FS5 S-log tips and gotchas

[Doug Jensen]

That is all the more reason why you need to have a fool-proof, fast, easy, way of determining the right exposure without guessing. Guessing and second-guessing wastes precious time during the shoot and also later in post to fix inconsistencies. If you learn to expose on reflected whites with zebras, you will instantly be faster and more accurate.

And BTW, S-LOG is much easier to expose than rec709 because it has so much more leeway and dynamic range. If someone can't mostly fix a poorly exposed S-LOG image in post, then they really missed the exposure!

I can't speak about Color Finale because I never used it, but I haven't seen any color correction tools in any NLE that are good enough for grading S-LOG properly. If someone is going to shoot S-LOG they really need to commit to using a dedicated color grading program such as Resolve, Baselight, or similar. The difference is night and day in terms of what you can do and how fast you can do it.

[Nigel Davey]

One way I'm exposing Slog 2 is using a SmallHD 501 monitor and setting one of the screens/profiles for zebras between 0-40 IRE, another screen for 40-70 and the third to 100-109.

If you are familiar with the SmallHD interface you'll know you can quickly flick sideways between all 3 screens. Thus getting a quick look at what will be noisy in the shadows, what should grade well and what will burn out.

If you want to eyeball it (which I know will send Doug crazy;-) you can apply a live LUT on yet another screen.

But I must admit going the SmallHD route is an expensive option and personally I've had quality issues with two of their units, so not all plain sailing.

[Alfred Okocha]

Thanks guys!

I really appreciate it!