OFFICIAL A1 Custom Presets thread

Jay Rodriguez

Coffee Member
Let's get this information collected in one solid thread.

Post your custom presets for your Canon A1 here. When you post a scene file also give it a name, whatever you like.
Also if you can provide a downloadable link to your present and a screen shot of an image or actual footage that was shot with your setting that would be awesome.

Example:
NAME : coffee's midnight delight
Scene file details: ****
Link to file: ****
Image or footage: ****

Here's a write up of what each of the seetings control within the A1, written by David Kender.

I'll be posting my custom settings very soon but first, do yourself a favor and switch the AGC (auto gain control) OFF!

1165324139.gif


Gamma Curve – The gamma curve, which controls the relationship between light intensity and output, can be set to Normal, Cine 1, and Cine 2. The latter two are meant to match the gamma curve of film.

Knee Point Adjustment – Knee controls the dynamic range of the upper-end of the exposure scale (highlights). It can be set to Low, Middle, High, and Auto.

Black Stretch/Press – This controls the dynamic range of the low end of the exposure scale (shadows). It can be set to Middle, Stretch (which expands the dynamic range), and Press (which decreases dynamic range to intensify shadow).

Master Pedestal – This is the start point of the gamma curve. It can be set to +/-9.

Setup Level – This is the start of the black point, which Canon defaults to 3 IRE (what they consider the industry standard). It can be adjusted to +/-9. Your Master Pedestal setting may prevent you from setting a negative Setup level.

Sharpness – Sharpness can be set from +/-9.

Horizontal Detail Frequency – HDF can be set to Low, Middle, and High.

Horizontal / Vertical Detail Balance – Labeled as DHV in the menu, this also has a +/-9 range.

Coring – Coring, which can be set from +/-9, controls the amount of noise in detail.

Noise Reduction – This is actually split into two functions, NR1 and NR2. NR1 is a standard sort of noise reduction that can be set to Low, Middle, and High. When in High, trailing often shows up in moving objects. NR2, also with Low, Middle, and High settings, Canon describes as similar to applying the Skin Detail feature to the entire image. Trailing will not occur with NR2.

Color Matrix – This can also be set to Normal, Cine 1, and Cine 2.

Color Gain – What was once a +/-9 range on the XL H1 has greatly expanded to +/-50 on the XH A1 for a much finer degree of control. As far as we can tell, though, the actual range has not increased.

R Gain, G Gain, and B Gain – Each of the Red, Green, and Blue channels gets its own gain control, as well. Like the overall gain, each has increased the degree of control form the XL H1, and is now +/-50.

2-Channel Matrices – Each channel can be set against the other to create exact color balance to a degree of +/-50. The menu offers: red-green, red-blue, green-red, green-blue, blue-red, and blue-green.
 
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coffee said:
Let's get this information collected in one solid thread.

Thanks for this. Looking forward to learning more and hopefully contributing later.


coffee said:
2-Channel Matrices – Each channel can be set against the other to create exact color balance to a degree of +/-50. The menu offers: red-green, red-blue, green-red, green-blue, blue-red, and blue-green.

Can anyone please expand on this? For example, what is the difference between red-green balance and green-red balance?

Richard
 
THank you mods! I want to ask though politely and respectfully of all users, can you please ask specific questions in another thread. Coffees opener is great. So again politely and respectfully, please only post scene file settings here along with a grab of the resulting image. If we post questions and answers from here on in the actual scene files and sample images will be lost and completely impossible to wade through a ton of posts.

When you post a scene file also give it a name. Whatever you like, because I will ask Jay (coffee) to edit first post and put up a link where the actual scene file data can be found by that name for direct loading onto an SD card. I guess we should also limit image size to 640x480?

Example:

NAME : Coffee's midnight
Scene file details:
Image:

Sorry dont want to sound like a Nazi just want to keep a format to help us all.
 
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I resisted but now I must reply, rawfa this sticky is for scene files and images. Please dont post general info in here. You can post that in another thread. Please try to keep this to the actual scene files only. Im asking Chris if we can link his thread in the first post also. If a mod could move these posts out, would be great.
 
I think ALL the posts above should be deleted and the RULES of posting here should be posted on the first page on capital red letters.
 
ncje & rawfa,
Just edit your posts above and add something regarding a scene file to it. You can build on the post later with images and stuff.

UPDATE:
Got my A1 and Firestore running perfectly, footage and scene file settings coming soon!:)
 
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Could we perhaps elaborate a bit on some of the settings?

For instance, I understand what master pedestal and setup level do, but I'm not sure when and how to employ them. And coring, for instance -- why wouldn't you always set that to the minimum, to minimize noise? Why and when would you modify horizontal detail frequency or horizontal/vertical detail balance? Some settings show an obvious difference when you start modifying their values, but others I don't notice any change at all. For those that don't obviously change the picture, it's hard to tell whether or not they should be used.
 
Hi, Good question. I hope someone -next to me- steps in. I am sure you started reading this file: http://downloads.canon.com/cpr/software/video/XLH1_TotalImageControl.pdf

The detail balance and frequency setup is a setting you could experiment with if you try to make optimized settings for lets say 'Nature' shoots. Shooting natural environment, streaming water, fogg, waving fields. Nature shoots can be 'soft' and less detailed without interference. Sometimes detail can frustrate the viewing or printing process, so you see jitter freq. like moiré. Trying to avoid that you can alter the H/V freq. setting.

Coring is also a setting that involves detail, if you set coring to the max you lose the fine detail but you lose the small grain particles too. Shooting progressive or interlaced also makes a difference. The F-mode already is changing the H/V detail balance itself. You need to take care in combination with he sharpness settings here. You don't want to end up with having outline enhancing that is creating a artificial sharpness look.
 
Two NEW presets: ( remove .txt at the end) so it ends with .CPF

A)
B)


And a describing:

...sorry its not working to upload these files from the DVXuser Upload...
 
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xray said:
Hi, Good question. I hope someone -next to me- steps in. I am sure you started reading this file: http://downloads.canon.com/cpr/software/video/XLH1_TotalImageControl.pdf

The detail balance and frequency setup is a setting you could experiment with if you try to make optimized settings for lets say 'Nature' shoots. Shooting natural environment, streaming water, fogg, waving fields. Nature shoots can be 'soft' and less detailed without interference. Sometimes detail can frustrate the viewing or printing process, so you see jitter freq. like moiré. Trying to avoid that you can alter the H/V freq. setting.

Coring is also a setting that involves detail, if you set coring to the max you lose the fine detail but you lose the small grain particles too. Shooting progressive or interlaced also makes a difference. The F-mode already is changing the H/V detail balance itself. You need to take care in combination with he sharpness settings here. You don't want to end up with having outline enhancing that is creating a artificial sharpness look.

Thanks. That link hadn't worked for me in the past, but it's working now.
 
i was stupified when i walked into the function menu on my camera. i mean jeez!! wth is all this?! :) im clueless

how do load or save stuff? im gonna jump the manual soon as well.

does the a1 show you the effects of the presents as you play with them?
 
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Yes, reading the manual is always a good start. And yes, you can see the results as you tweak, but you're looking through the menu display at the same time. I should note I am not an A1/G1 owner, I've just worked with the camera a few times, that's all.

I have to admit I expected a little more sharing in the world of presets. Or more aim in the presets., like, "The James Cameron Blue" preset to mimic the high contrast, soft focus, blue hi-lite look he often uses. Or the "Matrix" green, or "Children of Men Yellow", etc.
 
I'm working on a new preset right now that will give a much more color intensive response to what is being shot than any of the factory settings. I'll have it ready in a few days and will post. Here are two shots from a test I did with the preset today:

marymoorwindmill1.jpg


marymoorwindmill2.jpg


Stay tuned.
 
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