mattmatheson
Well-known member
I've been using my dvx100a for about 7 months and I know how to use it but I usually use the normal cine_like setting but what provides the most amount of data in the picture to work with in post.
Gamma Settings
- Thread starter mattmatheson
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iain.bason
Well-known member
They all provide the same amount of data. There are a finite number of levels of luminance that can be encoded in DV (probably 256, but I'm too lazy to look it up). The different gamma curves affect how densely clustered those discrete levels of luminance are around particular brightness levels in the scene you're filming. If they're more denseley clustered, then you can see subtle gradations and the image looks smoother (i.e., without the stair stepping effect).
You want to use the gamma curve that gets you the most densely clustered luminance levels in the parts of the scene that you care about. In other words, you want to actually be able to use all 256 luminance levels. If you can control your lighting, probably cine_like is best. If I remember correctly from Barry's DVD, it has the most linear gamma curve. That means it isn't "stretching" the luminance levels at the extremes, which would make them less densely clustered.
If you can't control your lighting, then another gamma curve can help you avoid blown out whites and muddy shadows.
You want to use the gamma curve that gets you the most densely clustered luminance levels in the parts of the scene that you care about. In other words, you want to actually be able to use all 256 luminance levels. If you can control your lighting, probably cine_like is best. If I remember correctly from Barry's DVD, it has the most linear gamma curve. That means it isn't "stretching" the luminance levels at the extremes, which would make them less densely clustered.
If you can't control your lighting, then another gamma curve can help you avoid blown out whites and muddy shadows.