Best settings for combining 5D3 and G30?

[multiman]

I recently purchased the new Canon G30, and have a 5D3, and also use a T4i for B-roll... What settings for the three cameras would give me the best combination for the highest image quality?
I'm just not that familiar with the AVCHD and MP4 recording mode choices on the G30.
I will be using a boomed Sennheiser MKH416 for primary audio with a Beachtek pre amp on the camera .
Set up will be mostly for one person interviews using 2-3 cameras with accompanying b-roll footage.
I will be converting files to ProRes and editing in FCP 7.0.3.
Thanks...

 

[joema]

My group has 5D3, HF G10, XA25, and 60D (similar to T4i sensor). There is no simple answer to your question. However you want three items to roughly match:

(1) Color
(2) Exposure
(3) Depth of field

Also you want frame rate and interlace mode to match, else you're having to deinterlace and/or do 3:2 pulldown on some of the footage. I think all your cameras will shoot 1080p/30, so that might be a good option.

Re color, it's best to manually white balance them all before a shot. For run-and-gun stuff you often cannot do this. Even if manually balanced they will still need correcting in post because the sensors are different, but the closer the match out of camera the less correction required.

A easy mistake is having one camera on a different picture profile ("vivid", "neutral", etc) which looks OK on the little LCD but in post is greatly mis-matched to the other cameras. Manually white balance each camera to the same conditions and shoot some test footage with different picture profiles to see which combination gives the best match out of camera. Shooting with a flat profile on DSLRs is popular to increase dynamic range. However you'll have to balance the benefit with effort required to match the camcorder in post.

The exposure is difficult since they use different metering algorithms. Ideally use zebra patterns to the same setting on each camera. The G30 has zebras built in, but the 5D3 and T4i do not. I think Magic Lantern firmware has this, or you can use an external field monitor or EVF with zebras. I use the Zacuto EVF Pro which has zebras.

Depth of field should also roughly match if you're going to intercut a lot. The is tricky since the 5D3 can do very shallow DOF. This looks very cinematic by itself. However in a two-camera interview using the 5D3 & G30, it will look funny to cut between shallow and deep DOF shots. You'll need to deepen the 5D3 or shallow up the G30 as best possible. If an interview, shooting against a black or uniform background can help, since you won't see the background DOF change every time you cut: http://www.learningdslrvideo.com/total-black-background/

Be sure to shoot DSLR video in manual exposure with shutter speed at 2x the frame rate (eg, 1/60th for 30 fps, 1/120th for 60 fps). Otherwise you violate the 180-degree shutter rule and footage can have motion strobing: http://tylerginter.tumblr.com/post/11480534977/180-degree-shutter-learn-it-live-it-love-it

Always do an initial playback test in the field -- on each camera, at each shooting location. Fluorescent lights and ceiling fans can cause strobe effects which are not obvious when shooting but can ruin the entire shot.