peaking in A1 at DVinfo.net

Piotr Wozniacki · January 21st, 2007, 01:17 PM

I've asked this question in the "wishlist" thread, but I'm afraid this might be a malfunction of my unit; the peaking (which is not customizable) is very weak and actually difficult to use at all - how do you find it in your A1s?

Stu Siegal · January 21st, 2007, 01:32 PM

Actually, I think it's not bad, can't imaginge working without it, considering the LCD is the camera's weakest feature. The LCD is the main thing I miss about my 100a right now. Still, the peaking is at least the equivalent of the 100a's evf detail, I think.

Juan Diaz · January 21st, 2007, 02:49 PM

One thing that helps is that you can increase the LCD and viewfinder sharpness. Used in conjunction with peaking, you can used these controls to give the peaking some measure of customizability.

Go to MENU -> DISPLAY SETUP -> LCD SETUP -> SHARPNESS

and

MENU -> DISPLAY SETUP -> CVF SETUP -> SHARPNESS

to control these parameters.

I find that if I crank the display sharpness parameters all the way up, the peaking then becomes almost too much, but one step up from their default settings works for me.

Piotr Wozniacki · January 21st, 2007, 02:57 PM

Aha - I tried that in the first place, but still the result wasn't good enough; my machine must have some bug in the software. The more contrast I apply, the more overal "snowy" noise introduced by peaking; but edges supposed to be highlighted when in focus are still not intensive enough...

Piotr Wozniacki · January 21st, 2007, 05:53 PM

When I enter the Menu->Camera settings->Skin detail, the picture in the LCD/VF is sort of pulsing with distorsion coming in and out; after I dig a level deeper it goes away; up a level - it's there again! Can you try to recreate it, and confirm whether it's just me?

EDIT: after a closer inspection, I can say it isn't a distorsion, but just the zebra or peaking (whichever was active at the time of entering menu) is switched on and off once a second. This happens only inside the Skin Detail submenu; in other submenues nothing happens, in some the pattern (zebra or peaking) is switched off completely.

Is it just my unit?

Piotr Wozniacki · January 22nd, 2007, 03:05 PM

Anybody?
Please give me some feedback, as I'm running of time before making the final decision of staying with the A1 or not.

Holly Rognan · January 22nd, 2007, 03:17 PM

If it is a faulty unit, return it back, but I don't think that it is. The "snow" is grain that is amplified during the peaking. This is normal. I think you have unrealistic expectations of peaking. The sharpening of peaking enhances the whole image not just what is in focus.

Peaking helps tremendously, along with the magnification feature.

Chris Hurd · January 22nd, 2007, 03:19 PM

What you're seeing is normal -- it's supposed to work that way. The flashing area is showing you where the skin tone change is being applied. It's even described in the operator's manual under the Skin Detail section.

Piotr Wozniacki · January 22nd, 2007, 03:41 PM

Thanks guys!

Chris, I read the manual, but of course skipped introductions to each chapter (thinking they can only contain the obvious); with the Skin Detail I was wrong: it indeed is explained, i the very introduction of the chapter - sorry, silly me!

Holly, believe me my expectations aren't too high - they're based on my experience with peaking in Sony V1 and even the tiny HC1, where peaking is very, very distinctive where supposed (ie. on edges in focus) while not disturbing too much elsewhere. But well, Canon decided to have just one color and intensity of peaking, which is a shame, given that the LCD is smaller than Sony's and the dof shallower than that of V1, so a focusing aid is even more essential.

Piotr Wozniacki · January 24th, 2007, 06:25 AM

Please forgive me returning to the same subject over and over again, but I really do find the peaking on my unit almost unusable; do you know if an authorised Canon service is able to increase it's intensity? Judging from the almost zero response to my original post here, other units may have the peaking just enough intensive and sesnsitive; mine in unacceptable.

January 21st, 2007, 01:17 PM	#1
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	peaking in A1 I've asked this question in the "wishlist" thread, but I'm afraid this might be a malfunction of my unit; the peaking (which is not customizable) is very weak and actually difficult to use at all - how do you find it in your A1s?

January 21st, 2007, 02:57 PM	#4
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	Aha - I tried that in the first place, but still the result wasn't good enough; my machine must have some bug in the software. The more contrast I apply, the more overal "snowy" noise introduced by peaking; but edges supposed to be highlighted when in focus are still not intensive enough... Last edited by Piotr Wozniacki; January 21st, 2007 at 03:42 PM.

January 21st, 2007, 05:53 PM	#5
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	yet another A1 annoyance? When I enter the Menu->Camera settings->Skin detail, the picture in the LCD/VF is sort of pulsing with distorsion coming in and out; after I dig a level deeper it goes away; up a level - it's there again! Can you try to recreate it, and confirm whether it's just me? EDIT: after a closer inspection, I can say it isn't a distorsion, but just the zebra or peaking (whichever was active at the time of entering menu) is switched on and off once a second. This happens only inside the Skin Detail submenu; in other submenues nothing happens, in some the pattern (zebra or peaking) is switched off completely. Is it just my unit? Last edited by Piotr Wozniacki; January 22nd, 2007 at 04:04 AM.

January 22nd, 2007, 03:19 PM	#8
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	What you're seeing is normal -- it's supposed to work that way. The flashing area is showing you where the skin tone change is being applied. It's even described in the operator's manual under the Skin Detail section. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

January 21st, 2007, 01:32 PM	#2
Stu Siegal Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Boston Posts: 151	Actually, I think it's not bad, can't imaginge working without it, considering the LCD is the camera's weakest feature. The LCD is the main thing I miss about my 100a right now. Still, the peaking is at least the equivalent of the 100a's evf detail, I think.

January 21st, 2007, 02:49 PM	#3
Juan Diaz Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 49	One thing that helps is that you can increase the LCD and viewfinder sharpness. Used in conjunction with peaking, you can used these controls to give the peaking some measure of customizability. Go to MENU -> DISPLAY SETUP -> LCD SETUP -> SHARPNESS and MENU -> DISPLAY SETUP -> CVF SETUP -> SHARPNESS to control these parameters. I find that if I crank the display sharpness parameters all the way up, the peaking then becomes almost too much, but one step up from their default settings works for me.

January 22nd, 2007, 03:05 PM	#6
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	Anybody? Please give me some feedback, as I'm running of time before making the final decision of staying with the A1 or not.

January 22nd, 2007, 03:17 PM	#7
Holly Rognan Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Coalville America Posts: 244	If it is a faulty unit, return it back, but I don't think that it is. The "snow" is grain that is amplified during the peaking. This is normal. I think you have unrealistic expectations of peaking. The sharpening of peaking enhances the whole image not just what is in focus. Peaking helps tremendously, along with the magnification feature.

January 22nd, 2007, 03:41 PM	#9
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	Thanks guys! Chris, I read the manual, but of course skipped introductions to each chapter (thinking they can only contain the obvious); with the Skin Detail I was wrong: it indeed is explained, i the very introduction of the chapter - sorry, silly me! Holly, believe me my expectations aren't too high - they're based on my experience with peaking in Sony V1 and even the tiny HC1, where peaking is very, very distinctive where supposed (ie. on edges in focus) while not disturbing too much elsewhere. But well, Canon decided to have just one color and intensity of peaking, which is a shame, given that the LCD is smaller than Sony's and the dof shallower than that of V1, so a focusing aid is even more essential.

January 24th, 2007, 06:25 AM	#10
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	Please forgive me returning to the same subject over and over again, but I really do find the peaking on my unit almost unusable; do you know if an authorised Canon service is able to increase it's intensity? Judging from the almost zero response to my original post here, other units may have the peaking just enough intensive and sesnsitive; mine in unacceptable.