Noise issue with my Z7E? and it's got me stuck.

[James Cairns]

Anyone offer some help on this I have noise in my footage even at full auto. I have done a test and this is the same on the MRU & Tape. If I am setting something wrong? or with setting the camera on full auto, I assumed it would be clear.

Any help is most appreciated.
James

[Vito DeFilippo]

What makes you think full auto would give you no noise? For example, in a dark room, the camera will happily crank up the gain to max if it thinks it needs to.

[James Cairns]

The footage is shot outdoors at 7:30am and I just thought setting the Z7 to full auto outdoors I should not see any noise, especially at that time in the morning.

[Luc De Wandel]

Did you have the image stabilisation system on? That makes a lot of noise...

[Vito DeFilippo]

I would try a test on manual and see if you get the same problem. Earlier sony cameras need to have everything on manual to make sure one automatic setting is not creating problems. I don't know if the Z7 is the same, but I wouldn't be surprised.

Make sure gain, iris and shutter speed are on manual. Put gain on zero, adjust iris for correct exposure and see how the noise is.

You could also play the tape with the recorded noisy footage and enable the 'data code' display. This will let you see what setting the camera had decided to use. Check if the gain is up.

[Luc De Wandel]

Sorry, It was not clear that you meant video noise...
I have the same problem with my Z7 it is much noisier than the Z5, for instance. Even on full manual with gain at -3dB!

[James Cairns]

Thanks for all the replies so far on this, here's the settings -

Test 1 - Full Auto

Test 2 - Full Manual - 5600K/ND3/-6db/50/f2.8(later when zoomed f2.2)

The reason I set the gain -6db as I have shot on this setting as advised since I have had the HVR Z7E, but the noise/grain in my footage is there no matter what setting. Yes we had a bright morning in Glasgow but.....

On a shoot today I took my camera and the DOP said after watching the clips I shot yesterday morning I have a lot of buzz/grain in my footage, it is not noticeable on the camera's LCD. His advice contact Sony as it looks like my CCD or a Sensor setting has went wrong.

Which I will do after the holidays.

James

[Greg Laves]

Originally Posted by Luc De Wandel

Sorry, It was not clear that you meant video noise...
I have the same problem with my Z7 it is much noisier than the Z5, for instance. Even on full manual with gain at -3dB!

Luc, I have shot my Z7 with another Z5 and mine does not have more noise than the Z5. Maybe there are production line variations.

James, it would seem like your #2 settings would produce minimum noise/grain if you had enough light to get a good exposure with the ND3 turned on. BTW, your camera doesn't have CCDs. It uses CMOS image devices.

[James Cairns]

Hi there, sorry for the CCD comment I know the Z7 works with CMOS. I had just came in from a long shoot I was not thinking correctly. Regarding the grain/noise it is there at any exposure setting I set. When I first got my Z7 my settings are worse than what I typed earlier but no grain.noise(shots over exposed and set to clear ND) Final Cut helped fix these mistakes.

Can anyone suggest a test to try as I am kinda stuck, I will be contacting Sony on Tuesday so I have until then.

James

[James Cairns]

Hi there, it turns out I have a problem with Final Cut Studio. I have had an interlacing/banding issue since I put FCS into my Macbook still can't fix this one? but now I have a new problem footage looks grainy?

I connected my HVR Z7E to a TV via the HDMI and all is well with the camera it is FCS I have to fix. Just thought I would let people know and Thanks for the help again.

James

[Gary Nattrass]

Hi James and hope you are well.

Note that just connecting your camera via HDMI is not a valid test as all you are looking at is the full HD image from the camera or are you playing back via the HDMI footage that way should show the problem if there is one.

The HDV 25mbs codec may be what is causing the noise as this is what is capturing the images.

Just wanted to point this out just in case you start chasing a problem with FCP that may be actually caused by the HDV recording codec.

IF you have just installed FCP check out the sequence RT settings, it may be that the edit software is degrading the images to allow good playback in RT.

The RT selector is in the left corner near the audio video track controls.

[James Cairns]

Hi Gary, I am well thanks for asking. Hope you are keeping busy and well yourself.

Since I posted my question I have filmed finishing scenes for a film, a Rap video(all footage looks normal?)

When I did my test with the HDMI Cable the camera was live and all settings looked normal no sign of the issues experienced, in result of my original post....OR when I played back the footage.

I have only noticed my footage within Final Cut Studio being affected since I upgraded from Final Cut 5, to 7.(in November 2009)

I did not know of the Noise issues that can be seen under the 25MB's Codec Thanks for that. What advice can you give on this one?

I have tried my settings under RT in Safe and Unlimited modes. I am 100% positive that it is Final Cut as the footage at times looks normal in Final Cut, then issues with colour and if I import pictures they look terrible. A current project neded them for the film I had to remove stills it was that bad. I am contacting Apple again soon as I have had problems with Final Cut since I bought it(don't get me started on my Interlacing issue as I can't fix this one either)

I have tried to a de-interlace filter on my sequences, export as de-interlaced quicktime. I have to finish projects on my PC it is that bad or the finished results are worse than a bootleg.

James and my Macbook is actually going to kill itself soon (I believe it may even be the GPU that is having issues.....)

[Hung Ton Quoc]

Hi
I've got the Z7 for a few weeks. I've noticed in a recent shot that the pictures look noisy even with no gain in low light condition. So I connected the camera to a 37" Panasonic HD TV, I've tried both compenent and HDMI connections : no difference in quality. Even in good lighting condition everything look moisy comparing to my JVC GY-HD200 in the same lighting condition. I was abble to get rid of noise by setting DETAIL to-4. I own 2 Z7 and with the second one : same problem. Look like that the CMOS is not as good as CCD. When editing HD you will nead a large HD monitor to see every detail. With my pro Sony 2050 LCD I can't make the difference between JVC and Sony.
Hung

[Gary Nattrass]

Hi again James I dont have my Z7 anymore so its difficult to advise much further re HDV as I dont use it anymore but all 1/3" cameras can be noisy to some degree.

What will help though is adjusting the settings as advised by Hung Ton Quoc and that is what I have also had to do with my current cameras the panasonic HPX301, I have them set up as per the BBC and there is very little noise at -3db gain.

That said though if you are seeing a lot of problems you may be right and that there is something wrong with final cut pro now that you are on version 7.

What is the spec of you mac and how much ram do you have? It may also be that FCP 7 is set up differently to FCP 5 as it has a lot more options available for import.

[James Cairns]

Cheers for the help from all on this.

I have since finding out from this forum set gain at -6db but at times I put it at -3db. So I don't blame this, my Mac has

2.53Ghz Core2Duo
4GB of DDR 3 1066
GPU 9400M or 9600 GT depending on setup

I have just done a clean install of Snow Leopard and Final Cut Studio, after my shoot tonight I can test it with fresh material. I have my sequence set to HDV 1080i50 which I have always worked on since FCP 5.

I use log and transfer via my MRU, I can't see the preview as since day one I am told unsupported by this format? I backup the footage with Clipwrap.

The only change to my workflow is Final Cut and I have since moving to FCP7 had a nasty issue with interlacing.

I knew you had moved on in camera's Gary you said this a while back on the forum. So I will post results soon.

James