An open invitation to all XL2 owners to disclose their custom settings with the result and a film grab. hopefully we will be able to annotate various looks with the collaboration of this great forum.

Now that's a GREAT idea... a library of "looks" would be very beneficial!

--Ralph

It will even be better if we can save them and post them here for download to the XL2.

It might be possible in the future to download your presets from your XL2 to your computer via SDK, but at the time it is impossible.

I will tinker with my XL2 this weekend and hopefully have some presets to post on Monday.

Any requests?

At the risk of getting flamed :) ...........

I'd like to find a good DVX100 look! Of course I am kidding....well...kinda.

what I am looking for is to get the same type of curves that the DVX100 has in Cinnegamma Mode. The Xl2 looks very high res and very clean.....it has that over the DVX100 for sure. But in my limited time fiddling with the settings I just haven't been able to get that same "s" curve look of film that the DVX comes so close to. I mean....it doesn't look exactly like film but its curve is far enough from the curve (or lack of curve) in video and adds to the "suspension of disbelief" we all want when doing more dramatic work.

Don't get me wrong. I can achieve this in post production. But I'd love to get it in camera for the times that I don't want to go through all of that effort. (when i shot some plays and events in Cinegamma 24P on the DVX I would sometimes hand over the raw footage to the client and all they could say is "it doesn't look like video...it looks like a movie." for those times I'd like to get closer to DVX look in camera with the Xl2. )

another vote for a library of customize settings to get a good 'look' for the xl2.

Marty,

I'll try to get the punchy saturated look of the DVX100, however I have not seen much of it and I have never used one so it might not be the same.

However the first thing I want to do is to get a rich saturated look anyway.

I can get a good rich saturated look but it deosn't work in all environments. In average to medium color settings it looks great. If I shoot anything with a lot of rich colors it tends to "bloom" or "blowout" too much. I know one setting doesn't fit all situations but with the DVX I didn't have this type of drastically different results based on environment.

I mean there were obviously different results but just not to the major degree I see with the setings I have tried to use on the XL2.

Still experimenting though.

As you know, we can have up to 3 custom settings, maybe you might be able to tone down the RGB saturation for when you have saturated colors, yet the difference won't be as drastic so you can use the different settings in the same scene (intercut).

For what I know, the DVX 100 has that "kodak-esque automatic saturation" thing, it basically adapts the curve slightly so you won't have those kind of problems, I personally prefer the manual options, it's more responsibility; more risk, more control.

--Keep on filmin'

Here is a recomended settings I found on another forum, I havn't try it so can't tell how good it is.....


Frame Rate = 24P

Shutter = 1/48th. 1/60th sec may also be used, but only to reduce flicker with florescent or arc lighting in 60Hz countries (like the USA). Use 1/50th sec for florescent/arc lights in 50Hz countries (Europe).

Program AE (Auto Exposure) = OFF


Aspect Ratio = 16:9 (for transfer to 35mm)

2:3:3:2 pulldown

Gamma = Cine

Color Matrix = Normal

Knee = Medium

Black = Normal

Vertical Detail = Low

Coring = 0

Sharpness = 0

Noise Reduction = OFF

Color Gain = 0

Color Phase = 0

Film Grain = OFF

Total Image Control = 0,0,0

Setup Level = 0

Skin Tone Detail = 0

AE Shift = N/A

AE Lock = N/A

Zebra Pattern = 100%

Audio = 2-channel (16-bit).


Alexis

As with the XL1, I like to put the setup level=-6, i.e. full black. There's no reason I can see to limit your available bandwidth. If I'm staying in DV all the way, no changes in post are needed. If I'm going out to NTSC, I can run a black level remapping on my NLE to set black to 7.5 without crushing the blacks.

<<<-- Originally posted by Alexis Vazquez : Here is a recomended settings I found on another forum, I havn't try it so can't tell how good it is.....


Frame Rate = 24P

Shutter = 1/48th. 1/60th sec may also be used, but only to reduce flicker with florescent or arc lighting in 60Hz countries (like the USA). Use 1/50th sec for florescent/arc lights in 50Hz countries (Europe).

Program AE (Auto Exposure) = OFF


Aspect Ratio = 16:9 (for transfer to 35mm)

2:3:3:2 pulldown

Gamma = Cine

Color Matrix = Normal

Knee = Medium

Black = Normal

Vertical Detail = Low

Coring = 0

Sharpness = 0

Noise Reduction = OFF

Color Gain = 0

Color Phase = 0

Film Grain = OFF

Total Image Control = 0,0,0

Setup Level = 0

Skin Tone Detail = 0

AE Shift = N/A

AE Lock = N/A

Zebra Pattern = 100%

Audio = 2-channel (16-bit).


Alexis -->>>

That is DV film's suggested setting for transfer to film
http://www.dvfilm.com/xl2/index.htm

I like shooting my footages as normal(realistic) as possible then using magic bullet plug ins to make them look more creative and filmic during post production.

Has anyone come up with some settings that closer emulate a film curve? I personally don't think it is possible with the limited controls. I know it has more than any other camera in its class but still feel that the curve is just not right by default and we need more conrol points to tweak it. I prefer the DVX default curve. Granted you can't change as much on the DVX but it is closer to what I'd like to get right from the camera if possible. But it is looking more and more like I will need to rel on post work to get it.

Canon might be releasing a developer's kit which would allow more in-depth control, and "camera to camera installation". I think the user control of color and image will be much more advanced when this happens.

I'm hoping that would be the case.

I've been struggling to get that curve and I haven't quite gotten it. Marty, consider changing your white balance settings to a cooler or warmer than normal, it will add a more saturated and filmic look to your curve. A basic component for the XL2 is another ND filter that will force open your iris, and reduce DOF. try that too.