Shooting in SD looking orange and soft at DVinfo.net

Ari Perilstein · March 23rd, 2007, 01:16 PM

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this forum but it looks like there is a lot of great information. I got my a1 a month ago. I shoot events for a few guys...some in HDV and some in SD. Maybe it's just me as the operator but a lot of my footage looks orange and really soft. My pd170 was getting much better images. Would you have any ideas? I see so many posts about the a1 shooting really nice sd but for some reason I am not getting the footage I like. I'm sure it's me so if any of you have good advice, please let me know.

Thanks a lot!

Ari

Larry Kamerman · March 23rd, 2007, 01:30 PM

Have you tried any of the presets?

Ari Perilstein · March 23rd, 2007, 01:48 PM

I just dl some of the presets but the real test will be in the field. I am shooting weddings in low light situations. Which one of the presets would help me the best? Obviously the lowlight preset but anyone else using another preset? Do some of you use the auto white balance and notice the poor job that it does?

Jan Luethje · March 23rd, 2007, 05:53 PM

Hi Ari,

wouldn't complain at all about white balance of the A1 but I share your observations regarding 'soft image' in SD / low light - when using the cam 'right out of the box'.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=87214

You just have to tweak some settings. My workaround was to enhance 'sharpness' and to reduce 'coring'

Ari Perilstein · March 23rd, 2007, 07:00 PM

Thanks Jan...

On another note....I use manual and the color looks very pale. I actually went into the settings to bring the color gain way up to give it some color. When I do this the image looks more orange. Any idea why that happens? Are there any wedding guys out there that have similar issues with lack of color?

Don Palomaki · March 23rd, 2007, 07:15 PM

My understanding is white balance works by adjusting the gain in the analog section of each color channel prior to A/D conversion. Low light in wedding situations/receptions is often very low color temperature as well, ending to orange. My guess is that the camcorder may be running out of analog gain for white balance in the blue and/or green channels.

Bill Busby · March 23rd, 2007, 09:33 PM

I can strongly suggest to not use autowhite for most any situations & especially special event stuff where there can be decorative lighting here & there that is on the lighter, brighter end of the scale. Such as yellow or light blue for example. Auto white basically works by sensing the brightest areas & assumes it's white & if there's not enough illuminated white & only sees the colored lights mentioned above, your colors are really gonna get whacky.

Manual WB on something white & it will be closer to proper than it would be if there's an orangish hue, etc.

Bill

Jan Luethje · March 23rd, 2007, 10:40 PM

Ari,
okay, colors of the A1 look somehow 'pale' by nature, at least under low light circumstances (... sorry for my poor English). But: I am mostly working for public networks here in Europe, and these guys seem to prefer a slightly desaturated look. I'am not at all a nerd regarding technique, just a videojournalist. But some dedicated techs told me: "Just better to have it a little bit pale, 'cause information is there. If we wanna have it more colourful, we just tweak it. These exagerated colors of typical amateur cams are worse."

So... Depending on your post opp., a slightly pale look is not necessarily a disadvantage.

Regarding balance; that's how I'am used to do it, regardless the type of camera:
#Constant light situation: Do it the manual way.
#Not clear (disco, etc.): use preset
#Never ever use AWB.

Worked out fine so far.

March 23rd, 2007, 01:16 PM	#1
Ari Perilstein New Boot Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 13	Shooting in SD looking orange and soft Hello Everyone, I am new to this forum but it looks like there is a lot of great information. I got my a1 a month ago. I shoot events for a few guys...some in HDV and some in SD. Maybe it's just me as the operator but a lot of my footage looks orange and really soft. My pd170 was getting much better images. Would you have any ideas? I see so many posts about the a1 shooting really nice sd but for some reason I am not getting the footage I like. I'm sure it's me so if any of you have good advice, please let me know. Thanks a lot! Ari

March 23rd, 2007, 01:30 PM	#2
Larry Kamerman Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New York,NY Posts: 100	Have you tried any of the presets? __________________ www.gencofilms.com

March 23rd, 2007, 01:48 PM	#3
Ari Perilstein New Boot Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 13	presets I just dl some of the presets but the real test will be in the field. I am shooting weddings in low light situations. Which one of the presets would help me the best? Obviously the lowlight preset but anyone else using another preset? Do some of you use the auto white balance and notice the poor job that it does?

March 23rd, 2007, 07:15 PM	#6
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,489	My understanding is white balance works by adjusting the gain in the analog section of each color channel prior to A/D conversion. Low light in wedding situations/receptions is often very low color temperature as well, ending to orange. My guess is that the camcorder may be running out of analog gain for white balance in the blue and/or green channels. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

March 23rd, 2007, 09:33 PM	#7
Bill Busby Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 959	I can strongly suggest to not use autowhite for most any situations & especially special event stuff where there can be decorative lighting here & there that is on the lighter, brighter end of the scale. Such as yellow or light blue for example. Auto white basically works by sensing the brightest areas & assumes it's white & if there's not enough illuminated white & only sees the colored lights mentioned above, your colors are really gonna get whacky. Manual WB on something white & it will be closer to proper than it would be if there's an orangish hue, etc. Bill Last edited by Bill Busby; March 23rd, 2007 at 10:51 PM. Reason: brain malfunction

March 23rd, 2007, 05:53 PM	#4
Jan Luethje Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 89	Hi Ari, wouldn't complain at all about white balance of the A1 but I share your observations regarding 'soft image' in SD / low light - when using the cam 'right out of the box'. http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=87214 You just have to tweak some settings. My workaround was to enhance 'sharpness' and to reduce 'coring'

March 23rd, 2007, 07:00 PM	#5
Ari Perilstein New Boot Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 13	Thanks Jan... On another note....I use manual and the color looks very pale. I actually went into the settings to bring the color gain way up to give it some color. When I do this the image looks more orange. Any idea why that happens? Are there any wedding guys out there that have similar issues with lack of color?

March 23rd, 2007, 10:40 PM	#8
Jan Luethje Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 89	Ari, okay, colors of the A1 look somehow 'pale' by nature, at least under low light circumstances (... sorry for my poor English). But: I am mostly working for public networks here in Europe, and these guys seem to prefer a slightly desaturated look. I'am not at all a nerd regarding technique, just a videojournalist. But some dedicated techs told me: "Just better to have it a little bit pale, 'cause information is there. If we wanna have it more colourful, we just tweak it. These exagerated colors of typical amateur cams are worse." So... Depending on your post opp., a slightly pale look is not necessarily a disadvantage. Regarding balance; that's how I'am used to do it, regardless the type of camera: #Constant light situation: Do it the manual way. #Not clear (disco, etc.): use preset #Never ever use AWB. Worked out fine so far.