Help analyzing video sample

RobG · May 30, 2017

Hi folks. I have uploaded a short video I took on my Mavic yesterday. I would like help figuring out how to make it better. But first some things to consider:

1. It is shot in DLOG (+1,-1,0 per recommendation for using Icarus LUTs).

2. I believe I had the camera set to 2K, 30 FPS.

3. No post processing was done so I understand that contrast, etc. is not adjusted properly yet.

4. No LUT's applied (you can probably tell LOL).

5. Cloudy day, white balance set to cloudy, ND8 polar pro filter on, shutter set to 1/60th.

6. Did load the video into Resolve, select a short clip, and render from there to load in YouTube. I didn't know if I could attach a video to a post that is 1GB large. I am still new to all this and don't want to screw up the forum. That's why I loaded it to YouTube, even though I understand YouTube uses compression.

7. When I check the metadata for the clip I rendered out of Resolve, it says the frame rate is something weird like 48 FPS or something. Not sure why that is. I am guessing I just don't have the settings correct yet in Resolve and that the program is changing something I didn't mean to change. Help would be appreciated.

So I am not so much asking for help with things like exposure or contrast since no effort was made to adjust them. I am more interested in hearing about the clarity of the video. I am still confused about how to set the focus correctly for this type of recording and whether I only need to do it once or keep doing it frequently, etc.

I am loving flying the bird and taking video. I am taking it really slow instead of trying to pretend it's easy and I know what I'm doing. I don't want to wreck the bird or lose it or do anything that would get me into trouble.

Also tried Sport Mode for the first time. What a thrill. Only did it for a minute and only where I could see it well. Kind of scary but great fun. Had never tried it before.

So all help will be greatly appreciated.

Rob

Oyibo VFX · May 30, 2017

Standard rule..... when using D-Log, don't touch any other camera setting. Period....
You can only reduce sharpness with one step for a more blurry effect (I never do but most people only use 0 - 0 - 0 for pictures and 0 - 0 - -1 for film. If you use a Log D or S, you want as small distortion on your footage so you can play. If you change that with D-Log, you basically ruin your footage....

RobG · May 30, 2017

Oyibo VFX said:
Standard rule..... when using D-Log, don't touch any other camera setting. Period....
You can only reduce sharpness with one step for a more blurry effect (I never do but most people only use 0 - 0 - 0 for pictures and 0 - 0 - -1 for film. If you use a Log D or S, you want as small distortion on your footage so you can play. If you change that with D-Log, you basically ruin your footage....

Not sure what you mean by Don't touch any other settings. Can you give me a couple of examples of settings I would not want to touch. I am guessing you might be referring to having changed the white balance to Cloudy but what else. I still want to shoot 2K and have the shutter speed twice the frame rate, right?

What about focusing? I thought there was a way to get infinity focus and not have to keep tapping to focus. Am I wrong? If not, how do you set it that way? If I am wrong, what's the process for getting good focus throughout the flight? Should I be using AF-C or turning it off. The focus thing really has me confused.

Oyibo VFX · May 30, 2017

I mean contrast and saturation. White balance should not be a big problem although I always use a grey card before taking off. But that is a personal preference.
If you don't understand color correction, use the auto settings because using D-Log without proper correcting looks terrible.
EV (exposure value) should be between -0,7 and +0,7.
Use your ND filters to get between those values. Shutter = twice the frame rate and Iso as low as possible

RobG · May 30, 2017

I use a grey card with my camera. I did not know the mavic could do custom WB. I will have to check into that.

Oyibo VFX · May 30, 2017

No, just use the WB according ambient conditions but use WB correction in post production

Alex S. · May 30, 2017

follow...

Oyibo VFX · May 31, 2017

Rob,

I have done something which I normally never do. I have downloaded your sample and re-edited your footage.
What I noticed so far...
Size = 2048:1152 = 16:9 = OK
Framerate is 30 fps = OK
Light settings with D-Log = not OK
Biggest issue looks to me the hardware acceleration (blocks and green spots on your image)
So, I have corrected your footage and noticed that you might haver changed settings while flying. The first part has a different signature than the second part (after the parking lot). Second part is better.
I have tried to use a better WB which is OK for the second part but not the first part.

So, my advice if you are new to this...

Use 4K and use all settings auto until you are confident with the filming quality and results.
Use 0 - 0 - 0 in your camera settings (despite what LUT guys say)
Then try a D-Log but keep your settings at 0 - 0 - 0
Use WB sunny or cloudy but if possible, use a grey card for better fine tuning of your WB
4K with 24fps = shutter speed 1/50
Use a 16:9 ratio (normal computer screen / TV size)
EV (Exposure Value) between -0,7 and +0,7 max
ISO at 100
And correct your EV with ND filters
Then fly the same route again. Normal filter and D-Log filter.
The best results I have (if... I use a LUT) is with the Ground Control Falcon DJI LUT Rec 709.
Although I can do the same with Color Finale without LUT's

I copy your edited sample to DropBox and send you the link

Hope this helps

Mavman · May 31, 2017

Can anyone advise on what "grey card" to use? Just print out a sheet of paper with a certain shade of grey?

Oyibo VFX · May 31, 2017

Awwwwww.... Basic color correction here
If you have an equal amount of RED - GREEN and BLUE, that = GREY
So, before you film, you should film a grey color card (or something similar).
Then later, in post production... before anything else, you adjust your vectorscope to the middle-point
Then red is red, green is green and blue = blue
I've made a tutorial on that