that....? The shoot is in a theatre with quite a high contrast lighting setup and predominantly black set. Any ideas on gamma settings would also be of use. The footage will be graded in post. Thanks! __________________ www.mikemarriage.com

August 12th, 2009, 07:07 AM	#3
Mike Marriage Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NE of London, England Posts: 788	Thanks Steve, Is that for 1080p and 720p? __________________ www.mikemarriage.com

August 12th, 2009, 09:32 PM	#5
Eugene Kosarovich Taken away too young... rest in peace Eugene Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 161	Which BBC settings doc did you guys mean, this one? BBC - R&D - Publications - WHP034 I was looking in that for settings for the F335 or F700, but only found them for the old XDCAM SD cameras and the EX cameras. Thanks. __________________ Scorpio Productions PDW-F335, PDW-U1, Vegas Pro 9.0b

August 13th, 2009, 01:54 AM	#6
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	I tend to set detail to around -12 depending on the gamma curve etc on my 700. I also set frequency to +35. The BBC settings that are doing the rounds were created to make the 700 look like film and give a pretty soft look. It should also be considered that apparent image shapness is also a function of contrast and not just detail settings. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com Last edited by Alister Chapman; August 14th, 2009 at 01:24 AM.

August 14th, 2009, 03:27 PM	#8
David H. Brown Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 32	Link to BBC settings http://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/p...ony_pdw700.pdf

August 12th, 2009, 04:30 AM	#2
Steve Phillipps Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 2,130	A lot of people seem to like Detail ON, at -20. The BBC settings doc has it much lower but it seems a little soft. If it was me I'd put in the BBC settings and just change the detail, as the rest of the BBC settings look good. Steve

August 12th, 2009, 11:27 AM	#4
Steve Phillipps Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 2,130	I used the same settings for both. The only problem I could see with the 720 was having to transcode it to be able to conform it in Cinema Tools. It takes ages, but also seems to degrade it a bit. That's why I sold it and bought a Varicam! Steve