I have followed several guides to decrease contrast, sharpness and saturation for more of a "flat-neutral" look, despite this most of my footage ends up lloking like color negative stock. Very contrasy with crushed blacks.....any ideas? Is this normal?

It sounds like a lighting issue. Perhaps you could post samples showing what you're talking about, and also list the picture profile settings you're using? I'm having good luck with the Neutral setting, with contrast turned all the way down--then I add a bit back in during grading, and it feels good.

Also, you mention looking like negative film, which is really the goal of all this! If it looks like reversal film, then that's when I'd try lowering contrast, either on the camera or, preferably, with your lighting.

Best of luck--

Mark

Well it looks like film for sure! But in it's current state it resembles old 1970s super 8mm stock. It's too much. even after I color grade and add contrast to my XL-H1 footage I do not take it this far. I will double check my settings but I am 99% sure that the sharpness is all the way down, the contrast is all the way down and the saturation is almost all the way down. The ISO was at 640 and the iris at 1.8 with a 1/50 shutter. What other settings can I check? Also, this was with more candid shots with available lighting, not setup shots....but typically these scenarios shot with the H1 resulted in flat bland looking images. I would not consider this a contrasty lighting scenario at all.

thanks

If Faithful with minimum contrast is still too hot, you might try a light diffusion optical filter. It will knock down specular highlights and milk up the blacks a bit. It will also help reduce aliasing - especially on glint from water ripples, tile roofs and car surfaces.

Just go light, unless you want the dreamy boudoir look.