The XL2 SDK was released over six months ago. Has anyone heard about any software control programs/apps for the XL2 resulting from the release of the SDK?

I find it hard to believe someone hasn't built tools to control XL2 attributes from the computer.

Any news? Any rumors that won't get this kicked out of the XL2 forum into Area 51?

It's being worked on by different individuals. Cant really say anymore than that.

-gb-

Greg,

Since you can't say more and probably won't say who, can you at least tell them that folks are anxiously awating them releasing their work?

The XL2 will be old (in camera years) before anyone comes out with the promised software capability (promised by Canon's glowing press releases, not the SDK developers).

My question for you is what are you expecting? About the only thing this SDK has been hyped for is how it can simplify making camera settings changeable by the push of a button. Don't they already have this kind of functionality with video mixers or something? I mean you can't expect there to be a film-look SDK setting for sale or anything like that, that would simply be too subjective. This SDK is just going to be as useful as a zoom controller from everything I've read about it.

I think the settings could really help people that are just starting to use the XL series. Most the DVX fanboys are just dialing in a factory pre-set and tweaking it. Barry Green has taken that too extreme and published his various looks in a great little book. If I had time I would do the same for the XL1s and XL2.

The main issue with the XL2 is the fact that it is so customizable but NOT intuitive. Many people, even veteran shooters, struggle with getting the looks they want...



ash =o)

I really wanted to take a look at this SDK. But first it needed an XL2 serial
number (since I don't have the camera that was a problem), now the order
form wants a US address while you can select a foreign country... weird!

I applied for it. How long does it take to get an answer?

FYI, in theory you should be able to store settings on your computer, email them to people and them load it to their XL2. XL2 cameras can already share settings locally via firewire cable. It would be great for people to have 40 or 50 looks stored on their computer and load the 3 they would need for a particular shoot. I have been doing it so long I can dial them in pretty quick but it would be fun to play with anyway!


ash =o)

PS if someone tries to "Sell" their settings I will start posting all mine for free!

PS if someone tries to "Sell" their settings I will start posting all mine for free!

Rob or Chris,

Double-quick, lock Ash's thread so he can't retract it and we can hold him to it in the future! ; )

Thanks Ash, I've already read and played with about five setups you've sprinkled through the XL2 forum. I appreciate you sharing your experience and expertise. Thanx to all who have shared or want to share (here is a place to park your fav setup (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=46082)).

PHK2

Hey, we need to gather the various presets Ash has so generously shared with us and put them in one place, like right here, perhaps. Patrick or Ash, care to do that? I'm swamped at the moment.

Chris,

I'll post mine. I can add one from Barry (Saturated Technicolor), one from Richard Hunter (Saturated for Routine Use), and a couple from Ash if they are to busy, but I don't want to steal their thunder.

AMELIE

Gamma (Cine)
Knee (High)
Black (Press)

Color Matrix (Cine)
Color Gain (+6)
Color Phase (-2)
Red Gain (0)
Green Gain (+2)
Blue Gain (0)


Vertical Detail (Low)
Sharpness (-3)
Coring (+6)

Setup Level (+2)
Master Pedestal (0)
Noise Reduction (Off)

Warm highlights and slightly green shadows of the film. More effective when white balanced with a +1/2 warm card.

Here is the setup Barry Green detailed in a post. He used it for shooting a series of chalk drawings on a sidewalk to make the colors really pop.

Technicolor:

Gamma (Cine)
Knee (Middle)
Black (Press)

Color Matrix (Cine)
Color Gain (+4)
Color Phase (0)
Red Gain (+2)
Green Gain (+3)
Blue Gain (-2)


Vertical Detail (Norm)
Sharpness (0)
Coring (0)

Setup Level (0)
Master Pedestal (0)
Noise Reduction (Off)

Hey, we need to gather the various presets Ash has so generously shared with us and put them in one place, like right here, perhaps. Patrick or Ash, care to do that? I'm swamped at the moment.

Ash, It was Chris Hurd asking this time, not me. But it's not beneath me to ask also, so can you post a couple of good Preset Setups for the XL2? Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease! I promise you won't be sorry!

Has anyone heard about any software control programs/apps for the XL2 resulting from the release of the SDK?

To answer my original question that started this thread: Yes, Steve Duke has created a free XL2 Presets Manager program using the SDK and Chris Hurd has posted it here (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=48293)on this forum.

Ash, thanks for posting your setups here, I look forward to seeing more of them from you now that we have an easy way to share and evaluate setups. I think we owe it to Steve Duke to check out his website Blue Barn Pictures (http://www.bluebarnpictures.com) and to share setups here in DV Info to show our appreciation.

Patrick,

That was the app I was referring to when I said I couldn't say anything. I was actually testing a beta copy for Steve Duke at the time you posted the question. I did not know it was going to be offered as a freebie for the DV INFO community. Again, many thanks to Steve and Chris for making this available.

regards,

-gb-

Patrick,

That was the app I was referring to when I said I couldn't say anything. I was actually testing a beta copy for Steve Duke at the time you posted the question. I did not know it was going to be offered as a freebie for the DV INFO community. Again, many thanks to Steve and Chris for making this available.

regards,

-gb-

Greg, As a result of me pestering you about it, Chris had me contact Steve to test the program also. Isn't Steve a good guy to work with? He was patient, visionary, and obviously talented as a programmer. I'm grateful for the opportunity and thrilled that its released here in the DV Info forum.

So, Greg...can we wrangle a setup out of you to try in the XL2 Presets Manager? You're an experienced XL2/DV/Film guru, lay a great preset on us!

Greg, As a result of me pestering you about it, Chris had me contact Steve to test the program also. Isn't Steve a good guy to work with? He was patient, visionary, and obviously talented as a programmer. I'm grateful for the opportunity and thrilled that its released here in the DV Info forum.

So, Greg...can we wrangle a setup out of you to try in the XL2 Presets Manager? You're an experienced XL2/DV/Film guru, lay a great preset on us!

Yes Patrick, Steve is a great guy. I got to meet him at the Canon booth during NAB. As for guru status, I am primarily an event video person so I don't venture into 'artistic' camera use very often. I try to document life in a reality sense. I was that way with still photography also. I liked the challenge of 'getting the shot' as it happened with no chance for error. It's kind of like hunting, only with a camera instead of a gun. In this respect, video is easier for me because if the camera is already rolling, I am less likely to miss a desired shot. I would say I am more of a tech guru than artistic guru.

-gb-

As for guru status, I am primarily an event video person so I don't venture into 'artistic' camera use very often. I try to document life in a reality sense.

Great, give us your best "Reality Hunt" setup! Explain to us why you think it helps you capture the event in a reality sense. Everyone gets to contribute. Pester alot, don't I? ; )

Great, give us your best "Reality Hunt" setup! Explain to us why you think it helps you capture the event in a reality sense. Everyone gets to contribute. Pester alot, don't I? ; )

You got it. Here it is.

CP OFF (usually, see below)
MODE AV,TV, or Full Manual as appropriate.
ZEBRA BARS 100%
Roll tape using light, aperture, shutter, ND, UV, POL as appropriate

Most of my changes come in post. Namely color correction between shots or an overall saturation bump. For shooting bands in clubs, I try to lower the knee and stretch the blacks because I know it's going to be a high contrast scene with dark room/stage lighting. I use a 25watt on camera light for hand held close ups. It won't blind the performers and it gives a little detail to the instruments and faces.

This may change as I recently picked up a book on film making and some of the techniques would apply to what I'm doing as well. If I come up with something cool, I will definitely share. And how nice to be able to do that now in the form of a small file rather than typed out.

regards,

-gb-

Thanks Greg.

What is the CP you are referring to? Color Phase?

Also, do you think the 100% zebra setting is more effective just in the club setting you mentioned, or do you shoot 100% zebra during daylight locations as well?

Do you change the setup when you switch on the 25w light for close-ups or is that one of the color corrections you fix in post?

Patrick, I think Greg is referring to the entire Custom Preset menu when he says "CP off."

Thanks Greg.

What is the CP you are referring to? Color Phase?

Also, do you think the 100% zebra setting is more effective just in the club setting you mentioned, or do you shoot 100% zebra during daylight locations as well?

Do you change the setup when you switch on the 25w light for close-ups or is that one of the color corrections you fix in post?

In a club setting, I am already WB to tungsten because that's the normal color temp of the lights if they didn't have various color filters/gels on them. Kicking on the on camera light helps me overcome those colored lights in the small area I am shooting during a close up so that faces aren't blue/green/red/amber, etc. I don't usually use zoom to get a close up(especially shooting hand held using the 16x manual lens). I get 'close-up' myself so that the light can do its thing.

CP=custom preset, as abbreviated in the vf.

I like to run zebra at 100%. I want to know my upper threshold before blowing a highlight which can't be recovered in post. You can retrieve some detail out of the dark in post, but blown highlights are gone forever. That's just my personal comfort zone and what I have become accustomed to using since they weren't adjustable on my XL-1 or Pana 953. As I have stated in other threads, the zebras also help me compose a shot without too much contrast for the mini DV format to handle by altering the lighting or composition.

I prefer my final output to be pretty much the way my eyes originally saw it. That's my 'reality of life' look. On the subject of post, I prefer to let someone else do that. I prefer image aquistion over editing. I only edit because it helps me become a better shooter in terms of making life easy for the editor. It's definitely not my strong suit.

-gb-

CP=custom preset, as abbreviated in the vf.-gb-

Doh! Sorry for not understanding. But thanks for explaining how you work acquisition, you've actually helped me with something. I shot a club type setting and didn't use an onboard light with exactly the result you mentioned: yellow, green, red, or blue faces. There was plenty of light to illuminate the faces, just not the light I was looking for. I guess you ride the iris so that if you see zebras you f-stop down quickly? Thanks Greg.

Doh! Sorry for not understanding. But thanks for explaining how you work acquisition, you've actually helped me with something. I shot a club type setting and didn't use an onboard light with exactly the result you mentioned: yellow, green, red, or blue faces. There was plenty of light to illuminate the faces, just not the light I was looking for. I guess you ride the iris so that if you see zebras you f-stop down quickly? Thanks Greg.

That, or have the camera do it for you in Tv mode. You'd be surprised how good the camera is at reacting to that situation. If you know you don't want that to happen, just reach up and press exp lock. You'll then see the full manual type display in the vf showing you both shutter and iris settings.

That's what those modes are for. To help you get clean images when you have too many other things to juggle. It doesn't make someone a wimp or a newbie to use the semi-auto mode, it makes them smart. As in, 'work smarter, not harder'. That said, I think everyone should run their cameras in full manual while learning to get a feel for it. Sort of like graduating to an automatic transmission after learning how to drive a manual stick shift.

JMHO,

-gb-