FS5: I need help understanding SLOG3

J

Jordan Hamelin

New member
Hi everyone,

To make this short. I got my FS5 in January (upgraded from a 5D) and I have 0 experience filming with Sony camera's and using Slog's. I did a lot of research on the topic, but there's nothing about slog3 with the FS5 yet, everything is about the FS7.


Here's my question :

Im filming in slog3 in the living room. My subject is in front of a window. I learned that I always need to over expose of about 1 stop when I am shooting in SLOG3. So in my monitor my subject is a bit over exposed, and the window in the background is completely white, wayyy to bright. Now when I put the footage in premiere and add the generic SLOG3 Lut, everything seems ok and I can see clearly outside thru the window. This is a huge difference and I can't see how I can get used to it. There's a gamma assist built-in the sony fs5 but that only helps to see the color better to focus right, it dosent help with the exposure.

What am I am doing wrong? Should I get a SmallHD monitor or a Shogun and load a LUT on it? would that solve my problem and help remove any doubts when Im shooting? or is it just practice.



Thanks for the help!
 
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If what you are seeing in the camera monitor is not (roughly) matching what hits your NLE then you are displaying a LUT (i think the Fs5 use a different name?) on your camera monitor.

This brighter image is supposed to represent what will be in your NLE after you have applied a LUT in the NLE.

Before buying a new monitor I would suggest learning the settings of the camera?
 
I just did another test (same situation). And like I thought, with the Gamma Display Assist on the FS5, The monitor apply's a lut and makes the window look way over exposed. When I turn it off, all my colours are flat and it's really hard to see focus, but the window is exposed right (just like a slog file is).

I guess when im in doubt I can just quickly turn off the Gamma Display Assist to see whats my camera recording and then switch it back on again.
 
Without a proper LUT in the monitor one have to rely on exposure tools like waveform or histogram. Slog3 is to me great and easy to work with but that's with LUTs on my FS7 and I guess the FS5 lacks this feature.
 
Osslund said:
Without a proper LUT in the monitor one have to rely on exposure tools like waveform or histogram. Slog3 is to me great and easy to work with but that's with LUTs on my FS7 and I guess the FS5 lacks this feature.
Click to expand...

The FS5 has 'gamma display assist' which is basically the same as a 709 LUT

To the OP - yes you will probably need to switch between the two for a bit until you get used either to a flat image or to knowing that you will get a bit more room in post.

S
 
Jordan Hamelin said:
I learned that I always need to over expose of about 1 stop when I am shooting in SLOG3. So in my monitor my subject is a bit over exposed, Should I get a SmallHD monitor or a Shogun and load a LUT on it?
Click to expand...

The problem with the FS5 VF Gamma Assist is that it is set for Sony's recommended exposure for S-Log3. In other words, NOT overexposed. But common wisdom is to overexpose S-Log 3 by 1 to 2 stops, depending on how much noise in the shadows you deem acceptable. So, if you overexpose by one stop, the image in your VF is going to look too bright. It is frustrating. My solution has been, yes, to use the Shogun. With the Shogun, I can import LUTs that are calibrated for 1 or 2 stops over.

I read somewhere that along with the next firmware update, Sony is going to provide a guide to exposing S-Log. I'm being optimistic, but I hope this means they may add more VF Gamma assist settings should we want to purposely overexpose.

P.S. Don't forget, if you overexpose your S-Log3 footage, in Post you will need to apply a LUT that is calibrated for your overexposure. There aren't many out there yet for S-Log3. I have found LUTCalc to be an invaluable app for creating your own LUTs. You can simply dial in how much overexposure compensation you want and then generate a custom LUT. At $2.99 it's a bargain.
 
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Its also a shame that the metadata that would show the "purposeful" over exposure .. is only read by Sony Catalyst software.. thats a problem for those of us that don't do our own editing/grading.. unless the message does actually get through to post.. they just think you have no idea how to set your exposure !
 
Yes, that's a drag. A lot of these potentially cool things were not thought through very well. Or there doesn't seem to be much attempt at cooperation or standardization.
 
please can someone post a LUT s-log3 - rec709 ? I tested a lut made by Allister for A7Sii ,on FS5 footage is horrible..

thanks
 
Is there not a LUT on the sony website?

If not.. you should pressure Sony to make a LUT available..without an official Lut the camera is only half complete!
 
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