A7s sample footage

Thanks, Samuel. I was A/B comparing cyork's frame and went with a slight variation. After exploring LUTs, I found my favourite colour tool, Colorista II, made it quick and simple to work with a7S SLog2. Pick a white balance point with the white balance picker or do so manually on the 3-way, increase saturation by approximately 40-50%, add S-curve in the Master section of Colorista for contrast, then nudge shadow, mids and highlights on one of the 3-ways for colouring the look and balance luma levels on the scopes. I want to learn R11, finding it difficult to get away from Colorista which I have used for years and I've been mostly an editor. I will keep putting in an hour each day on R11, when I finish other editing work.
 
Samuel H said:
I also had to add a lot of saturation. I will shoot with more saturation in-camera than these shots used (i.e. not at minimum, probably one or two notches below the center setting).
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Not looked at the a7S menu controls videos, if any out there. First thought is that PP7/SLog2 parameters would not be adjustable? If possible, great if it works. I was think that using a picture profile, such as SLog2, that one would stay at default for the purpose of consistent LUT application with specific camera profile LUT pre-stacked. No rules, just thoughts. I am thinking along the lines, don't give me too many options in case I mess it up for those further on in the post pro pipe, hehe.
 
Reading the manual, I think there are three different sets of parameters:
* picture profile: normal, slog2, 800%, etc
* creative style: standard, neutral, portrait, etc
* contrast, saturation, sharpening
And you can set any combination of the 3. For example, I will probably shoot slog2, portrait, contrast and saturation midway between center and minimum, and minimum sharpening.

To complicate things further, "picture profile" is not just a setting, but a bunch of settings: black level, gamma, black gamma, knee, mode, color mode, etc. The PP7 sample profile uses slog2 gamma and I think is what people are using so far.
http://helpguide.sony.net/ilc/1420/v1/en/contents/TP0000435736.html

If you want just a few settings to play with, you are in for a nightmare. I love tweaking, and even I think this is overboard.
 
Christopher Barry said:
Not looked at the a7S menu controls videos, if any out there. First thought is that PP7/SLog2 parameters would not be adjustable? If possible, great if it works. I was think that using a picture profile, such as SLog2, that one would stay at default for the purpose of consistent LUT application with specific camera profile LUT pre-stacked. No rules, just thoughts. I am thinking along the lines, don't give me too many options in case I mess it up for those further on in the post pro pipe, hehe.
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Most of the picture profile parameters are still adjustable with the SLOG2 selected as gamma, unlike on the FS700. So you can use SLOG2 and set the color matrix to whatever saturated matrix you want, or leave it in S-Gamut and crank up the Saturation to +32 to get a more normal image. Black gamma works too, but its a pretty slight adjustment. The only settings that seem to be disabled by SLOG2 are black level and knee.
 
Samuel H said:
Reading the manual, I think there are three different sets of parameters:
* picture profile: slog2, etc
* creative style: standard, neutral, portrait, etc
* contrast, saturation, sharpening
And you can set any combination of the 3. For example, I will probably shoot slog2, portrait, contrast and saturation midway between center and minimum, and minimum sharpening.

To complicate things further, "picture profile" is not just a setting, but a bunch of settings: black level, gamma, black gamma, knee, mode, color mode, etc. The PP7 sample profile uses slog2 gamma and I think is what people are using so far.
Click to expand...

I think picture profile is the only adjustment for video, whereas the creative style and contrast adjustments must be for stills, no?
 
I haven't touched an a7s yet, but reading the manual it seems you can play with everything all at once. And I actually want that, I use Portrait on my 5N, not Neutral or Standard.

Picture effect is the one you can't use for video (toy camera, pop color, etc).
 
From playing with these files I think that I would probably use the slog2 as I have used the profiles on the Nikon D800: keeping a close eye on the black-level and contrast, adjusting it for different scenes so that you use a pretty wide spectrum of the 0-255. The A7s looks like it can handle a good amount of DR without big problems but when you don't need it don't use it.
 
from the manual:
ITU709(800%): Gamma curve for confirming scenes on the assumption of shooting using [S-Log2].
S-Log2: Gamma curve for [S-Log2]. This setting is based on the assumption that the picture will be processed after shooting.
Click to expand...

It seems like the 800% curve is meant to be used for pre-monitoring scenes before switching to s-log.
 
Samuel H said:
I haven't touched an a7s yet, but reading the manual it seems you can play with everything all at once. And I actually want that, I use Portrait on my 5N, not Neutral or Standard.

Picture effect is the one you can't use for video (toy camera, pop color, etc).
Click to expand...

WTF! No toy camera picture effect! Deal breaker.
 
Thanks for that Ed. Can't believe how much I love your work - just off the hook. I only skimmed a few pieces but especially stuff with the f35/f3 like your recent haiti piece - to me just the most attractive looking footage at any level.
 
Kind of an incendiary question. Is the A7s better than the GH4 by the margin you were hoping it would be?

I ask this as someone who already returned his GH4.
 
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I think yes...in certain situations the GH4 will just fall apart. They both will actually, but the A7s is more flexible in a lot of situation and, when shot as it is intended, I think the A7s will out perform. If you nail your exposure in S-Log and know how to grade it, I think the image will be stellar in comparison. If you every intend to shoot in darker environments, there is no comparison.
 
RWM,

Thanks for that. Kinda just looking for reassurance / enabling ;)

I'm worried that maybe the GH4's 4K 10 bit out might make a bigger difference when available, but I do trust the more experienced of you here over my own unfounded speculation.
 
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to me its all about dynamic range - and GH4 doesn't have as much as the A7S - 10 bit is nice to have more luminance info and also more control over color but when things blow out and look ugly - that's the deal breaker for me. Also to have that full frame option - it makes it such a good crash cam.
 
eddavid,

More great reasoning. Thanks.

You guys have thoughts on lenses I should get? Since I've been shooting MFT, I have an SLR Magic 12mm and Nikon mount 18-35 Sigma. Obviously the 12mm needs to go... I also have a vintage Nikon 50 1.4 that I'll keep.
 
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