Zak Forsman

same ballpark. but has some differences. for one, the front element on the Rectilux Core DNA doesn't rotate so you can use a variable ND, if i'm reading the press release correctly.

So I tried adding ONLY an input LUT to the V-Log footage. AlexaLOGtoREC709, with a tad bit saturation. That is all. Colors are looking great IMO.
 

I've been keeping an eye out for a deal on one of these. Don't know how long it will last but the coupon code PSWBH15 will take $40 off the $99 price tag at B&H Photo. Davinci Resolve users will find it particularly useful. I'm hoping with enough testing and tweaking, I can come up with a custom LUT that will neutralize the GH4's unique color issues.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/651253-REG/X_Rite_MSCCPP_ColorChecker_Passport.html

How to use it in Davinci Resolve to balance colors. This gives a general idea despite the fact that the guy in the video screws things up a bit (like setting his ProRes footage to sRGB instead of Rec 709). And I think he's comparing an unbalanced tungsten shot to a balanced fluorescent shot. I think if he'd balance both, they'd be close in the end?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onom8tpiof8 
 

I've been keeping an eye out for a deal on one of these. Don't know how long it will last but the coupon code PSWBH15 will take $40 off the $99 price tag at B&H Photo. Davinci Resolve users will find it particularly useful. I'm hoping with enough testing and tweaking, I can come up with a custom LUT that will neutralize the GH4's unique color issues.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/651253-REG/X_Rite_MSCCPP_ColorChecker_Passport.html

How to use it in Davinci Resolve to balance colors. This gives a general idea despite the fact that the guy in the video screws things up a bit (like setting his ProRes footage to sRGB instead of Rec 709). And I think he's comparing an unbalanced tungsten shot to a balanced fluorescent shot. I think if he'd balance both, they'd be close in the end?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onom8tpiof8 
 

Nice to have LUTs working with the GH4.
Who needs V-LOG now

I've been keeping an eye out for a deal on one of these. Don't know how long it will last but the coupon code PSWBH15 will take $40 off the $99 price tag at B&H Photo. Davinci Resolve users will find it particularly useful. I'm hoping with enough testing and tweaking, I can come up with a custom LUT that will neutralize the GH4's unique color issues.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/651253-REG/X_Rite_MSCCPP_ColorChecker_Passport.html

How to use it in Davinci Resolve to balance colors. This gives a general idea despite the fact that the guy in the video screws things up a bit (like setting his ProRes footage to sRGB instead of Rec 709). And I think he's comparing an unbalanced tungsten shot to a balanced fluorescent shot. I think if he'd balance both, they'd be close in the end?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onom8tpiof8 
 

I've been keeping an eye out for a deal on one of these. Don't know how long it will last but the coupon code PSWBH15 will take $40 off the $99 price tag at B&H Photo. Davinci Resolve users will find it particularly useful. I'm hoping with enough testing and tweaking, I can come up with a custom LUT that will neutralize the GH4's unique color issues.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/651253-REG/X_Rite_MSCCPP_ColorChecker_Passport.html

How to use it in Davinci Resolve to balance colors. This gives a general idea despite the fact that the guy in the video screws things up a bit (like setting his ProRes footage to sRGB instead of Rec 709). And I think he's comparing an unbalanced tungsten shot to a balanced fluorescent shot. I think if he'd balance both, they'd be close in the end?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onom8tpiof8 
 

yes with everything set to infinity, the Rectilux will focus closer. but both can focus very close if you adjust the scope and taking lens to something other than infinity.

The front element diameter doesn't have any direct affect on sharpness in the sense that you can always conjure up a counter example.  For instance, I could add a foot diameter filter to the front of any taking lens and the sharpness would hardly be effected at all.  Again, what really matters a lot is the entrance pupil diameter, which is the diameter of the image of aperture stop as viewed from the front of the lens.
Of course, there are limits to the sharpening effect of using a shorter focal length taking lens.  If you go too short then you'll encounter aberrations and/or vignetting in the outer parts of the image.

yes with everything set to infinity, the Rectilux will focus closer. but both can focus very close if you adjust the scope and taking lens to something other than infinity.

This is at a T/2.8 on a GH4 using a Kowa Bell & Howell with the Rectilux, followed by the SLR Magic Rangefinder. For each, I am seated as close as focus would allow. Forgive the sloppy alignment issues, I rushed this. Must get back to writing so i actually have a movie to use this stuff for...


also, if you're wondering which one looks more like the Kowa on it's own, it's the Rectilux. The Rangefinder adds warmth, blue flares/haze. Preference for either is left up to individual taste, I suppose.

This is at a T/2.8 on a GH4 using a Kowa Bell & Howell with the Rectilux, followed by the SLR Magic Rangefinder. For each, I am seated as close as focus would allow. Forgive the sloppy alignment issues, I rushed this. Must get back to writing so i actually have a movie to use this stuff for...


also, if you're wondering which one looks more like the Kowa on it's own, it's the Rectilux. The Rangefinder adds warmth, blue flares/haze. Preference for either is left up to individual taste, I suppose.

yeah, I tend to keep contrast at 0 in camera because there are things that the GH4 does to the colors in the image when you try to flatten things out that are permanent and kinda ugly and better handled in post. I like a low contrast image and have better results dropping contrast in post than i do in camera. with the GH4, that is. 

From time to time I make these "What I Think I Look Like" series videos. Here's the newest one. Shot on C100 Mark II. The intro shots were done by Empire Media Works. Music by Jack White.

When you increase contrast, you have to dial back saturation in response. This will also help mask any minor color sins in your grade. Otherwise, it's a big improvement. You'll get even better results with contrast at -2 in camera, before compression.

what a coincidence: that very same alexa lut in premiere is doin some magic on my slog2 rx10ii footage shot w a modified version of kholi's pro color settings. i just randomly tried it playing around with lumetri. im looking for a baseline of pleasing, naturalistic color and what i described is working really well

Yeah, that Alexa LUT does make for a nice look. It's little more contrasty than I'd like to go, personally. But an excellent starting point overall. Here's some more clips shot in the Natural profile (0, -5, -5, -2, 0) that I've applied my own custom LUT to. 
 
 

Yeah, that Alexa LUT does make for a nice look. It's little more contrasty than I'd like to go, personally. But an excellent starting point overall. Here's some more clips shot in the Natural profile (0, -5, -5, -2, 0) that I've applied my own custom LUT to. 
 
 

I'm definitely a fan of your looks. I prefer (like yours) a more stylized less saturated grade for most projects. The main reason I was testing color with GH4 Portrait was to get something close to Canon C100 colors. Focusing on the girls hair was a good indicator of how realistic I could make the red channel. When I added the Alexa LUT it looked spot on with how it looked in real life. I don't know how or why but it just takes the GH4 color and turns it into a more realistic looking image. 90% of the time I wouldn't finish a video with a "100% realistic" color look, but there are times when I do and it's nice to have that option.

okay, here is the LUT I made for clips that I shoot in the GH4's Natural profile, applied to the "Portrait" camera original that Aaron sent me this morning. From here I would normally continue to tweak based on the needs of the scene or shot. But this gets me closer to the look I like by cooling things off a bit, especially the shadows, pulling the yellow out of the skin and balancing the skintones, and making the highlights a little creamier than straight white. 
this isn't meant to challenge the look of the Alexa LUT that Aaron used earlier. it's just an ever-evolving starting point. I see things in it I would nudge here and there already.


EDIT: took some of the intensity of the blue in her outfit away.

 

Yeah, that Alexa LUT does make for a nice look. It's little more contrasty than I'd like to go, personally. But an excellent starting point overall. Here's some more clips shot in the Natural profile (0, -5, -5, -2, 0) that I've applied my own custom LUT to. 
 
 

I'll definitely give Standard another day in court because it's been a long time since i did my tests of each profile, but I haven't had any issues keeping reds red in Natural. And I found it produced the best skintones.

 

yeah, i shoot in the "Natural" profile. The only difference between that and "Portrait" is one step plus or minus in color saturation (i forget which). but the Alexa LUT i have is a nice tool to have for GH4 clips. Lately I've been using my own LUT generated form Davinci that used the Kodak 5207 ImpulZ LUT as a base with a bunch of my own adjustments on top of that.