zebras on FX1 and what ok for gain level?

reflex

reflex

Well-known member
What does everyone here set there zebras on? I was reading all the other posts that the dvx has and even my vx2100 has 2 zebra settings.

Since my fx1 has only zebra pattern on or off what should I set my zebra number to? 100? i can go from 70 - 100+ IRE. If I set it at 100 and its a darker scenario its useless.... so then I should keep it on 70 - 80 and then try to get as much stripes on the subject matter as possible, which would mean i'm properly exposed.. right?

also in the picture profile you can set an auto gain limit for 0db, 3db, 6db and 12db , plus you have a manual switch for H,M,L which you can set for any amounts. What should I set these at? I right now have it set at AGC 0db and my L = 3db M=6db H=9db.

Anyone else using this cam and have experience that could lend some insight?
 
Hi reflex,

First off all no need to panic ! But you havent uderstand what zebra is for. Zebra is a very nice feature that allows you to know how overexpozed is your area.(the stripes indicates the areas that are over exposed) General speaking, anything above 100IRE want keep any info and will apear white in your filmout so setting up your camera to 100IRE is a very nice general setting (when you see the stripes you have either to close your aperture or use a ND filter instead, play with your speed is not what you want). Shooting a face closup thought is better keeping everything between 70-80. But there is occusions that you actually want everything to be white so you just burn everything up ! Experiment a little, the only rule is the above mentioned, anything else is about taste.
With the gain settings the rule goes that for every db you go up you add noise and artificial lighting in your image. If you like what you see go for it. As you have alwready noticed FX1 is a camera with realy low noise, so its ok if you shoot with low lighting conditions, and I meen REAl low light conditions. I would use gain if there was no other way to provide light to a scene that requirs it.

hope that helps
Andreas
 
Some time ago I shot in a coal mine and I was forced to use the gain on the FX1. I was very surprised on how you can't see any grain at all.
 
Not up the 18db...I wish :D But I'm still surprised at how good it performs at 18db when compared to other cameras.
 
The best setting for people/faces is 70 zebra. When there is just a little bit of zebra on their face is the best look that I've found out. Also, you can go to 3 db without electric noise, but after that you're going to find the shots grainy.
 
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