1.5.1 Scene Files Question

M

Mabou

Active member
Hi all...
Maybe a couple of questions.
I just completed a long-winded shootout of all six new factory scene files and unfortunately I am not much closer to learning which is the best for various projects. I don't have the technical prowess to scope everything and compare the nuances of one curve vs another... I just want to shoot with a safe scene file that is forgiving in post.... and V-log is just too dramatic for me.

1) Do you know where I might find a list describing the new factory scene files and what each scene is best used for?
2) Which new factory scene files do YOU like best? Why?
3) Any idea which scene file will automatically get me closest to the look of a Canon DSLR? (I need to use the 200 in a two camera shoot with a 5D MK III)
4) Any LUT tables available for the 200 that I can use in FCPX?

Thanks all,
Matt
 
Mabou said:
Hi all...
Maybe a couple of questions.
I just completed a long-winded shootout of all six new factory scene files and unfortunately I am not much closer to learning which is the best for various projects. I don't have the technical prowess to scope everything and compare the nuances of one curve vs another... I just want to shoot with a safe scene file that is forgiving in post.... and V-log is just too dramatic for me.

1) Do you know where I might find a list describing the new factory scene files and what each scene is best used for?
2) Which new factory scene files do YOU like best? Why?
3) Any idea which scene file will automatically get me closest to the look of a Canon DSLR? (I need to use the 200 in a two camera shoot with a 5D MK III)
4) Any LUT tables available for the 200 that I can use in FCPX?

Thanks all,
Matt
Click to expand...

1) Do you know where I might find a list describing the new factory scene files and what each scene is best used for?

I haven't seen anything that gives a detailed description of what each of the factory scene files are. It may be helpful to look at the GAMMA MODE of each of the factory scene files and use this table to try and understand what they were going for:

HD: This is the video gamma feature for [HD]
SD: This increases gain in darker areas more than [HD] does
FILMLIKE1: This feature reproduces highlight areas more than [HD] does
FILMLIKE2: This feature reproduces highlight areas more than [FILMELIKE1] does
FILMLIKE3: This feature reproduces highlight areas more than [FILMELIKE2] does
CINE-LIKE V: This gamma feature creates cinematic images with sharper contrast
CINE-LIKE D: This gamma creates cinematic images

2) Which new factory scene files do YOU like best? Why?

There is really only one new factory scene file and right now it's my favorite. If you goto this link ( http://pro-av.panasonic.net/en/products/ag-dvx200/custom_scene.html ) you can download the scene file. This file contains 6 scenes but SCN4 is the one that you will want to load into you camera. I suggest putting this on your SD card and only bringing in SCN4. In my opinion, of the regular 6 factory scenes, SCN4 is my least favorite so this actually works out well because it will overwrite factory SCN4. That's the only new scene file for 1.51 firmware and higher that's been produced by Panasonic since the firmware upgrade. This may not be the best reason as to why I like this file but it was the look that I was expecting to see on that November day when I took my DVX200 out of the box for the first time. I think it's just an all around nice looking scene. It's meant to mimic the GH4 in what Panasonic refers to as "still-like". I would expect that at some point something will come along that I will like better as an overall good general scene file but for now, this is it.

3) Any idea which scene file will automatically get me closest to the look of a Canon DSLR? (I need to use the 200 in a two camera shoot with a 5D MK III)

I think the above scene file that I'm talking about will get you close. I think its comparable to my Nikon D800 which is kind of similar to the Canon 5D MK III

4) Any LUT tables available for the 200 that I can use in FCPX?

Here is a link to the DVX200 LUT http://pro-av.panasonic.net/en/produ..._dvx200_en.zip

In order to use LUTs with FCPX you'll want to buy something like the LUT Utility program from Color Grading Central for $29. Here is a link to their site http://www.colorgradingcentral.com/lututility Be sure to checkout their video on Vimeo on how to use it https://vimeo.com/77566712
 
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Do you find it difficult to match your D800 to the DVX 200? I shoot shows with 3 D4's and a D800 and am thinking of adding a DVX 200 but I am concerned about being able to match them in post.
 
patrickbaldwin said:
Do you find it difficult to match your D800 to the DVX 200? I shoot shows with 3 D4's and a D800 and am thinking of adding a DVX 200 but I am concerned about being able to match them in post.
Click to expand...
At this time I have not shot anything where I have used both cameras at the same time. What I will say is that with the original firmware, none of the factory scene files were even close. After the 1.51 firmware and the newly released GH4 scene, the first thing that I thought after shooting with that new scene is that the scene looks like what I would expect from my D800. Just how close, that remains to be seen.
 
mapper65 said:
At this time I have not shot anything where I have used both cameras at the same time. What I will say is that with the original firmware, none of the factory scene files were even close. After the 1.51 firmware and the newly released GH4 scene, the first thing that I thought after shooting with that new scene is that the scene looks like what I would expect from my D800. Just how close, that remains to be seen.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much.
 
Hi Mapper, I need to double-check something. (I am still getting up on my feet about scene files). The scene file pack you linked me to, it is all the same scene files as the factory settings except for the upgraded "Sill-Like" scene file 4? If so, then I can just load the entire packet into my camera (since I am using the factory refreshed scene files after the last big firmware update (i.e. "natural") and I don't need to figure out how to do just scene file 4.

Thanks Mapper
 
Mabou said:
Hi Mapper, I need to double-check something. (I am still getting up on my feet about scene files). The scene file pack you linked me to, it is all the same scene files as the factory settings except for the upgraded "Sill-Like" scene file 4? If so, then I can just load the entire packet into my camera (since I am using the factory refreshed scene files after the last big firmware update (i.e. "natural") and I don't need to figure out how to do just scene file 4.

Thanks Mapper
Click to expand...
I honestly don't know if all of the scenes are in fact original factory scenes. It's very easy to load in just SCN4 onto your existing scenes. I forget what file name is in that zip file. Let's just say it's scene7.txt. Once you have that file in the right spot on your SD card, goto SCENE and select LOAD. Select scene7 or scene7.txt and then click on SCN4. It will only load SCN4 into position SCN4 in the camera.
 
Thanks again Mapper. Right you are, pretty easy actually.
Sure wish the scene files and SCN files could get custom names. Ah well, maybe a future firmware update.
 
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