GH2 SmallHD DP6 color calibrations

ed_lee83

ed_lee83

Well-known member
Searched high and low about any tips to calibrate the monitor for GH2. I don't know whose fault it is, but I was immediately taken aback by how different the colors of the GH2's LCD/EVF and the DP6 were. The fact that the color/gamma shifts when you hit record also complicates things. Also, from my experience and what I've read, the GH2's LCD doesn't give an accurate color anyway.
But, the GH2 is a consumer stills hybrid that just happens to take amazing video, so there are just some things we have to compromise with.

So I thought I'd share my settings to get somewhat accurate colors on the DP6. If any fellow users can try out to see if it also suits them, or share their settings too. There are some variables, though: New vs Old GH2's? Patches? LCD on or off? Type of monitor you use for editing?
I bought mine quite early on and here I'm using the v1.1 patch. I switch off my LCD (huge difference in color when outputting HDMI), and I use a Mac screen for editing.

Now, my main objective like others I would presume, is to get an accurate color representation when filming, and make sure it more or less is what you get when you transfer it to your editing suite.

After fiddling about for ages with no luck, I decided to TRY and calibrate the DP6 in reverse: I took some footage, logged it into FCP, brought up any image on the viewer, returned the SD card into my GH2 and used the DP6 to playback. Then I started to calibrate.
And here's what I got:
Contrast: 40
Brightness: 80
Hue: 48
Saturation: 70
Sharpness: 19
RGB: All gain at 128; Red: 128 Green: 124 Blue: 130
Gamma: 2.2

Of course it's not 100% perfect but it's at least something I'm comfortable with. Unfortunately the whites on the DP6 still look a wee bit yellow, but I'll know where to strike the balance.

OK these pics are actually shite because it was taken with my iPhone.
Before (default):
photo(20).jpg

And after:
photo(19).jpg

If anyone has any tips or suggestions for what I'm doing wrong I greatly appreciate it. I don't have any more hair to tear out.
 
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Just out of curiiosity... Does your color balance hold up when shooting under different light sources ? ( i.e. Daylight, Tungsten, Overcast sky, Fluorescent, etc... )
 
Boon said:
Not sure whether you've read this
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?243712-smallHD-DP6-calibration

I have a SmallHD DP4 too, a pain to calibrate and you will still never get it right.
I've emailed SmallHD, I don't think they have a solution for it.
Click to expand...

Cool, ah it's for AF100. Would it still work?? Good luck on the DP4. I had it for a short while but gave it up because it was so damn hard to calibrate and heavier than other EVFs.

@TheDingo Have to get back to you on that mate, I always use Kelvin settings.
 
ed - you've done exactly what i did, calibrated your gh2 next to your grading monitor with the same footage up on both. I matched my lilliput 7'' monitor to the gh2 and now I'm pretty happy on location that the footage will look ok
 
mr bill said:
ed - you've done exactly what i did, calibrated your gh2 next to your grading monitor with the same footage up on both. I matched my lilliput 7'' monitor to the gh2 and now I'm pretty happy on location that the footage will look ok
Click to expand...
Stupendous! So this approach does work. Good for you sir
 
I updated my settings after I shot a lit interview. For me this'd be the most critical situation as I don't wanna f-up people's skin tones. Fairly pleased with this but by no means 100% accurate. I would dare say it's about 90% accurate for me.

Contrast: 40
Brightness: 75
Hue: 50
Saturation: 80
Sharpness: Subjective, but I set it at 10
Rgain: 110 GGain:105 BGain: 150
ROffset: 129 GOffset: 129 BOffset: 134
Gamma:2.2

I also noticed that it's best to gauge white balance settings while the LCD screen is on. As much as I'd like to save battery, the color shift is much less pronounced when the LCD is on. Although, what's actually recorded is not affected by whether it's off or on. The LCD and DP6 don't match up either.
I would still need to do some pre-roll test records to see how the color shifts first. Not ideal, but that's just how life is with the GH2.

Would like to hear from fellow users if it works for you?
 
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For me... a little calibration is good. But the main issue is to properly white balance. I don't use the kelvin settings, but white balance off a card or a piece of paper if need be. As long as I properly white balance, I'm confident that I'll be happy with the results once I work with it in post. I use the monitor for focus, framing, and everything cinematographic except color. In effect, I treat the gh2 as if I were shooting film, with white balance being like getting the right stock for the situation.

The thing that's most annoying about how the smallhd dp6 interacts with the gh2 is that it shows the shadows as being crushed until you start recording! If we could fix that it'd be great!
 
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@DevonH Not initially for the settings I posted above. Is this bc the colors will change over 30 mins or that it makes it easier to calibrate?
I left the DP6 on for 30 mins and compared the image and found
no discernable change.

@Phenixone I wondered that too. But don't the Spyders require software?

@qwerty123 Is that relevant to calibrating the DP6? Of course i'd love to use a white/gray card every time before I shoot but I just don't have the time when say I'm run 'n gunning. So I just practiced more using Kelvins when on the fly.

Calibrating really became critical as I'm DP'ing for a director who is very picky about color. So u could imagine his horror about the GH2's and DP6's issues. But i mean, now he'd just need to apply very little color correction.
 
@ed_lee83 No, you're right. It's not relevant to calibrating color per se. The thing that bothers me the most is that the dp6 (and maybe all other monitors too?) crushes the image prior to record: you can't really see the shadows you're getting.... one reason to get a spot meter, I suppose.....
 
I've found with LPowell's motionflow 1.1 hack that the gamma shift is pretty minimal. Colours don't seem to change an awful lot either.
 
mr bill said:
I've found with LPowell's motionflow 1.1 hack that the gamma shift is pretty minimal. Colours don't seem to change an awful lot either.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I tested it today and you're right. Wow, very minimal color shift. Gamma shift is still there but in terms of color, pretty damn good.
How did you calibrate your DP6?
 
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