White balance headache: Z5 & FX7 at DVinfo.net

Stelios Christofides · May 12th, 2009, 06:58 AM

It is very difficult for me to get the same picture output (colour wise) when I WB the Z5 together with my FX7. If for example I am filming indoors and I want to use both cameras the Z5 and the FX7 then I suppose I have to WB both cameras at the same subject (white wall or something white) but when I do that, the pictures is never the same, the Z5 is a bit more warmer then the FX7. Is there a way to WB both cameras so I can get the same picture looks? and I don't want to correct the video on the NLE. How do you guys WB if you have two cameras?

Stelios

Derran Rootring · May 12th, 2009, 07:09 AM

I'm not sure if this helps, but you can change the preset setting in the menu to indoor or outdoor WB. I have the camera set to outdoor and this creates the warmer look. If I'm not mistaken.

Tim Akin · May 12th, 2009, 09:08 AM

I would think when you manual WB that would override any custom WB setting.

You might try a blue WB card on the Z7 to warm it up a bit.

Derran Rootring · May 12th, 2009, 10:22 AM

Also in the picture profile menu, you can change the color settings of the camera very precisely for each color. The nice thing about this, is that you can try to match the FX7's color, save it as a PP and then switch it on whenever you need it.

Jeff Harper · May 12th, 2009, 10:52 AM

Tim's idea is the best, I believe.

Use a table cloth or any thing white to white balance the Z5, but use the WB card as he suggests for the FX7.

Or you could also try setting WB on two different things. If you can find a slightly less white object to white balance the Z5 and then set the WB on the FX7 on a brighter white object that "could" balance it out. Obviously that is a very sketchy way to do it, but under some circumstances it might work. Never tried it, but it might be worth a try till you get a WB card.

Ben Hall · May 12th, 2009, 11:23 AM

I'd white balance them using the same reference for both, then adjust the picture profile to balance the picture between cameras.

Franklin Bencosme · May 12th, 2009, 12:40 PM

Hey !!! in my case, all my weddings are during the night
so I just go AWB,and I have never had a problem with
the white balance!!

Franklin...

Stelios Christofides · May 12th, 2009, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franklin Bencosme

Hey !!! in my case, all my weddings are during the night
so I just go AWB,and I have never had a problem with
the white balance!!

Franklin...

Franklin
That's what I do when I am using only one camera, but if I leave auto WB on both the FX7 and Z5 the colours look different.

Derran
(...The nice thing about this, is that you can try to match the FX7's color, save it as a PP and then switch it on whenever you need it. )

I never thought of this idea. It sounds good, I will try it out.

Stelios

Tim Akin · May 12th, 2009, 02:42 PM

That would be a nice fix if it works out to be the same under different lighting. I tried something similar with the auto WB. I made a profile to use with auto WB that matched the manual WB perfectly in the game room of our home. When I tried to use auto WB and the preset in a church, it didn't look right, not as good as manual WB. Not sure if that would be the same or not.

James Strange · May 13th, 2009, 06:31 PM

I use a z5 as my a cam and my fx7 as my b cam (i shoot weddings)

As was mentioned previously, I use the picture profile to match the colour temps on both cams.

Out of curiousity, has any z5 users noticed that the image you get in the viewfinder doesnt really match what you see on the LCD screen (colours, wb etc...)

I find that the LCD screen actually gives a TRUER representation of what your shooting rather than the viewfinder (it has been the opposite for most other camers Ive used)

But anyway, PPs to match the Z5 and FX7, they match pretty good 90% of time. I'll still do a little CC in the edit, but not much.

James

Luc De Wandel · May 13th, 2009, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Strange

I find that the LCD screen actually gives a TRUER representation of what your shooting rather than the viewfinder (it has been the opposite for most other camers Ive used)

Hi James, the LCD-monitor is better than the viewfinder in almost all aspects: sharpness, colour rendition, ... That's why I've made it my viewfinder. My wife made a dedicated attachment loupe (with the focusing loupe from an old Mamiya 6/6 camera) and so the Z5 (or Z7, for that matter) has become a shouldermounted camera. Hoodman also produces an attachment, called 'the Hoodloupe', but it's a little too small for the Z5's and Z7's LCD-monitors and the optical quality of the loupe could be better.

Stelios Christofides · May 16th, 2009, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Strange

I use a z5 as my a cam and my fx7 as my b cam (i shoot weddings)

As was mentioned previously, I use the picture profile to match the colour temps on both cams.

James
Can you explain to me how you use (set) the picture profiles?

Stelios

James Strange · May 17th, 2009, 06:37 PM

For each shoot when I'm using the FX7 and the Z5, I set select a picture profile on each camrea, then 'tweak' certain things like wb, wb shift, colour phase, colour level etc... until both cameras match pretty good.

Martyn Hull · May 18th, 2009, 02:26 AM

It is good how you can adjust these cams ,on my fx-7 i use color level + 2 and sharness 7 and outdoors using outdoor wb this is the picture i like,i am sure the fx-7 could be adjusted to color match the Z5 with some fiddling and adjustment.

May 12th, 2009, 06:58 AM	#1
Stelios Christofides Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Nicosia, CYPRUS Posts: 1,080	White balance headache: Z5 & FX7 It is very difficult for me to get the same picture output (colour wise) when I WB the Z5 together with my FX7. If for example I am filming indoors and I want to use both cameras the Z5 and the FX7 then I suppose I have to WB both cameras at the same subject (white wall or something white) but when I do that, the pictures is never the same, the Z5 is a bit more warmer then the FX7. Is there a way to WB both cameras so I can get the same picture looks? and I don't want to correct the video on the NLE. How do you guys WB if you have two cameras? Stelios __________________ My Blog: http://steliosc.blogspot.com "I hope for nothing, I fear nothing, I am free" Nikos Kazantzakis

May 12th, 2009, 09:08 AM	#3
Tim Akin Major Player Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Newbern, TN Posts: 414	I would think when you manual WB that would override any custom WB setting. You might try a blue WB card on the Z7 to warm it up a bit. __________________ Tim

May 12th, 2009, 02:42 PM	#9
Tim Akin Major Player Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Newbern, TN Posts: 414	That would be a nice fix if it works out to be the same under different lighting. I tried something similar with the auto WB. I made a profile to use with auto WB that matched the manual WB perfectly in the game room of our home. When I tried to use auto WB and the preset in a church, it didn't look right, not as good as manual WB. Not sure if that would be the same or not. __________________ Tim

May 12th, 2009, 07:09 AM	#2
Derran Rootring Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 204	I'm not sure if this helps, but you can change the preset setting in the menu to indoor or outdoor WB. I have the camera set to outdoor and this creates the warmer look. If I'm not mistaken.

May 12th, 2009, 10:22 AM	#4
Derran Rootring Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 204	Also in the picture profile menu, you can change the color settings of the camera very precisely for each color. The nice thing about this, is that you can try to match the FX7's color, save it as a PP and then switch it on whenever you need it.

May 12th, 2009, 10:52 AM	#5
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Tim's idea is the best, I believe. Use a table cloth or any thing white to white balance the Z5, but use the WB card as he suggests for the FX7. Or you could also try setting WB on two different things. If you can find a slightly less white object to white balance the Z5 and then set the WB on the FX7 on a brighter white object that "could" balance it out. Obviously that is a very sketchy way to do it, but under some circumstances it might work. Never tried it, but it might be worth a try till you get a WB card.

May 12th, 2009, 11:23 AM	#6
Ben Hall Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 48	I'd white balance them using the same reference for both, then adjust the picture profile to balance the picture between cameras.

May 12th, 2009, 12:40 PM	#7
Franklin Bencosme Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Dominican Republic Posts: 135	Hey !!! in my case, all my weddings are during the night so I just go AWB,and I have never had a problem with the white balance!! Franklin...

May 13th, 2009, 06:31 PM	#10
James Strange Major Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK Posts: 309	I use a z5 as my a cam and my fx7 as my b cam (i shoot weddings) As was mentioned previously, I use the picture profile to match the colour temps on both cams. Out of curiousity, has any z5 users noticed that the image you get in the viewfinder doesnt really match what you see on the LCD screen (colours, wb etc...) I find that the LCD screen actually gives a TRUER representation of what your shooting rather than the viewfinder (it has been the opposite for most other camers Ive used) But anyway, PPs to match the Z5 and FX7, they match pretty good 90% of time. I'll still do a little CC in the edit, but not much. James

May 17th, 2009, 06:37 PM	#13
James Strange Major Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK Posts: 309	For each shoot when I'm using the FX7 and the Z5, I set select a picture profile on each camrea, then 'tweak' certain things like wb, wb shift, colour phase, colour level etc... until both cameras match pretty good.

May 18th, 2009, 02:26 AM	#14
Martyn Hull Major Player Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: England Posts: 444	It is good how you can adjust these cams ,on my fx-7 i use color level + 2 and sharness 7 and outdoors using outdoor wb this is the picture i like,i am sure the fx-7 could be adjusted to color match the Z5 with some fiddling and adjustment.