Canon XL H1S + Nanoflash + Neatvideo = Awesome!

[Michael Galvan]

So I finally bit 2 weeks ago and bought a Nanoflash for my XL H1S.

Images from this combination are really fantastic and in addition to having visually uncompressed images, the tapeless workflow while still retaining tape is great!

One thing that really makes this combination fantastic is what can be done in post.

The XL H1S has a fine luma noise when you gain up,with virtually no chroma noise. When viewing the Nanoflash footage with gain, the grain is finer, more "pronounced" due to what I assume is no smoothing out from the HDV codec.

When I use NeatVideo on this footage, it really works well ... unbelievably well. I shot something with +12DB gain and then ran it through a fairly conservative NeatVideo setting, and the resulting footage almost looks as if the footage was shot at 0DB!!!! And with all detail intact!!!!

I am super pleased with this ... It's as if I just gained 2 stops of sensitivity on my camera.

When I get a chance, I'll try to post a clip ... but am very happy with this!

[Floris van Eck]

Very good to hear Michael. I am looking forward to your test footage. Since you can shot both NanoFlash and Tape at the same time, it would be nice if you coud test post outputs for comparison... maybe in a splitscreen. I am also considering buying a NanoFlash so I am eager to find out.

[Michael Galvan]

Here is a link to a youtube page for a quick test that I did (not sure exactly how to embed the youtube video directly into the forum.

Canon XL H1S with Nanoflash
180 mbps 4:2:2 Long-GOP
0DB and +12DB

Watch in 1080P HD.

YouTube - Canon XLH1S Nano NeatVideo.mov

[John Richard]

Thanks for the example.

Which host program do you use the NeatVideo plugin within?
Could you provide info on the time to render this filtraton.

[Michael Galvan]

I used it within Final Cut Pro, but you can get it for several different host programs.

Rendering didn't take too long, but I was also rendering on my 8 core Mac Pro.

I'd use this workflow only if needed.

It really does clean up the footage to look as if you shot with no gain. And the settings on this video were very conservative ... I'll sit down at some point to refine it.

[Dale Guthormsen]

Michael,

The image you get is really quite good! I have used neat for a few years and it is very useful for some shots to be sure!!

I like the higher mb image too. May have to look into the nano flash!!!

Thanks for sharing this!

dale

[Michael Galvan]

Thanks Dale.

Yes, the Nanoflash does record a great image, and is making an already great camcorder in the XL H1S even better!

The Youtube link doesn't do justice to the video. If I get a chance, I'll try to upload the full quality video for download.

[Maurice Covington]

When using the Nanoflash wiith the XL H1, does it create more issues when trying to match with an XH A1s? I am considering the nanoflash but would like to know a little bit more. Can it be used with the XH A1s too. Is there a cheaper alternate that does the same thing?

[Simon Wood]

The XHA1 does not have a HD/SDI out port, so the nano could not be used with it (the XHG1 does though).

There should be no problem with matching the two cameras however, its just that the codec produced by the nanoflash is far more robust than HDV (especially when doing heavy grading), and does not need capturing like with tape.

The nanoflash produces a broadcast standard 4:2:2 MXF (or MOV) codec (1920x1080), whereas the HDV codec is 4:2:0 M2T (1440x1080 (1.33 pixel aspect)).

[Maurice Covington]

Is there a comparable alternate to the Nanoflash that is less expensive.?

[Norbert Holzmann]

Samurai :)
I use both on my XL H1 cameras.