F330 Settings

[Bob Armstrong]

Hoping someone might have some suggestions for my new F330.

Just started the conversion to HD and am new to HD and the 330 so bear with me. Currently we shoot everything in DVCAM and got the 330 to shoot in HD and use the footage in SD while the conversion continues. I'm having a hard time getting the footage to look good in natural light. When compared to the DVCAM footage shot at the same event it looks slightly fuzzy and yellowish. When white balanced on the same white sample the variation between the cameras is vast, 1300K+. I had some success turning the detail level up to +25. I find it hard to believe the factory defaults wouldn't at least give me a standard ENG type picture for natural light with pre-set white at 5600K. Perhaps someone has some suggestions for settings to try? The goal is to get the picture to match my DVCAM cameras in SD.

Another possibility I've considered is settings for down conversion on the deck. I'm using the PDW-F70 with the SD-SDI output.

Thanks in advance...

[Nate Weaver]

Originally Posted by Bob Armstrong

When compared to the DVCAM footage shot at the same event it looks slightly fuzzy and yellowish. When white balanced on the same white sample the variation between the cameras is vast, 1300K+.

I find the camera has a weird warm bent to it also. Good news is that you can use the various white offsets to tune things to your liking. See Thierry's recent list of where you can do that:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost....6&postcount=10

Apparently Sony is getting pro-active trying to ditch their reputation for "cold" looking video.

Originally Posted by Bob Armstrong

I had some success turning the detail level up to +25.

Whoa, whoa whoa :-). That may make your downconvert look ok, but I promise it's gonna make your HD on a good HD monitor look like the worst video you've ever seen. If your SD monitor is particularly low-res (or small), it will take more edge enhancement to make it look normal.

The camera has a detail setting for the separate firewire and composite downconvert out. You can turn that up if you like.

If you're bringing in your HD into your computer and viewing a downconvert that way, then your pic will look very soft compared to regular DSR-300 or what have you. Downconvert outs on NLEs generally don't add any edge enhancement back, making things look soft.

[Simon Wyndham]

Apparently Sony is getting pro-active trying to ditch their reputation for "cold" looking video.

Yep, most of the newer Sony cameras I have seen seem to be ditching the colder look.

Bob, leave the detail alone. Reduce it, don't bump it up!

As for the colour, which lens are you using? When I tried a J11 on a 330 I found that there was a weird colour cast that I couldn't remove. Perhaps you are suffering from a similar thing?

[Bob Armstrong]

The vendor assures me the lens isn't the problem however I have my doubts. When I access the lens identification portion of the menu it doesn't seem to have any communication with it because it says lens unknown and manufacturer unknown.

I'm using a Fujinon BERM-M38, are you familiar with this lens?

[Simon Wyndham]

To be honest I don't know what the situation is with lens files on the XD HD. I'll have to ask around. Even with the Canon KH20 the camera I had didn't give me a lens model. Alister may be able to comment as he has one of the newer lenses and the latest firmware.

[Greg Boston]

I've recently learned that Fujinon, by default, disables the serial comm on their lenses through the lens mount. I have a copy of the procedure but it appears that it doesn't apply to my 18x5.5 and if your lens isn't the right one, enabling the comm could damage the lens so I won't be posting it here.

I have a local Fujinon service center about 7 miles away. I may have to drop in for a visit this week.

-gb-

[Bob Armstrong]

Do you think that could be the source of the poor quality/color?