LCD Sun Visor? at DVinfo.net

James Huenergardt · June 13th, 2006, 07:18 PM

Hi there,

Just wondering if there was a sun visor when shooting outdoors so you can really see exposure/focus for the Z1U?

I tried searching on sun visor, but nothing came up.

Thanks,

Jim

Mack Fisher · June 13th, 2006, 10:25 PM

I use the petrol LCD hood, I am very pleased with its results.

James Huenergardt · June 13th, 2006, 10:58 PM

Is this the one you are using?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ist&sku=319901

Jim

Mack Fisher · June 14th, 2006, 01:44 PM

No thats for large monitors, mine is for the lcd.

Martin Mayer · June 14th, 2006, 01:46 PM

Try Hoodman.

Boyd Ostroff · June 14th, 2006, 02:00 PM

Just curious... why do you need an LCD visor for the Z1? It has an excellent transreflective screen which looks really nice under full sunlight. You can even turn off the backlight in these conditions and save some battery power. I think this is one of the best kept secrets about the FX1 and Z1! :-)

Mike Wade · June 14th, 2006, 02:17 PM

This goes for the A1 also ( and I imagine the HC1 ). The A1 has a superb LCD which is perfectly viewable in full sunlight. It certainly has no need of any kind of sun shade.

James Huenergardt · June 14th, 2006, 02:49 PM

Well, I shot a bunch of outdoor footage for a developer, and some of it was a bit dark as I was using the LCD to judge my lighting. I guess I'm still learning how to do all this...

Maybe I should figure out the best way to use the Zebras.

Jim

Boyd Ostroff · June 15th, 2006, 06:01 AM

Yes, you really can't make critical judgements with the LCD, no matter what the lighting conditions. Learn to use the zebra patterns! But with a little experience you will also get a pretty good idea of what the finished video will look like based on the LCD.

Also, try to roughly calibrate the brightness of your LCD screen using the color bars. See the section about the PLUGE bars in the following article: http://www.videouniversity.com/tvbars2.htm

Out of the box, I think the backlight on the Z1 screen may actually be set a little too dark if anything.

Marcus Marchesseault · June 15th, 2006, 06:09 AM

Shoot so that you always have zebra bars showing, but only on places where it is acceptable. The light side of silver objects, highlights on any shiny object like a car or a window, and the sun side of white clothing on a bright day should show zebra bars to some extent. Do not ever have zebra bars on someone's face except a bit in the shine of a bald/ing guy's forehead. If your subject is backlit by a bright sky, you will need to sacrifice the color and detail in the sky in order to expose your people/subject properly. Video cameras can not expose a bright sky and someone in shadow with the use of a polarizer as a possible exception. There is just not enough exposure latitude. When in doubt, expose people's faces and forget about the rest.

James Huenergardt · June 15th, 2006, 08:59 AM

So, what should the ZEBRA bars be set to when using them? I have them set, to 70 which may be too low. I'm somewhat of a newbie when it comes to this sort of thing.

Thanks,

Jim

Peter Ferling · June 15th, 2006, 09:56 AM

Yes. Use the zebra's. Remember anything in the zebra pattern is essentially lost data, that is, no post effort will bring it back. Only specular highlights (shiney foreheads, sun spots/flares on chrome or metal surfaces, and water), as mentioned before, are expected to have zebra's. Meaning these areas are already blown-out.

I just use the 100 IRE setting.

Mark Bournes · June 15th, 2006, 11:22 AM

I normally keep it at 90 ire to be safe, and I always use the zebras just to be sure. Practice makes "perfect".
Mark

Dick Mays · June 15th, 2006, 01:31 PM

I too set the Zebra's to 90. I find when I set exposure to get a slight zebra on the brightest parts of the picture, the results are usually pretty good when later viewing the footage on a calibrated monitor.

Matt Davis · June 15th, 2006, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Ferling

Remember anything in the zebra pattern is essentially lost data, that is, no post effort will bring it back. I just use the 100 IRE setting.

The former quote makes perfect sense with your latter comment, but just wanted to shout this point out.

I agree with your choice for 100% on Zebras to let you know where your cut-off point is, but newcomers may not have moved zebras from 70% - a setting where everything you really want to see is covered with stripes, so not condusive to everyday work. And to say that everything stripey is toast may give some newbies the wrong idea.

Actually, I go for 95% zebras - after which 'there be dragons' - I use my own Picture Profile which pulls things back by 0.6 of a stop with black stretch enabled so 95% gives me the last bastion of detail (e.g. sky, specular highlights). Footage looks a little darker than PD150 footage on an LCD, but looks gorgeous on a standard Grade 2 monitor.

BTW - Sorry to repeat you Dick - great minds think alike, etc. ;)

June 13th, 2006, 07:18 PM	#1
James Huenergardt Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA Posts: 513	LCD Sun Visor? Hi there, Just wondering if there was a sun visor when shooting outdoors so you can really see exposure/focus for the Z1U? I tried searching on sun visor, but nothing came up. Thanks, Jim

June 14th, 2006, 01:46 PM	#5
Martin Mayer Major Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Oxfordshire, UK Posts: 416	Try Hoodman. __________________ Martin at HeadSpin HD on Blu-ray

June 15th, 2006, 09:56 AM	#12
Peter Ferling Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Wyomissing, PA Posts: 1,141 Images: 57	Yes. Use the zebra's. Remember anything in the zebra pattern is essentially lost data, that is, no post effort will bring it back. Only specular highlights (shiney foreheads, sun spots/flares on chrome or metal surfaces, and water), as mentioned before, are expected to have zebra's. Meaning these areas are already blown-out. I just use the 100 IRE setting. __________________ Pete Ferling http://ferling.net It's never a mistake if you learn something new from it. -------------------------------------------

June 13th, 2006, 10:25 PM	#2
Mack Fisher Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 158	I use the petrol LCD hood, I am very pleased with its results.

June 13th, 2006, 10:58 PM	#3
James Huenergardt Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA Posts: 513	Is this the one you are using? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ist&sku=319901 Jim

June 14th, 2006, 01:44 PM	#4
Mack Fisher Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 158	No thats for large monitors, mine is for the lcd.

June 14th, 2006, 02:00 PM	#6
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Just curious... why do you need an LCD visor for the Z1? It has an excellent transreflective screen which looks really nice under full sunlight. You can even turn off the backlight in these conditions and save some battery power. I think this is one of the best kept secrets about the FX1 and Z1! :-)

June 14th, 2006, 02:17 PM	#7
Mike Wade Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, UK Posts: 161	This goes for the A1 also ( and I imagine the HC1 ). The A1 has a superb LCD which is perfectly viewable in full sunlight. It certainly has no need of any kind of sun shade.

June 14th, 2006, 02:49 PM	#8
James Huenergardt Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA Posts: 513	Well, I shot a bunch of outdoor footage for a developer, and some of it was a bit dark as I was using the LCD to judge my lighting. I guess I'm still learning how to do all this... Maybe I should figure out the best way to use the Zebras. Jim

June 15th, 2006, 06:01 AM	#9
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Yes, you really can't make critical judgements with the LCD, no matter what the lighting conditions. Learn to use the zebra patterns! But with a little experience you will also get a pretty good idea of what the finished video will look like based on the LCD. Also, try to roughly calibrate the brightness of your LCD screen using the color bars. See the section about the PLUGE bars in the following article: http://www.videouniversity.com/tvbars2.htm Out of the box, I think the backlight on the Z1 screen may actually be set a little too dark if anything.

June 15th, 2006, 06:09 AM	#10
Marcus Marchesseault Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,961	Shoot so that you always have zebra bars showing, but only on places where it is acceptable. The light side of silver objects, highlights on any shiny object like a car or a window, and the sun side of white clothing on a bright day should show zebra bars to some extent. Do not ever have zebra bars on someone's face except a bit in the shine of a bald/ing guy's forehead. If your subject is backlit by a bright sky, you will need to sacrifice the color and detail in the sky in order to expose your people/subject properly. Video cameras can not expose a bright sky and someone in shadow with the use of a polarizer as a possible exception. There is just not enough exposure latitude. When in doubt, expose people's faces and forget about the rest.

June 15th, 2006, 08:59 AM	#11
James Huenergardt Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA Posts: 513	So, what should the ZEBRA bars be set to when using them? I have them set, to 70 which may be too low. I'm somewhat of a newbie when it comes to this sort of thing. Thanks, Jim

June 15th, 2006, 11:22 AM	#13
Mark Bournes Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Jupiter, FL Posts: 565	I normally keep it at 90 ire to be safe, and I always use the zebras just to be sure. Practice makes "perfect". Mark

June 15th, 2006, 01:31 PM	#14
Dick Mays Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 690	I too set the Zebra's to 90. I find when I set exposure to get a slight zebra on the brightest parts of the picture, the results are usually pretty good when later viewing the footage on a calibrated monitor.