HVX200 Settings for ENG at DVinfo.net

Nick Ponton · June 21st, 2007, 01:02 PM

Is anyone out there besides my shop using this camera for ENG in SD?

I hate the way the picture looks. The whites are so blown out...even when I have the picture underexposed. It looks like crap and I'm ready do things with this camera I'd probably get fired over.

We're shooting SD and I have the camera in News Gamma. I haven't messed with any of the detail settings. We're shooting in 480/60i. We've been shooting in DVCPro for 6 years and never had any problems with internal settings. We get new cameras that no one wanted shoved down our throats and no one can help us. All the info I can find is about shooting in HD and for the film look.

Can anyone give me any kind of help to get this video to look like it's supposed to look for broadcasting?

Thank you in advance for any help.

Douglas Villalba · June 21st, 2007, 05:52 PM

Do you record to tape or P2 card? How do you edit? and, How are you judging the image?

Usually at factory setup in all manual it is average good looking.

Nick Ponton · June 21st, 2007, 09:36 PM

We're using P2 and editing on Avid Newscutter XP. I'm not looking for average looking. I'm looking for crisp, vivid colors. I had a great image before shooting on DVCPro and I'm not giving up quality just because YouTube has made people not care about video. The factory default has left white's just burning the screen and the rest of the colors kind of washed out.

Douglas Villalba · June 22nd, 2007, 07:15 AM

I personally don't have a problems with the white at factory settings. That is why I asked you how you are determining that the whites are blown.
Here are the setting I used most of the time.

Everything factory except Chroma level +3,Gamma HD Norm,
Knee auto, Matrix cine like.

I use this setting for HD but it looks the same for DV to tape.

In post I take the blacks from about 7 to 0 and whites from 100 to about 95.
The color is usually load enough that I don't have to touch it.

Here is how it looks

Dick Campbell · June 22nd, 2007, 07:17 AM

if your using auto-iris, you might try using the built-in ND filter. make sure your zebras are set and on, auto or not. you could also play with the gain setting.

you might also try 720p60p for "real video".

good luck, most people complain about low light problems. you will find more info also on dvxuser.com

Peter Jefferson · June 22nd, 2007, 08:07 AM

Nick, considering youve used DVCpro for the last 6 years, im also assuming that the cameras youve used had no less than 1/2' sensors.
THis plays a fundamental role in DR nto jsut for colour, but for DoF and luminance
Considering the size of the ccd in question, and considering how the DVX100 behaves with overexposed backgrounds, i dont doubt that your backgrounds are washed out.
Yes they WILL peak braodcast safe levels, no matter what knee u use, and they will look washed out.
This ccd (or any ccd of this size) wasnt designed with backlighting in mind, in fact, even on a 1/2ccd, for any decent result in daylight a 150w light with a dichroic filter would be a necessity. Depending on yrou part of the world, the wattage would vary to up to 500w

I do ALOT of outdoor vox pops for one particualr marketing company which uses "off the street" subjects to get its point across to new potential clients.. and yes we literally run around with camera in hand and grab people off the street

People often look at me and ask why i need a light, but in the end, when they see the results, theyve answered their own question.
And this is using only a a lowly DVX100a

Take a look at quite afew other shooters and you will see that 99% carry lights with them whereever they go, no matter what camera theyre using..

Nick Ponton · June 22nd, 2007, 01:31 PM

Thanks...I'll try some of this and see if it helps.

We're shooting SD and will not be shooting HD anytime soon. Don't know if that makes a difference in the gamma settings. I switched to News Gamma because what very little I've been able to find on ENG shooters using this cameras have said that the News Gamma responds better to rapidly changing lighting conditions.

I am not shooting in auto iris. I always use the manual. I should have pointed out that my whites are really bad outside in sunlight. Indoors using a top light, I'm not having any problems other than the low light issue which seems common. I really don't have the luxury to light every shot like many of you filmmakers do. 99.9% of the time, I have to use the light available to me when I show up.

Is 720p60p still SD? I was under the impression this was an HD format. Also, P2 space is an issue. I only have 2 8GB cards and most days, I fill this up. We're looking at 5-6 news stories a day and we don't have and will not be getting a P2 store or Firestore.

Dick Campbell · June 22nd, 2007, 10:22 PM

yes 720p is HD, but downconverting to SD will give you sharp images.

regarding your P2s, why don't you dump to a laptop in between shoots?

Nick Ponton · June 23rd, 2007, 09:19 AM

money. I work in a small market news operation. These cameras were bought not because they're great cameras, but because we could get 3 of them for the price of a HPX500. We don't have laptops. The only light I have is an Anton Bauer Ultralight with no dicro fliters. If I use that light outdoors, then my subjects will look orange.

The thing is, I can't buy any accessories. I have to use the camera out-of-the-box and make it work. It's starting to sound like I'm not going to be able to do that.

To give you an idea of how things are, I just asked for an IFB so I can monitor audio. On our DVCPro cameras, there was an external speaker...not great, but I could at least tell if my audio was distorted. Don't have that on the P2, so I asked for a $40 generic IFB. Got turned down. "Not a neccissity"

June 21st, 2007, 01:02 PM	#1
Nick Ponton Tourist Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Peoria, IL Posts: 4	HVX200 Settings for ENG Is anyone out there besides my shop using this camera for ENG in SD? I hate the way the picture looks. The whites are so blown out...even when I have the picture underexposed. It looks like crap and I'm ready do things with this camera I'd probably get fired over. We're shooting SD and I have the camera in News Gamma. I haven't messed with any of the detail settings. We're shooting in 480/60i. We've been shooting in DVCPro for 6 years and never had any problems with internal settings. We get new cameras that no one wanted shoved down our throats and no one can help us. All the info I can find is about shooting in HD and for the film look. Can anyone give me any kind of help to get this video to look like it's supposed to look for broadcasting? Thank you in advance for any help.

June 21st, 2007, 05:52 PM	#2
Douglas Villalba Major Player Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Miami, Florida, USA Posts: 479	Do you record to tape or P2 card? How do you edit? and, How are you judging the image? Usually at factory setup in all manual it is average good looking. __________________ Douglas Villalba - director/cinematographer/editor Miami, Florida, USA - www.DVtvPRODUCTIONS.com

June 21st, 2007, 09:36 PM	#3
Nick Ponton Tourist Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Peoria, IL Posts: 4	We're using P2 and editing on Avid Newscutter XP. I'm not looking for average looking. I'm looking for crisp, vivid colors. I had a great image before shooting on DVCPro and I'm not giving up quality just because YouTube has made people not care about video. The factory default has left white's just burning the screen and the rest of the colors kind of washed out.

June 22nd, 2007, 07:17 AM	#5
Dick Campbell Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 117	if your using auto-iris, you might try using the built-in ND filter. make sure your zebras are set and on, auto or not. you could also play with the gain setting. you might also try 720p60p for "real video". good luck, most people complain about low light problems. you will find more info also on dvxuser.com

June 22nd, 2007, 08:07 AM	#6
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	Nick, considering youve used DVCpro for the last 6 years, im also assuming that the cameras youve used had no less than 1/2' sensors. THis plays a fundamental role in DR nto jsut for colour, but for DoF and luminance Considering the size of the ccd in question, and considering how the DVX100 behaves with overexposed backgrounds, i dont doubt that your backgrounds are washed out. Yes they WILL peak braodcast safe levels, no matter what knee u use, and they will look washed out. This ccd (or any ccd of this size) wasnt designed with backlighting in mind, in fact, even on a 1/2ccd, for any decent result in daylight a 150w light with a dichroic filter would be a necessity. Depending on yrou part of the world, the wattage would vary to up to 500w I do ALOT of outdoor vox pops for one particualr marketing company which uses "off the street" subjects to get its point across to new potential clients.. and yes we literally run around with camera in hand and grab people off the street People often look at me and ask why i need a light, but in the end, when they see the results, theyve answered their own question. And this is using only a a lowly DVX100a Take a look at quite afew other shooters and you will see that 99% carry lights with them whereever they go, no matter what camera theyre using..

June 22nd, 2007, 01:31 PM	#7
Nick Ponton Tourist Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Peoria, IL Posts: 4	Thanks...I'll try some of this and see if it helps. We're shooting SD and will not be shooting HD anytime soon. Don't know if that makes a difference in the gamma settings. I switched to News Gamma because what very little I've been able to find on ENG shooters using this cameras have said that the News Gamma responds better to rapidly changing lighting conditions. I am not shooting in auto iris. I always use the manual. I should have pointed out that my whites are really bad outside in sunlight. Indoors using a top light, I'm not having any problems other than the low light issue which seems common. I really don't have the luxury to light every shot like many of you filmmakers do. 99.9% of the time, I have to use the light available to me when I show up. Is 720p60p still SD? I was under the impression this was an HD format. Also, P2 space is an issue. I only have 2 8GB cards and most days, I fill this up. We're looking at 5-6 news stories a day and we don't have and will not be getting a P2 store or Firestore.

June 22nd, 2007, 10:22 PM	#8
Dick Campbell Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 117	yes 720p is HD, but downconverting to SD will give you sharp images. regarding your P2s, why don't you dump to a laptop in between shoots?

June 23rd, 2007, 09:19 AM	#9
Nick Ponton Tourist Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Peoria, IL Posts: 4	money. I work in a small market news operation. These cameras were bought not because they're great cameras, but because we could get 3 of them for the price of a HPX500. We don't have laptops. The only light I have is an Anton Bauer Ultralight with no dicro fliters. If I use that light outdoors, then my subjects will look orange. The thing is, I can't buy any accessories. I have to use the camera out-of-the-box and make it work. It's starting to sound like I'm not going to be able to do that. To give you an idea of how things are, I just asked for an IFB so I can monitor audio. On our DVCPro cameras, there was an external speaker...not great, but I could at least tell if my audio was distorted. Don't have that on the P2, so I asked for a $40 generic IFB. Got turned down. "Not a neccissity"