FS7: Sony FS7 Slog2

S

SamB2013

New member
I'm a Sony FS7 owner and keen to shoot Slog2 on a forthcoming feature doc project as I prefer the look to slog 3
E.g.https://vimeo.com/119075747 https://vimeo.com/116280524

I was hoping to get some advice from those more expert than myself.....

I don't set exposure by using a histogram (which is problematic on a Sony FS7 in any case) or zebras, I just use a LUT and judge the image by eye. I realise this removes the safety net of additional checks and may seem foolhardy to some, but it's just the way I prefer to work. And it's served me fine so far (with the help of colourists in the grade).

My question is: will this working method be okay for shooting in slog 2? From what I understand there is less room for error with exposure vs slog3 and 1.5 stops less DR... can I shoot slog 2 without going to zebras / histograms etc? Or is this courting disaster..?

Thanks all!
 
Slog2/3 have same DR as far as I'm aware of. The difference is the curve, middle grey point and where the data is distributed. Slog3 follows closer to the cineon curve and has more data allocated to shadows and mids where Slog2 spends more data in highlights.
 
SamB2013 said:
I'm a Sony FS7 owner and keen to shoot Slog2 on a forthcoming feature doc project as I prefer the look to slog 3
E.g.https://vimeo.com/119075747 https://vimeo.com/116280524

I was hoping to get some advice from those more expert than myself.....

I don't set exposure by using a histogram (which is problematic on a Sony FS7 in any case) or zebras, I just use a LUT and judge the image by eye. I realise this removes the safety net of additional checks and may seem foolhardy to some, but it's just the way I prefer to work. And it's served me fine so far (with the help of colourists in the grade).

My question is: will this working method be okay for shooting in slog 2? From what I understand there is less room for error with exposure vs slog3 and 1.5 stops less DR... can I shoot slog 2 without going to zebras / histograms etc? Or is this courting disaster..?

Thanks all!
Click to expand...

Why not just shoot Slog3?
 
FrameFarmMedia said:
Slog2/3 have same DR as far as I'm aware of. The difference is the curve, middle grey point and where the data is distributed. Slog3 follows closer to the cineon curve and has more data allocated to shadows and mids where Slog2 spends more data in highlights.
Click to expand...

According to Sony, Slog3 has 1.5 more stops than Slog2. Haven't checked this myself as I'm quite happy shooting Slog3:

http://community.sony.com/sony/atta...ry_for_S-Gamut3Cine_S-Gamut3_S-Log3_V1_00.pdf
 
SamB2013 said:
I'm a Sony FS7 owner and keen to shoot Slog2 on a forthcoming feature doc project as I prefer the look to slog 3
E.g.https://vimeo.com/119075747 https://vimeo.com/116280524

I was hoping to get some advice from those more expert than myself.....

I don't set exposure by using a histogram (which is problematic on a Sony FS7 in any case) or zebras, I just use a LUT and judge the image by eye. I realise this removes the safety net of additional checks and may seem foolhardy to some, but it's just the way I prefer to work. And it's served me fine so far (with the help of colourists in the grade).

My question is: will this working method be okay for shooting in slog 2? From what I understand there is less room for error with exposure vs slog3 and 1.5 stops less DR... can I shoot slog 2 without going to zebras / histograms etc? Or is this courting disaster..?

Thanks all!
Click to expand...


Judging exposure by eye is (in my opinion) absolutely courting disaster. Get yourself a light meter, or an external monitor with exposure tools like false colour or waveform.

Correct exposure matters. It really matters. And I don't understand why so many people think they can play fast and loose with it and still expect consistent results.
 
Doug Jensen's exposure guide is different from what you will see posted a lot here (such as exposing to a grey card or skin) , but works for me. Set zebra 2 to 60% and expose for bright white. It's just that simple , works, no light meter necessary. It'a broken me from exposing by eye- after 30 years I had gotten pretty good at it, but this is better.
 
I shot SLog2 for 1 1/2 years on my FS700. While it was a big step up for the FS700, I certainly don't miss it now that I have SLog3.

i use a LUT on the VF and Waveform on the 7Q and I still mess up here and there, especially in the beginning. Going strictly by eye is shakey ground for sure.
 
mainstreetprod said:
Doug Jensen's exposure guide is different from what you will see posted a lot here (such as exposing to a grey card or skin) , but works for me. Set zebra 2 to 60% and expose for bright white. It's just that simple , works, no light meter necessary. It'a broken me from exposing by eye- after 30 years I had gotten pretty good at it, but this is better.
Click to expand...
I have to say that I too am taking this approach. Having now done 3 shoots recently, some inddoors (with controlled lighting), some outdoors exclusively using CineEI, it works like a charm.
 
I recommend to get as good as you can with different methods of judging exposure since no single one will fit every situation. Sometimes you can use lightmeter or white/graycard. Sometimes zebras and historgram, spotmeter or judging by eye will have to do.
 
Thanks all. I'm going to watch Doug Jensen's guide to the FS7 and learn how to expose with the zebras. I'm sure you're right that a mixture of exposure methods is advisable. I'm also going to look into shooting some tests of slog 2 and slog 3 and see which I prefer.

Cheers for all the responses.
S
 
Doug's theory is that exposing to bright white is consistent, while skin tones and greys may vary. Only thing I've run into is deciding how much zebra pattern should be on snow, when some areas are a lot brighter than others but it's all white.
 
In my humble opinion, its best to know all exposure methods because what works in some situations might not work for all. Especially for example if you want to use zebras on skin and set it to a very low IRE. The zebras can only be set to a certain lower limit. To me a light meter is my best friend, and honestly if the FS7/F5/F55 had a built in spot-meter like the F3 did I would use it. But it doesn't.

I put what is more or less a collection of all my rants and bantering in one convenient 35 page guide for anyone interested to learn or get a refresher on the following:

•Exposure: •Fundamentals
•Dynamic Range
•The Crux of S-Log
•S-Log vs RAW

•Standard and Hyper Gammas: •Dynamic Ranges
•Key Differences

•Five Exposure Methods: •Grey Card
•White Card
•Light Meter
•Zebras
•Monitor

•Using the CineEI Mode
•LUT/LOOKS Primer: •Differences
•Use
•Cautions and Tips

•Light Meters: •Introduction
•Meter Basics
•Metering Modes

•Rating your camera ISO

 
starcentral said:
Especially for example if you want to use zebras on skin and set it to a very low IRE.
Click to expand...

That shouldn't even be an issue because exposure should NEVER be set based on skin tone. There are too many variations in skin color. No matter how someone wants to justify that practice, unltimately it just comes down to the fact that they are just guessing at the exposure.
 
So an subject in a black jumper on a black background? Or an subject against the light where you know stuff will blow?

Extreme examples but ive been metering off skin for years.

FS7 just getting the histo full in the middle does me though.

S
 
morgan_moore said:
So an subject in a black jumper on a black background? Or an subject against the light where you know stuff will blow?
S
Click to expand...


Yes!!! Those are perfect examples. That's the whole point of having a target shade (white or gray) that you can count on to be consistent. Some people don't get it, and that is fine.
Are you going to use the same zebra levels for a Nigerian and an albino? I hope not. So it's just guessing.
 
Completely - but in grabbed situations or longer lens stuff you might not get a card in - so feel and experience required

Conversly - if you are shooting log you want a thick 'negative' so the Nigerian might be best crushed in post. Also the darker skins often are quite reflective/glossy and tend towards hotspots in a way sallow skin might not - so actually the in camera exposure should be surprisingly similar..
 
Last edited:
morgan_moore said:
. . .. so actually the in camera exposure should be surprisingly similar..
Click to expand...

Not only similar, but exactly the same. Granted you might need to adjust the placement of the lights to suit different individuals, but all things being equal, the exposure for an albino should be exactly the same as a Nigerian. That is the whole point of NOT using skin tone to judge the exposure. I have demonstrated this concept time after time in the lighting workshops that I teach (although never with an albino!) and it has never failed me in front of students or on a real shoot. Speaking of workshops, I'd love to have any DVX users join us in Maine this August. http://www.mainemedia.edu/instructors/photo/doug-jensen
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top