Understanding the scene file settings.

N

Nils D

New member
Hi everybody!

This summer I bought a used DVX-100BE. I was really in a hurry and started to shoot a documentary project without being able to try out the camera, I had only read the manual.
Consequently, I didn’t really know what I was doing, and that can clearly be seen in the material.
So this autumn I have been scanning this forum, and others as well, to get some understanding on how to get a good picture.
(I know about Barry’s book, but since the PAL-system is "less complex" than the NTSC, there are a some big things I don’t have to bother about. And since I’m already on my way to understand the camera, just as I partly regret that I’ve bought an obsolete one…)

The big problem has been to get a grip of all the settings in the scene file menu.
But for the Panasonic HMC150 there is a document called “Professional Scene File Settings” that can be downloaded from a couple of sites.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=sv&q=hmc150+%22professional+scene+file+settings%22&btnG=S%C3%B6k&meta=&aq=f&oq=

I believe that most of what is stated there, will also be valid for the DVX-100.

Am I right?

Nils, the newbe
 
Yeah, its a great explanation. However, be aware that its for a different camera, so some things are different (like the master ped. on the DVX only goes from -15 to +15). The pictures are a great explanation on what each parameter does to the image. So it would be great to help you achieve the look you want.
 
I would highly recommend getting Barry Green's DVD. It visually shows you what each
file setting does and was very beneficial to me.

That being said, I rarely play with the files settings very much. I prefer to achieve the
look I'm going for in post. It's just a safer option.

For example, you can always get the "Matrix" look in post, but if you adjust the camera
to achieve that look, you'll never get rid of it post if you change your mind.

I shoot in 30P mode, since I don't want the "video look" of 60i, but 24P is too filmic
for my corporate clients. It's a personal preference, but it works for me.

Here's a link to some settings that I've used in the past.

http://kino-eye.com/2005/02/16/dvx100settings/

Perhaps there are other fellow DVX users out there who can give you some suggestions
on baseline file settings that will give you the most flexibility in post. Anyone?
 
Thank's.
I've seen that link. And many more on various settings. There is a lot of knowledge that is shared on these pages.
But the HMC150 "Professional Scene File Settings" helped me to finally get an understanding of impact of the settings of the KNEE, the MASTER PEDESTAL and the various GAMMAS, in various lightning situation. And it's important to get these parameters right from the beginning, so you wont loose any information. (Just as I did.) What isn't recorded, can't bee adjusted in the post.

(And in PAL, you can only chose between 50i and 25p. And there is no set up for black level, at 7.5 IRE. That makes things easier.)
 
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