HPX250: Picture VERY soft

[DinaM]

I bought this camera a couple of months ago, upgrading from an HPX170. I am very unhappy with the picture quality.

I do more documentary work, so, it's been talking heads with a Rifa soft box light and (2) Lowel tota lights. The Iris is anywhere from open to about 2.8 the most. The Shutter is off.

I'm shooting 1080 30pn. I've used 1920 AVC I 100 and AVC I 50.

I've used scene file 1 untouched. I'ved played with the detail setting. Turned Skin tone off.

Everything looks good n the Viewfinder. Just soft when I transfer it to FCP 7 in Apple Pro Res HQ. I have to add the sharpening filter.

I've combed this thread looking for scene files. Not finding anything. I can't find Barry's book anywhere.

Can someone offer assistance?

Will setting the Master Ped at -10 help?

Should I increase both detail and vertical detail? What is a good coring value if I increase the details to +2 or +3?

The Camera has also been looked at by a repair shop and passed inspection.

[ggrantly]

I'm guessing something has run amok in your log and transfer. Have you tried viewing your footage with a monitor or TV plugged directly into the cam?

G

[DinaM]

Today I played the recorded footage on the card- in the camera- out to a 32" monitor and it looked soft. So, I has nothing to do with log and transfer.

[Barry_Green]

Well clearly there's something wrong, as the HPX250 is a supremely sharp camcorder. Things that could make the picture soft include:

1) shooting at too stopped-down of an iris. You cannot, must not, shoot at anything more than about f/5.6. Shooting at f/11 would make the picture unacceptably soft, you have to keep it to f/4 or more open for the sharpest images.

2) using a cheap filter on the front of the lens. Make sure you don't have some awful "skylight" or "uv" filter in front of your lens, or anything in front of the lens.

3) Shooting in SD mode.

4) Viewing the output in SD; your SDI output might be set to standard def.

There are probably other things that could cause it too, but in general these are the types of "oops" moments that would be more likely to cause soft images.

[DinaM]

1) Not doing that. I rarely go above 2.8 on the Iris.

2) No filter at the moment

3) Not shooting in SD

4) I viewed it out of the HDMI port into a monitor

[DinaM]

SYSTEM SET-UP
System Mode: 1080-59.94i
Rec Signal: Camera
Rec Format: AVC-I 50/30PN (Have also used AVC-I 100/30PN
Camera mode: 30P
Scan Reverse: Off
Aspect Conv: Squeeze
Setup: 7.5%A
PC Mode Select: USB Host

Recording Set-up
Rec Function: Normal
One Shot Time: 1 frm
Interval Time: 1s
Start Delay: off
PreRec Mode: Off
TC Mode: NDF
TCG: Rec Run
TC Preset: >>>>
UB Mode: Frm Rate
UB Preset: >>>

Version: 17.46-00-0.00

Operation: 00077 hours

[DinaM]

And I'm experimenting with this scene file:

VFR: Off
Frame Rate: 30frame
Sync scan type: sec
Synchro Scan: 1/60.0
Detail Level: +2
V Detail Level: 0
Detail Coring: 0
Chroma Level: +3
Chroma Phase: 0
Color Temp Ach: 0
Color temp Bch: 0
Master Ped: -8
A. Iris Level: 0
DRS: Off
DRS Effect: 1
Gamma: Low
Knee: Auto
Matrix: Norm1
Skin Tone Detail: Off
V Detail Freq: Thin
Name Edit: >>>>>

[Barry_Green]

4) I viewed it out of firewire to HDMI

I'm not sure what this means. Firewire as in the 1394 port? That could be a problem... I assume you meant just using the HDMI port, right?

AVCI-50 is kind of awful, I highly recommend avoiding it whenever possible. It is a subsampled 1440x1080 with 4:2:0 color sampling and high compression ratio; AVCI-100 is much better.

I don't see anything else that looks like it's out of place...

You should be able to set that thing in 1080/30pN at AVCI-100, f/4 with the appropriate ND filters, and shoot some trees or something outside and, if properly focused, the results should be crystal clear and razor sharp.

[DinaM]

Sorry! Yes, the HDMI port!

The soft footage I am looking at IS in AVC-I 100. I shot it this week. I've had to do a lot of sharpening/saturating and adding contrast in post. I used Scene 1 in it's original form, except for turning of Skin tone detail. Maybe the Master Ped at +15 was too high? It does look washed out.

I didn't use the scene file I outlined above. That's what I'm experimenting with now. If you think I should tweak anything let me know.

I have the shutter turned off. Having it on made things too dark.

I don't do nature shooting. I do legal work and do lots of run and gun with day in the life footage and interviews with family members. I rarely go outside. I need this to look good indoors.

[Barry_Green]

I was just giving the outside thing as an example, that you should just be able to snap a shot and have it look razor sharp, and we're all familiar with what that type of shot should look like so if you uploaded a frame we might be able to tell if it's normal performance or perhaps what the problem might be...

Your description of the type of work you do fits exactly with what the HPX250 excels at, so it really should be an ideal choice for you, if we can just figure out what the issue might be.

[rzr219]

I also use the HPX for interviews and low light functions. The only time I seem to have an issue is not enough light, however when I shot in 100 I am able to increase my levels enough. Question did you buy this camera new? If not then I would recommend doing a system reset to get everything back to defaults. Also if you are not able to increase your shutter speed as its too dark then there must be a setting way off. I was not able to see the file you uploaded. If all else fails the send it to Panasonic and let them check it out.

[DinaM]

It was bought used from Adorama with maybe 44 hours on it. I brought to a repair shop to have a once over before using it and they felt it was fine. I would imagine Adorama did a system reset. How do you do one?

What do you mean by "When I shot in 100"?

[rzr219]

Sorry, Intra 100 setting at 1080. Use focus in RED and let the camera run in auto. Shoot outside in good light. Then put a screenshot up if it stll seems soft.