Film-Look in Canon XH A1 at DVinfo.net

Haitham Lawati · January 8th, 2011, 05:43 AM

Regarding Canon XH A1 HDV camera, how can we achieve a progressive film-look. If there are many functions involved, can you please explain step by step?

Colin McDonald · January 8th, 2011, 07:19 AM

Not quite sure what exactly you mean by "progressive film-look", but avoiding shooting interlaced and controlling your depth of field as much as you can is a start to avoiding the "video" look. Using a DoF adapter will certainly make it easier but that's extra expense and hassle.

Haitham Lawati · January 8th, 2011, 12:50 PM

Regardless of the depth of field which can be achieved by the cinema cameras because of their lens capability or the adapters which are used for such purpose, I am asking whether Canon XH A1 can achieve something similar to 24P which exists in many cinema cameras. Here is a sample from youtube in the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l56AM0Uym5M

Can you explain how this look has been achieved?

Paul Hatcher · January 8th, 2011, 01:12 PM

Just set the camera to record in 24f.

Chris Hurd · January 8th, 2011, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haitham Lawati

I am asking whether Canon XH A1 can achieve something similar to 24P which exists in many cinema cameras.

The Canon XH A1 doesn't achieve "something similar" to 24p -- it *is* 24p.

Go to Menu > Signal Setup > Frame Rate > 24F

That setting puts the XH A1 in native its 24p recording mode. Hope this helps,

Haitham Lawati · January 8th, 2011, 02:58 PM

What about the shutter speed and the aperture? How much speed should be given for the shutter and size for the aperture?

Roger Shealy · January 8th, 2011, 04:10 PM

Haitham,

I don't know your experience level, so I hope this is helpful and not insulting. Conventionally set your shutter somewhere between the frame rate and twice the frame rate, going for twice the rate if light allows. So if you are shooting 30F, try 1/30 to 1/60 (or the closest increment, haven't shot with the A1 in a while). Probably the most film look short of using an adapter is to zoom in as far as you can and shoot with the aperture as high as possible to create a shallower DOF. Also consider a custom preset like the Panalook or Panalook2 presets (listing of other presets in string):

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-xh...rary-copy.html

Beyond this, crush the blacks slightly and play with CC in post to achieve the look of a particular film stock.

Note from admin: XL H presets link replaced by XH presets link

Haitham Lawati · January 10th, 2011, 08:09 AM

Yes in fact it was a useful to me. However, I have purchased this camera from a local store, therefore it only supports PAL so the frame rate can be set at 25f.
I have found in the link posted by Roger Shealy a .CPF file holding the name "PRESET18". How can I make use of this file?

Chris Hurd · January 10th, 2011, 08:56 AM

The link posted above was the XL H presets library, not what you
needed. I have replaced it with the link to the XH presets library.

See the first post of that thread for instructions about loading
the presets into the camera. Refer to page 81 of the operator's
manual for more details. If you don't have the manual, you can
download a .PDF copy from the "sticky" threads posted at the
top of this forum's index page. Hope this helps,

Roger Shealy · January 10th, 2011, 10:53 AM

Haitham,

In my previous post I said to run aperture as "high as possible"; I should have said "as open as possible" for shallow depth of field.

Haitham Lawati · January 10th, 2011, 12:18 PM

Yes, I am aware of that. Anyhow thanks a lot.

January 8th, 2011, 05:43 AM	#1
Haitham Lawati Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: OMAN Posts: 107	Film-Look in Canon XH A1 Regarding Canon XH A1 HDV camera, how can we achieve a progressive film-look. If there are many functions involved, can you please explain step by step?

January 8th, 2011, 04:10 PM	#7
Roger Shealy Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Fayetteville, GA Posts: 772	Haitham, I don't know your experience level, so I hope this is helpful and not insulting. Conventionally set your shutter somewhere between the frame rate and twice the frame rate, going for twice the rate if light allows. So if you are shooting 30F, try 1/30 to 1/60 (or the closest increment, haven't shot with the A1 in a while). Probably the most film look short of using an adapter is to zoom in as far as you can and shoot with the aperture as high as possible to create a shallower DOF. Also consider a custom preset like the Panalook or Panalook2 presets (listing of other presets in string): http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-xh...rary-copy.html Beyond this, crush the blacks slightly and play with CC in post to achieve the look of a particular film stock. Note from admin: XL H presets link replaced by XH presets link Last edited by Roger Shealy; January 8th, 2011 at 10:20 PM.

January 10th, 2011, 08:56 AM	#9
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	The link posted above was the XL H presets library, not what you needed. I have replaced it with the link to the XH presets library. See the first post of that thread for instructions about loading the presets into the camera. Refer to page 81 of the operator's manual for more details. If you don't have the manual, you can download a .PDF copy from the "sticky" threads posted at the top of this forum's index page. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

January 8th, 2011, 07:19 AM	#2
Colin McDonald Trustee Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 1,546	Not quite sure what exactly you mean by "progressive film-look", but avoiding shooting interlaced and controlling your depth of field as much as you can is a start to avoiding the "video" look. Using a DoF adapter will certainly make it easier but that's extra expense and hassle.

January 8th, 2011, 12:50 PM	#3
Haitham Lawati Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: OMAN Posts: 107	Regardless of the depth of field which can be achieved by the cinema cameras because of their lens capability or the adapters which are used for such purpose, I am asking whether Canon XH A1 can achieve something similar to 24P which exists in many cinema cameras. Here is a sample from youtube in the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l56AM0Uym5M Can you explain how this look has been achieved?

January 8th, 2011, 01:12 PM	#4
Paul Hatcher Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: London UK Posts: 31	Just set the camera to record in 24f.

January 8th, 2011, 02:58 PM	#6
Haitham Lawati Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: OMAN Posts: 107	What about the shutter speed and the aperture? How much speed should be given for the shutter and size for the aperture?

January 10th, 2011, 08:09 AM	#8
Haitham Lawati Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: OMAN Posts: 107	Yes in fact it was a useful to me. However, I have purchased this camera from a local store, therefore it only supports PAL so the frame rate can be set at 25f. I have found in the link posted by Roger Shealy a .CPF file holding the name "PRESET18". How can I make use of this file?

January 10th, 2011, 10:53 AM	#10
Roger Shealy Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Fayetteville, GA Posts: 772	Haitham, In my previous post I said to run aperture as "high as possible"; I should have said "as open as possible" for shallow depth of field.

January 10th, 2011, 12:18 PM	#11
Haitham Lawati Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: OMAN Posts: 107	Yes, I am aware of that. Anyhow thanks a lot.