Knee and Color Matrix
 

Hi,

Can someone explain what the "knee" setting is for - how it's used.

Also, is there a good online source to find out about how to use color matrix?

Thanks for any help,

Scott

This is the way I understand knee.

It you put knee in the low setting it will attenuate the brightness of very bright objects. For instance, if you have a bright light in the frame, it will make it a little "darker." This is great for things like stage plays where the contrast is really high.

Someone else probably has a much better explanation--or even a more accurate one.

Buddy

To add to what Buddy said, the knee controls the point where the attenuation starts to happen. Even the higher knee settings will cause attenuation of the highlights, but setting it lower makes this happen a bit closer to the mids.

Richard

Thanks for the replies. That does give me a better understanding of it.

This seems to be an adjustment that you would use when filming a subject where little or no camera movement is being used - ie: panning. If you have to move the camera from a really bright object - or area to a darker area in one shot - what is the best way?

I've tried adjusting the aperature, but it isn't so smooth during the pan (not enough hands) :)

Any tricks to this?

I guess you could use auto exposure, but that might give undesirable results. If you are using a tripod, I find it pretty easy to rotate the aperture ring while panning.

the knee is more of a PRESET, not an adjustment you make while recording...
it's not meant to control "during" the take like aperature or shutter control.

Lonnie

Thanks for the replies!

Buddy - The tripod really is the key, isn't it? I'm going to be filming is some situations (aboard a ship) where I will not be able to set up shop so to speak. I'll have to remain out of people's way, so I'm trying to get some techniques for light and dark shots.

Lonnie - This is sort of what I thought. I'm taking some of the CPs here and tinkering with them to see what kind of effects I get - hopefully come up with something cool :)

The way I understand the Knee setting, it adjusts the curve of the bright areas. For instance, if you are shooting a person under a light, adjusting to the low setting will limit how much of the bright areas on such as a forehead to be "blown out"... I think I remember seeing this in a Canon H1 instructional video or something like that.

I have tried some different ways to position my hands to control the exposure ring AND push the Push to Focus button at the same time. I have had reasonable success if I put my left palm under the camera, rest my thumb on the Push to Focus button and my index finger on the aperture ring. But I haven't tried this on a real shoot.

Training Video
 

"I remember seeing this in a Canon H1 instructional video"

Jerome, where did you find that video? Actually does anyone recommend training videos for the A1?

I think I remember seeing it on the Canon website.

Sorry, it is on dvcreators and was on the xl2... it talks about knee and all that in there: http://dvcreators.net/media/demos/xl...aturetour.html

Instructional Video
 

Got to the site, awsome video. That will help me out alot. Thanks!!!