LCD/Viewfinder different from actual recording

[Mike@AF]

Not sure what's wrong here. We've been shooting a feature and there are some night scenes. When shooting with the camera we've checked our zebra lines (set to default 80% and 100%, but just now changed to 105%). The picture in the viewfinder looks great and we can see details of the actors' faces etc when shooting and when playing back clips in the camera. However, playing the shots back on a MacBook Pro 15" and a G5 tower with a 30" Cinema Display results in horrible looking shots. Darker areas that show details (like faces) really seem top fall into the black completely.

Doing some adjustment with contrast/brightness controls in FCP and some color correction controls seems to reveal there are some details in the face, but the colors are wrong and it seems blocky and noisy. It's a very big contrast from what the LCD and viewfinder shows and what my MacBook Pro, 30" Cinema Display, and Panasonic HD plasma show. I adjusted the Panasonic plasma to show the HVX200 color bars as close the the viewfinder as possible (the 3 black and gray bars show at the bottom of the screen), but the results are still disappointing.

I attached a frame grab to this message.

Does anyone think this can be fixed in post or do we need to reshoot?

 

[khmuse]

You need to calibrate both the EVF and LCD display using the color bars to get it 'close", however, it won't be perfectly representative of what you are capturing. The two darkest bars should just disappear into one an other. Setting the white level is a bit more subjective and without a "blue only" feature you can't really get the chroma level and phase correct. To be really certain, you should always use a production monitor as it will have the ability to be properly calibrated and has the correct characteristics. If you don't have access to one full time, consider getting one for long enough to set up and then trying to match both the EV and LCD to the production monitor.

As for "fixing it in post" you should be OK.

 

[VaricamLife]

First off, check the footage through a calibrated broadcast monitor. Anything else isn't giving you an accurate representation of what you shot. Close isn't accurate, and personally I wouldn't settle for close when it comes to my monitor.

Secondly, based upon previous experiences myself w/ similar looking footage (though not shot w/ an HVX) yes I'd recommend the re-shoot myself. If you're using any kind of blue filters to help fake night, I'd lose those and 'blue' or 'night' it up in post. You really drain information in the image when you crank the color spectrum over to blue. Personally, I'd just watch my shadows carefully and do a day for night shot, let the post boys have at it. Use several color cast layers, play with opacities, some minor matte work, and I think you'll get far more detail in your 'night' shot. But that's just me.

As for fixing it as is, well honestly that comes down to what you want or are willing to tolerate look wise. Dump a chunk of it onto a DVD-R or onto an external hard drive and give it to your colorist. Have them work on it infront of you and then make that decision right then and there with their counsil.

If you do prefer to stick to the in camera night then I'd also recommend scrapping the viewfinder for the night shoot shots and bring a calibrated broadcast monitor to set. Component out of the HVX into the monitor and decide from there.

cheers.