Video contrast

[Everettc4]

Hi all, hey I wonder if anybody might be able to point me in the right direction. I have the Sony a7r 3 and I was just wondering what setting might help me get the video to pop more like the still image??

Thanks

Everett

 

[AlanKlein]

It seems like you've set something other than "normal" in the camera for the image. There are special "log" settings like S-log2 in Sony videos that will give flatter looks but pickup more dynamic range. You then have to do fancy post editing. Maybe you selected one of these settings. Have you tried to "reset" the camera back to factory settings?

 

[Everettc4]

Thanks for the reply. I haven't tried that. but I think I'll try a few things before doing that.

 

[dennybeall]

You could always run the video through Photoshop and fix it up, if it's and important video to you, but it's always better to figure out what wrong in the shoot.

 

[CherylL]

Did you by chance shoot the photo in Auto mode and then switch to Movie mode? The settings look off. Even if you shot in S-Log it would look flat and not underexposed.

 

[jeffW]

Just my humble opinions: For sony alpha cameras (8-bit color), I would stay away from s-log, (unless you truly know how to grade it)

Unlike stills where you can adjust Raws after the fact with the Sony a-cameras for video you should (imho) be using the picture profiles. For a more contrasty look chose either Cine 3 or 4. I believe picture profile 6 & 7 are the s-logs again imho stay away from those. Cine 1 & 2 have a flatter look with the idea you can adjust in your NLE.

Again only my opinions, as I know others talk up s-log even with 8-bit

here is a link to Sony's white paper on the subject:
https://docs.sony.com/release/Help_C198100111.pdf

hope this helps

 

[AlanKlein]

Just my humble opinions: For sony alpha cameras (8-bit color), I would stay away from s-log, (unless you truly know how to grade it)

Unlike stills where you can adjust Raws after the fact with the Sony a-cameras for video you should (imho) be using the picture profiles. For a more contrasty look chose either Cine 3 or 4. I believe picture profile 6 & 7 are the s-logs again imho stay away from those. Cine 1 & 2 have a flatter look with the idea you can adjust in your NLE.

Again only my opinions, as I know others talk up s-log even with 8-bit

here is a link to Sony's white paper on the subject:
https://docs.sony.com/release/Help_C198100111.pdf

hope this helps

I shot 4K and tried S-log2 with my Sony RX100iv and Resolve and couldn't get it to work. However, I am able to do a lot of adjustments to regularly exposed 4K and 1080 videos using Photoshop Premiere Elements. I can lighten, darken, add or remove contrast, change gamma, etc. Many similar adjustments you'd do to a still photo. For home use of displaying on my 4K UDHTV, it's sufficient.

 

[chuasam]

How to Pick the Right Color Grading Software

 

[Ballistics]

The advice in this thread to stay away from S-Log would be equivalent to telling someone to stay away from RAW and shoot jpeg. You want the profile to be as flat as possible in order to get as much out of it as possible.

Grading video is a lot like processing a raw image. Davinci Resolve by Black Magic Design is a free non-linear editor that is very easy to use. My advice is to continue to shoot in S-Log
and pick up a couple free LUTs (look up tables) that will help you grade. A7Riii is one of the best, if not the best mirrorless camera on the market at the moment for video outside of a standalone cinema body.

 

[AlanKlein]

The advice in this thread to stay away from S-Log would be equivalent to telling someone to stay away from RAW and shoot jpeg. You want the profile to be as flat as possible in order to get as much out of it as possible.

Grading video is a lot like processing a raw image. Davinci Resolve by Black Magic Design is a free non-linear editor that is very easy to use. My advice is to continue to shoot in S-Log
and pick up a couple free LUTs (look up tables) that will help you grade. A7Riii is one of the best, if not the best mirrorless camera on the market at the moment for video outside of a standalone cinema body.

I tried shooting with and without S-Log with my Sony RX100M4. I just couldn't get Resolve 12.5 to work. Can you recommend a free LUT and what's the link?

I did find with regular recording, the whites often clip especially in the sky and the contrast can be too much. Here's a video I shot with regular settings. The cows are too dark yet the sky is clipped in spots. Would S-Log have helped in this situation?
Cattle on Open Range (video)

thanks

 

[Ballistics]

The advice in this thread to stay away from S-Log would be equivalent to telling someone to stay away from RAW and shoot jpeg. You want the profile to be as flat as possible in order to get as much out of it as possible.

Grading video is a lot like processing a raw image. Davinci Resolve by Black Magic Design is a free non-linear editor that is very easy to use. My advice is to continue to shoot in S-Log
and pick up a couple free LUTs (look up tables) that will help you grade. A7Riii is one of the best, if not the best mirrorless camera on the market at the moment for video outside of a standalone cinema body.

I tried shooting with and without S-Log with my Sony RX100M4. I just couldn't get Resolve 12.5 to work. Can you recommend a free LUT and what's the link?

I did find with regular recording, the whites often clip especially in the sky and the contrast can be too much. Here's a video I shot with regular settings. The cows are too dark yet the sky is clipped in spots. Would S-Log have helped in this situation?
Cattle on Open Range (video)

thanks

You have a very high contrast video here (dark cattle and a bright sky) but yes S-Log would have definitely helped. If you're not going to shoot S-Log I would shoot just before you clip the highlights and bring up the shadows in post.

I actually don't have any LUTs to recommend because there are just so many of them and I really never use the same one twice.