Hey All,

I was out shooting at the marina this afternoon and when I got home I felt compelled to use the footage to make another tutorial.


This tutorial focuses on three things:

1. Sharpness Settings while shooting
2. The importance of proper exposure while shooting
3. An explanation and demonstration of LUTs.

As always, let me know if anything doesn't make sense and I'll try to clarify.   Also, feel free to correct me if you feel I got something wrong.


And here's a link to my original tutorial if you missed it:
http://youtu.be/S7PxuY9cqZE

Jim

Awesome Jim, thank you so much for putting in the effort to make these, they are really helpful

gareth.greener Posted at 2015-3-17 18:45
Awesome Jim, thank you so much for putting in the effort to make these, they are really helpful

I've learned a lot about flying from others here so happy to contribute to the group.

Thank you again - nice

Thank's you again - nice video Jim

Once again ...Thanks for giving back to the forum.

Very nice video and a great follow up to the first one.  Thank you!

I do have a question though.  When I am looking at my histogram and adjust shutter speed, it is very difficult for me to adjust to the right and move the highs left.  I tend to get this bell curve effect.  I am using the nd filter but I live in Arizona with very bright sun.  Is this something I just have to live with or are there other tricks I can use to help?

SkyDen Posted at 2015-3-18 00:09
I do have a question though.  When I am looking at my histogram and adjust shutter speed, it is very ...

Thank you Jim. Great help to many of us!

Jim,

I have never used DaVinci Resolve are you using it only for grading footage, then are you importing them into FCP X to edit.   Also will DaVinci Resolve Lite be enough for most non-pro users?  Love the videos keep them coming and I would love to see you showing a workflow in FCP X maybe a conversion to ProRes with the dji Codec.  My 4K vid is choppy on playback right out of the inspire.

MC  

Madame Concorde Posted at 2015-3-18 01:14
Jim,

I have never used DaVinci Resolve are you using it only for grading footage, then are you imp ...

You don't need to use Resolve to accomplish anything Jim did in his video however Resolve is a much more accurate program for fine tune coloring.

For those with little to no background in video editing, I would highly recommend using Final Cut Pro for it's ease of use. I learned this program in and out before ever using Davinci Resolve. You can grade your footage with or without LUTs but the coloring tools tend to be a little restrictive and overly sensitive. It can however be done and done well in the right hands.

You can download the LUT Utility here: http://www.colorgradingcentral.com/lututility
This will enable you to use ANY .cube (LUT FILE) in FCPx.

I use resolve a lot however it requires a few additional steps to round-trip your footage from it's original editing platform into resolve and back into the original editing software for final output. It can be a little challenging for those starting out.

SkyDen Posted at 2015-3-18 00:09
I do have a question though.  When I am looking at my histogram and adjust shutter speed, it is very ...

The Histogram in the App when flying is worthless. Don't trust it. Look at your highlights to make sure they aren't clipping (over-exposed) and shoot with those settings. It's a lot easier to decrease exposure in post vs increasing exposure which will introduce unwanted noise.

scooterlam Posted at 2015-3-18 03:40
The Histogram in the App when flying is worthless. Don't trust it. Look at your highlights to make ...

I agree, though I don't think it's totally worthless.  

Good to have it on screen along with the overexposure warning.  Though the histogram won't protect you from overexposing it does give you an idea of where most of the levels in your image are falling.   

scooterlam Posted at 2015-3-18 03:38
You don't need to use Resolve to accomplish anything Jim did in his video however Resolve is a muc ...

I wouldn't recommend round tripping (this means editing raw footage in your editor, transferring to Resolve for color correction, then transferring back to your editor for finishing) for beginners (and even many pros.)
I would recommend it for transcoding the Inspire footage initially, then take the resulting files to your editing program.  

I might do a quick video tutorial to define "transcoding."   Even though it just means processing the file to a file type that is more appropriate for the task, the concept doesn't seem to be sticking for many.

jimhare Posted at 2015-3-18 05:48
I wouldn't recommend round tripping (this means editing raw footage in your editor, transferring to ...

Jim, great tutorials.

Sorry if you covered this before, but do you use Adobe CC or FCP? And how would you normally handle going back and forth between your NLE and Resolve? XML or final video edit + EDL?

Also have you ever experienced the zebra exposure warning not working even when it is "on" in the pilot app? I find that often I think I may be overexposed even when the zebras don't show up.

Great job explaining this to us newbies (speaking for myself) Does the post editing program you are using come in a more basic (cheaper) version?

Thanks Jim

Mkell_CA_SF.BAY Posted at 2015-3-18 08:39
Jim, great tutorials.

Sorry if you covered this before, but do you use Adobe CC or FCP? And how w ...

I still use FCP7 for most daily work, though it doesn't work well with raw Inspire footage.   FCP-X on a fast machine loves the raw footage so I'll move more and more to X over time.

As for round tripping, I generally use XML, but there are situations, like MultiCam work, where XML fails and I revert to EDL.  Of course native Inspire footage doesn't have timecode so round tripping isn't really viable anyway, as far as I know.

RichJ53 Posted at 2015-3-18 09:03
Great job explaining this to us newbies (speaking for myself) Does the post editing program you are  ...

Hey Rich, DaVinci Resolve has a free version that does everything you would need so doesn't get much cheaper than that!    Premiere Elements is an affordable program would do a good job both in editing and basic color correction.   On the Mac, FCP-X is both very powerful and quite affordable for everything you get.

jimhare Posted at 2015-3-18 11:08
Hey Rich, DaVinci Resolve has a free version that does everything you would need so doesn't get mu ...

Jim,
That is awesome, I will download the free version of DaVinci Resolve and try it out! I am running a Windows based machine running on 8.1 pro with about 16gig of memory, SSD drive etc. Hopefully this is enough for starters. My system runs the 4K videos very smoothly and other editing software as well. I have noticed that 4K takes some horsepower to make it look nice and smooth.

jimhare Posted at 2015-3-18 05:48
I wouldn't recommend round tripping (this means editing raw footage in your editor, transferring to ...

You grade clips before editing Jim? Seems backwards. I think it's always best to edit the raw h264 clips straight from the source, color correct, grade, add transitions, effects, titles, final render. Compressing in one NLE then recompressing in another during the edit, then vimeo or youtube compression is quite a loss of data. The less compressed the better IMO.

I output .xml files from FCPx to Resolve Round Trip Final Render to ProRes Proxy in 4K to Vimeo. Seems to work best.

scooterlam Posted at 2015-3-18 12:39
You grade clips before editing Jim? Seems backwards. I think it's always best to edit the raw h264  ...

It is backwards in this case, but for good reason.

When it comes to "just for fun" Inspire footage I go down the path of least resistance and easy editing.    For me that means getting to ProRes quickly and staying there.   

I have no fears of re-encoding ProRes multiple times.   

The last feature film I directed went through THREE different stages of ProRes and the end result was flawless.  Played in hundreds of cinemas in eight countries.   My Inspire footage goes through less than that, MP4 to Resolve, becomes ProRes, edit and master to h.264 for YouTube.

Another reason is my main system is tuned for R3Ds and ProRes on FCP7.   Doesn't like MP4!   But I'm experimenting on my MBP and FCPx, which is running the MP4s like melted butter so I might rethink my approach.

But yes, in a perfect world it's of course best practice to work with the original material as long as possible.  

Jim, Do u use the dji transcoding tool first?
Seems to loose the advantage of the LOG.

info.gerdschelf Posted at 2015-3-18 18:22
Jim, Do u use the dji transcoding tool first?
Seems to loose the advantage of the LOG.

I don't, I bring the raw footage into DaVinci.   The transcoding tool does a decent job of restoring the color and contrast if you aren't going to color correct.

Ok. good video by the way.
Another interesting test to perform would be the latitude range of the camera. We all put this on 100 iso for now but like for the most 'big camera's' like Alexa/Red/Sony F's.. the ISO with most of latitude is around 500 and 800 iso. So I think we need to perform a latitude test on which iso we have most f-stops .
If on the arri alexa you switch to 100 iso you loose a lot of range in the highlights.

And of course we need more ND in that case . I ordered a variable ND  37mm . Still waiting for it.

Gerd

info.gerdschelf Posted at 2015-3-18 20:49
Ok. good video by the way.
Another interesting test to perform would be the latitude range of the c ...

Yeah, I've been wondering about that.   But that also needs to be balanced with noise, which is more likely to occur in the Inspire than a $25,000 dedicated camera so might be a tradeoff at higher ISOs.

jimhare Posted at 2015-3-18 17:53
It is backwards in this case, but for good reason.

When it comes to "just for fun" Inspire footage ...

Interesting take but if it works for you great! I have no issue editing original raw clips in fcpx or premier sending xmls to resolve (for serious stuff) roundtripping back to fcpx or premier and final render to prores proxy instead of h264 as anything under 5 min will be below 5gb and still upload to vimeo/youtube at that size.

Can you link me to the film you were speaking of or a place I can view your serious work? -- I have some red questions that I'd like to ask you off the forum.

Great job Jim, keep em' coming. We all appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

scooterlam Posted at 2015-3-19 01:36
Interesting take but if it works for you great! I have no issue editing original raw clips in fcpx ...

Sure, my website is www.harebrained.com.au and my email is Jim at harebrained dot com dot au.

My reduser name is jimhare.  

Jim

scooterlam Posted at 2015-3-19 01:36
Interesting take but if it works for you great! I have no issue editing original raw clips in fcpx ...

I got into the habit working on multicam RED projects.   I would direct shoots with up to ten REDs at a time and designing an editing workflow quickly brought me to ProRes, with the option of conforming back to R3D at the end or mastering right off the transcoded files, which I did more and more of as I got better at doing my main corrections during the transcode phase and final grading in FCP without having to conform.   

After a while it just became my go-to process.  

For varuous reasons I keep my main editing system preserved in history so it's based around FCP7 and can't even install FCPx.  FCP7 is useless for Inspire footage so another reason for transcoding.

I have FCPx on my Retina MBP and it works beautifully on Inspire footage, I just don't like editing on laptops.   
Because it does handle it so well I might do more and more of it now that I have the Inspire.  

Hi Jim and Scooter, I'm a newbie but very curious and enjoying my Inspire.  I wondering if the workflow of using Compressor to transcode to 4K or various 1080 .H264 to ProRes 422HQ, then bring into FCPX to edit and color grade is the proper/suggested workflow.  I own both applications and run them on a Mid 2012 15" MBP Retina with 16GB 750SSD and external storage thunderbolt 180MB/s 7200 RPM.  Kind of hoping I don't need to add applications to my system.  At the same time if that's what's need I have no problem getting on board with other apps.  

Any words of wisdom are always welcome, so much to learn.  Thanks for your contributions!

davidbsamuels Posted at 2015-3-19 05:08
Hi Jim and Scooter, I'm a newbie but very curious and enjoying my Inspire.  I wondering if the workf ...

Hey David.  If FCPx is playing your original MP4 footage from the inspire without any trouble then you would be best to work with it directly, don't transcode first.

Transcoding before editing is simply a "get-out-of-jail-free" card when editing original footage is frustrating because your computer can't keep up.

But your MBP should eat up Inspire footage no problem so work with the original files throughout the edit and grade.

Another option in FCPx is to have it create proxies for you, which will make editing easier and still give you access to your original media for grading.  

My transcoding needs were mainiy because I'm not using FCPx on my main system.  

My Retina MBP woth FCPx works great with raw Inspire footage so I'm sure you won't have any trouble.

Impressive Jim. Really enjoy the tutorials, really helps me wrap my head around all this digital video stuff. As much as I would have liked to think all that 30 year old cutting and ENG experience was going to help me easily make great videos, it's pretty apparent that simply isn't the case. Keep the videos coming! Hopefully DJI will get some of these video TX issues fixed soon so I can post some videos using what you've taught us.

wolftj@mindspri Posted at 2015-3-19 09:55
Impressive Jim. Really enjoy the tutorials, really helps me wrap my head around all this digital vid ...

What sort of TX issues are you having?

Just the same as everyone else. FPV video drops or stutters at relatively short range. I could easily run it out over half a mile before the last firmware update, now about 1/3 of that distance. I didn't change the way I operate or any of the equipment, the only thing that changed was the firmware and the app update. Who knows, could just be the app update. It's more of a toy for me so I'm just flying carefully waiting for a fix.

wolftj@mindspri Posted at 2015-3-19 21:45
Just the same as everyone else. FPV video drops or stutters at relatively short range. I could easil ...

I'm not getting that, but maybe I'm just not far enough away.  I rarely fly more than maybe 300ft away.  I might try some long distance flying and see what happens.

Jim Ty for this thread great info as Im still gleaming thru all this days later.

Third tutorial is up.  This onei is on "troubled footage."

http://forum.dji.com/forum.php?m ... age%3D1&lang=en

Hi Jim, Thanks a lot for your tutorials! They are very helpful. I was wondering about the LUTS from newmannfilms. When I go to purchase them it almost seems like they are going to mail them... that seems silly to me as I am assuming its just some digital files. So the question is do they mail them or can you just download them?

nalhutta Posted at 2015-3-22 11:24
Hi Jim, Thanks a lot for your tutorials! They are very helpful. I was wondering about the LUTS from  ...

Yeah, they word it a bit strangely but it's a simple download from their site, instant and easy.

What are you going to use them with?   FCPx requires a third party plug in, DaVinci just takes them as is and works great.

jimhare Posted at 2015-3-22 12:10
Yeah, they word it a bit strangely but it's a simple download from their site, instant and easy.

...

Thanks! I grabbed those LUTs and have already applied them to a video. I am just trying out Davinci right now however I will probably land in adobe as I already use photoshop and lightroom. Another question for you, I noticed when trying to set the project settings I can't choose 4096 x 2160 they highest it goes is 3840 x 2160. Is there a way around this?