LS300 Cinema 2K at DVinfo.net

Steve Rosen · January 25th, 2016, 01:15 PM

I've been experimenting with the relatively new 2K option for a series of TV spots I've got coming up. I'm choosing 2K to (hopefully) intercut better with my Black Magic Pocket cameras, which record in ProRes 422 HQ 10 bit. I have some questions because - typical of JVC - there is virtually NO documentation on this option.

One of two options when choosing 2K is 422 - UHD doesn't have this ability. Is this truly a 422 color space?

Why, when setting to 2k, is the time left on cards identical to shooting in 1080p? One reason might be it's locked at 23.97 (or 24fps) and I've been shooting 30p in HD - and they're both 50mbps - but still it seems odd.

In 2K the VSM Prime Zoom feature acts identically to when shooting in HD. Does that mean 2K is mapping a significantly smaller area of the sensor than 2K?

My visual tests - which admittedly lack any scientific control - are quite good, stunning actually - noticeably better than 1080 in some situations. When laid into a ProResHQ timeline there is a small letterbox, which is fine because I'm letterboxing the spots anyway, but it also seems the 8 bit image grades more easily, more like the Pocket's ProRes.

Has anyone else (like Steve Mullen) experimented with this setting? And if so, have you found any pitfalls?

William Hohauser · January 25th, 2016, 10:45 PM

2K is 1080HD with some extra vertical resolution. The camera is essentially shooting the same as HD video.

Noa Put · January 26th, 2016, 03:02 AM

As the codec is exactly the same as when you shoot in HD it's normal the time left on your card is identical, also as the only difference is that you add some extra resolution this should not make any difference when you match it up with your pocketcam compared to shooting in HD.
Can I ask in which situations C2K is noticeable better then HD?

Steve Rosen · January 26th, 2016, 09:04 AM

What I've been doing is shooting things that tend to exhibit artifacts, especially when adding FilmConvert, comparing footage from the Pocket Cameras (which are very clean) and the 8 bit JVC, which can occasionally exhibit latent macro-blocking - as all 8 bit cameras do,

For instance when shooting against a solid background, like a wall that has a variation in texture and shading, it seems that the 2K provides a cleaner rendition - I can push the grade more easily. Admittedly it may be my imagination because my eyes are getting tired doing this.

January 25th, 2016, 01:15 PM	#1
Steve Rosen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Monterey, California Posts: 895	LS300 Cinema 2K I've been experimenting with the relatively new 2K option for a series of TV spots I've got coming up. I'm choosing 2K to (hopefully) intercut better with my Black Magic Pocket cameras, which record in ProRes 422 HQ 10 bit. I have some questions because - typical of JVC - there is virtually NO documentation on this option. One of two options when choosing 2K is 422 - UHD doesn't have this ability. Is this truly a 422 color space? Why, when setting to 2k, is the time left on cards identical to shooting in 1080p? One reason might be it's locked at 23.97 (or 24fps) and I've been shooting 30p in HD - and they're both 50mbps - but still it seems odd. In 2K the VSM Prime Zoom feature acts identically to when shooting in HD. Does that mean 2K is mapping a significantly smaller area of the sensor than 2K? My visual tests - which admittedly lack any scientific control - are quite good, stunning actually - noticeably better than 1080 in some situations. When laid into a ProResHQ timeline there is a small letterbox, which is fine because I'm letterboxing the spots anyway, but it also seems the 8 bit image grades more easily, more like the Pocket's ProRes. Has anyone else (like Steve Mullen) experimented with this setting? And if so, have you found any pitfalls? Last edited by Steve Rosen; January 25th, 2016 at 02:08 PM.

January 25th, 2016, 10:45 PM	#2
William Hohauser Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 2,650	Re: LS300 Cinema 2K 2K is 1080HD with some extra vertical resolution. The camera is essentially shooting the same as HD video. __________________ William Hohauser - New York City Producer/Edit/Camera/Animation

January 26th, 2016, 03:02 AM	#3
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: LS300 Cinema 2K As the codec is exactly the same as when you shoot in HD it's normal the time left on your card is identical, also as the only difference is that you add some extra resolution this should not make any difference when you match it up with your pocketcam compared to shooting in HD. Can I ask in which situations C2K is noticeable better then HD? Last edited by Noa Put; January 26th, 2016 at 04:59 AM.

January 26th, 2016, 09:04 AM	#4
Steve Rosen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Monterey, California Posts: 895	Re: LS300 Cinema 2K What I've been doing is shooting things that tend to exhibit artifacts, especially when adding FilmConvert, comparing footage from the Pocket Cameras (which are very clean) and the 8 bit JVC, which can occasionally exhibit latent macro-blocking - as all 8 bit cameras do, For instance when shooting against a solid background, like a wall that has a variation in texture and shading, it seems that the 2K provides a cleaner rendition - I can push the grade more easily. Admittedly it may be my imagination because my eyes are getting tired doing this.