EX1 better for green screen?

[Craig Seeman]

While I haven’t done my own green screen test yet, I’ve seen some very good stuff posted. Even though EX1 is 4:2:0 the fact that the pixel density is so great 1920×1080 helps. Shooting progressive helps too. If you don’t mind being cable bound, the HD-SDI out is 4:2:2 10 bit uncompressed and that should be the “bee’s knees” for green screen work. Now if I can find some bee’s knees to key . . .

[Ryan Brown]

Thank you for the reply. Since the environment is a studio I have no problem being bound to a cable. So if the sdi will get me the best quality then I’d go that route.

Do you know where I might be able to see some green screen footage shot with the EX1?

Ryan Brown
DowntownBrownEnt.

[Noah Kadner]

out of the box- the HVX200 has a bit of an edge with lower compression. However you do have the HD-SDI output of the EX1 to give you uncompressed 1920×1080. That said, you’re still dealing with small CMOS chips and a fixed lens. For better results you might want to bump up to an EX1 or perhaps an HPX500.

-Noah

My FCP Blog. Unlock the secrets of the DVX100, HVX200 and Apple Color and Win a Free Letus Extreme.
Now featuring the Sony EX1 Guidebook, DVD Studio Pro and Sound for Film and TV.
https://www.callboxlive.com

[Ryan Brown]

Thanks Noah for the help online. I have several of your dvds. It was nice to meet you at the supermeet also.

I was really excited to get the hvx200. Got a couple 16gb cards. Then I started working with the green screen keys I shot in our studio space. It’s got quite good lighting at least I feel. The background reads on scopes at ire 40-50 and the subject is well exposed. On the hvx200 though unless my settings are off just seems to have either a halo or a dark line.

out of the box- the HVX200 has a bit of an edge with lower compression. However you do have the HD-SDI output of the EX1 to give you uncompressed 1920×1080. That said, you’re still dealing with small CMOS chips and a fixed lens. For better results you might want to bump up to an EX1 or perhaps an HPX500.

-Noah

So I’m looking at possibly selling it for an EX1. You mention the cmos sensors being a bit small and a fixed lens but did I read your reply correctly stating bumping up to an EX1(bump up from hvx or)…? Doesn’t EX1 have cmos chips and a fixed lens or am I getting confused with another model or something.

Thanks again for your reply.

ps: is there a way to upload a still of the lighting set up and a frame from the shoot? maybe seeing the set up could be useful to be sure it’s set up well or if it needs improvement.

pss:the shots are a subject full length standing on green screen painted cyc.

Ryan Brown
DowntownBrownEnt.

[Craig Seeman]

I suspect Noah’s post was a bit confusing (I’m sure hell jump in and correct otherwise).

Comparing the EX to the HVX200 specifically, the EX1 chips are much bigger and 1920×1080 which is 960×540.

BTW have a look at girl keyed this example on the web. Granted compressed for web but worth a look anyway
https://www.hawaiigoesfishing.com/videos/green_screen_sample.mov

Here’s Juan Martinez’s comments on the COW.
https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/142/856535

Here’s an interesting RED vs EX1 Green Screen Test
https://ftp.datausa.com/imageshoppe/outgoing/EX1/EX1_VRS_RED_bluescreen_5200k.mov
RED is on the left. EX1 on the right.

additional EX1 green screen examples
before
https://www.vimeo.com/1274572
after
https://www.vimeo.com/1274696
Note you can download the original source (although still compressed.

This too
https://www.vimeo.com/1367862

Just thought I’d give you a lot to chew on.

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[Ryan Brown]

Thanks for all the links!

So 1920×1080 is the EX1 sensor size and the hvx is 960×540? This should certainly make a big difference.

Ryan Brown
DowntownBrownEnt.

[Ryan Brown]

Craig.

I really like the video from The Hair – Half Cut guys!
https://www.vimeo.com/1274696

Of topid but do you know how they might have created the background of lights?

Thanks.

Ryan Brown
DowntownBrownEnt.

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[Don Greening]

[Ryan Brown] “This should certainly make a big difference.”

It does. Any time you have more information to start with you’re going to end up with a better look. A perfect example of this is a standard def down convert from an HD source always looking better than the same thing shot with a standard def camera.

– Don

[Craig Seeman]

And this is the point Juan Martinez was trying to make if you read the link to his post although he didn’t want to mention the “competition” directly. Basically since the samples are very close together in the EX1 MEPG2 Long GOP 4:2:0 due to the number of pixels, you’re not going to see the issues with the edge. I should mention if you are shooting interlace, given you’re only seeing half the lines at any moment, you might see it there but if you shoot progressive at 1920×1080 you’re going to have a tough time seeing it. I think that was part of the reasoning in comparing the EX1 to Red. The posts that go with that shot state that Red1 is definitely better but people were surprised how well the EX1 held up against it.

The way I understand it in short form
EX1 Progressive is competitive (some would say better) than the HVX.
EX1 Interlace and the HVX will likely look better.
EX1 HD-SDI 4:2:2 Uncompressed is spectacular.

[Dean Sensui]

Part of the answer is the camera. The rest of the answer is:

— Green screen background material.
— Lighting.
— Keying software.

Of the three above, keying software is a huge component.

I use Primatte and have been able to pull near-perfect keys from material that have been properly lighted and shot. That plug-in has a long series of controls that provide an artist the tools needed to tweak some very subtle parameters in order to get a key just right.

And of all the controls, the “Lightwrap” feature is especially powerful. It lets a compositor make background highlights bleed into foreground elements the way it would if a bright object flared into a foreground element in real life.

Dean Sensui — Hawaii Goes Fishing