Dark Compression resets to Normal with power cycle!

[John Chater]

Hi Steve
I had my cameras upgraded last summer. Other than the ‘Dark Compression’ lock, what else gets upgraded with this very latest software update?
This really should be documented somewhere for us to see. Also why cant your resellers or independent repair engineers have the ability to do these upgrades. For those of us not in LA the price of shipping and the consequences of equipment downtime makes it very difficult to keep up.
Best
John

[Steve Mahrer]

Hi Folks:

We added

[Tony]

Steve,

With all due respect if GMAC or Ford can figure out how to contact their customers during a recall or vehicle advisory I sincerely believe Panasonic can figure out how to contact the buyers (via email or snail mail) of the Varicam or SDX 900 to update them about critical software updates.

Software updates which increase the functionality of any camera are essential to the end users as well as owners in a constantly changing marketplace.

It is a win win scenario when everyone can stay ahead of the game instead of being left behind with outdated software.

Just my two cents,

Tony Salgado

[Bruce Greene]

Thanks Steve for the info on the dark compression mode.

I purchased a model H in November. Is there a software update for this model to keep the dark compression on when powering off?

And a wish list request: It seems that there is a way to load custom gamma curves in a Sony f-900 via special software through the memory stick.

I would desperately love to be able to do the same when shooting in the Film Rec mode. The idea is to be able to take advantage of as much dymanic range as needed, and maximize the use of the limited 8 bits by normalizing the Film Rec gamma in the camera for wysiwyg style recording. I have found that the Knee/Gamma/Black Stretch in the Video Rec mode is a not the ideal way of handling this.

What would be way cool would be to have a little software program that lets one choose the dynamic level setting and apply a custom curve (like an “s” curve) to the dynamic level selected. This could then be downloaded to an SD card and loaded into the camera as a scene file. Perhaps one could just draw the curve as one does in photoshop.

Of course a remote paint box that allows one to draw the curve on a little screen and see the effect on the image instantly would even better, but also a more expensive solution.

So waddya think?

-bruce

Varicam/Steadicam Owner
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.brucealangreene.com

[Ray Palmer]

John.
Thanks for the reply to my post. We have a shoot in a cavern the middle of February with an original 2700F and I just booked time with Panasonic in Burbank to have our camera upgraded prior to our shoot date.
Our biggest complaint with our 2700F has always been noise in the blacks during a dark studio shoot. Outside in the Arizona sun, the camera looks great!

Thanks again to you and the Cow for letting me know about this.
All the best,
Ray

Ray Palmer, Engineer
Salt River Project
Phoenix, AZ
602-236-8224 office
There are three types of people in this world, those that can count and those that can’t.