Picture Profile for XA-10 at DVinfo.net

Don Bloom · July 16th, 2012, 09:06 PM

Hi guys and gals,
A friend of mine recently got an XA-10 and since I don't know the camera well enough to be able to guide him I figured I'd reach out here.
He has been playing with the camera and frankly the factory stock setting look like...well, let's just say they don't look all that good.
I've searched around here and haven't found any kind of profile posted so I'm asking those of you with the XA-10 for some help.
Some sort of starting point for a profile to help out the look of the image.
Right now with the factory settings outdoor stuff looks like the colors are blooming which in turn of course makes it look like it's about 1 stop overexposed. Indoors it's harder to say since the only footage I saw was with an Z96 led with no filter on it. Pretty ugly in all aspects. Oh yeah he's running the camera on full auto right now while he gets familiar shooting video. Not his real or primary work, kind of a hobby.
Like I said I don't know the camera well enough to be able to guide him so any help in setting some sort of profile would be appreciated.

Jase Tanner · July 17th, 2012, 10:11 AM

Hi Don

I've only used auto a few times. For me, auto occasionally has a time and a place but of course, auto is auto...

I use Manual, 30P. Go into the menu and choose the middle icon that looks like a film strip, (I'm sure it has a name but I don't recall what it is) Scroll down to x.v. color (extra vivid color?) and turn it off.

You could also take a look at the thread called "XA - How to get correct exposure" It discusses the use of the program mode which is largely automatic but still affording some control.

Don Bloom · July 17th, 2012, 11:24 AM

Thanks for the tips. I hate going into a camera (especially when it's not mine) and playing since I don't want to mess up what he's got already (which isn't much anyway). At least this way I can get him started along a road to better looking footage.
Again thanks.

Don Palomaki · July 18th, 2012, 05:54 AM

If your friend is a Joe or Jane Six-pack type user, the first question is how are they viewing/judging the video. That can make a big difference in the observed image quality.

Full auto should provide decent quality video for "typical average" conditions (including lighting), but may suffer under unusual lighting conditions or when expecting what one might call art or special effects.

Using manual expsoure controls can provide image quality improvement in the hands of a competent user with a decent monitor.

Don Bloom · July 18th, 2012, 06:42 AM

Hi Don,
well he's a professional photographer so he's a bit more advanced. He got the camera to allow him to make some additonal money as a 2nd shooter for video jobs. I've seen the footage. Hell I loaded into my edit machine and for outdoor stuff the colors are blooming to the point of looking like they're overcooked. Indoors, the footage just looks "off". Hard to describe.
I'm meeting up wit hhim today, gonna try a couple of different settings that were recommended. We'll see if that helps the issue. I'd actually use him as a 2nd shooter if we can make a few adjustments.
We'll see what happens.

Kawika Ohumukini · July 18th, 2012, 07:03 AM

He'll understand shutter speed, aperture and ISO (gain in the XA10). To get his bearings on the XA10, ask him to view a video in the camera. Have him set the display to show camera data (playback mode -> Menu -> Data Code -> Camera Data). It will show the shutter and aperture (gain is missing which I wish Canon would fix, it's like not knowing what ISO a photograph was taken with). In Auto Mode those values will change based on the lighting conditions so he'll get an idea what the settings were in the problem areas.

The XA10 is excellent in low-light but it can be noisy indoors when the auto-gain control goes too high. If the indoor videos are noisy, the advice I got here was to set a max gain of around 18db (record mode -> Menu -> AGC Limit -> 18db). Adjust as necessary to get the shutter/aperture he wants for the conditions. It worked for me. Otherwise get a noise reducer plugin for the NLE he's using. GL

Don Bloom · July 18th, 2012, 05:33 PM

Thanks guy for the helpful hints. I met with him today and pretty much got it to where he needed it. I'm not thirlled with the menu setup personally but that's just me. New camera in my hands without the book and he's not all that familiar with it so I had to spend a bit of time but since he bought me a cup of coffee it was worth it.
Thanks again!

Kawika Ohumukini · July 18th, 2012, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Bloom

I'm not thirlled with the menu setup personally but that's just me.

It's not just you. :) Cheers

Don Palomaki · July 20th, 2012, 06:55 AM

Quote:

New camera in my hands without the book

At least the user manuals can be downloaded.
Smaller camera means less real estate for manual controls.
Lower price point means more stuff in menus and fewer components, like manual controls, to save cost.

Brian David Melnyk · July 20th, 2012, 08:17 AM

i have searched for quite while and have not found much info on XA10 settings for matching a Canon DSLR using a flat profile (not the Technicolor or cinestyle, but the standard neutral turning down sharpening, contrast etc.). i'm wondering what people are using?
i just received the XA10, but my studio and DSLR's are far far away for a few months so i can't test...
i will be shooting 30p, so no cine filters...
so, what color, sharpness, contrast and brightness settings work best?

July 16th, 2012, 09:06 PM	#1
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Picture Profile for XA-10 Hi guys and gals, A friend of mine recently got an XA-10 and since I don't know the camera well enough to be able to guide him I figured I'd reach out here. He has been playing with the camera and frankly the factory stock setting look like...well, let's just say they don't look all that good. I've searched around here and haven't found any kind of profile posted so I'm asking those of you with the XA-10 for some help. Some sort of starting point for a profile to help out the look of the image. Right now with the factory settings outdoor stuff looks like the colors are blooming which in turn of course makes it look like it's about 1 stop overexposed. Indoors it's harder to say since the only footage I saw was with an Z96 led with no filter on it. Pretty ugly in all aspects. Oh yeah he's running the camera on full auto right now while he gets familiar shooting video. Not his real or primary work, kind of a hobby. Like I said I don't know the camera well enough to be able to guide him so any help in setting some sort of profile would be appreciated. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

July 17th, 2012, 10:11 AM	#2
Jase Tanner Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 346	Re: Picture Profile for XA-10 Hi Don I've only used auto a few times. For me, auto occasionally has a time and a place but of course, auto is auto... I use Manual, 30P. Go into the menu and choose the middle icon that looks like a film strip, (I'm sure it has a name but I don't recall what it is) Scroll down to x.v. color (extra vivid color?) and turn it off. You could also take a look at the thread called "XA - How to get correct exposure" It discusses the use of the program mode which is largely automatic but still affording some control.

July 17th, 2012, 11:24 AM	#3
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Re: Picture Profile for XA-10 Thanks for the tips. I hate going into a camera (especially when it's not mine) and playing since I don't want to mess up what he's got already (which isn't much anyway). At least this way I can get him started along a road to better looking footage. Again thanks. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

July 18th, 2012, 05:54 AM	#4
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,488	Re: Picture Profile for XA-10 If your friend is a Joe or Jane Six-pack type user, the first question is how are they viewing/judging the video. That can make a big difference in the observed image quality. Full auto should provide decent quality video for "typical average" conditions (including lighting), but may suffer under unusual lighting conditions or when expecting what one might call art or special effects. Using manual expsoure controls can provide image quality improvement in the hands of a competent user with a decent monitor. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

July 18th, 2012, 06:42 AM	#5
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Re: Picture Profile for XA-10 Hi Don, well he's a professional photographer so he's a bit more advanced. He got the camera to allow him to make some additonal money as a 2nd shooter for video jobs. I've seen the footage. Hell I loaded into my edit machine and for outdoor stuff the colors are blooming to the point of looking like they're overcooked. Indoors, the footage just looks "off". Hard to describe. I'm meeting up wit hhim today, gonna try a couple of different settings that were recommended. We'll see if that helps the issue. I'd actually use him as a 2nd shooter if we can make a few adjustments. We'll see what happens. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

July 18th, 2012, 07:03 AM	#6
Kawika Ohumukini Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 185	Re: Picture Profile for XA-10 He'll understand shutter speed, aperture and ISO (gain in the XA10). To get his bearings on the XA10, ask him to view a video in the camera. Have him set the display to show camera data (playback mode -> Menu -> Data Code -> Camera Data). It will show the shutter and aperture (gain is missing which I wish Canon would fix, it's like not knowing what ISO a photograph was taken with). In Auto Mode those values will change based on the lighting conditions so he'll get an idea what the settings were in the problem areas. The XA10 is excellent in low-light but it can be noisy indoors when the auto-gain control goes too high. If the indoor videos are noisy, the advice I got here was to set a max gain of around 18db (record mode -> Menu -> AGC Limit -> 18db). Adjust as necessary to get the shutter/aperture he wants for the conditions. It worked for me. Otherwise get a noise reducer plugin for the NLE he's using. GL

July 18th, 2012, 05:33 PM	#7
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Re: Picture Profile for XA-10 Thanks guy for the helpful hints. I met with him today and pretty much got it to where he needed it. I'm not thirlled with the menu setup personally but that's just me. New camera in my hands without the book and he's not all that familiar with it so I had to spend a bit of time but since he bought me a cup of coffee it was worth it. Thanks again! __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

July 20th, 2012, 08:17 AM	#10
Brian David Melnyk Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg Canada Posts: 532	Re: Picture Profile for XA-10 i have searched for quite while and have not found much info on XA10 settings for matching a Canon DSLR using a flat profile (not the Technicolor or cinestyle, but the standard neutral turning down sharpening, contrast etc.). i'm wondering what people are using? i just received the XA10, but my studio and DSLR's are far far away for a few months so i can't test... i will be shooting 30p, so no cine filters... so, what color, sharpness, contrast and brightness settings work best?