C200: Apple releases Final Cut Pro X with support for Canon Raw Light

AndreeOnline said:
Now that I've had time to install the plugin for FCPX, it seems the .crm files look identical in FCPX as in Resolve, and FCPX auto senses them as Canon Log 2. I'm guessing then that Resolve too defaults to Canon Log 2. That's good to know and I haven't been sure that was the case.
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Can you manually change the C-Log 2 LUT to C-Log 3 if you don't want the additional noise in the darks?
 
puredrifting said:
Can you manually change the C-Log 2 LUT to C-Log 3 if you don't want the additional noise in the darks?
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FCPX only seems to offer Log to Rec. 709 transforms built in right now. In Resolve you have the Color Transform node which is very nice: you specify what gamut and gamma you have and then you can chose from a large number of 'output' options (BMD, RED, Arri, Canon and other standard transforms and color spaces).

Yesterday I was thinking I could bake a few LUTs for you in Resolve that you could use in FCPX, but after testing it seems the OFX nodes get skipped on LUT export so it didn't work.

In your case you'd want a Canon Cinema Gamut/Canon Log 2 ----> Canon Cinema Gamut/Canon Log 3 transform. If this was acting on raw data it would be non-destructive.

But I think it should be very doable to just load the Log 2 file as is, and then apply standard corrections with the new color and curve tools, and then save it off as a quick preset in FCPX. Then you'd easily be able to add a bit of contrast back and lower the black point. I think that's the easiest method for now.

But seeing as Canon Log 3 also would need further grading normally... is there a special reason you'd want to start at that point, or is it that you need to deliver Canon Log 3 to someone else?
 
AndreeOnline said:
FCPX only seems to offer Log to Rec. 709 transforms built in right now. In Resolve you have the Color Transform node which is very nice: you specify what gamut and gamma you have and then you can chose from a large number of 'output' options (BMD, RED, Arri, Canon and other standard transforms and color spaces).

Yesterday I was thinking I could bake a few LUTs for you in Resolve that you could use in FCPX, but after testing it seems the OFX nodes get skipped on LUT export so it didn't work.

In your case you'd want a Canon Cinema Gamut/Canon Log 2 ----> Canon Cinema Gamut/Canon Log 3 transform. If this was acting on raw data it would be non-destructive.

But I think it should be very doable to just load the Log 2 file as is, and then apply standard corrections with the new color and curve tools, and then save it off as a quick preset in FCPX. Then you'd easily be able to add a bit of contrast back and lower the black point. I think that's the easiest method for now.

But seeing as Canon Log 3 also would need further grading normally... is there a special reason you'd want to start at that point, or is it that you need to deliver Canon Log 3 to someone else?
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It has been mentioned in this thread and I have seen in my own tests that Log 3 just has much less noise in the darks, that's it. I know Log 2 has more DR so it's a trade off.
 
puredrifting said:
It has been mentioned in this thread and I have seen in my own tests that Log 3 just has much less noise in the darks, that's it. I know Log 2 has more DR so it's a trade off.
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I see. But earlier in the thread we could read this observation:

fhammond said:
What's interesting is that both files [Log 2 and Log 3] will look exactly the same with the LUTs applied. Even the noise in the shadows - which definitely looks different with the LUTs turned off - looks exactly (even at 200%) with the LUTs on.
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I don't feel you have anything to lose by just importing the .crm, turn off the auto LUT from FCPX and grade from that. By bringing the black levels back down to Canon Log 3 level, the noise should follow?

Do you have a clip you could share that we could discuss around?
 
Does Canon Log 2 have more noise in the shadows for the C200? Are you basing that on the C300 II results?

My understanding is that each clog profile has its own noise reduction profile built in during recording. Since the Canon RAW is basically its own picture profile, wouldn't the noise reduction look the same no matter what transform you use in post? I have no idea since I still don't understand what Canon is doing with this "RAW lite" codec/profile.
 
When I did my own tests when I first bought the C200, the CLog 2 images looked noisier to me than the CLog 3 images. But those were very informal tests, not shot under controlled, repeatable circumstances. As soon as I finish the edit I am on for the next week or two, I am downloading 10.4 and the plug-in and I will shoot some more controlled tests with charts, lighting, etc. to get to the bottom of this. I know in my recent experience shooting REDCODE with the 6K Weapon, I was surprised at how much noise was in the image at ISO 800, 1200 and especially 1600, not a low light camera system at all. The C200 is much better in that respect and personally, I don't mind a little organic looking noise but I don't like when everything just looks soft and mushy because of the excess noise.

In the meantime, anyone who has downloaded 10.4 and the plug in who has a C200, please run some tests on this and we can compare results. I'm editing a project for a new client, high pressure, crazy deadline and I am not comfortable updating FCP X in the middle of an edit so this will have to wait a few weeks for me unfortunately, which is killing me because I am curious and really want to see the differences between the two logs out of FCP X.
 
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puredrifting said:
What are your favorite custom LUTs with C-Log 2 and 3 for FCP X?
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I've had great results using Convergent Design's LUT for Canon LOG2/Cinema Gamut to WDR/709 (Canon_EE_Cin_CL2_WDR.cube). I don't know how FCPX supports .cube LUTs, but most other NLEs do it in a very easy way. I haven't had as good results with Convergent Design's CL3 luts.

https://www.convergent-design.com/preset-luts
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/...reset+LUT+(zip)/Canon_EE_Cin_CL2_WDR.cube.zip
 
Parrot said:
I've had great results using Convergent Design's LUT for Canon LOG2/Cinema Gamut to WDR/709 (Canon_EE_Cin_CL2_WDR.cube). I don't know how FCPX supports .cube LUTs, but most other NLEs do it in a very easy way. I haven't had as good results with Convergent Design's CL3 luts.

https://www.convergent-design.com/preset-luts
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/...reset+LUT+(zip)/Canon_EE_Cin_CL2_WDR.cube.zip
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Thanks for the recommend, I'll give that a try. The new FCP X 10.4 DOES support custom LUT import so rock on!
 
Pretty happy with 10.4
No need to transcode on my 2015 MBP. Just need to set "better performance" (at least with 50p 10bit footage. Did not try 25p 12bit). Switch to "better quality" only later for finishing.

But I can't seem to take advantage of the new "white balance" color picker. It works with 4k R3D, Canon stills sequences (5184x3456), 1080 C300mkI. But It doesn't with C200 raw lite footage
Is it your experience as well?
 
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