Having More Options in Post

Fliques Osman

Fliques Osman

Well-known member
Hey guys,

I am shooting a short in the next couple of weeks and I want to get an image where I'll have the most options in post. In order for me to have that option, does it mean I have to shoot with the scene file settings should all be set to 0?

I know Knee can't be changed from Auto and Skin Detail should be left to Thin, but how about Gamma and Matrix?

Thanks in advance,
 
Settings at 0 does not necessarily mean nuetral settings and most flexibility in post. Here are some to change to gain greater flexibility:

1. You could turn down DETAIL settings to avoid over-sharpening and add sharpening in post if necessary.
2. Color tend to be oversaturated by default, turn down CHROMA LEVEL to get more natural colors. You can always increase saturation in post.
3. LINE FREQ is the one to set to THIN, to get the most resolution out of the cam.
4. MATRIX set to NORM to keep colors nuetral as possible.
5. GAMMA - People often say that CINELIKE_D will give you the most dynamic range, which seems to be true, but it is also low contrast and will need to have contrast added in post, which could cause some banding in the midtones, so you may want to use a GAMMA that has a more middle-of-the-road contrast to it, like regular CINELIKE.
6. MASTER PEDESTAL is a calibration setting, and should be set correctly, usually -5 or -6. This will give you true blacks and free up bits for detail in the midtones and highlights, giving you a better image.
 
Joshua's settings rock, and you can always play with it in post. But I know plenty of DPs and videographers who want more control over the final image by getting creative with the DVX100 in camera: you can tweak the colors to give a different appearance. For example, desaturate the color and add 9 dB of gain to add grain to make it look like old reverse 16mm film, and so much more.

There are plenty of settings here at DVXuser that I've been checking out.

David
 
Joshua greatly appreciated it man.

For Detail and Chroma, what is a good setting IYO?

Dwells thanks for that 16mm tip, will try it out.

Thanks,
 
When you're shooting to MiniDV you're always better off getting close to your final result in camera. Artifacting kicks in pretty quickly since you're only capturing 1/4 of the color data and using only 8 bits.

The only way making changes in post might help your final quality is to "expose to the right." Use zebras, keep lighting a stop or two less contrasty, keep everything bright, and then bring down the blacks in post. A Tiffen contrast filter can help with that, too. But these techniques will give a very distinct look that you might not want. Do some tests first to be sure you'll be happy with whatever you get.
 
manymoosh said:
For Detail and Chroma, what is a good setting IYO?
Click to expand...

I've been shooting for quite a while with DETAIL and V.DETAIL at -7, CORING at 0. To me, it's smooth, but it may not be as sharp as some people like.

CHROMA LEVEL I am still playing with. I have definitely gotten badly oversaturated colors (individual color channels clipping) when it was at 0. I think I've got it at -3 right now. Then, I'll usually add some saturation when I'm color correcting, but at least the values stay legal.
 
Many will argue for and against doing as much in-camera as possible, but it's a way for a DP to add his or her own style to the project, especially if they aren't editing. Plus, less work rendering time during post-production. The downside is if something is set in stone during production, it may be difficult to correct it during editing.

David
 
Just plan what you are going to be doing. Are you going to make the image look very warm? (CSI Miami) or colder by adding some blues. Adjust your camera settings accordingly and then work in post to bring out the right colours and give an overall grade to the project.
 
Some of the newest cameras practically eliminate the need for any color correction in post, because they've added so many options. The tech gets better and we all benefit.

David
 
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