Can I get XL1 to look like Panasonics DVX?

Federico Pedroza · January 10, 2004

Hi

I'm about to start a new short, and was going to use the new panasonics 24p mode, but If I want to start right away I'll have to settle for an XL1 that is free for me to use. So I was thinking of using the XL1, shooting in normal interlaced mode and then let magic bullet do it's magic with its 24p simulation. Does this sound ok? if not I would like to know what I'm loosing by doing this, and if anyone can come up with any pointers , then let me have'em.

Fred

Alvin Pingol · January 11, 2004

I'm about to start a new short, and was going to use the new panasonics 24p mode, but If I want to start right away I'll have to settle for an XL1 that is free for me to use. So I was thinking of using the XL1, shooting in normal interlaced mode and then let magic bullet do it's magic with its 24p simulation. Does this sound ok? if not I would like to know what I'm loosing by doing this, and if anyone can come up with any pointers , then let me have'em.

I haven't used Magic Bullet, and therefore I do not know what technique it uses to get 24P from 60i (there are many techniques, some better than others), but whichever one it chooses, you are going to be losing image information no matter what. Depending on its interpolation quality, you may not even see these interpolation artifacts unless you look for them, but you are losing details and most likely introducing distracting jaggies.

I do not know what your final desired output medium is (video or film), but if the latter, I would recommend you do NOT use the XL1, as interpolation artifacts will make themselves show up even more when shown on the big screen, and the XL1's image isn't that great to begin with.

If video, maybe the XL1 on frame-mode (quasi-30P) will give you the look you're going for, and most likely better quality than going through Magic Bullet.

Overall, I would recommend you simply shoot with the Panasonic, this way you get higher image quality and true 24P.

Ram Shani · January 11, 2004

hi

just saw "28days later" all shot with xl-1

look great

there is artical adout it in the AC magazin july2003

ram

Alvin Pingol · January 11, 2004

hi

just saw "28days later" all shot with xl-1

look great

there is artical adout it in the AC magazin july2003

ram

"28 Days Later" was shot with a PAL XL-1 on frame mode. This resulted in a 25P image, which was easily converted to film's 24 by simply slowing it down 1FPS.

From what I gather, Fred is in NTSC territory (he mentions the 24P mode on the Panasonic, which in PAL areas exists only as 25P), and therefore cannot use the frame mode on the XL-1 if he must have 24fps.

In addition, the images in "28 Days Later" went through some complex, expensive image processing, which is why it looked good.

Federico Pedroza · January 12, 2004

Can anyone tell me if the new DVX model really out performs the previous one or are are the improvements minor?

Fred

AStar · January 12, 2004

Magic Bullet Software

I have used the Magic Bullet Software and it does a very cool job of creating a film look. The software looks at your video as if it were origenally shot on film; by de-interlacing the footage, performing a reverse 3:2 pulldown, then adding color filters and other aspects to the image based on prameters you select from thier library of settings. This plug-in was orgenally created to assist people doing high end compositing and solve other post production problems that come from using consumer DV footage. One thing to keep in mind is that by using the Magic Bullet and then going back to DV tape, you are going to recompress all your footage which is already compressed 5:1, so you might increase your compression artifacts in the final footage. This may or may not be a problem for you, depending on how good video gear you are displaying on is. XL1 in Frame mode might be better then using the magic bullet unless you are going to film or a higher end video format.

A

Mitch Gross · January 12, 2004

Can anyone tell me if the new DVX model really out performs the previous one or are are the improvements minor?

The improvements are functional ones, not performance. You will get get just as good a technical image with either camera, but the new model has improved features over the old.

Bill Totolo · January 12, 2004

re: "28 Days later". I don't know if you saw this on the big screen or on a TV but the images on the big screen certainly weren't anything to brag about.

In an article in American Cinematographer the DP lamented that he wished he could have shot on film.

Re: combining images from an XL-1 and a DVX-100. It's up to you but I'd wait. I'm sure very few people would pick up the difference but you would see the difference and it would bug you.

Beside the frame capture rate the DVX has some decent image adjustments that the Canon doesn't offer such as Gamma, detail, black level...so you may also be trying to match a look. Why make things difficult on yourself?

If you do go with both cameras I'd certainly not try to shoot coverage of the same scene. That's where it will get noticeable.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out.