B. Schultz

Nook, I have found that the following process works the best when it comes to downloading and using custom gamma curves in the Sony F900/3 Use a blank memory stick, formatted in the camera and write the custom curve data to it from the CVP Editor program or use downloaded curves like from the Digital Praxis web site. Put the stick in the camera and go to File/4 (F4) User Gamma. Read in the data from the memory card. Now go to Paint/3 (P3) and scroll to "Table". You should be seeing the number 5 there which signifies your use of the ITU709 matrix. This is correct. However, you now need to highlight the 5 and push the rotary in and scroll to the next setting which will appear as "User". If you have only loaded one curve in, it will appear with it's name and the #1 to the left of it. If you have loaded in more, you need to scroll to this first line and push the rotary in again to scroll to any others. Once you have found your user curve, push the rotary in to recall it. You will now be able to see the curve working on the camera. To view it in even more detail, turn on the Test Saw (P3 - Test) and on your waveform you will see the shape of the gamma curve displayed. You can then easily switch back and forth between ITU709 and your custom curve to see the waveform display change & compare the two. I put the custom curves I use in Scene File (P13) settings so I can easily switch to them when needed. This allows me to avoid ever having to use the DCC-On circuit. My presets are; Standard (no knee), #1 as Standard with knee on, #2 as Jeff Cree custom gamma curve, #3 as Digital Praxis Log709 custom gamma curve, #4 as #1 with slight warming in red matrix for the ladies. Your mileage will vary. I know it's confusing, it's the last step on P3 that took me ages to discover.

[quote In most cases one would be hard pressed to tell the difference between an HDX900 and a Sony F900, even though it is 1/3 the price. Mitch, I am curious about this kind of statement. When this camera up-rezzes a 1080P image from it's native 720P block, there is absolutely no distortion from blowing that image up vertically as well as horizontally? I think that can't possibly be the case. A native 1080P camera like the F900 can't be equated with a native 720P camera like the HDX900 or Varicam. They are two entirely different frame sizes. I can see a difference in footage I shoot with my Varicam blown up to 1080 and intercut with my F900 footage as clear as day. I can't believe a less advanced camera than the Varicam - like the HDX900 would be any better. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Simon, could you elaborate more on this menu option? What page, which option#?

Don't be surprised at all! I have had lots of problems with this circuit (DCC-ON switch) and am very annoyed that Sony has supplied no provision to disable the camera switch in the menus. Many times a soundperson will accidently switch this to DCC-ON from laying down bars and the camera will occaisionally render the same results you have described. Even though some major players swear by this circuit, I refuse to use it because you can easily be screwed by it without noticing it in the field. A better way is to achieve the exact same highlight suppression result through careful use of the paint menus. I have found the Digital Praxis Log709 curve emmulates the DCC-ON circuit nearly exactly with no "surging" side effects. It's a free download from their website and once installed takes about 10 seconds to activate. I have it installed as one of my 5 basic scene files and use it anytime I might be inclined to use DCC-ON. Bruce Schultz F900/Varicam owner/operator LA-based IATSE 600

As far as the 24P vs 30P issue is concerned - it is always better to have all of your frame information as original information and even more importantly having all of your frames intact rather than making 6 up from the 24 existing. This has ramifications in compositing because now there is the potential for artifact creation which will impact the keyer/Ultimatte's edge selection. So shooting 30P eliminates this completely and doesn't compromise the "film look" of progressive. I use the cinegamma option when I have highlight issues and on the Varicam I generally stay with the Film Menu at Video Rec to increase my gamma for normal shots. I'm still figuring out what this translates to on the SDX900, I think it means don't use the "filmlike" menu settings unless highlight suppression is needed. Transfer via SDI is not an option on this job, although I do have the SDI option on the camera. Post will be done at a distant facility, but I will mention the ability to use a DVCPRO50 VTR with SDI to input into NLE. Thanks for everyone's input.

Shooting 30P is designed to accomodate the 60i cross-convert. The compositing will be done on an Avid system with SDI input and a DigiBeta deck, so the transfer to 60i will be done to Digi, then input into the NLE. I was more questioning the artifact issue of 3:3:1 compression. I have no trouble compositing from bluescreen DigiBeta originals, but that is 2:1 compression. Just feeling out the community to see if the slight increase in compression has any noticable compositing artifact downside. My suspicion is that it does not.

I am going to do my first SDX900 bluescreen shoot next week. I will be shooting at 30P which is what I do for HD shoots in bluescreen. I find that this is very helpful in compositing after transfer, because all the frames are there. I am wondering if there might be any helpful feedback concerning the camera settings etc. for a green/bluescreen shoot. The workflow will be to transfer the camera material from 30P to 60i DigiBeta tape for compositing. I have done this many times from HD Varicam or Sony tapes, and I'm just wondering if there is anything special I might need to know that's different with this SDX900 camera. I'm assuming that a straight SDI transfer from DVCPRO50 to Digibeta will yield a near-identical clone to composite with.