Skin tones on the af100

lennywood

lennywood

Well-known member
I find that the skin tones, and highlights, on the af100, look like crap. To the point that i am considering getting rid of it. Has someone here figure out what the best settings for outdoor natural light skin tones might me? they look fine inside under controlled lighting, but the moment we get a highlight in there it all goes caput.
 
All cameras have limitations, if you found one, find a work around. My experience with the AF100 has been average-great in almost all situations.
 
that's a big limitation. i left sony for panasonic a few years ago, with the first Varicams, because the skin tones were some much nicer. i have had many panasonics since. but i shoot people, lots of interviews, that kind of stuff, so skin tones is not something i can "work around". so, if this camera is not good at that, it serves me little purpose.

i have an F3 on order, so, if i can't find a way to make people look good on this camera (in a variety of settings, not just an indoor interview), you will see an add soon for af100 for sale here. shame, i like the olympus lenses i got for it (14-35 & 35-100, all f2.0 throughout, can't beat that), but if it does not work it does not work.

any suggestions out there for settings that might change my experience? or, if Panasonic reads this, any plans for a software update that might improve the look??

thanks
 
I don't know about you man, but im getting some good tones. My friend is a little pasty. And yeah, it's winter so.. Also keep in mind this is without makeup.

dan02sm.jpg
 
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I find that the skin tones, and highlights, on the af100, look like crap.
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This has so far been my biggest disappointment with what I've seen from this camera. I wouldn't go so far as to say skin tones "look like crap", because some people seem to prefer that cold washed out look - in fact it is prolific in TV commercials these days.

But I, like you, switched to Panasonic cameras because I liked the richness of the skin tones, a tactile quality that emulates film better than other cameras. The best stuff I've seen from the AF100 is either desaturated or has a "look" applied, from, say, Magic Bullet. But I don't shoot that way, and I'm glad I reserved my camera for late February or early March, because I'm getting cold feet about the color.
 
mcgeedigital said:
I have been nothing but happy with the images the af-100 produces, including skin tones.
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+1. I have even learned how to deal with blowouts that make the transition look absolutely beautiful and smooth. But it has to be applied in post. Still looking very natural though.
 
Object edges look really harsh on that kitchen frame grab. Even out of focus - look at the curtain. To me, that's not pleasant.
 
http://vimeo.com/18978980

This is one of my favorite looks so far ive seen in the videos. Yes it is a cooler look. But very nice skin tones in those first two shots (IMO). I think your lenses and settings have the most to do with skin tone. I don't mind doing a little color correction. If in something that skin tone is THAT important, i assume you will be doing some kind of post production/color correction on it anyway.

and another link where i like the skin tones. a little warmer, and richer. maybe closer to what you are looing for

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avP2BgzIFdQ

AGAIN both of these examples are using zeiss lenses, either zf, cp.2 or ultras. I like the zeiss look. I have the 35, 50 and 85, zfs, and couldnt be happier.

I know these are indoor links, but they still showcase potential of camera. I think more experimentation and tests need to be done to figure out what works best for outdoor/harsh highlight scenarios. But there arent many cameras that work GREAT right out of the box in the first month of release that showcase harsh highlights at high noon. I think the stuff I have seen does look great under controlled scenes and less great outdoors, but I think more people do tests indoors under controlled light. Once the camera starts making its way into outdoor uncontrolled lighting more and more it will look better.
 
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Viddovation said:
Object edges look really harsh on that kitchen frame grab. Even out of focus - look at the curtain. To me, that's not pleasant.
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We are not talking about sharpness. And yes, this was a test when i was playing with detail level. Hence why I have now chosen to work with -5. But skin tones are very nice ( focus ) :P There is probably a little motion blur and a lean forward.
 
Viddovation said:
Object edges look really harsh on that kitchen frame grab. Even out of focus - look at the curtain. To me, that's not pleasant.
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And how many stops do you think that window exposure is over the exposure on the face?

I don't care WHAT I was shooting with, but if it were a paid job I'd ND the windows down to deal with that. Anyone would.

PaPa obviously grabbed a still from his shoot and I think it looks fine.

People who think you are going to get a film like rolloff on highlights that are 6-7 stops over your base exposure are kidding yourselves.
 
mcgeedigital said:
And how many stops do you think that window exposure is over the exposure on the face?

I don't care WHAT I was shooting with, but if it were a paid job I'd ND the windows down to deal with that. Anyone would.

PaPa obviously grabbed a still from his shoot and I think it looks fine.

People who think you are going to get a film like rolloff on highlights that are 6-7 stops over your base exposure are kidding yourselves.
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Yep.

The goal of this still was us really trying to find a nice skin tone and contrast ratio that looked pleasant and natural. I think we succeeded. It also gave us information about in camera detail level. So it's a win win.
 
PaPa said:
Not sure who you're asking, but im running CineD
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sort of everyone.

I just loaded Barry's settings, and I think I like HDNorm more and more...

I have a stigma against not using a "cinema" gamma, but I'm not terribly happy with the punchiness of Cine-V or the lack of character in Cine-D.


According to Barry's ISO test, his settings were:
Detail and V-detail: -5
Coring: +2
Master Ped: -2
Gamma: HD NORM
Matrix: Norm2
Skin DTL: OFF

I'm going to play with the pedestal a bit, but over all it feels nice and natural.
 
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