T2i I'm confused... What picture style?

D

DDirector

Veteran
I'm really confused on what picture style I should be using with my T2i.

I have magic lantern installed and I know everything basically, except using the correct picture style. I've asked this before, but I am still confused after reading a thread about a whole list of picture styles. Now, I don't know

I am shooting on a Canon T2i DSLR and I am trying to shoot short films and make everything look as professional as possible. However, I don't know what picture style I should be using.

I want to get the best dynamic range out of my camera, but still have everything looking good. Not increasing any noise, or anything weird. I want to colour correct the video after so it looks realistic to film.

I have been learning to colour correct properly, but without recording in the right picture style, it wont be easy.
So, what do I use?

*I have been using Neutral and then reducing it to 0, -4, -2, 0. But, arent there other new and better ways?
Like Technicolour (cinestyle), etc
 
My videos will be seen on YouTube and a select few will be on the big screen.

I want colours to look natural/real but still be able to achieve that film look when colour correcting. Not crushing blacks or making them really grainy.
 
Technicolor's Cinestyle is great for shooting a nice flat image and colour correcting afterwards. I'd stick to that.

Kegan
 
Kegan said:
Technicolor's Cinestyle is great for shooting a nice flat image and colour correcting afterwards. I'd stick to that.

Kegan
Click to expand...
But I heard it produces a lot of noise in the darks?
It looks really really flat, and that seems to be bad when focusing and in post.
 
A Strange Confession was shot in Neutral picture style. re: my signature. I forget what sharpness and saturation was dialed down to, but I wrote down the exact settings on my blog
 
Well, that's the thing about picture styles and why there's more than just one. You shoot the one that best suits you. I can accept (what I think is minimal) noise in the blacks for the overall benefits of Cinestyle for the rest of grading. If you're unable to, then maybe Neutral or another modified one (as J Davis suggests) may be better suited for you.

Kegan
 
Kegan said:
Well, that's the thing about picture styles and why there's more than just one. You shoot the one that best suits you.
Click to expand...
^

I personally use the technicolor one as well as I like how it treats the skin. Fortunately I haven't run into a situation where the noise was an issue and i've shot in clubs where it was dark..

Again, I concur with Kegan on that you choose the style for the project at hand. :)

GL!
 
It's all subjective. Since you have access to all the picture styles, test test test! What works for someone else on this board may not be the look you need for a particular shoot.
 
David W. Jones said:
It's all subjective. Since you have access to all the picture styles, test test test! What works for someone else on this board may not be the look you need for a particular shoot.
2.jpg
Click to expand...

lol yup, what he said.
for me, i like to sharpen it up a little bit. i hate sharpening in post.
 
I just got a T2i and did some color correction tests w/ Cinestyle. Check them out to see if they have what you're looking for. Can't hurt.
CHROME%2BAE%2BBEFORE.png

Before
CHROME%2BAE%2BAFTER.png

After
 
DDirector,

I most often shoot with Marvel's Cinestyle v3, but I also use Technicolor's Cinestyle, with a few adjustments to sharpness, and Neutral. Recently, someone on these boards recommended Faithful, so I plan to run a battery of tests with that Picture Style, too.

My biggest problem with Technicolor's Cinestyle is the noise in the blacks. I think it pushes the curves too far, but it does a fair job with handling highlights, so I often use it outside (where I shoot 160 ISO). I adjust the contrast and run a very modest denoise pass in post, which takes care of the noise issue, but only for footage shot in broad daylight. For anything inside (where I normally shoot 320 ISO), I use Marvel's v3. It doesn't expand the curve as much, so shadows have a greater s/n ratio, and it's far easier to control the light level - I can blow up the place with 2K's and 1200 HMI's, if needed, whereas outside I am stuck, to a degree, with the contrast of the image (I'm rarely on a set with a budget for 20x20's).

I think both styles work fine with skin tones, but I am very particular about how skin looks, so I spend a great deal of time in post adjusting it. Noise is the biggest annoyance of mine, so I prefer settings that don't exacerbate it.

All that said, though, you just have to test for yourself. Often it is best to use a particular combination of settings for a scene than it is to find a catchall style.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top