In Camera or In Post? at DVinfo.net

Robert Castiglione · August 23rd, 2006, 10:54 PM

Given that the HDV codec is not supposed to handle post production manipulation terribly well (someone correct me if I am wrong) does it follow that it woul be best to plan the look you want in camera (which is what I have been doing) ?

Rob

Stephen L. Noe · August 23rd, 2006, 11:00 PM

I think the codec handles color corrections splendidly and it does chromakey pretty well. I especially like what Magic Bullet II does for the footage (in moderation). However, I think getting the image as close as you can in camera saves a lot of time in post so I lean that way when shooting.

Mark Silva · August 24th, 2006, 10:22 AM

What Stephen Said. :)

Steve Oakley · August 25th, 2006, 10:07 PM

HDV will only take rather modest color correction before things start to show. You want to get close in camera. If anything I would recomend shooting with shadows as open as possible, and don't burn the highlights. Its easy to add contrast back with ped and gamma adjustments and make the image darker & more contrasty. Making images that are under exposed lighter will fall apart if you are making more than small corrections. You will also find some odd color shifting due to DSP with under exposed shots, so the moral is, get your exposure right in the first place and figure you are ok in post if all you are doing is small shot matching and adding contrast in.

I've done a few sky replacements and they went ok, but compression artifacts were a bit of an issue. If you think you are gonna replace skys or do chromakeys the best advice is get it as close to perfect in camera as possible. In the sky shots I did, I roto'd several buildings in shots because I got perfectly clean edges that way. trees I was able to key and matte choke and got some reasonably ok results. bottom line is all compressed formats will have these problems. the only real option is to take the camera output and record it direct to HD uncompressed if you have to do a lot of high quality key work. in a studio, this isn't a big deal, but on location, thats another story.

Steve Oakley

August 23rd, 2006, 10:54 PM	#1
Robert Castiglione Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fremantle, Western Australia Posts: 253	In Camera or In Post? Given that the HDV codec is not supposed to handle post production manipulation terribly well (someone correct me if I am wrong) does it follow that it woul be best to plan the look you want in camera (which is what I have been doing) ? Rob

August 23rd, 2006, 11:00 PM	#2
Stephen L. Noe Trustee Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,214	I think the codec handles color corrections splendidly and it does chromakey pretty well. I especially like what Magic Bullet II does for the footage (in moderation). However, I think getting the image as close as you can in camera saves a lot of time in post so I lean that way when shooting. __________________ Advanced Avid Liquid Training found Here

August 24th, 2006, 10:22 AM	#3
Mark Silva Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 431	What Stephen Said. :)

August 25th, 2006, 10:07 PM	#4
Steve Oakley Trustee Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: United States Posts: 1,158	HDV will only take rather modest color correction before things start to show. You want to get close in camera. If anything I would recomend shooting with shadows as open as possible, and don't burn the highlights. Its easy to add contrast back with ped and gamma adjustments and make the image darker & more contrasty. Making images that are under exposed lighter will fall apart if you are making more than small corrections. You will also find some odd color shifting due to DSP with under exposed shots, so the moral is, get your exposure right in the first place and figure you are ok in post if all you are doing is small shot matching and adding contrast in. I've done a few sky replacements and they went ok, but compression artifacts were a bit of an issue. If you think you are gonna replace skys or do chromakeys the best advice is get it as close to perfect in camera as possible. In the sky shots I did, I roto'd several buildings in shots because I got perfectly clean edges that way. trees I was able to key and matte choke and got some reasonably ok results. bottom line is all compressed formats will have these problems. the only real option is to take the camera output and record it direct to HD uncompressed if you have to do a lot of high quality key work. in a studio, this isn't a big deal, but on location, thats another story. Steve Oakley