NX1 Dynamic Range Settings

[Sekhar]

Guys, I was wondering if you all figured out how to extract the most DR out of NX1 for video. I did a lot of searching on the EOSHD threads, but didn't find much. Here's what I've tried so far:

1. Set the gamma to DR - works and gives a nice enough range, but I can't change sharpness because apparently custom profiles only work with normal gamma
2. Tried normal gamma with contrast all the way down - gives a range similar to that of DR gamma, but is badly messing up the colors and also adding pretty bad banding compared to DR gamma
3. Turned on Smart Range+ with DR gamma - doesn't seem to make any difference (I thought I noticed cleaner highs at one point but am not sure)

For now, the best option seems to be to go with DR gamma and accept the sharpness at its default value. I also turned on Smart Range+ in the hope it will make a difference in the highs. Do you have a better setting? I'd really appreciate your input.

[tugela]

Guys, I was wondering if you all figured out how to extract the most DR out of NX1 for video. I did a lot of searching on the EOSHD threads, but didn't find much. Here's what I've tried so far:

1. Set the gamma to DR - works and gives a nice enough range, but I can't change sharpness because apparently custom profiles only work with normal gamma
2. Tried normal gamma with contrast all the way down - gives a range similar to that of DR gamma, but is badly messing up the colors and also adding pretty bad banding compared to DR gamma
3. Turned on Smart Range+ with DR gamma - doesn't seem to make any difference (I thought I noticed cleaner highs at one point but am not sure)

For now, the best option seems to be to go with DR gamma and accept the sharpness at its default value. I also turned on Smart Range+ in the hope it will make a difference in the highs. Do you have a better setting? I'd really appreciate your input.

​Why can't you change it? On my camera selecting Gamma DR gives complete access to the Color, Saturation Sharpness, Contrast and Hue settings.

Go to the menu, Choose the video menus, Select Gamma control and click, Select Gamma DR and press the up button, then select Color, Saturation, Sharpness, Contrast or Hue, after which press the up button to access the slider bars to set it to whatever you like.

[Sekhar]

Thanks, please ignore the part about not being able to change DR gamma settings. Could you comment on the other two questions please?

1. Do you see a color shift when reducing contrast (whether in DR gamma or DR normal)? I'm getting a weird color shift at the transition between highs and mids when I reduce contrast, see attached images (both with DR gamma, but one with contrast 0 and the other with contrast -10) - see the color changes in the light pattern.
2. What exactly does Smart Range+ do? It seems to do nothing for me. Are you using it?

 

[majoraxis]

This is a bummer - I have seen this same pink color cast on skin tones using Gamma DR. I have not used Smart Range+

You might try Normal DR with the Calm picture profile.

Color:  Red x1.99, Green x1.99, Blue x1.99 (yes that's all the way up!!!)

Saturation: 7

Sharpness: -5 (or higher depending on what lens you are using)

Contrast: -5 (or higher if you want to finish in the camera)

Hue: 21

 

[Sekhar]

This is a bummer - I have seen this same pink color cast on skin tones using Gamma DR. I have not used Smart Range+

You might try Normal DR with the Calm picture profile.

Color:  Red x1.99, Green x1.99, Blue x1.99 (yes that's all the way up!!!)

Saturation: 7

Sharpness: -5 (or higher depending on what lens you are using)

Contrast: -5 (or higher if you want to finish in the camera)

Hue: 21

 

​How on earth did you come up with these settings? I'll experiment. DR gamma actually seems to work fine (even with Smart Range+), the problem is coming in only when I reduce contrast.

[Geoff CB]

Yeah colors break if you completely drop the contrast, -7 at the extreme. I've been keeping it at -5.

[Sekhar]

Yeah colors break if you completely drop the contrast, -7 at the extreme. I've been keeping it at -5.

​Oh, that's good to know, thanks. Any idea what Smart Range+ does?

[Stakers]

I second the -5 for contrast.

Smart Range, I believe, is related to audio, not video. 

[Geoff CB]

Also don't forget master black level. I usually set it to +10

[majoraxis]

​How on earth did you come up with these settings? I'll experiment. DR gamma actually seems to work fine (even with Smart Range+), the problem is coming in only when I reduce contrast.

​I experimented and liked what I saw.  I like to shoot in less than optimal lighting situations, so I fine turning the colors RGB setting all way up helps keep the image looking good in lower light with the Calm picture profile. I am not recommending these setting for anything other that the Calm picture profile which is totally washed out otherwise. I leave the master black at zero most of the time, but I am trying for an near finished image in camera and not looking to do major color correction in post.

[Sekhar]

Guys, thanks so much for all the input. Here's my summary of what look like the best settings (based on input here/elsewhere and my little experiments):

1. Sharpness: -10, I think everyone agrees with -10, default is too sharp.
2. Gamma: DR. Definitely wider than Normal, probably best till we get a log option.
3. Contrast: -5. Many like it. Had lowest banding (vs. 0 and -10) in my test scene. Highs can look weird in some scenes though.
4. Smart Range+: Off. I have no idea what this does. Per the Samsung manual, it "corrects for the loss of bright detail."
5. Master Black Level: 0. Many recommend +10, but in my testing it's just lifting the levels, so useful only when not planning on post work.
6. Luminance Level: 0-255. Some like 16-235, but that too squishes the waveform - would help when using directly out of the camera however.

Please let me know if I'm factually off base on any of these here.

[The Chris]

I've been using gamma DR and everything else at 0 after seeing this thread on DVXuser.

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?334819-Samsung-NX1-Log-Gamma-Dynamic-Range

The look diegocervo is getting in the various stills posted is what I shoot for, very nice. 

[Sekhar]

I've been using gamma DR and everything else at 0 after seeing this thread on DVXuser.

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?334819-Samsung-NX1-Log-Gamma-Dynamic-Range

The look diegocervo is getting in the various stills posted is what I shoot for, very nice. 

Where did you see talk of everything at 0 in the thread? Unfortunately I can't open the attachment links, they seem to be only for subscribed users. When I set sharpness to 0, I saw artifacts at the edges when blown up, -10 looked more natural/organic. You're not seeing any issues? Other than that and contrast at -5, I've found the same as you did.

[The Chris]

Its free to sign up, in a number of the posts diegocervo talks about just using Gamma DR and keeping everything at 0. His results are really, really nice.

[sandro]

Even with Gamma DR we should set Sharpness to -10? I don't like digitally sharpened images.

[Sekhar]

Even with Gamma DR we should set Sharpness to -10? I don't like digitally sharpened images.

​Yes, DR is independent of sharpness, so you'll need to set sharpness separately. If you zoom in, you will see artifacts at the edges if you shoot at sharpness 0, and that goes away at -10 (it did in my tests anyway). You can always sharpen in post if you wish, but with the 4K image out of NX1, I don't see any need unless you crop.

Also, AFAIK sharpening in camera increases its information content, which stresses the encoder because there's more info (spurious, but still more) to encode within the same bandwidth. So, low sharpness will help improve final IQ that way as well.

[deezid]

Guys, thanks so much for all the input. Here's my summary of what look like the best settings (based on input here/elsewhere and my little experiments):

1. Sharpness: -10, I think everyone agrees with -10, default is too sharp.
2. Gamma: DR. Definitely wider than Normal, probably best till we get a log option.
3. Contrast: -5. Many like it. Had lowest banding (vs. 0 and -10) in my test scene. Highs can look weird in some scenes though.
4. Smart Range+: Off. I have no idea what this does. Per the Samsung manual, it "corrects for the loss of bright detail."
5. Master Black Level: 0. Many recommend +10, but in my testing it's just lifting the levels, so useful only when not planning on post work.
6. Luminance Level: 0-255. Some like 16-235, but that too squishes the waveform - would help when using directly out of the camera however.

Please let me know if I'm factually off base on any of these here.

​Best setting on the NX1 so far. Least banding, nice skin tones, good rolloff and an overall organic feeling.
Yeah, lifting the levels should be done in post if preferred -> lower banding!