C100: adjusting exposure for C-Log without a gray card?

[Pelican]

I'm just graspong proper exposure using a gray card for shooting C-log. My question is what if a grey card is not an option?
Example: The subject is 100ft away and the lighting is very different in that spot. A gray card next to the camera would not represent the exposure (or color balance) for the subject that is 100ft way. In this case what's the best method of setting the correct exposure for C-log?

 

[RZE]

I'm just graspong proper exposure using a gray card for shooting C-log. My question is what if a grey card is not an option?
Example: The subject is 100ft away and the lighting is very different in that spot. A gray card next to the camera would not represent the exposure (or color balance) for the subject that is 100ft way. In this case what's the best method of setting the correct exposure for C-log?

A calibrated light meter will do the trick even better than the grey card.

 

[Pelican]

I should clarify. I am shooting architectural and landscape and I can't place a light meter where I'm shooting (like over water). In these circumstances, using only the WFM, what's the recommended way of getting the best exposure in IRE for highlights and shadows?

 

[RZE]

I should clarify. I am shooting architectural and landscape and I can't place a light meter where I'm shooting (like over water). In these circumstances, using only the WFM, what's the recommended way of getting the best exposure in IRE for highlights and shadows?

For the best results, you have to overexpose canon log, if you are using nothing but the wave form, I would close the iris first. Blacks will clip at around 10 IRE, then open the iris until lines (that represent and object that is not true black) on the WFM stop bottoming out at 10%, then you know that your recording information in the blacks, but if you want minimal noise then I would continue to increase exposure until the highlights almost clip which is at different places depending on your iso.

Also a light meter is still very useful in those situations, use the spot meter, you have to know the exposure latitude of the ISO and middle grey point that your using then you can spot meter an object in the frame and guesstimate how many stops it is from middle grey and compensate Like black paint on a building should be around 2.5 stops under middle grey if you want detail at middle grey 40% IRE at 850 ISO