Using S-log day to day
 

At first I thought that s-log would only benefit me on gigs that I could afford using a colorist, but I am finding uses for it on almost every project. Even though this is not the final color correction, I was delighted to be able to hold some detail in the fountain as compared to our usual REC 709 profiles. The 38% grey was quickly measured off a card using the camera's meter. Basic correction was done with Avid Medial Composer.

Re: Using S-log day to day
 

I've found Slog to be good for most any lighting situation even the most ordinary interior shots. You get a lot more latitude (of course) so you can easily punch up the blacks and have a lot of subtle graduation in the flesh tones and highlights.

If you are going to perform even a primary correction/grade then you should use Slog in my view.

Hitting 38% on the greycard makes it dirt simple and it works.

Re: Using S-log day to day
 

Dang! are you shooting for warner bros?

Re: Using S-log day to day
 

Here is another comparison using s-log and cinegamma 1. Color correction was done within Avid MC.
The first image being s-log. Note how the bright highlights on the machine are holding. It doesn't work for everything, but I'm finding that many common issues can be helped using log.

Re: Using S-log day to day
 

holy smokes at a first glance I thought it was watching a disney movie too !

Did you explain to Daffy Duck or Bugs Bunny you were using a $15,000 video camera with SLOG? What did he/she say?

Re: Using S-log day to day
 

Bugs doesn't sign the checks. I'd be daffy to waste my breathe on him.

Re: Using S-log day to day
 

Chuck, thanks for posting this. My clients want to drag my footage into their timeline without correction. In my Varicam days I used FILM REC and made it so the clients could use the footage as-is.

Is there a way to use SLog that way? Or would Slog always require some correction in post?

thanks,

Tom

Re: Using S-log day to day
 

S-Log will require correction.

You do have the option to record using a LUT in camera which will look more normal if you have purchased the RGB output option.

Re: Using S-log day to day
 

In my experience SLOG will always mostly need some correction, but the correction can be subtle. The lower contrast the scene the flatter the image in post. The higher contrast scenes are less flat and need less correction.

When I say more/less I mean the extent of a small s-curve using curves function. You could provide your client with a few basic curves and tell them to use one of them. All nle systems have this option these days.