My (new) favorite feature at DVinfo.net

Steve Rosen · January 24th, 2006, 01:43 PM

Something that hasn't been talked about much, a feature which I have become adicted to, is that little "K" setting on the white balance dial. Having spent (and wasted) time with many cameras trying to match white balance - on the run and in controlled settings - I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to dial in the color temperature.

Much has been said, myself included, about the viewfinder not being up to the camera. In terms of resolution, that is true. But if the color of the finder is matched as closely as possible to the output of the camera, you can use it effectively to insure a pleasing look (and avoid "fixing it in post"). And you can read the actual color temperature in the finder and make a note of it for future shooting in the same location.

Now that the HVX has finally emerged, the debate will become more and more heated among the pundits. But, in fact, there isn't all that much difference as far as the general public (the audience, remember them?) is concerned. The Sony is a better "point and shoot" camera, the HVX offers a new generation work flow, the H1 feels (and looks) more like a professional, working camera. But they all produce amazing images that we would have had to pay $100,000 for a few short years ago.

I'm not a Canon guy - I've owned a DVX, which I liked, and several Sonys, which I liked, and last year bought my first Canon, the XL2, which I liked. Point is, they're tools, and everyone needs to pick the hammer that fits best in their own individual hand...

But I digress - that little "K" is one of the (many) small things that makes the H1 the camera of choice for me...

Shannon Rawls · January 24th, 2006, 02:38 PM

Yes....I forgot all about that.

*note to self: remind all my DP's about this feature, it's important*

Never have I seen the ability to "dial in" the White Balance in kelvin increments of 100º each from a range 2800º to 12,000º to match the Hue of a specific lighting situation for a camera this inexpensive.

We all know Daylight is 5600º and Tungsten is 3200º, but to be able to dial above or below those in 100º steps is just sweet!

- ShannonRawls.com

Robert Sanders · January 24th, 2006, 04:17 PM

Why do I have a feeling Birns & Sawyer will be swiping my Visa card this Saturday at their XL-H1 showcase? lol

Nick Hiltgen · January 24th, 2006, 04:45 PM

The only downside of having the ability to dial in kelvin on your white balance is that you may have (in theory of course) someone who swears they can tell the difference between 4300 and 4200 and requests one then the other then ends up trying to make up his or her mind for the next 10 minutes when the correct color temp is 3200. In theory...

Steve Rosen · January 24th, 2006, 06:30 PM

Well, in my case I make those decisions.. and I really like being able to make them easily... I don't think there's a downside to options, you don't have to use them... Just stick out a white card and wait...

I have over $4,000 worth of filters and I use them regularly. In film I use an 812 occasionally to warm up things; sometimes a Chocolate 1, works great with dark skin tones; or a Coral for women; or a warm SoftFX (same as 812 with slight diffusion)... I have a full set (1/4 - 3) of ProMists and Black ProMists.. I do not recall once seeing a DP wait for a suit to decide what filter he or she uses, or what gels to put on the lights.. same thing really...

Nick Hiltgen · January 24th, 2006, 07:14 PM

steve i meant that more as a rant then as an actual draw back to the ability dial in kelvin... I totally dig the option and when i busted it out on set, everyone was impressed.

Shannon Rawls · January 24th, 2006, 07:14 PM

Steve,
I think Nick was just joking. *smile*

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Rosen

I have over $4,000 worth of filters

Shannon = jealous

- Shan

Steve Rosen · January 24th, 2006, 10:00 PM

Nick: I thought you were kidding, but people may think that some of the bells and whistles are superfluous - because some of them are...

Shannon: I've been collecting filters for a lot of years.. I have 3 polarizers, for instance, because I needed different sizes for different matte boxes.. But filters are getting to be like Spectra exposure meters - something you pull out at wrap parties and mournfully say "I remember when...". The great thing about the more sophisticated cameras is that you can dial in almost everything but diffusion.

However, I do not like to add filters in post, especially with HDV, where the less f___king with the image the better... That's why the ability to chose my look, and repeat it, while shooting has become so important to me...

Johan Forssblad · January 25th, 2006, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shannon Rawls

Never have I seen the ability to "dial in" the friggin' White Balance in kelvin increments of 100º each from a range 2800º to 12,000º to match the Hue of a specific lighting situation for a camera this inexpensive.
- ShannonRawls.com

Great function. Another function on the wishlist for next Christmas: Why not show the actual color temperature in Kelvin too? I mean when you use the white card and you read in the white balance. The camera today signals with some kind of bar when it is tuned. Why not display the actual setting and you could then be able to check it for difficult mixed situations or tweak it a little up or down from that number by using the manual K setting. But you cannot get it all ...

Steve Rosen · January 25th, 2006, 09:59 AM

Johan, good idea.. I was thinking it would be nice if you could chose, in the menu, to have a preset white balance "hold" when you switch to "K" so you could check it and/or tweak it... you're idea's just as good and much easier for the folks at Canon to impliment...

Also, when I said that some bells and whistles are superfluous, I was specifically referring to "Film Grain" on the XL2 - That is probably the stupidist thing I've ever seen - it goes with the old thinking that film is somehow worse looking than video because it crawls with grain...

January 24th, 2006, 01:43 PM	#1
Steve Rosen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Monterey, California Posts: 895	My (new) favorite feature Something that hasn't been talked about much, a feature which I have become adicted to, is that little "K" setting on the white balance dial. Having spent (and wasted) time with many cameras trying to match white balance - on the run and in controlled settings - I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to dial in the color temperature. Much has been said, myself included, about the viewfinder not being up to the camera. In terms of resolution, that is true. But if the color of the finder is matched as closely as possible to the output of the camera, you can use it effectively to insure a pleasing look (and avoid "fixing it in post"). And you can read the actual color temperature in the finder and make a note of it for future shooting in the same location. Now that the HVX has finally emerged, the debate will become more and more heated among the pundits. But, in fact, there isn't all that much difference as far as the general public (the audience, remember them?) is concerned. The Sony is a better "point and shoot" camera, the HVX offers a new generation work flow, the H1 feels (and looks) more like a professional, working camera. But they all produce amazing images that we would have had to pay $100,000 for a few short years ago. I'm not a Canon guy - I've owned a DVX, which I liked, and several Sonys, which I liked, and last year bought my first Canon, the XL2, which I liked. Point is, they're tools, and everyone needs to pick the hammer that fits best in their own individual hand... But I digress - that little "K" is one of the (many) small things that makes the H1 the camera of choice for me...

January 24th, 2006, 02:38 PM	#2
Shannon Rawls Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 853	Yes....I forgot all about that. note to self: remind all my DP's about this feature, it's important Never have I seen the ability to "dial in" the White Balance in kelvin increments of 100º each from a range 2800º to 12,000º to match the Hue of a specific lighting situation for a camera this inexpensive. We all know Daylight is 5600º and Tungsten is 3200º, but to be able to dial above or below those in 100º steps is just sweet! - ShannonRawls.com __________________ Shannon W. Rawls ~ Motion Picture Producer & huge advocate of Digital Acquisition. Last edited by Shannon Rawls; January 24th, 2006 at 03:38 PM.

January 24th, 2006, 04:17 PM	#3
Robert Sanders Starway Pictures Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Studio City Posts: 581	Why do I have a feeling Birns & Sawyer will be swiping my Visa card this Saturday at their XL-H1 showcase? lol __________________ http://www.starwaypictures.com http://starwaypictures.blogspot.com/

January 24th, 2006, 04:45 PM	#4
Nick Hiltgen Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,427	The only downside of having the ability to dial in kelvin on your white balance is that you may have (in theory of course) someone who swears they can tell the difference between 4300 and 4200 and requests one then the other then ends up trying to make up his or her mind for the next 10 minutes when the correct color temp is 3200. In theory... __________________ I have a dream that one day canon will release a 35mm ef to xl adapter and I'll have iris control and a 35mm dof of all my ef lenses, and it will be awesome...

January 24th, 2006, 07:14 PM	#6
Nick Hiltgen Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,427	steve i meant that more as a rant then as an actual draw back to the ability dial in kelvin... I totally dig the option and when i busted it out on set, everyone was impressed. __________________ I have a dream that one day canon will release a 35mm ef to xl adapter and I'll have iris control and a 35mm dof of all my ef lenses, and it will be awesome...

January 24th, 2006, 06:30 PM	#5
Steve Rosen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Monterey, California Posts: 895	Well, in my case I make those decisions.. and I really like being able to make them easily... I don't think there's a downside to options, you don't have to use them... Just stick out a white card and wait... I have over $4,000 worth of filters and I use them regularly. In film I use an 812 occasionally to warm up things; sometimes a Chocolate 1, works great with dark skin tones; or a Coral for women; or a warm SoftFX (same as 812 with slight diffusion)... I have a full set (1/4 - 3) of ProMists and Black ProMists.. I do not recall once seeing a DP wait for a suit to decide what filter he or she uses, or what gels to put on the lights.. same thing really...

January 24th, 2006, 10:00 PM	#8
Steve Rosen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Monterey, California Posts: 895	Nick: I thought you were kidding, but people may think that some of the bells and whistles are superfluous - because some of them are... Shannon: I've been collecting filters for a lot of years.. I have 3 polarizers, for instance, because I needed different sizes for different matte boxes.. But filters are getting to be like Spectra exposure meters - something you pull out at wrap parties and mournfully say "I remember when...". The great thing about the more sophisticated cameras is that you can dial in almost everything but diffusion. However, I do not like to add filters in post, especially with HDV, where the less f___king with the image the better... That's why the ability to chose my look, and repeat it, while shooting has become so important to me...

January 25th, 2006, 09:59 AM	#10
Steve Rosen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Monterey, California Posts: 895	Johan, good idea.. I was thinking it would be nice if you could chose, in the menu, to have a preset white balance "hold" when you switch to "K" so you could check it and/or tweak it... you're idea's just as good and much easier for the folks at Canon to impliment... Also, when I said that some bells and whistles are superfluous, I was specifically referring to "Film Grain" on the XL2 - That is probably the stupidist thing I've ever seen - it goes with the old thinking that film is somehow worse looking than video because it crawls with grain...

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