How to adjust color in post to match EX1?

[Lor]

Please feel free to move this thread to the correct forum.

I've read that the EX1 LCD screen does have more saturation that the actual footage. If this is true, does anyone know how much more? What I'm trying to do is matching my post footage to what's showing on my EX1 LCD screen. It seems that when I play the exact footage from my Avid MC software, the footage looks sort of washed out and not vibrant as showing on the EX1 LCD screen anymore.

Any suggestion to correct this is appreciated.

[MitchLewis]

This opens a big can of worms. :)

What are you using to monitor the footage? Maybe it's your monitor and not the footage?

One "solution" would be to eyeball it and set up a color correction setting that matches the LCD screen, but I think this is a mistake.

Personally, I would suggest that you simply use the LCD screen as a confidence monitor. You can check that the color looks close and more importantly, using zebras or the histogram, your exposure is set correctly. Then when you are ready to post, you can adjust the footage as you see fit.

The reason I say this opens up a big can of worms is that the current state of reference monitors is a bit of a mess. Unless you want to spend big $$$ on one of the pro reference monitors from Sony, Panasonic, JVC, TVLogic, etc..., you'll just be guessing that things are correct. Instead, I would recommend getting familiar with the scopes provided with your editing software. Things like the "skin tone line" on a vectorscope and other color reference points will provide a more stable way of "correcting" your footage and trusting a monitor. Use the monitor (viewfinder or studio monitor) to get things close. Then try and make it perfect (if you so desire) using your scopes.

In summary, the EX1 LCD is a very good screen though and I use it to check color and exposure in the field, but I always do my fine tuning using scopes when I'm editing. Hope this helps! :)

[Lor]

Thanks for the response. Yes, I realized that this color washed issue could be a number of issues. But my basic question is, if the EX1 LCD screen does add some saturation, how much? If not, then, yes I'll puruse other alternatvies. I want to find out how color biased the EX1 LCD screen is first.

[MitchLewis]

With my editing equipment, the LCD screen (EX3) is very similar to our studio monitor. But I still add saturation (Magic Bullet Looks) to the majority of our projects.

[Lor]

Thanks. Approximately how much do add saturation back in post?

[MitchLewis]

I though you might ask that.... I usually do one of two things (or sometimes both)

1) Add a Magic Bullet Looks effect, like one of the warming looks (this doesn't answer your question)
2) Add the 3-way Color Corrector in Final Cut Pro and then.....adjust black level and white level first, and then if necessary, add a "bit" of saturation keeping an eye on the vectorscope so I don't go outside the bounds. (this doesn't answer your question either)
3) Use Color Finesse in After Effects. Adjust black and white levels first and then if necessary, add a "bit" of saturation keeping an eye on the vectorscope so I don't go outside the bounds (this doesn't answer your question either)

I think you're looking for someone to tell you that if you bump saturation up 4 notches using the Super Super Saturation plug-in, then it will match the LCD screen. I'm sorry, but I just don't have that info for you. :)

[Lor]

Thanks, Mitch!:)
I got the jist of it. I'll make sure to use the vectorscope to try some of my footage based on your suggestions.

[MitchLewis]

Believe it or not, adjusting the black and white levels FIRST (using the waveform monitor) makes the biggest difference. Sometimes I don't even mess with saturation.

If you want to blow your mind, do a search for free Apple Color tutorials. That's where you can do some serious color grading using scopes and such. Color Finesse is also in the same league if you use After Effects.

[Lor]

Again, thanks! I don't use FCP and Magic Bullet plugins but I do use Avid MC and AE. I'll try to search for the Color Finess.

[MitchLewis]

Cool. Color Finess comes free with After Effect (I think boh CS2 and CS3 versions). It's made by Synthetic Aperture. There's a great couple of tutorials available here:

http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/65/855588
http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/65/855607

That's how I learned how to use it.

[Nik Manning]

Is there away to just dial down the saturation of the monitor? That would seem to be the best way to start.