expanded focus for the PMW 320

Ronnie Martin · November 13th, 2010, 10:32 AM

Thanks Doug for all you do for us... I completely understand. I have your EX-3/EX-1 DVDs and I will go back and take another look.... I guess all the choices with the scene files and then trying to match the 320 to the Ex-3 and ex-1R is where I am stumped. Your DVDs have a lot of other information aside from the cameras that is very helpful.

Sometimes what stumps me is the simplest setting.. like the "cannot proceed" error. Your video on the Vortex site solved that for me.... just something simple can stop you when you are in the field.

Another thing I noticed on the update video was that the picture profiles you use for the Ex-1 and the Ex-3 cannot be transferred to the EX-1R. That makes it even harder to match all three cameras with the same look. Ex-1R. Ex-3 and PMW 320.

Hopefully, it may be possible to go back a take the individual settings from the ex-1 picture profiles and then add them one by one to both the Ex-1R, and 320. I assume the settings for the Ex-3 picture profiles would work.

Anyway, it will be a fun time matching the three cameras. I really like the Ex-1R right out of the box. I just returned from a trip to Vermont and the out of the box settings gave stunning video. However, I do believe that they could have even been better.

Thanks again for all you do for us Doug

Ronnie Martin
www.dirtracinvideo.com

Ronnie Martin · November 14th, 2010, 08:40 PM

Hello Doug: I like the Picture profile settings that you gave in the Ex-3 DVD as Doug 1. It is possible to get that same look by entering the settings in the Ex-1R manually? What about using the settings in the 320?

Would that be a good place to start matching the three cameras?

Really don't have a clue here.

Thanks

Ronnie
[url=http://www.dirtracingvideo.com]

Doug Jensen · November 15th, 2010, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronnie Martin

Another thing I noticed on the update video was that the picture profiles you use for the Ex-1 and the Ex-3 cannot be transferred to the EX-1R.

Hi Ronnie, first of all, thank you for your kind comments but I am certainly not the only one giving out helpful advice on this forum. A lot of people deserve credit for the time they spend here.

You have kind of misquoted what I say about Picture Profiles in my training DVDs and books. It is true that you can't transfer PP files directly between two different models of camera, but there is absolutely no reason why you can't manually program the exact same paint settings on an EX1, EX1R, and EX3 and have them match. At their core, all three of those cameras are identical under the hood, so what works for one will work for the others.

Those settings may also work on the 320, but since I have never even touched a 320, I can't say for sure. I do know my DOUG-1 settings don't work on a 350 or 500. But I don't know anything about the 320.

Anyway, for reasons I point out in my DVDs, even if you could take pre-made PP settings from someone else and transfer them to your camera via a Camera Data file -- you wouldn't want to. You are much better off programming the PP you want to use by hand. In the case of DOUG-1, that's only about half a dozen settings, so it only takes a couple of minutes.

Ronnie Martin · November 15th, 2010, 08:31 AM

Thanks Doug.... Sorry I didn't mean to misquote you. What I was trying to say is the PPs cannot be transferred from one camera model to another model... Sorry to not only be so uninformed on camera settings, picture profiles, scene files and a whole bunch of other things. That is why your DVDs are so helpful.

So many of us out here are at very different levels when it comes to Video production and cameras. Some have many years of experience and others just a few. I realize that when you make a training DVD it has to be at a point that it is helpful to to the very challenged (like me) while still at the same time offer help to the more advanced.

I have programmed by hand both the Ex-3 and Ex-1R with your Doun 1 settings and they look super. Much better than the standard out of the box settings.

Since the 320 is more like the 350 with the scene files I don't know if they will work with the 320 or not. I will give it a try and see what happens. Since I like the look of those settings I at least will have a good place to start.

Thanks again for your help

Ronnie
Page 1

Dan Crowell · November 15th, 2010, 08:41 PM

Ronnie,

Don't know if you tried setting the RET assignable switch to focus mag or not, but just wanted pass along that even though my 350's manual also states it does not retain the setting after the camera has been powered off. With the stock lens it should retain the setting. Mine does....

Getting back to scene files for the 320. I took a quick look at the EX-3 manual to see what picture profile settings that may be similar to the 320's paint settings. Try starting with Hyper Gamma # 2 on the 320 and cine gamma # 2 on the EX-3. It looks like those curves may be similar, or at least trying to achieve the same effect. Personally,on the 320 I use the the hyper gamma # 2, detail -8, black gamma -30, Master black -3 to 10 depending on the situation. Let me know if they're any where close. I'm going to be in the market for an EX-3 or EX-1R in the next few months.

Ronnie Martin · November 16th, 2010, 12:35 PM

Hello Dan: Your info is just what I have been looking for. A place to start... I currently have the ex1-R,ex-3 and the 320.. I put 140 hours on the ex-3 last year. If you already have the 320 I would opt for the ex-1r unless you need the removable lens on the ex-3. My first camera in the Ex- line was the original ex-1. Since I shoot racing video hand held for periods of up to 4 hours at a stint I traded the ex-1 for a ex-3 simply searching for more comfortable ergonomics. My right shoulder and wrist really hurt after about an hour with the ex-1. The ex-3 was a little better but not the complete solution. I bought a shoulder brace from Westside video and it helped a great deal. The Ex1R that I recently purchased was as a back up camera in a smaller package that I could use hand held. The Ex-1R out of the box to me is just as comfortable as the Ex-3 out of the box. Now that the ex-1R has most all of the inputs and outputs plus most of the features of the 3, I think that it is the most bang for the buck. The only thing I miss on the R is the excellent view finder on the 3.

Up until this point I have never had the lens off the 3 and it is going on 3 years old.

Back on topic....As you said I set the ret button for the expanded focus and unless it goes away when I remove the battery, it has remained on when switching the camera off and on. I have not removed the battery at this point.

Thanks again for your recommendations on settings..... I will give them a try... BTW did you save the settings as a scene file?

Thanks

Ronnie

Victor Matos · November 16th, 2010, 04:39 PM

Hey Doug, I have a EX1R and had a two camera shoot with a EX1. We copied the EX1 cam settings & PP to a SXS card and transferred to my EX1R with no issues. Or I think no issues that I saw. Are you saying there's some info that won't transfer correctly?

Thanks for the help.

Doug Jensen · November 16th, 2010, 05:31 PM

Hi Victor.

To be honest, the only time I ever tried to transfer a Camera Data file between my EX1 and EX1R was almost a year ago in December 09. At that time it definitely did not work. However, both cameras have had firmware updates since then, and it is possible that problem has been fixed. I sold my EX1R a couple of months ago so I cannot test it myself today. If you say that you have successfully transfered files between an EX1 and EX1R then I believe you. And I wouldn't worry about whether all the settings transferred or not. I'm sure that if it appeared to work, then everything probably transferred just fine.

Thanks for the update. I have trouble keeping up on all the changes that keep coming down the pike.

Dan Crowell · November 17th, 2010, 06:49 PM

Ronnie,

Thanks for the advise. I've shoot a lot with hand held cameras, so I'm very up to speed on the down sides of shooting with hand-helds. In fact a few years ago, I hadn't used a full size camera for at least three or four years prior. Then I did a project where I was using a couple of XDCAMs and at that point I told my self, "no more hand-helds as primary camera". Even though the EX-3 looked like the cheaper answer, I held out. It took a while, but now I' have a PMW-350 & 320. The reason I'm looking at an EX-1 or 3 is for underwater. Presently I have a Z7 for underwater mainly because Amphibico (a company I have a long relationship with) didn't make an underwater housing for the EX-1.Some sort of remote control issues. And, it can be an issue shooting for networks like Net-Geo who don't like HDV. Last year Amphibico came out with an EX-3 housing, but the way I look at it is, why use an EX-3, or for that matter, a 320 when the smaller package EX-1 has the same image sensors? (In the water the cameras don't weigh much). Other companies make housing for EX-1s but, they don't have all the options I'd like to have in an underwater housing. In any case, I wish Amphibico would just make an EX-1 housing, and life would be good......for me! The 350 is a kick-ass camera and the 320 is soooo close in imade. I'm almost sorry for spending the extra cash for the 350. But yes, I can see a big difference in depth of field and general image quality between the two, albeit ever so slight.

November 13th, 2010, 10:32 AM	#16
Ronnie Martin Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Brandon, Ms 39042 USA Posts: 159	Thanks Doug for all you do for us... I completely understand. I have your EX-3/EX-1 DVDs and I will go back and take another look.... I guess all the choices with the scene files and then trying to match the 320 to the Ex-3 and ex-1R is where I am stumped. Your DVDs have a lot of other information aside from the cameras that is very helpful. Sometimes what stumps me is the simplest setting.. like the "cannot proceed" error. Your video on the Vortex site solved that for me.... just something simple can stop you when you are in the field. Another thing I noticed on the update video was that the picture profiles you use for the Ex-1 and the Ex-3 cannot be transferred to the EX-1R. That makes it even harder to match all three cameras with the same look. Ex-1R. Ex-3 and PMW 320. Hopefully, it may be possible to go back a take the individual settings from the ex-1 picture profiles and then add them one by one to both the Ex-1R, and 320. I assume the settings for the Ex-3 picture profiles would work. Anyway, it will be a fun time matching the three cameras. I really like the Ex-1R right out of the box. I just returned from a trip to Vermont and the out of the box settings gave stunning video. However, I do believe that they could have even been better. Thanks again for all you do for us Doug Ronnie Martin www.dirtracinvideo.com __________________ Ronnie Martin Kato Video

November 14th, 2010, 08:40 PM	#17
Ronnie Martin Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Brandon, Ms 39042 USA Posts: 159	Hello Doug: I like the Picture profile settings that you gave in the Ex-3 DVD as Doug 1. It is possible to get that same look by entering the settings in the Ex-1R manually? What about using the settings in the 320? Would that be a good place to start matching the three cameras? Really don't have a clue here. Thanks Ronnie [url=http://www.dirtracingvideo.com] __________________ Ronnie Martin Kato Video

November 15th, 2010, 08:31 AM	#19
Ronnie Martin Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Brandon, Ms 39042 USA Posts: 159	Thanks Doug.... Sorry I didn't mean to misquote you. What I was trying to say is the PPs cannot be transferred from one camera model to another model... Sorry to not only be so uninformed on camera settings, picture profiles, scene files and a whole bunch of other things. That is why your DVDs are so helpful. So many of us out here are at very different levels when it comes to Video production and cameras. Some have many years of experience and others just a few. I realize that when you make a training DVD it has to be at a point that it is helpful to to the very challenged (like me) while still at the same time offer help to the more advanced. I have programmed by hand both the Ex-3 and Ex-1R with your Doun 1 settings and they look super. Much better than the standard out of the box settings. Since the 320 is more like the 350 with the scene files I don't know if they will work with the 320 or not. I will give it a try and see what happens. Since I like the look of those settings I at least will have a good place to start. Thanks again for your help Ronnie Page 1 __________________ Ronnie Martin Kato Video

November 16th, 2010, 12:35 PM	#21
Ronnie Martin Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Brandon, Ms 39042 USA Posts: 159	Hello Dan: Your info is just what I have been looking for. A place to start... I currently have the ex1-R,ex-3 and the 320.. I put 140 hours on the ex-3 last year. If you already have the 320 I would opt for the ex-1r unless you need the removable lens on the ex-3. My first camera in the Ex- line was the original ex-1. Since I shoot racing video hand held for periods of up to 4 hours at a stint I traded the ex-1 for a ex-3 simply searching for more comfortable ergonomics. My right shoulder and wrist really hurt after about an hour with the ex-1. The ex-3 was a little better but not the complete solution. I bought a shoulder brace from Westside video and it helped a great deal. The Ex1R that I recently purchased was as a back up camera in a smaller package that I could use hand held. The Ex-1R out of the box to me is just as comfortable as the Ex-3 out of the box. Now that the ex-1R has most all of the inputs and outputs plus most of the features of the 3, I think that it is the most bang for the buck. The only thing I miss on the R is the excellent view finder on the 3. Up until this point I have never had the lens off the 3 and it is going on 3 years old. Back on topic....As you said I set the ret button for the expanded focus and unless it goes away when I remove the battery, it has remained on when switching the camera off and on. I have not removed the battery at this point. Thanks again for your recommendations on settings..... I will give them a try... BTW did you save the settings as a scene file? Thanks Ronnie __________________ Ronnie Martin Kato Video

November 16th, 2010, 05:31 PM	#23
Doug Jensen Vortex Media Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,415	Hi Victor. To be honest, the only time I ever tried to transfer a Camera Data file between my EX1 and EX1R was almost a year ago in December 09. At that time it definitely did not work. However, both cameras have had firmware updates since then, and it is possible that problem has been fixed. I sold my EX1R a couple of months ago so I cannot test it myself today. If you say that you have successfully transfered files between an EX1 and EX1R then I believe you. And I wouldn't worry about whether all the settings transferred or not. I'm sure that if it appeared to work, then everything probably transferred just fine. Thanks for the update. I have trouble keeping up on all the changes that keep coming down the pike. __________________ Vortex Media http://www.vortexmedia.com/ Sony FS7, F55, and XDCAM training videos, field guides, and other production tools

November 15th, 2010, 08:41 PM	#20
Dan Crowell Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Brick, New Jersey Posts: 47	Ronnie, Don't know if you tried setting the RET assignable switch to focus mag or not, but just wanted pass along that even though my 350's manual also states it does not retain the setting after the camera has been powered off. With the stock lens it should retain the setting. Mine does.... Getting back to scene files for the 320. I took a quick look at the EX-3 manual to see what picture profile settings that may be similar to the 320's paint settings. Try starting with Hyper Gamma # 2 on the 320 and cine gamma # 2 on the EX-3. It looks like those curves may be similar, or at least trying to achieve the same effect. Personally,on the 320 I use the the hyper gamma # 2, detail -8, black gamma -30, Master black -3 to 10 depending on the situation. Let me know if they're any where close. I'm going to be in the market for an EX-3 or EX-1R in the next few months.

November 16th, 2010, 04:39 PM	#22
Victor Matos Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Edgewood, KY Posts: 40	Hey Doug, I have a EX1R and had a two camera shoot with a EX1. We copied the EX1 cam settings & PP to a SXS card and transferred to my EX1R with no issues. Or I think no issues that I saw. Are you saying there's some info that won't transfer correctly? Thanks for the help.

November 17th, 2010, 06:49 PM	#24
Dan Crowell Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Brick, New Jersey Posts: 47	Ronnie, Thanks for the advise. I've shoot a lot with hand held cameras, so I'm very up to speed on the down sides of shooting with hand-helds. In fact a few years ago, I hadn't used a full size camera for at least three or four years prior. Then I did a project where I was using a couple of XDCAMs and at that point I told my self, "no more hand-helds as primary camera". Even though the EX-3 looked like the cheaper answer, I held out. It took a while, but now I' have a PMW-350 & 320. The reason I'm looking at an EX-1 or 3 is for underwater. Presently I have a Z7 for underwater mainly because Amphibico (a company I have a long relationship with) didn't make an underwater housing for the EX-1.Some sort of remote control issues. And, it can be an issue shooting for networks like Net-Geo who don't like HDV. Last year Amphibico came out with an EX-3 housing, but the way I look at it is, why use an EX-3, or for that matter, a 320 when the smaller package EX-1 has the same image sensors? (In the water the cameras don't weigh much). Other companies make housing for EX-1s but, they don't have all the options I'd like to have in an underwater housing. In any case, I wish Amphibico would just make an EX-1 housing, and life would be good......for me! The 350 is a kick-ass camera and the 320 is soooo close in imade. I'm almost sorry for spending the extra cash for the 350. But yes, I can see a big difference in depth of field and general image quality between the two, albeit ever so slight.