Is 'detail level' a completely post-effect?

[FatBird19]

I'm trying to minimize the compression artifacts on my footage. I wanted to shoot with -7 detail and I wanted to know if I could use unsharp masks and make the detail look just as good in post as I could by putting the detail level up to +2.

Does 'detail level' do anything to the image other than artificially add sharpening?

[tonyfarley]

I would like to echo this question and ask another: what does the number -7 or zero, or +3 refer to? Why does it go negative? Is negative seven no shapening or is zero? I usually end up doing some sharpening in post, so I would like to only do it once to the best image possible. Should I go to negative seven?

Tony

[TimurCivan]

i shoot -7, knowing i can add edge enhancement in post to my liking.....

-7 is the closest to "Off" you can get. 0 is medium level. +7 is lots of edge enhancement.

[tonyfarley]

Thanks. I'll give that a try.

Tony

[Spartacus]

Trying to find better info of sharpening in post.
Unsharp Mask is to harsh and normal sharpening is so-so.
Any "advanced" ways of sharpening video in post?
Who´s using the Natress plug-ins?

[Eljoninjo]

which program do you do the edge enhancement? Don't you add alot of grain sharpening that much?

[cheezweezl]

shoot +7 if you want sharp. looks way better than any post effect i have seen. anyone who disagrees please show me why...

[Ted Spencer]

Well...because edge enhancement can be really video-ish looking, wherever it's applied. I recently rented the feature film "Lars And The Real Girl" on DVD and the (apparent) edge enhancement was so distracting it nearly drove me nuts. Every contrasting edge - an actor in light clothing against a dark background, or vice-versa, had a thick, opposite shade outline around it. Yuck...

When overused, which an HVX at +7 would almost certainly be, edge enhancement just looks like fake sharpness. Furthermore, if you do it in-camera, that's it - you bought it. If you do it in post, you can fine tune it as needed.

[cheezweezl]

ted, i know the theory and it makes sense on paper but in actuality i don't get a super video-ish image shooting at full detail. to me it looks more like really sharp film footage. i am doing mostly music videos and my clients love the sharp look. i'm all about keeping my options open but i have yet to find a sharpening tool in post that looks as good as the in-cam feature. maybe you can suggest a plugin that will change my mind. i am fcp, ae, ps friendly.

[Eljoninjo]

would be interesting to se some before and after sharpening pictures. from -7 to "post sharped" . It's very soft, don't you get som ringing and noise issues?

[Ted Spencer]

ted, i know the theory and it makes sense on paper but in actuality i don't get a super video-ish image shooting at full detail. to me it looks more like really sharp film footage. i am doing mostly music videos and my clients love the sharp look.

I think image size is a big factor. What looks good on a computer or small screen, or most particularly a YouTube type quality decimation, is one thing. I saw "Lars" on my 42" plasma and Pioneer Elite DVD and the damn edge enhancement took me out of it about 50% of the time. I don't recall ever having that issue with a movie as much before.

As to the relative merits of one way of edge enhancing vs another, I haven't made a definitive comparison to FCP yet, and I don't own AE (yet). I suppose a compromise might be best for you. Dial in a modest amount in camera (maybe 0?) and do the rest in post. That way at least you've got some options.

On the other hand, if you and your clients are happy with what you're doing, well... : )