Canon XM2 Color Problem

[Gordon Briggs]

Hello All,

Having had the XM2 for one week I feel more qualified to give a true appraisel on the camera.

My first reactions were very favourable, I like the way that I can set just about everything the way I want it, also the "feel" and looks of the camera is good.

However my initial joy was overtaken by an almost disbelief that the XM2 would not resolve colours correctly, let me explain.

Like most new owners of hi-tech equipment I spent a long time pouring over the well written manual, checking features out as I went through the book. I took shots indoors and outdoors and was generally pleased with what I saw.

One shot which I took indoors was of some artificial flowers sitting on the hearth in the fireplace, I played the shot back and thought it to be alright, untill my wife pointed out the the "blue" flowers which we saw on the screen were in real life purple!!. This led me to do more tests, this showed up even more untrue colours, like yellows showing as light green, maroons turning out to be nearly red and so on.

I took the camera back to Jessops in the UK where I bought it, and also took the purple flower as evidence, they tried the camera and got the same results as I did. We tried another XM2 in the shop and got the same results with that one. We called Canon tech UK support but the person on the other end said he would need to get a collegue to call me back at home, so far no call from Canon.

Just in case you are wondering, I have tried every possible colour balance setting, and the only one which made the purple flower look purple was when I took the shot after dark with only artificial light present, and with the colour balance set to the indoor setting, in naturaral light and the colour balance both set to outdoors and also white balancing with a white card, the flower was blue once more.

Finally how about this, I asked my daughter to bring her "cheap" canon M300 accross for me to try and guess what, it was perfect, the purple flower was returned to it's correct colour.

Jessops are going to get me another XM2 from Canon, I will let you know the outcome.

If anyone out there has an XM2 will you please let me know how your's performs with regard to colour reproduction, I would be most grateful.

Thanks,

Gordon.

[Aaron Koolen]

Hi Gordon. Yeah this is a common problem with XM2's and I think GL2's. Here's one link...


http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...m2+blue+purple

And if you do a search on "Gl2 purple" you'll get a lot more hits

Aaron

[Ken Tanaka]

Actually, it is not an issue limited to these cameras at all. Rather, the color purple is problematic for many video cameras to portray accurately.

[Alan McCormick]

This is interesting, I now ensure my White Balance is completed before any shoot (as you should do) as I had similar problems with colour differences.
I always try the manual WB 1st but also try out the 2 presets keeping particular care with true colours. Sometimes I have to tweak the CSTM presets to get a closer shade.

The above is just something I have found that "helps" but may not always resolve the problem.

[Graham Bernard]

. . got that right Alan! . . . This purpe thing is a dog . . . Nearest i got to getting it was with the daylight icon [ 6000kelvin ? ] and tungsten light on. Other stuff browned . .intresting to see if this was correctable in post . .don't know . ..

Grazie

[Alan McCormick]

Grazie,

I am sure CC in post could help but like you I am not sure if it is 100%.

My preference is to get the Cam to get it right 1st! Most of these problems I have put down to me learning rather than anything else.

[Graham Bernard]

Oh yes . .get stuff into the can first time is the way I go .. But, " . . I have put down to me learning rather than anything else . ." maybe sometimes, Alan, it just don't do it! This maybe one of the occasions . . maybe the "anything else" area of knowledge is needing to be "focussed" on to . . it is with me . .

Do some experiments with purple colours and see what and where you get to? Post aint the answer, but sometimes it just has to be. Learning the cammie is one thing, the other thing about learning is that you are in control, even to the point where you say, "I know this will need to be corrected in post" The pros do it all the time. I was at a White Balance talk being given by an IoV member and an ex-BBC cameraman, his comments on WB and the value of post editing for colour balance was very . . . well .. illuminating . . .

Grazie

[Alan McCormick]

"illuminating"

not bad for this time of the morning Grazie!

With you 100% on getting it right with the Cam however have noted that the colours cannot be exact. Will keep an eye on the purple/blue issue in future.

I bet the IoV White Balance talk was good, will have to see if we have that one booked later in the year.

[Gordon Briggs]

Hi Again,

I have been reading with interest your comments on the dreaded Purple issue, and for the life of me I can't remember these problems with my trusty Pan MX100B. It was only when pointed out to me that the "Blue" flowers should be Purple that I started looking in more detail at the way the XM2 deals with colours.

I use Edius 2 so there is no problem fixing this post, but the question is "should I have to?"

If you are an XM2 owner I would really like to hear from you, to see what your experiences are regarding colours and indeed the camera in general.

I have another 20 days to return it to the dealer, biut then what do I buy instead that looks the part when I turn up at a wedding, without paying £2500?

Look forward to hearing from you XM2 owners.

Thanks,

Gordon.

[Alan McCormick]

Gordon,

As Ken said earlier this is not just an XM2 problem.
Personally I have not come across the exact problem you have talked about. There have been differences in colours that I have been able to correct using the CSTM preset menu options. I did not spot the difference till I looked very carefully and then a 2 second change in the menu and the colours were spot on.

You will not be disappointed by the GL2/XM2, I have not looked back, unless of course you have £2500. Then may still have the problem.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

[Graham Bernard]

Alan - what does this do to the "correct" colours? 2 seconds or not. . . I'm interested to know how the "other" colours get affected.

G

[Gordon Briggs]

Thanks Alan for your reply, don't get me wroong, I really do like the XM2 for many reasons, and that is what makes it even more frustrating, I don't want to change the camera, although my dealer is going to get a "brand new" one from Canon UK just in case I have got one from a bad batch, but will it be any different?

I have tried altering all the presets but to no avail, do you notice in the auto setting and with only the default settings, that it tends to be a bit over saturated? I use the cstm key and drop the colour a bit.

Good point from Graham about the "correct" colours.

Any more happy XM2 owners out there??

Cheers,

Gordon.

[Alan McCormick]

Grazie,

To be honest the only time I have changed is because I have noticed a difference with a Red or Blue. 9 times out of 10 it is OK.

You have a point, what happens to the other colours. I think but cannot confirm that they are OK as I have been concentrating on the incorrect colour. Not very good I know but I assume the others have been OK otherwise I am sure I would have noticed.

BTW I only change by 1 or 2 stops in the direction I need to go.

[Graham Bernard]

Yes, that was exactly my point. Being mean with the stops is very good . . I don't know what happens with the other colours either . . a real dodgy area indeed . . . It aint gonna stop me filming . . may insist that women don't wear purple dresses though! HAHAHA!

G

[Alan McCormick]

Last week I had to correct for the colour of lipstick, that was a job & a half. It came out pretty good but I could not get the exact shade ;)

It was on a corporate shoot and the customer insisted she did not want bright red lipstick. A couple of stops in CSTM and it was towards the correct shade.