Picture Profile Recipes

[David C. Williams]

Using -3db will reduce your dynamic range by @ 5% up top, so you loose more highlight detail in the roll off at the top of the gamma curve. This could be fine if everything is dark, but in high contrast with people in and out of stage lighting your sacrificing a lot of skin detail.
It's hard to judge from vimeo, but the skin tones look pretty flat to my eye.

[Michael Power]

Luis Reggiardo - I'm curious to know if you or anyone out there shooting with a 35mm lens adapter has bumped the detail settings up.

I've been using the Bill Ravens settings and they deliver exactly as described - maxing the range in sunny and cloudy conditions, great.

But they decrease contrast, right, and between this and the inevitable softening of image because of the adapter's extra glass, I was wondering if increasing detail would counterbalance this in some small degree. I haven't experimented with this but am curious to know if anyone else has?

Thanks

[Bob Hart]

I don't increase detail in-camera however I have added between 15 points and 25 points of sharpen in post depending on how complex the image is.

More in-camera detail may result in a "softer" image if groundglass grain "noise" plus any gain noise in the image, causes the codec to shed detail to maintain frame rate, so you may not end up any furthur ahead.

[Leonard Levy]

I've been using 35mm adapters for years with the Ex-1 and and the HVX200.
I generally run the detail a bit higher when using the adapter.
On an EX that might mean only as high 0 rather than well into the minus numbers.
Its individual choice though and depends on whether you do your own post. Good monitoring helps to make your decision but detail is always tricky to judge.

I can't comment on the pros or cons of adding detail in post rather than in the camera.

[Oliver Horn]

Woah, there's a hell of a lot of info on this thread, so much so that I can't really find the answer I want so I'll throw it straight out to the floor:
I need a simple, neutral, colour accurate profile for shooting the video look (corporate, etc) which retains the highlights and is clean enough in the shadows and doesn't really need any post correction. (Don't want much really do I?!)
I've played around with lots of settings and generally got into a total muddle.
I don't think I need the Cine settings, and I seem to remember someone stating that STD 2 is 'broadcast safe'.
Simple question, no doubt many answers, all thoughts gratefully received.
Regards,
Oliver.

[Bruce Rawlings]

Get Vortex Media EX1 DVD it gives ideal settings for most situations.

[Paul Cronin]

Agree with Bruce buy the Vortex Media EX1 DVD. The DVD is worth the money with great insight into not only the Picture Profile but everything you need to know for putting the camera to work.

[William Graydon]

would vortex media also be suitable for someone who is doing a lot of narrative stuff short films, features etc. nothing that needs to broadcast spec?


and or any pp that have worked in the past for a film look?

[Ian Campbell]

Hi, William . . .

Yes, the Vortex DVD for your camera - regardless of whether you are doing news, sports, short films, documentaries, conferences, etc. - is one of the best investments you'll likely make for your EX cam. Vortex doesn't give advice on anything other than how to get the most out of your camera. You can use the advice to help strengthen your narrative work - or any genre style you shoot with your camera. The Vortex EX1 video runs for about 3 hrs. in length - it's comprehensive and very easy to follow. For me, it continues to offer the best advice, tips-and-tricks, and all good things to get the most from my Sony XDCAM EX.

Hope this helps.

Ian

[Alister Chapman]

I have been noticing more and more a slight Yellow/Green color cast to the standard Sony cameras. I have come up with some changes to the matrix settings that will remove it.
This is a subtle change but really helps with skin tones, stopping on screen talent from looking ill! These settings work in the PMW-350, EX1/3 and PDW-700.

On an EX1/EX3 this works best with the Standard Matrix, On a PMW-350 or PDW-700 you can use it on it's own or mix it with one of the preset matrices as a modifier. User Matrix On, R-G 0, R-B +5, G-R -6, G-B +8, B-R -15, B-G -9

[Vincent Oliver]

I presume you calibrate and profile your monitor on a regular basis? Colours can drift in a very short time, more so with CRT than LCD screens. I use a Spyder Pro at least once a week justy to keep things as accurate as possible.

[Alister Chapman]

Yes I do. This new profile has come about after seeing my footage in various screening situations. Do remember vincent that computer monitors have different gammas to video monitors.

[Dave Morrison]

Vincent, I hope you're using a Spyder2 calibrator. The original had a lot of "issues".

[Vincent Oliver]

No, Dave I am using the Spyder 3. I also use a Gretag i-one amongst others which are knocking about the studio. I re-callibrate every other day.

Here is a link to my short review of the Spyder 3

Spyder 3 review

[Dave Morrison]

Every other day??? What kind of monitor are you using?