I also have the same question as Travis. Where can I find, or download more custom presets? I think it's great I'm able to this, and would just like to be able to find more.

Thanks,
D.C. Joseph.

Doug and Travis,

Hey, guys, we're all waiting for you to invent and post more presets! ;-)

(The ones you listed are the only ones I'm aware of that have been posted).

Hey, man, I'm workin' on it; been experimenting everyday for the most part. It won't be long...

In terms of the black and white presets...I'm using 30 instead of 24 and wonder if there would be any change in your settings Ash because of this.

Lucinda

No change... if you want the grain effect you can boost the gain more in 30P mode. You may also want to adjust the coring if the noise is too digital looking... you can even get it on the + side to smooth it out more.


ash =o)

Hey folks,

I'm a Mac user so I've been picking apart the posted presets and have a quick question. For settings which have clearly defined ranges, such as Coring (-6 to +6), the settings are obvious. However, for settings such as Gamma, does 1=Normal or Cine? Below are the ones I'm having trouble decoding;

Gamma (Video/Cine)
Knee (H/M/L)
Black (Stretch/Normal/Press)
Vertical Detail (Normal/Low)
Noise Reduction (OFF/H/N/L)

Thanks for any help.

Kevin

Any mac version of software for settings upload yet??

I have just downloaded all the presets except for 'Amelie" and 'Saturated'. For some reason, when I try to download these 2 it takes me to the Log-in screen instead. Anyone else experiencing this? I'm on a Mac.

Best Settings for Fireworks???
 

This forum has been a wonderful source of information for me, but this is my first post. I just recently purchased an XL2, and was wondering if anyone could recommend a preset to optimize video for a fireworks display?

There is very little information about this subject to be found online, other than a general consensus that fireworks "present quite a challenge" to even the most experienced videographer.

I have been doing these videos for quite some time (I work for a large fireworks chain) but never with an XL2. My other camera is the GL2, and it does an "adequate" job, but I was certain the XL2 could out preform it. So far, I haven't managed to figure out the best settings.

The problem with fireworks video is the ultra high contrast and the thousands of tiny points of bright fast moving light against a black sky. Most video cameras will over expose the bright light, losing most (if not all) of the color and fine detail in the display. Another problem is that it's very difficult to get a good focus on fireworks, as you have no steady image to focus on while there is a burst in the air (and of course just black sky at all other times). The tiny LCD/EVF in the XL2 certainly doesn't help with this.

What I need is a preset that will retain most of the color while goiveing me razor sharp clarity and brightness.

With regard to the focus issue, has anyone tried plugging in an external battery powered LCD monitor (maybe a portable DVD player) to use as a more econmical field monitor?

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can provide.

-jb-

I have shot some fireworks. I typically stay full wide and focus to infinity. You are correct about the contrast ratio and you have to pick proper exposure for the fireworks and let the rest of the sky be black. This is one instance where you don't reallly care about exposure latitude as long as the lights of the fireworks are properly exposed. If you are able, get them to send up one item before the show to let you get a focus lock if you choose to go that route. Keep your iris stopped down as far as you can which will help deepen depth of field and relieve some of the focus work.

-gb-

Thanks for the tips, Greg. One problem I was having on the focus is that I had the iris wide open. I didn't think about the shallow DOF this created.

Now I hope this isn't a horribly stupid question, but when you say "focus lock", is this just an expression, or is there a way that I'm not aware of to actually set the focus and "lock it" on the XL2?

Here's another stupid question: Regarding focusing on "infinity", I typically look for anything I can set focus on (any distant illuminated object), zoom all the way in (20x) get a sharp focus on that, then zoom all they way back out again. Is there a better way?

Thanks again...jb

Focus lock was actually a figure of speech. If you are not in auto-focus mode, you actually lock the focus as soon as you stop manually focusing. (grin)

Another thing I did was slip a wide angle adapter on the lens to get more real estate in the shot and to help with DOF. Keep the iris closed and slow down the shutter speed to compensate. Remember, the lights you are taping are pretty intense so it's not as big a problem to achieve good exposure as you might think.

I will try to find some time to upload a clip for you to look at. The fireworks are not commercial, just the most powerful stuff we mere mortals can get our hands on.

-gb-

p.s. which chain do you work for?

Here are some things to try...

Gain: -3db
Knee: LOW
Blacks: PRESS
SetUp Level: down 3 notches
Master Pedestal: down 3-5 notches


As far as color, I would use normal video gamma, not cinegamma and cheat it toward red on the color phase a notch or two. Might want to boost the color gain a notch or two as well. Also, try out some high and low shutters, those can have a nice effect, either causing the lights to flare crisply (high shutter) ot trail off (low shutter). If you do low shutter, make sure you are locked down on a tripod.


ash =o)

Fireworks Preset
 

OK... So here's the preset that Ash recommended for shooting fireworks video. Please let me know if I have failed to translate these correctly:

[Presets]
Preset Name = FIREWORK
Gamma = 0
Knee = 2
Black = 2
NR = 0
VDetail = 0
Color Matrix = 0
Color Gain = 2
Color Phase = 2
Red = 0
Green = 0
Blue = 0
SetupLevel = -3
Sharpness = 0
Coring = 0
MasterPed = -4
Description = (Ash Greyson) Recommended settings for shooting fireworks video

Thanks for the help!
jb

Settings request
 

Does anybody know what settings to use on the XL2 to recreate the look of 8mm film? I want to try and get the same kind of look that is used in the PBS TV show Globetrekker. They use this look for cutaways. Any pointers? Do I need to do it in post? I use FCE so any settings I need for post would need to be available in that.

TIA

Colin