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Filmmode Settings Tests: detail handling, color shift, exposure, etc.
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  • I think that the most noticeable factor in iq in the test of the alexa, f3 and 7d is the amount of color informations. Alexa is far superior than f3 and the 7d is completely out of the games. I could tolerate alexa-like pictures with a blown sky, but not 7d-like pictures with everything in latitude.
    Obviously i'd like s-logs for the gh2 because of the latidude, but mostly for color informations. And i'd like even more 4:2:2 10 bit :P
  • More latitude is always better, but if you're in control of your set, you should be working to control light ratios and required latitude for the shot. Wildlife work is another story, but for most pro work, you can easily work with 9-10 stops of latitude. Blown out window? Gel the dang thing! Use your tools, camera is just one piece of the puzzle.
  • where one can use some reflectors, the other one will have to bring some hmi and even a truck. In the case of outdoor shoot with some wide shots, big windows etc. just some cases where a wide Dr camera will make a huge difference. If you can shoot only in a studio just fine, but once you are faced with less controlled lighting which more the case of someone using a GH2 than an Alexa or red.
  • Looking at this post http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/1110/idynamic-range-possible-to-hack#Item_77 where you have the road in the forest, see how the idynamic version is much better because you can see the woods and the sky is not blown out and a good example of a wide shot that is near impossible to lit. For a darker tone, you can if you want just contrast it in post in you want to, but the contrary is much more difficult.
  • It's not *much more* difficult. Also, see my comment at the end of the last page, which I fear is now getting buried. The underlying basic point is that important as dynamic range is, that's not the sole consideration in the selection of filmmodes--which is what this thread is about. Since all the filmmodes have more or less the same amount of range, the amount of DR shouldn't be the sole criterion for selecting a mode. What matters for selecting a mode is how it handles various parts of the image.

    I made the basic argument for cinema mode as follows: cinema captures the most detail in the midtones; the midtones are in most scenarios the most important part of the image we want to capture (where skin tones lie); cinema does crush blacks, but, especially with the hack, the blacks can be brought back up. (The argument is more extensive on the previous page.)
  • I wonder if anyone has already carried tests, or simply knows whether it would be better shooting with a suposedly neutral film mode and settings, say smotth -2-2 0 -2 , or just trying to achieve the final look in camera settings. I have read and heard opinions leaning to both sides..
    I am shooting dark BW with high contrast. Closest I found on camera was dynamic BW - but getting some nasty noise in some scenes I have been shooting on low light and high iso due to bad exposure this film mode provides. Does anyone has any experience or thoughts to share? thanks
  • Try to get contrast, color (or no color in your case) and exposure as close to your final look as you can, but turn down sharpness and noise reduction. If you record with high bitrates (preferably GOP1), you have much better chances to get the noise under control in post (Neatvideo). If you don't even like it right away – it will look much more organic, more like film-grain. Very nice if you want a Tri-X look.
  • @nomad
    Thanks for replying.
    Problem is I can't get the exposure I want with the aimed look unless I use high ISO.
    So, in one side of the balance I have a noisy(MCU Block specifically) but graded image and in the other side I have acceptable noise on shades and image still waiting too be adjusted regarding blacks and contrast.

    So Neatvideo or the prores 422 ability to be pushed on grading?
  • I've used i.dynamic a lot recently and my opinion is that it is complete not worth. It's true that the dark areas are more detailed and visible, but the noise is ugly, colors are worst because if you grade you can see the low res 4:2:0 coming out strongly. Pay attention using i.dynamic