XLH1 Chroma Keying
 

Would anyone know if you can Chroma key using the DV mode on the XLH1 or the HD mode. Which works best, it is probably the High Defention.

Thanks

Go HD. DV is practically useless for chroma-keying. It doesn't have the color space HD does.

Thanks for the reply. If i do use the high defenition mode on the HLH1 to chroma key, can i still use the DV mode on the camera for the rest of the movie (that is not to be chroma keyed) and get the film look on both modes. I want the whole movie to have the film look.

Thanks.

Per pixel, HDV has exactly the same color space that DV does.

Color resolution vs. "color space", I think is the questions here. From what I know, HDV has more or less the same color resolution as DV...but the "color space" is different.

Since this camera is in very few people's hands at this point, I suppose you're not likely to get a definitive answer. However, if you get your hands on an XLH1 soon why not test both modes for keying and post some results here? I'm sure a lot of us would be interested in the results and you'll know which method provides the best result for your need.

Having said that, you should be able to pull a quality key with DV or HDV IF you use high quality software and IF your lighting is good. I personally recommend After Effects with Keylight for green screen work. Amazing product. A few years ago it was almost impossible to get a quality key with DV (quality meaning hair detail, good transparency, no "blockiness", etc.). Now I can get a decent key with room lighting and poster board.

Philip Williams

Shoot HDV
 

Using HDV won't really give you any advantage with suppressing color spill on your subject. However, by virtue of the resolution alone your mattes will be much finer.

If the delivery format is SD then HDV is a good way to do CK, do the key at HD res and then downconvert or else downconvert to 4:2:2 and key that. Good software doesn't waste those extra pixels.
.

Having done both (only a few times in HD) I've found I can get cleaner mattes from HD.
Just my experience, though. A poster above said he was able to get decent keying with DV. I guess experience is a large part of the trick as well.