View Full Version : Good Chroma-key for EX1 footage


Oyvind Stokkan
August 7th, 2008, 04:42 AM
I'm wondering if any of you have tried keying the EX1 footage?

I've used the DV Matte Pro 1.5 before on DVCPRO50 4:2:2 footage with good results, but since the EX1 has 4 times the resolution it will outweigh the 4:2:2 advantage?

If any of you have some great key settings that work good, i'd appreciate a look :)

Noah Kadner
August 7th, 2008, 05:21 AM
Sure it's solid- as with any camera good lighting is critical.

Noah

Ronn Kilby
August 7th, 2008, 08:09 AM
Keys great - much easier than with DV 411. In fact, I've used the in-camera color correction function to goose the chroma and shift the hue on the CK background during the shoot to get a better key. I use spectramatte in Avid Media Composer.

Ned Soltz
August 7th, 2008, 08:34 AM
Other hint here is to shoot progressive rather than interlaced. I am amazed at the ease of pulling a clean key from EX footage considering 4:2:0 footage

Terje Rian
August 7th, 2008, 05:40 PM
Hello Øyvind,

Check this link, if you like. My friend Pål has been using the EX1 on quite a few of his chroma key projects: http://www.vimeo.com/1054795?pg=embed&sec=1054795

I just received my EX3, but haven´t tested it´s chroma key abilities yet. I´ve used DVCPro HD so far for all my chroma key projects, but I don´t expect XDCAM to be a problem at all.
I use a portable Reflectmedia rig for my projects.

Best of luck to you and your projects.

Best,
Terje Rian

Matt Davis
August 10th, 2008, 09:43 AM
I'm wondering if any of you have tried keying the EX1 footage?

First off, check out the new DVmatte Pro 2.0 from Pixel Corps/DVgarage. It's GPU accellerated, and much improved from 1.0. It blows the doors off Zmatte and the rest.

Sure it's solid- as with any camera good lighting is critical.

Ahem, well, DVmatte Pro is kind because I'm not the best DoP in the world, and have got away with a single Tota with brolly for bgd (blush, long story) in a recent shoot: before and after below. Note the pretty alarming fall off in illumination in background! The key took a minute or two to set up, then copy/pasted to all clips. Bit of cleaning here and there, bit of garbage matte editing, but not exactly roto. Final will be 640x360, so Sin City it AIN'T.

PS: tip for future: if presenter is wearing watch, at least pull the winder knob out so the dial doesn't jump around when you're editing.

Christopher Witz
August 10th, 2008, 10:29 AM
here's a quickey I did just the other day.... I'm sure it can be done better though....

http://exposureroom.com/members/witzkestudio.aspx/assets/c8a6a915a5904fd28c6b88bcbfa373db/


used the basic keyer in FCP

it keys much better and easier than the z1 ever did for me.

Oyvind Stokkan
August 13th, 2008, 03:15 AM
I have DV matte pro 1.5, but I cannot see that v2.0 exists..

Matt Davis
August 13th, 2008, 07:31 AM
I have DV matte pro 1.5, but I cannot see that v2.0 exists..

http://www.dvgarage.com/prod/prod.php?prod=dvmattep3

Not sure what happened to the naming conventions...

Dean Sensui
August 13th, 2008, 12:56 PM
I posted this elsewhere before but our host is always shot against green screen:

http://www.hawaiigoesfishing.com/videos/green_screen_sample.mov

Using a green screen from EEFX.com, lit with two Tota Lights. The keying is with After Effects using a Primatte plug-in from Red Giant Software. Primatte has tremendously flexible controls, essential for getting fine details such as hair.

Everything is shot 1080p30.