Mark 3 questions

[Donald Ong]

Hi,

So my big silver box just arrived yesterday and after charging up the batteries I'm having a play with it. (Finally...been waiting so long for this moment )
My main questions are regarding:

Peripheral illumination correct : I'm using the 24-105 as my main, should I have this turned on? I've heard it can act up in video mode
Highlight tone priority : I'm guessing only turn it on if I absolutely need a slight bit more DR?
Noise reduction : Should i have it at low, medium or High?
Exposure simulation : On, off or during liveview?

Anyway, I still need to test out the mark3 as I'm still quite unfamiliar with it. Love how substantial it feels though

 

[squig]

The noise reduction controls don't effect video but there is noise reduction automatically applied to video.
HTP is useful to extend the DR in very bright light but will introduce some extra noise in the shadows.
Enjoy.

 

[Donald Ong]

The noise reduction controls don't effect video but there is noise reduction automatically applied to video.
HTP is useful to extend the DR in very bright light but will introduce some extra noise in the shadows.
Enjoy.

Ah ok thanks.

BTW, I've noticed something strange. When i view the video clips in quicktime, the shots appear flatter and more neutral than when I put the files into Vegas... what's going on?
*I'm using the prolost flat profile (dialled down neutral) .

 

[henryqiu]

I don't think highlight tone priority changes the overall DR. But it can shift exposure dramatically in an effort to preserve highlight details. I leave this on by default, and turn it off when it would make the shot undesirably underexposed.

BTW, I've noticed something strange. When i view the video clips in quicktime, the shots appear flatter and more neutral than when I put the files into Vegas... what's going on?
*I'm using the prolost flat profile (dialled down neutral) .

I guess this is normal. If you suspect settings issues, you could try a digital movie and see how they play the movie differently.

 

[Donald Ong]

I don't think highlight tone priority changes the overall DR. But it can shift exposure dramatically in an effort to preserve highlight details. I leave this on by default, and turn it off when it would make the shot undesirably underexposed.




I guess this is normal. If you suspect settings issues, you could try a digital movie and see how they play the movie differently.

Ok, it's quicktime's fault.
I played the same file with both VLC and WMV and both display it the same way as Vegas. So yeah, something's up with quicktime. Thanks

 

[Samuel H]

I don't think highlight tone priority changes the overall DR.

That's true for RAW stills, but not for video.
At least in the old Canons, HTP does extend DR in video mode, by nearly one stop. A1ex (ML developer) showed me some graphs showing this.
But it also increases noise in the midtones and shadows, that's why most people leave it off and never touch this option.
Given how much cleaner the 5D3 is, HTP seems like something somebody should investigate...


Edit: if somebody in Madrid can lend me a 5D3 for a couple of days, I can create a Flaat version for 5D3 with HTP; this may get the DR of the 5D3 in video mode on par with the D800. If there's somebody from elsewhere VERY interested in this, we can try to build it from the distance. Not now, though, I'm way too busy... but in January, maybe.

 

[maarek]

HTP in certain situations can work but it does create sensor read-out patterns in the shadows. Only use it with intermediate ISOs (160, 320, 640 etc) and never with pushed ISOs (500, 1250 etc) as those will show the noise immediately. I prefer to leave it off with the 5dmarkIII but will make some more tests.

 

[macgregor]

If you use HTP with intermediate ISOs, you'll be:
- getting an extra stop of DR in the highlights because of the HTP
- losing 1/3 of a stop of DR in the highlights due to using a call it non-native ISO setting

I'd like to see the results lol. Funny electronics. XD

 

[Donald Ong]

That's true for RAW stills, but not for video.
At least in the old Canons, HTP does extend DR in video mode, by nearly one stop. A1ex (ML developer) showed me some graphs showing this.
But it also increases noise in the midtones and shadows, that's why most people leave it off and never touch this option.
Given how much cleaner the 5D3 is, HTP seems like something somebody should investigate...


Edit: if somebody in Madrid can lend me a 5D3 for a couple of days, I can create a Flaat version for 5D3 with HTP; this may get the DR of the 5D3 in video mode on par with the D800. If there's somebody from elsewhere VERY interested in this, we can try to build it from the distance. Not now, though, I'm way too busy... but in January, maybe.

That's interesting.

I just got back from a simple shoot with the mark3 (nothing too fancy..just brought the camera to some place near where I live to do a little street videogaphy... Mark3 seems to get a lot of love. Or perhaps it was the rode videomicpro i had on it. Was approached by 2 guys asking about it. haha


Few minor quirks:
- Wish there was an aperture control dial near the top of the camera (near the viewfinder). The aperture ring as it is is too far from where your hand naturally sits. Might seem like a minor thing...but it can make a difference.
- 5d3 + 24-105 does get quite heavy after awhile due to the awkward ergos.
- Mode dial lock is really annoying. Again, might seem like a small thing...but yeah..

But on the bright side:
- Very nice LCD. Had no trouble finding focus without a loupe. Hell, didn't even need the focus punch in most of the time.
- audio level adjustments while recording...finally!
- headphone jack...well, didn't really use it for this test, but I'm glad it's there.
- Video quality seems quite good (haven't gone into too much detail yet)
- high ISO is just fabulous. When the sky got dark, I just bumped it up to 8000+ and it was very, very clean.
- Not to mention stills...which was just breathtaking!

haven't tried HTP...would like to see more tests on it.

 

[squig]

Edit: if somebody in Madrid can lend me a 5D3 for a couple of days, I can create a Flaat version for 5D3 with HTP; this may get the DR of the 5D3 in video mode on par with the D800. If there's somebody from elsewhere VERY interested in this, we can try to build it from the distance. Not now, though, I'm way too busy... but in January, maybe.

I should have some free time in January.

I just had a play with film convert pro and I was blown away with what it did to my prolost footage. I particularly like the velvia setting. I understand they are planning on adding a Flaat preset too. I'm very keen on working towards a MKIII log preset. After playing around with film convert I'm confident that with the right profile and uncompressed out to Prores 422HQ my MKIII footage will look great projected at 2k.

Quicktime X crushes the blacks. Quicktime 7 should be ok but I just use VLC most of the time.

 

[DevonH]

Squig... Film Convert Pro?

 

[squig]

Squig... Film Convert Pro?

http://www.filmconvert.com

very cool

the plugin for fcpx crashed (10.0.6) but the standalone (Pro) version works fine.

 

[nigelbb]

- Wish there was an aperture control dial near the top of the camera (near the viewfinder). The aperture ring as it is is too far from where your hand naturally sits. Might seem like a minor thing...but it can make a difference.

Personally the rear wheel feels just perfect under my thumb. Which digit are you using?

- 5d3 + 24-105 does get quite heavy after awhile due to the awkward ergos.

Don't hand hold. Use a monopod.

- Mode dial lock is really annoying. Again, might seem like a small thing...but yeah..

You obviously didn't own a 5D2 or you wouldn't say that. Without the Mode dial lock it's all too easy to accidentally be in the wrong mode without realising especially when you pull the camera out of the bag & start shooting immediately.

 

[nigelbb]

I should have some free time in January.

I just had a play with film convert pro and I was blown away with what it did to my prolost footage. I particularly like the velvia setting. I understand they are planning on adding a Flaat preset too. I'm very keen on working towards a MKIII log preset. After playing around with film convert I'm confident that with the right profile and uncompressed out to Prores 422HQ my MKIII footage will look great projected at 2k.

I keep seeing people singing the praises of Film Convert Pro but when I tried it with my regular Faithful profile it looked like crap although as I recall it didn't even detect that it was 5D3 footage. Is there somewhere where supported picture styles are described as I cannot find anything on their website.

 

[squig]

I keep seeing people singing the praises of Film Convert Pro but when I tried it with my regular Faithful profile it looked like crap although as I recall it didn't even detect that it was 5D3 footage. Is there somewhere where supported picture styles are described as I cannot find anything on their website.

It doesn't have settings for the MKIII yet or faithful on the MKII, just standard and prolost (neutral dialled down). There's not a lot of info on their site. Keep in mind it's not going to magically make anything you feed it look like film, there's no substitute for good lighting and composition.

 

[Donald Ong]

Personally the rear wheel feels just perfect under my thumb. Which digit are you using?

Digit?

Don't hand hold. Use a monopod.

I use a tripod most of the time so it isn't a huge issue.

You obviously didn't own a 5D2 or you wouldn't say that. Without the Mode dial lock it's all too easy to accidentally be in the wrong mode without realising especially when you pull the camera out of the bag & start shooting immediately.

Yes, I've never owned a 5d2. I came from traditional video cams with tiny sensors and on occasions used a D7000.
I always check the mode dial so I'm never in the wrong mode. So for me, the lock is counter-productive. But to each his own.

 

[Dave ©]

The dial isn't far from the record button and can be easily reached with your right thumb.

I always check the mode dial so I'm never in the wrong mode. So for me, the lock is counter-productive. But to each his own.

Looks like the 5DIII just eliminated one step from your workflow. Cheers to improved efficiency!

 

[Donald Ong]

anyway, here's the edited test film (using footage from Friday)
Nothing too fancy, just footage cut together simply. Sharpened and graded slightly.

Footage doesn't seem soft as everyone is saying. With a little sharpening (in fact, even without it), the footage really pops. Definitely not soft at all. Dynamic range was definitely not as good as a BMCC or c300, but still very manageable. *ps, sorry for the slightly jittery motion in some shots...i wasn't strictly adhering to 1/50 shutter. Most of the shots are at 1/125 ish. ISO was mostly at 160. All shot handheld and without rig/mono.

 

[New_Zealand]

Look good!

 

[Dave ©]

Footage doesn't seem soft as everyone is saying.

Yeah, I had an aha moment a couple of months back when Dusty said he set detail at 1 from the left (as opposed to all the way to the left, as I had been doing before then). Huge difference! I agree. The 5DIII is plenty sharp (even though I know I've said that is doesn't seem sharp in the past).

Footage looks nice. Are these shots straight out of the camera or did you grade them?