So, my 550D is about to arrive in the mail...
- Thread starter liezl
- Start date
Learn what settings people use to get the best results so you dont come back all excited and then get disappointed in ur footage.
And make sure your pc can handle the footage you bring in or know what to convert it to so it can handle the footage.
Take the lens cap off
And make sure your pc can handle the footage you bring in or know what to convert it to so it can handle the footage.
Take the lens cap off
Ok, so there's two problems for me. I have absolutely no idea what settings to use. All i've heard is to use the "neutral" profile which will give me more flexibility with the picture in post. I also know that, generally, i should be shooting at 24p and 1/50, unless i'm trying to achieve a particular effect or whatever. Are there other settings i should be aware of?
Second, i actually have no clue whether my PC will be able to handle the 550d footage. Does the 550d record in h.264? Sorry if this is way off the mark. What minimum specs should my pc have in order to handle the footage?
Second, i actually have no clue whether my PC will be able to handle the 550d footage. Does the 550d record in h.264? Sorry if this is way off the mark. What minimum specs should my pc have in order to handle the footage?
There are a lot more issues than those for getting good shots. I would search a lot of the older threads here to cover the basics.
But let's cover the two i mentioned above.
The settings you want to use depend on the end result you want. You can use the picture profiles and tweak them to create your own custom profile and get some good video out of the DSLR. On the other hand, if you want more control over your image in post, then you want to try and get the settings to be as flat as possible to allow you the most leeway in your NLE.
This will result in getting an image which will at first look mediocre compared to one which you may have gotten using a certain picture profile preset. But once color corrected and graded properly, it can surpass any of the picture profile presets.
In order to get your image as flat as possible, you can tweak your settings in the following way. These settings can vary a bit but this is one of the popular methods.
Sharpness: all the way down
Contrast: middle or one notch down
Saturation: one notch down
Color tone: middle
You also want to watch your ISO and shutter speed. Your ISO should be in multiples of 160. So 160, 320, 640, 1250, 2500. You should be sticking under 640 unless there is no other way to get the shot when it's dark.
Your shutter speed, if you're shooting 24 fps should be 1/50 or 1/60. Do you know the Herz of the lights in Australia? Is it 50 or 60? Find out which one and set it to that to avoid any flickering issues which might occur.
Most PC's can't handle the native footage so you'll have to use some program like Neoscene to convert it first.
I really recommend researching more because these are just two of the basic technical aspects of getting a good shot. There are numerous other factors which will make your shots better than the next guys, one example which has nothing to do with your camera being set design or the colors your actor and actresses are wearing compared to their environment.
Goodluck and be sure to post your tests!
But let's cover the two i mentioned above.
The settings you want to use depend on the end result you want. You can use the picture profiles and tweak them to create your own custom profile and get some good video out of the DSLR. On the other hand, if you want more control over your image in post, then you want to try and get the settings to be as flat as possible to allow you the most leeway in your NLE.
This will result in getting an image which will at first look mediocre compared to one which you may have gotten using a certain picture profile preset. But once color corrected and graded properly, it can surpass any of the picture profile presets.
In order to get your image as flat as possible, you can tweak your settings in the following way. These settings can vary a bit but this is one of the popular methods.
Sharpness: all the way down
Contrast: middle or one notch down
Saturation: one notch down
Color tone: middle
You also want to watch your ISO and shutter speed. Your ISO should be in multiples of 160. So 160, 320, 640, 1250, 2500. You should be sticking under 640 unless there is no other way to get the shot when it's dark.
Your shutter speed, if you're shooting 24 fps should be 1/50 or 1/60. Do you know the Herz of the lights in Australia? Is it 50 or 60? Find out which one and set it to that to avoid any flickering issues which might occur.
Most PC's can't handle the native footage so you'll have to use some program like Neoscene to convert it first.
I really recommend researching more because these are just two of the basic technical aspects of getting a good shot. There are numerous other factors which will make your shots better than the next guys, one example which has nothing to do with your camera being set design or the colors your actor and actresses are wearing compared to their environment.
Goodluck and be sure to post your tests!
You're welcome. This info is already on indietalk. I know ive said this before somewhere and others have said it as well. Going through old threads will really help you out. And google is your friend as well 
And i haven't come across the guide above so can't vouch for it but i checked out the first couple of pages and it seems like a good general overview. Just remember, once you know everything there is to know about your camera, you still just have technical knowledge. The art of film making begins after that and knowing how to use that technical knowledge is what makes the difference.
And i haven't come across the guide above so can't vouch for it but i checked out the first couple of pages and it seems like a good general overview. Just remember, once you know everything there is to know about your camera, you still just have technical knowledge. The art of film making begins after that and knowing how to use that technical knowledge is what makes the difference.
Last edited:
You will have an very versitile cam on your hands.. You can shoot up to 800 ISO w/o grain, so if the pic is dark, crank up the ISO. Fast pans are out. you will get some cool DOF effects w/ fast lenses and if you get a 50mm 1.8 or better 1.4 << more $$$ , you can shoot in low light. 1600 ISO is not that bad on grain. Experiment and have fun
I have the T2i myself ( same cam ) and if what Im shooting is going to DVD then 30p is fine, if I am going to only upload to web or play w/ computer to a big screen, 24p is fine. Why shoot 24p and then rip it to 30fps if not needed. Heck even 1280x720 60fps gets you amazing footage and will give you extra room on your SD card. The 1280x720 60fps will give you extra frames if you want to play w/ slo-mo. 1920x1080 has huge files and prolly will display choppy on your PC so you have flexibility. You will need a decent computer to edit 1920x1080 as well. 1920x1080 will allow you to zoom in if down sizing. I suggest you get some extra batteries or go for the generic brand add on grip holder on Amazon that takes AA batteries, I have on and it works fine for me.
.
I have the T2i myself ( same cam ) and if what Im shooting is going to DVD then 30p is fine, if I am going to only upload to web or play w/ computer to a big screen, 24p is fine. Why shoot 24p and then rip it to 30fps if not needed. Heck even 1280x720 60fps gets you amazing footage and will give you extra room on your SD card. The 1280x720 60fps will give you extra frames if you want to play w/ slo-mo. 1920x1080 has huge files and prolly will display choppy on your PC so you have flexibility. You will need a decent computer to edit 1920x1080 as well. 1920x1080 will allow you to zoom in if down sizing. I suggest you get some extra batteries or go for the generic brand add on grip holder on Amazon that takes AA batteries, I have on and it works fine for me.
.
Last edited:
Learn what settings people use to get the best results so you dont come back all excited and then get disappointed in ur footage.
And make sure your pc can handle the footage you bring in or know what to convert it to so it can handle the footage.
Take the lens cap off
Can a Imac support the footage. Its the 08 model
I'm not a Mac user, although i plan to be later this year.
But i think (and someone correct me if im wrong) that you can convert the footage to Prores 422 codec on a mac and then edit.
But i think (and someone correct me if im wrong) that you can convert the footage to Prores 422 codec on a mac and then edit.