most reliable way to judge focus and exposure in 4K C log with Canon 1DC???

N

Nicholas Natteau

Veteran
This is my first time using the 1DC and although I'm floored by the 4K image quality, being used to the exposure (waveform, zebras) and focusing (peaking) tools of the Canon C300, I so wish that the 1DC had these tools.

But what's the most reliable way to judge focusing and exposure in 4K C-log on the 1DC? I know I could use a light meter, but it wouldn't be practical in run and gun situations. Or is the 1DC's metering system accurate enough, that a light meter wouldn't be necessary? I tried evaluating exposure with the 1DC's histogram, but it doesn't respond in real time. It seems to have a 2-3 second delay.

Regarding focusing, I know you can magnify the image before you hit the record button, but since you can't do that while recording, if you have to focus on something else while recording, how would you know if you're tack sharp on your target without peaking available?

Despite these few limitations, I find being able to shoot 4K in such a small package truly amazing. I just wish Canon would come out with a firmware update for the 1DC that adds peaking and zebras. And on the C300, one that gives us a waveform monitor in the viewfinder.

Hopefully the 1DC firmware update coming in April around NAB might be expanded to include not just 25p, but peaking and zebras.
 
Regarding C-Log exposure;

Do yourself a favour and get a cheap ext. monitor with a waveform monitor built in or even spot meter that will give you double digit % IRE readout. Smack your camera over a grey card, set your grey to 33% and away you go.

I wrote an article recently Canon EOS Daily published on exposing C-Log but you can catch the just of it here

As for light meters, I'm a big fan of using them but find most people don't take the time to test it out in advance and make sure they are using it properly. If you use a light meter you should determine your own working ASA of the camera by shooting a grey card for 50% IRE in standard gamma mode then taking a light meter read and matching your meter aperture to your camera's thus giving you potentially a different ISO rating from what the camera is set to, but the point is now for sure you know your light meter will give you middle grey 50% when you are looking for it.
 
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No problem.

I just shot with the 1DC last week and was really impressed with it, I didn't get to shoot in 4k or C-Log since the project didn't require it but I can't wait to test it out more and give it a whirl in post.

Read some of Liam Hall's posts too if you can find them in the EOS section, he's shot a lot more in Log mode and has shared a ton of good info.
 
I just noticed that when you shoot more than 1 minute of 4K footage, you end up with 2 files.

After recording more than 1 minute, the 1DC told me that it would have to save it as 2 files given the 4GB limit.
As the 1DC records 4GB per minute, does that mean then that if you were to shoot 15 or 30 min of 4K you would end up with 15 or 30 files?
 
From what I understand each minute of 4k footage is about 1GB, you shouldn't get multiple clips until you hit 4GB (or about every 4 minutes or so).

About your question on focusing, if you plan on shooting with low apertures where your subject is in a very narrow depth of field again you might consider using an ext. lcd screen that has the peaking feature built in. I certainly could not live without it in my life that's for sure.
 
I completely agree. For an external monitor, which one would you recommend with peaking and waveform?

I used to have a SmallHD DP6, but I sold it before SmallHD came out with the DP7 Pro. What intrigues me about the portable DP7 monitors is that they have waveform built in and the DP7 Pro HBX even has the waveform display across the entire screen. But wicked price tag ($2,600).
 
DO you think the reason my footage breaks up after more than a minute is because of the Sandisk Pro card I'm using?
My CF card is a 64GB rated at 90 MB/s but I didn't see it listed on the listed of approved CF cards by Panasonic even though it's the Extreme Pro line.
 
I am absolutely in love with the SmallHD line of monitors, check out the OLED line, the 7.7" is likely the one I will get once I move over to F5/F55.

I'm not sure why your 1DC is breaking files up early, could be related to the card, that's a good assumption but I don't know.
 
Thanks indiawilds. I just ordered the Komputerbay 128GB card. From what Philip Bloom, Nino Leitner and others have said, the card works flawlessly at a fraction of the cost of Sandisk. Can't wait for it to arrive.
 
Nicholas Natteau said:
Thanks indiawilds. I just ordered the Komputerbay 128GB card. From what Philip Bloom, Nino Leitner and others have said, the card works flawlessly at a fraction of the cost of Sandisk. Can't wait for it to arrive.
Click to expand...

Be careful when you use them, these things are cheap for a reason.
 
1D-C does approx 4GB to 1min of footage. so: 1min = 4gb

Focus is easy. When in log mode you can turn on the function which compensates and shows you a normal image.

Also, you can run a LUT emulator in some EVF's like the Cineroid, to get higher contrast images, while keeping the c-log image on the camera's lcd. (i do not care to do this)

I am still testing the Cineroid, but it has wave forms.
 
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