acheiving filmic look

[Abel Vang]

I'm a newb with an HD100....I just want to know what settings I should use on my camera to give the best filmic look possible....I bought Steve Mullen's handbook and it's very helpful so far....

[Tim Dashwood]

If you are looking to capture the widest latitude/dynamic range possible so that you have the most information available for colour correction in post, then try these settings:

Master black -1
Black STRETCH3
Knee MANUAL
Level 80%
White Clip 108%
Cinelike ON
Gamma [CINE]
Level -1

We've been getting good filmic results with the detail set to -3 or -4. You may also want to boost your colour gain a bit, but I wouldn't go over +2. If needed, you can add more saturation later in post.

I also have some other recipes for a few different film look styles.
You can download these pdf files.

http://homepage.mac.com/timdashwood/...e_Recipes1.pdf

http://homepage.mac.com/timdashwood/...e_Recipes2.pdf

The latter colour WB shifted settings were created in 3200K lighting, so you may have to switch to preset 5600K if you use them outdoors. A manual WB will negate the effect. I'm still perfecting these settings, so results may vary.

[Abel Vang]

thanks Tim....appreciate it

[John Vincent]

Tim - thanks a lot 4 the files....

Have you tried using no articial sharpening at all?

If so, why not have it completely off? Doesn't having it on, even in small amounts, add noise?

John

[Stewart Menelaws]

Hi Tim - Sorry, I'm one of those guys who have been silent since down loading your set-ups - been really busy. I'm not sure if the cinelike on the HD101 is somehow different than the HD100? - because none of us in our studio like the cinelike look on our HD101E... it just seems to be really contrasty... in fact I will say it looks horrible. We have still been sorting our images out in post, but over the next couple of days will mess around with the menu taking some of your info as a guide. Pity, was looking forward to punching in your settings. Any thoughts?
We have shot some nice looking adverts recently but they have all been altered in post.

Stu...
www.studioscotland.co.uk

[Steve Mullen]

Originally Posted by Tim Dashwood

Level -1

We've been getting good filmic results with the detail set to -3 or -4

Is the L = -1 because you think it prevents SSE or do you have a reason why lowering the level looks more "filmic."

Is the DETAIL at -3 or -4 to look "filmic" for video releases or are you recommending these settings for film transfers. I assume the former.

[Tim Dashwood]

Originally Posted by John Vincent

Have you tried using no articial sharpening at all?
If so, why not have it completely off? Doesn't having it on, even in small amounts, add noise?

In my own testing I don't think that OFF is truly OFF. We are only assuming due to the nomenclature that this is a "sharpening circuit" that can be turned off. However, I think JVC avoided the name "SHARPENING" and went with "DETAIL" for a reason.
It seems that once you go below -6 the image defocuses and seems to actually blur beyond the native resolution. Maybe someone else can confirm this, but I can't see how the results I get from OFF could possibly be just native resolution without a sharpening circuit. I cannot get any kind of sharp edge with detail set to OFF. Maybe I'm off my rocker, but it looks like pixels are being blurred to me.
I think the true "OFF" position is probably around -5, at least with the stock lens. Maybe the 13x3.5 can resolve a sharp edge with detail OFF?

Originally Posted by Stewart Menelaws

I'm not sure if the cinelike on the HD101 is somehow different than the HD100? - because none of us in our studio like the cinelike look on our HD101E... it just seems to be really contrasty... in fact I will say it looks horrible. We have still been sorting our images out in post, but over the next couple of days will mess around with the menu taking some of your info as a guide.

Funny. The default Cinelike should actually look less contrastly than the standard gamma. The settings I suggested at the top will render the least contrasty image possible. The idea is that you can underexpose by 1/2 stop to control highlights, but still have enough detail left over in the mids to increase their levels slightly in post colour correction, and maintain rich black levels.

Originally Posted by Steve Mullen

Is the L = -1 because you think it prevents SSE or do you have a reason why lowering the level looks more "filmic."

No. A setting of -2 or -3 (depending on gamma curve used) eliminates SSE on my camera.
I discovered when I originally scoped the response of the camera that the blacks were not hitting the floor at 0IRE when Master Black was set to Normal. A MB setting of -1 dropped the setup to the floor and therefore managed to maintain rich blacks in an otherwise low-contrast scene file, hence a little more latitude.

Originally Posted by Steve Mullen

Is the DETAIL at -3 or -4 to look "filmic" for video releases or are you recommending these settings for film transfers. I assume the former.

For SD and especially HD video, but this is based on subjective opinion.
I haven't tested detail settings for filmout yet, but some of my stuff that I shot at detail +4 (which I determined as a "highest resolution possible with the stock lens" value) will be blown up to 35mm by Stephen Noe and shown as part of the compilation reel at the JVC event in Chicago Feb 2.