filmlike gamma curves

[Guest adubbs]

Recently I've been reading the Goodmans Guide and learned that if you use the filmlike gamma settings you will achieve more tonal graduations. Therefore, I used this gamma curve and got muddy, soft looking video. It seems as though the image is out of focus and the movement is blured. It also appears that color saturation and hue reproduction is poor. (The shot settings, factory defaults - except gamma curve was set to Filmlike 1 - 60i, v. res: interlace, 4:3, DV50). Any tips? Has anyone else observed this problem? What is the trick to get good looking video with a wide range of tonal graduations?

 

Thank You,

adubbs

[Brian Drysdale]

Recently I've been reading the Goodmans Guide and learned that if you use the filmlike gamma settings you will achieve more tonal graduations. Therefore, I used this gamma curve and got muddy, soft looking video. It seems as though the image is out of focus and the movement is blured. It also appears that color saturation and hue reproduction is poor. (The shot settings, factory defaults - except gamma curve was set to Filmlike 1 - 60i, v. res: interlace, 4:3, DV50). Any tips? Has anyone else observed this problem? What is the trick to get good looking video with a wide range of tonal graduations?

 

Thank You,

adubbs

 

I've used the filmlike setting shooting at 25p and it was fine. Are you sure the menu wasn't accidently left on a progressive frame setting with the shutter off? I've noticed you have to check and recheck these things and sometimes you discover they're not as you believe they should be. I know one of my menu settings changed from the original on one shoot.

 

The colours weren't that bright - more Agfa than Kodak or Fuji.

[Stephen Williams]

Recently I've been reading the Goodmans Guide and learned that if you use the filmlike gamma settings you will achieve more tonal graduations. Therefore, I used this gamma curve and got muddy, soft looking video. It seems as though the image is out of focus and the movement is blured. It also appears that color saturation and hue reproduction is poor. (The shot settings, factory defaults - except gamma curve was set to Filmlike 1 - 60i, v. res: interlace, 4:3, DV50). Any tips? Has anyone else observed this problem? What is the trick to get good looking video with a wide range of tonal graduations?

 

Thank You,

adubbs

 

Hi,

 

If you use filmlike gamma settings you will record a low contrast image. You must then grade your footage. A low contrast image also will look softer.

 

Stephen

[Tim J Durham]

Recently I've been reading the Goodmans Guide and learned that if you use the filmlike gamma settings you will achieve more tonal graduations. Therefore, I used this gamma curve and got muddy, soft looking video. It seems as though the image is out of focus and the movement is blured. It also appears that color saturation and hue reproduction is poor. (The shot settings, factory defaults - except gamma curve was set to Filmlike 1 - 60i, v. res: interlace, 4:3, DV50). Any tips? Has anyone else observed this problem? What is the trick to get good looking video with a wide range of tonal graduations?

 

Thank You,

adubbs

There are about 150 (that's a guess) different settings to foul up so you may have gone wrong anywhere along the line. Looking "out of focus" is tougher to blame on the camera. Did you set your back focus?

 

Blurred movement when shooting in 60i means the slowest the shutter could be is 1/60. If you're shooting at the tight end of the zoom, it's not inconceivable you got some motion blurring. In my experience, it's tough to make that camera look bad. Can you post some clips?

 

Like Stephen said, you want a low contrast image if you have plans to do post grading. You want as much information as possible going in so you need to figure out if you even WANT what the film-gamma settings are delivering to you. It's not for every situation and doesn't automatically make everybody Vittorio Storaro.