Color Correction vs. Signal Loss
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andy_starbuck
Well-known member
When the scene is well lit, properly exposed, and with a proper white balance, the image the DVX produces is so beautiful that I hate to do anything to it unless I have to match between footage. And that color correction I have to do in post because that's the only time I have the other footage to match up.
When I want a color/detail/gamma effect, then it depends on whether I can commit to the results or whether I think I might have to change them in post. In-camera processing before the image is compressed and encoded produces really high-quality results. But once the images is recorded, I think its really hard to get back to "normal" coloring. Its a direct tradeoff between quality (in-camera) and flexibility (post).
When I want a color/detail/gamma effect, then it depends on whether I can commit to the results or whether I think I might have to change them in post. In-camera processing before the image is compressed and encoded produces really high-quality results. But once the images is recorded, I think its really hard to get back to "normal" coloring. Its a direct tradeoff between quality (in-camera) and flexibility (post).
MovieSwede
Well-known member
I usually shoots with chroma -2 and later add chroma smother and bost rec in post to avoid chromartifacting.
MalcolmOng
Veteran
I shoot as clean as possible at all default f6 settings and then crush the blacks in post. I also white balance all the time, to get as neutral a look as possible. I like the flexibility, and feel that i have more control in post
PaPa
Major Contributor
no at least not for DVD or televisoin playback.
idealy you want to created the " Color Grading " effect with proper lighting techniques, gels and filters.
( Think of night scenes, Very Blue, yet when they enter a source with enough light, their true colours are still saturated. )
But when you dont have the budget, yeah, simple shooting flat and doing EVERYTHINg in post is the way to go
flattest image plain and simple
factory settings on F6, cinelike on both gamma and matrix, Thin, and shoot with a master pedestal of +3.
idealy you want to created the " Color Grading " effect with proper lighting techniques, gels and filters.
( Think of night scenes, Very Blue, yet when they enter a source with enough light, their true colours are still saturated. )
But when you dont have the budget, yeah, simple shooting flat and doing EVERYTHINg in post is the way to go
flattest image plain and simple
factory settings on F6, cinelike on both gamma and matrix, Thin, and shoot with a master pedestal of +3.
EA_Cru_2002
Active member
I've talked to a few D.P.s who have worked in digital and shot on cameras like the DVX and XL2 and they said, surprisingly, that if you're pretty much gonna stay on DVD/TV out, then they have no problems shooting straight and doing the CC in post if they want more flexibility. On a small screen, the loss in signal will be negliable compared to the amount of control you have over the final image. Now if they have a very specific image in mind, then yeah, they do it in camera. But if they aren't sure, or if the director isn't sure of the exact image he wants when he's shooting it, they have no qualms with shooting it "straight."
As a sidenote, each of them also corrected me when I used the word "flat" to them. "Flat" implies dead, lifeless. Flat makes it sound like you're goal is to suppress color and light flat. They rather use the word "straight" where the goal is to light with no (or as little) underexposed/overexposed portions in your frame. You want to light your scene in a way that is as dramatic as the scene calls for but make sure it is within the acceptable range or latitude of digital video.
To them, the color temperatue of the footage while shooting wasn't as big an issue. Even if you shoot in a wacked out color mode, you can, through hard work, get it back to relatively "normal" color unless it's something ridiculously extreme. It's much harder to correct underexposed/overexposed footage.
As a sidenote, each of them also corrected me when I used the word "flat" to them. "Flat" implies dead, lifeless. Flat makes it sound like you're goal is to suppress color and light flat. They rather use the word "straight" where the goal is to light with no (or as little) underexposed/overexposed portions in your frame. You want to light your scene in a way that is as dramatic as the scene calls for but make sure it is within the acceptable range or latitude of digital video.
To them, the color temperatue of the footage while shooting wasn't as big an issue. Even if you shoot in a wacked out color mode, you can, through hard work, get it back to relatively "normal" color unless it's something ridiculously extreme. It's much harder to correct underexposed/overexposed footage.
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Joshua Provost
Veteran
CC will improve the look of your image (otherwise you wouldn't bother, right), so regardless of a theoretical "signal loss" it's worth it. Correcting an exposure that's a little off... Adjusting the amount of visible shadow detail... Tweaking the contrast... correcting a color cast... adding a look... it's all the make the image better, not worse.
If the images are poorly shot to begin with (e.g., overexposure), there will only be so much you can do to correct. However, if the image is pretty good to begin with, you can make it even better.
If the images are poorly shot to begin with (e.g., overexposure), there will only be so much you can do to correct. However, if the image is pretty good to begin with, you can make it even better.
Brandon Rice
Distributed Producer
MalcolmOng said:
Agreed.... I do tweak my settings a little, but not much. I do most of my "color work" in post. :thumbup:
andybiz_2005
Well-known member
interesting topic. I use Adobe Premiere Pr 1.5 & After Effects 6.5 for my video work. I'm interested to know how to remove color cast from your footage. Say you're shooting a subject & there's this really strong yellow light shining down on the subject. Even if you white balance properly, there's still some hint of yellow in the scene. How to remove this yellow color cast? Thanks for your replies.
andy_starbuck
Well-known member
If you have AE 6.5 Pro, it comes with Synthetic Aperture Color Finesse, which can do amazing things.
Brandon Rice
Distributed Producer
andybiz_2005 said:
In my experience I use the opposite color on the color wheel to subtract whatever color there is too much of.
andy_starbuck
Well-known member
I agree with The Briceman -- opposite color. If it is really a cast that is even all through the image, then a little hue shift can often compensate.
With AE there are so many ways you can approach it.
Curves enables a shift of the red, green, or blue channel
Color Balance (HLS) provides fine hue control.
CC Toner provides a method to pick an opposite color for the highlight, midtones, or shadows, and then "blend with original" in some percentage to counteract the cast.
If you have Color Finesse, you can define highlights, midtones, and shadows separately. So if its in the highlights, you can pick those out and then color correct just those parts of the image. So you can limit the CC.
With AE there are so many ways you can approach it.
Curves enables a shift of the red, green, or blue channel
Color Balance (HLS) provides fine hue control.
CC Toner provides a method to pick an opposite color for the highlight, midtones, or shadows, and then "blend with original" in some percentage to counteract the cast.
If you have Color Finesse, you can define highlights, midtones, and shadows separately. So if its in the highlights, you can pick those out and then color correct just those parts of the image. So you can limit the CC.