All 7D settings for shooting video at DVinfo.net

David Chapman · November 2nd, 2009, 09:36 PM

I've been trying to find a sticky or blog that really outlines all the settings or steps needed to achieve great video results. Not as a rule, but a starting point. I'm curious to see your thoughts on where I have arrived below and what you are doing different (if anything).

Normal Video Shooting:

Frame rate: 30p; shutter speed: 1/60
Frame rate: 24p; shutter speed: 1/50 (unless HMIs, then 1/60)
Frame rate: 60p, shutter speed: 1/125 or keep 1/50 or 1/60?)

Highlight Tone Priority: Off
I see more vertical banding with HTP on.

ISO:
Whole number: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000, 1600, 2000, etc

or: 160, 320, 640, 1250, 3200 (all taken from: Canon 7D ISO versus noise test images Marvelsfilm’s Blog)

Color Profile
I've been using Superflat and Cine Style. A great video demo can be found here:
Click the link to the Vimeo page to download the scene files.

Noise Reduction
I've left this at Standard and haven't done any tests here to change it.

White Balance
I always try to set a temp instead of Auto. I've heard that Auto might introduce other noise or artifacts.

Focus
I always have the lens set to manual focusing for video and time lapse.

Chris Barcellos · November 2nd, 2009, 10:10 PM

David, do you have link to Cine Style. I have been using super flat.

David Chapman · November 2nd, 2009, 10:46 PM

Luka has all the downloads on his Vimeo page (in the description).

This is the direct link for the Cine Style from Martin's blog:
Canon 7D Picture Style with Cine-gamma (S) Curve – free download Marvelsfilm’s Blog

Khoi Pham · November 2nd, 2009, 11:56 PM

I don't know where that picture style1 come from but I have never seen bad video like that, I think he must put some kind of a dirty filter on it to exagerated the difference. (-:

All of the shutter speed is for normal, but hey if you are doing event with available light, do what you must to get the right exposure, go down to 30th if you have to, go up to 4000/sec if you outdoor and got no neutral density filter or don't have time to put it on, I like to use the K settings and change the white balance until it looks right, but if you are indoor and under extreme warm light, use the manual white balance because it will go down all the way to 2000K, the K settings only goes down to 2500K, shutter speed should be 160, 200, 320, 400, 640, 800, 1250, above that doesn't matter, the lower the better, I also use Marvel's preset but turn down contrast more all the way cuz I think it is still too black, everyone has different taste I guess.

David Chapman · November 3rd, 2009, 10:40 AM

The super high shutter speed would only be set to maintain the shallow DOF, but you lose the 180° shutter to have any motion blur. I might be temped to adjust the aperture before the shutter speed (after I already set ISO to 100) unless I was going for that time-freezing feel.

I'm getting some ND filters so I can keep a "normal" shutter speed and wide aperture, but sometimes you have to do what you have to in order to get the shot.

Anmol Mishra · November 4th, 2009, 08:57 AM

I am in Manual exposure mode.

I can only change the shutter from 1/30 to 1/45 to 1/60 with the dial.
Canon advertises that I can use ANY shutter speed.

What am I missing ?

Jerry Porter · November 4th, 2009, 09:39 AM

I can go from 30 to 4,000 in mine set to 1080 30p. I haven't tried it in other settings, but I pretty sure it will in all of them.

Anmol Mishra · November 4th, 2009, 09:48 AM

I had to set Exposure to 1/3 stop. It was set on 1/2 stop for some reason.

Then I can change, but only in increments of 10,
1/30 1/40 1/50

David Chapman · November 4th, 2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anmol Mishra

I am in Manual exposure mode.

I can only change the shutter from 1/30 to 1/45 to 1/60 with the dial.
Canon advertises that I can use ANY shutter speed.

What am I missing ?

You can't select a shutter speed below 1/30 in video mode, but you should have everything above available: 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, 125, 160, etc. Most video cameras can't go below 1/30 or 1/15 if that's what you are asking.

Shawn Wright · November 6th, 2009, 08:20 AM

Very cool, thanks.

So maybe I missed something. Is there a place to download your preset picture styles? If the software is no good then are there certain settings or something?

David Chapman · November 6th, 2009, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Very cool, thanks.

So maybe I missed something. Is there a place to download your preset picture styles? If the software is no good then are there certain settings or something?

There are links to download picture styles if you go to the Vimeo page. They aren't mine, but a collection of others.

I actually have been using the Super Flat, but will start doing some tests with the Cine Style too to see which will work best for me and post grading.

Keith Moreau · November 6th, 2009, 09:03 PM

I found the cine style from Marvel to produce strangely pumpkin-colored skin tones. Superflat seems better. I haven't fully explored why and I think some of Marvel's bloggers complained of the orangey tone and Marvel had some suggestions.

David Chapman · November 7th, 2009, 03:18 PM

I'm interested to see if we have come to conclusions about the ISO and HTP settings.

Looking through the forum, some say HTP should be on, but not for low contrast picture styles. Others say on, but not above ISO 600-800. There are others that say HTP should always be on at high ISOs. Other blogs say to keep it off entirely.

Also, ISO 320, 640 and 1250 were said to clip highlights, effectively the opposite of HTP. From reading, those ISOs should not be used with a low contrast picture style either.

My question now is (which may require me to do testing later today):
If we are capturing an image intended for post processing, do we use HTP, low-noise ISOs, both or none? Is there a rule for when to use some settings (indoor/outdoor/particular lighting scenarios)? I am using a low contrast picture style for grading, but it seems that HTP and the odd ISOs should not be used in that case. I don't want to clip highlights if that's what the ISOs are doing, but I don't want to introduce more noise in the clip. But, raising the low-end by a stop before compression would be better than raising in post (after compression) which is what HTP does.

David Chapman · November 7th, 2009, 03:48 PM

From Daniel Browning on other forums:

When you select "ISO 320", what the camera actually does behind the scenes is set the analog ISO to 400, then reduce brightness digitally with a -1/3 stop pull. That makes it look as if you had used ISO 320, except that 1/3 stop of highlights are clipped. The upside is that noise is less.

It's like the opposite of HTP (highlight tone priority). HTP sets the analog ISO to one stop below whatever you pick, giving 1 extra stop of highlights, then increases the brightness digitally with nonlinear EC (to preserve highlights), which increases the visibility of noise. So HTP trades shadows for highlights.

The other tweener ISO settings (125, 250, 500, 1000) should be avoided, because they do a 1/3-stop push, but don't bother to preserve the highlights, so they increase noise for no benefit.

----

• 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600: normal amount of highlight headroom.

• There is little difference from ISO 100 to 200, because most viewers can't tell the difference in photon shot noise, and the read noise drops by almost a full stop in ISO 200.

• 125, 250, 500, 1000: considered harmful. 1/3 stop less highlight headroom and 1/3 stop more shadow noise.

• 160, 320, 640, 1250: fine, as long as you are aware of the decreased highlight headroom. (Clips 1/3 highlights to get 1/3 more shadows.)

• HTP should *always* be enabled when the ISO is higher than 1600.

• There is a careful balance between increasing shadow detail through ISO (which clips highlights) or through HTP, the picture profile (e.g. contrast, tone curve), or Auto Lighting Optimizer. Generally, the higher you go in ISO, the more beneficial it is to use non-ISO methods to increase shadow detail. For example, ISO 3200+HTP (actually ISO 1600) is better than the real ISO 3200. ISO 800+HTP may be better than the real ISO 800, but it depends on how much highlight headroom you need.

David Chapman · November 7th, 2009, 05:12 PM

Just a quick update regarding 60p settings:

1. When shooting 60p to use in a 24p(23.976) timeline for 2.5x slower motion than realtime:
Shutter speed: 1/120

2. When shooting 60p to convert to 24p for realtime playback in a 24p timeline:
Shutter speed: 1/60
(closest to 180° shutter speed of 1/48 in 60p mode)

At least this is what I am testing now...

November 2nd, 2009, 09:36 PM	#1
David Chapman Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 346	All 7D settings for shooting video I've been trying to find a sticky or blog that really outlines all the settings or steps needed to achieve great video results. Not as a rule, but a starting point. I'm curious to see your thoughts on where I have arrived below and what you are doing different (if anything). Normal Video Shooting: Frame rate: 30p; shutter speed: 1/60 Frame rate: 24p; shutter speed: 1/50 (unless HMIs, then 1/60) Frame rate: 60p, shutter speed: 1/125 or keep 1/50 or 1/60?) Highlight Tone Priority: Off I see more vertical banding with HTP on. ISO: Whole number: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000, 1600, 2000, etc or: 160, 320, 640, 1250, 3200 (all taken from: Canon 7D ISO versus noise test images Marvelsfilm’s Blog) Color Profile I've been using Superflat and Cine Style. A great video demo can be found here: Click the link to the Vimeo page to download the scene files. How to increase the Canon 7D dynamic range (Tutorial) on Vimeo Noise Reduction I've left this at Standard and haven't done any tests here to change it. White Balance I always try to set a temp instead of Auto. I've heard that Auto might introduce other noise or artifacts. Focus I always have the lens set to manual focusing for video and time lapse. __________________ David Chapman www.davechapfilms.com Last edited by David Chapman; November 2nd, 2009 at 10:50 PM.

November 2nd, 2009, 10:10 PM	#2
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	David, do you have link to Cine Style. I have been using super flat. __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

November 2nd, 2009, 10:46 PM	#3
David Chapman Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 346	Luka has all the downloads on his Vimeo page (in the description). This is the direct link for the Cine Style from Martin's blog: Canon 7D Picture Style with Cine-gamma (S) Curve – free download Marvelsfilm’s Blog __________________ David Chapman www.davechapfilms.com

November 2nd, 2009, 11:56 PM	#4
Khoi Pham Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Dallas Posts: 747	I don't know where that picture style1 come from but I have never seen bad video like that, I think he must put some kind of a dirty filter on it to exagerated the difference. (-: All of the shutter speed is for normal, but hey if you are doing event with available light, do what you must to get the right exposure, go down to 30th if you have to, go up to 4000/sec if you outdoor and got no neutral density filter or don't have time to put it on, I like to use the K settings and change the white balance until it looks right, but if you are indoor and under extreme warm light, use the manual white balance because it will go down all the way to 2000K, the K settings only goes down to 2500K, shutter speed should be 160, 200, 320, 400, 640, 800, 1250, above that doesn't matter, the lower the better, I also use Marvel's preset but turn down contrast more all the way cuz I think it is still too black, everyone has different taste I guess. __________________ Khoi Pham www.proeditproductions.com

November 3rd, 2009, 10:40 AM	#5
David Chapman Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 346	The super high shutter speed would only be set to maintain the shallow DOF, but you lose the 180° shutter to have any motion blur. I might be temped to adjust the aperture before the shutter speed (after I already set ISO to 100) unless I was going for that time-freezing feel. I'm getting some ND filters so I can keep a "normal" shutter speed and wide aperture, but sometimes you have to do what you have to in order to get the shot. __________________ David Chapman www.davechapfilms.com

November 4th, 2009, 08:57 AM	#6
Anmol Mishra Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 401	Am I missing something ? I am in Manual exposure mode. I can only change the shutter from 1/30 to 1/45 to 1/60 with the dial. Canon advertises that I can use ANY shutter speed. What am I missing ? __________________ mishra.tv Productions A Sydney-based group for dance movement-based video and film productions.

November 4th, 2009, 09:39 AM	#7
Jerry Porter Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Satellite Beach, Fl Posts: 784	I can go from 30 to 4,000 in mine set to 1080 30p. I haven't tried it in other settings, but I pretty sure it will in all of them.

November 4th, 2009, 09:48 AM	#8
Anmol Mishra Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 401	CF1 - Exposure I had to set Exposure to 1/3 stop. It was set on 1/2 stop for some reason. Then I can change, but only in increments of 10, 1/30 1/40 1/50 __________________ mishra.tv Productions A Sydney-based group for dance movement-based video and film productions.

November 6th, 2009, 08:20 AM	#10
Shawn Wright Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Jeffersonville, Indiana Posts: 50	Very cool, thanks. So maybe I missed something. Is there a place to download your preset picture styles? If the software is no good then are there certain settings or something?

November 6th, 2009, 09:03 PM	#12
Keith Moreau Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brisbane, California Posts: 530	I found the cine style from Marvel to produce strangely pumpkin-colored skin tones. Superflat seems better. I haven't fully explored why and I think some of Marvel's bloggers complained of the orangey tone and Marvel had some suggestions.

November 7th, 2009, 03:18 PM	#13
David Chapman Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 346	I'm interested to see if we have come to conclusions about the ISO and HTP settings. Looking through the forum, some say HTP should be on, but not for low contrast picture styles. Others say on, but not above ISO 600-800. There are others that say HTP should always be on at high ISOs. Other blogs say to keep it off entirely. Also, ISO 320, 640 and 1250 were said to clip highlights, effectively the opposite of HTP. From reading, those ISOs should not be used with a low contrast picture style either. My question now is (which may require me to do testing later today): If we are capturing an image intended for post processing, do we use HTP, low-noise ISOs, both or none? Is there a rule for when to use some settings (indoor/outdoor/particular lighting scenarios)? I am using a low contrast picture style for grading, but it seems that HTP and the odd ISOs should not be used in that case. I don't want to clip highlights if that's what the ISOs are doing, but I don't want to introduce more noise in the clip. But, raising the low-end by a stop before compression would be better than raising in post (after compression) which is what HTP does. __________________ David Chapman www.davechapfilms.com

November 7th, 2009, 03:48 PM	#14
David Chapman Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 346	From Daniel Browning on other forums: When you select "ISO 320", what the camera actually does behind the scenes is set the analog ISO to 400, then reduce brightness digitally with a -1/3 stop pull. That makes it look as if you had used ISO 320, except that 1/3 stop of highlights are clipped. The upside is that noise is less. It's like the opposite of HTP (highlight tone priority). HTP sets the analog ISO to one stop below whatever you pick, giving 1 extra stop of highlights, then increases the brightness digitally with nonlinear EC (to preserve highlights), which increases the visibility of noise. So HTP trades shadows for highlights. The other tweener ISO settings (125, 250, 500, 1000) should be avoided, because they do a 1/3-stop push, but don't bother to preserve the highlights, so they increase noise for no benefit. ---- • 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600: normal amount of highlight headroom. • There is little difference from ISO 100 to 200, because most viewers can't tell the difference in photon shot noise, and the read noise drops by almost a full stop in ISO 200. • 125, 250, 500, 1000: considered harmful. 1/3 stop less highlight headroom and 1/3 stop more shadow noise. • 160, 320, 640, 1250: fine, as long as you are aware of the decreased highlight headroom. (Clips 1/3 highlights to get 1/3 more shadows.) • HTP should always be enabled when the ISO is higher than 1600. • There is a careful balance between increasing shadow detail through ISO (which clips highlights) or through HTP, the picture profile (e.g. contrast, tone curve), or Auto Lighting Optimizer. Generally, the higher you go in ISO, the more beneficial it is to use non-ISO methods to increase shadow detail. For example, ISO 3200+HTP (actually ISO 1600) is better than the real ISO 3200. ISO 800+HTP may be better than the real ISO 800, but it depends on how much highlight headroom you need. __________________ David Chapman www.davechapfilms.com

November 7th, 2009, 05:12 PM	#15
David Chapman Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 346	Just a quick update regarding 60p settings: 1. When shooting 60p to use in a 24p(23.976) timeline for 2.5x slower motion than realtime: Shutter speed: 1/120 2. When shooting 60p to convert to 24p for realtime playback in a 24p timeline: Shutter speed: 1/60 (closest to 180° shutter speed of 1/48 in 60p mode) At least this is what I am testing now... __________________ David Chapman www.davechapfilms.com