HPX500, tungsten lighting and skin tones

[FBAS]

I was recently talking to another cameraman who had been using the HPX500 really differently than me - he was mostly shooting controlled, single shots for commercials (yet low budget) using 1080P and cine gamma, I had been using the HPX500 mainly for eng stuff, shooting DVCPRO50 50i with news gamma on and everything on neutral settings.

We both had the same impression that the HPX500 was really problematic with skin tones, especially in tungsten color temperatures.
Compared to other cameras (different Sony DVCAM, JVC's GY-HD, or even the HVX200) the HPX500 seems extremely sensitive to slight overexposure. When you shoot an interview in tungsten lighing (or in daylight but with a warmish white balance) and the skin is just slightly overexposed (which is like 80% or even less) the colors are going havoc.

In daylight with neutral WB the problem seems to become less, but still this camera is giving me a headache. I have never had that many problems getting the right exposure, because with the HPX500 it seems the right exposure is really close to underexposure, there's not much room to get it right. The slightest overexposure just looks like shi*, especially if the WB was on the warm side.

Are there at least some of you out there who have had the same experiences with the HPX500? Or is there something wrong with my eyes?

 

[Dino]

My approach for exposing skin tones with all HD cameras is to be around 65 IRE, not 70 IRE or higher. Under exposing is better. The HPX500 lacks tonality to my eye. I always use the Filmlike gammas. I find that overexposed parts, especially if they have color, look over saturated and artificial with the HPX500, including flesh, as you mentioned.

The HVX200/A and HPX170 do the same thing. They just look more cartoonish and contrasty than the HDX900, HPX2000, 2700, 3000, etc. You could try, besides under exposing a bit, reducing chroma, turning off matrix.

I don't shoot with HPX500's, so hopefully some owners can give you some input.