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Activity Forums DSLR Video Tip: add sharpness back in!

  • Tip: add sharpness back in!

    Posted by Richard Van den boogaard on December 15, 2010 at 10:29 pm

    Hi,

    Recently, I got a great tip from another DSLR shooter, which I want you guys to take advantage of as well: add a sharpness effect back into the footage in your NLE.

    Many of us DSLR shooters choose to shoot with a flat profile in-camera. Among other settings this involves turning the sharpness all the way down (I have it set at -4 notches on the Canons). The result of course, is a flat profile which makes sure all shades of grey get recorded. This gives much more leeway in post with color grading.

    However, I never thought of adding a bit of sharpness back in. Turns out this makes a huge difference in how your final output looks!

    I edit on PPro CS5, so the sharpness can be found in the Video Effects. I use setttings per clip varying between 20 and 50 – and it works beautifully!

    Try it, you’ll like it!

    Richard van den Boogaard
    Freelance cameraman • Glidecam Operator • Editor • YouTube expert

    Pete Burger replied 15 years, 7 months ago 5 Members · 7 Replies
  • 7 Replies
  • Pete Burger

    December 15, 2010 at 10:43 pm

    Thanks, Richard! Will try it!

  • Robbie Carman

    December 15, 2010 at 11:20 pm

    I just wrapped up grading a feature shot entirely on 7Ds last week and agree with this. Just a touch will do it because nothing is uglier in my opinion then a overly sharpened video. Another thing that I would add is doing a touch of denoising always helps too.

    Robbie Carman
    —————-
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  • Pete Burger

    December 15, 2010 at 11:57 pm

    Never did sharpening in video before.
    Tested it right now and – wow – really gives a punch! Thanks again Phil! And thanks Robbie for the denoising tip!
    Fooled around a bit with the “unsharp mask” filter that I use a lot in Photoshop. And for my taste it produces even better results, because you have more control over the amount of sharpening and what is to be sharpend.

  • John Frey

    December 16, 2010 at 1:46 am

    I have been adding, depending on the footage, the default setting for unsharp mask, in either Premier or Vegas via FX since their early versions. It is that little extra that can make a difference in the final render. But before adding it to you entire project, test it on one of your clips and play it out to your “god monitor”. Too much will end up looking cartoonish!

    John D. Frey
    25 Year owner/operator of two California-based production studios.

    Digital West Video Productions of San Luis Obispo and Inland Images of Lake Elsinore

  • Richard Van den boogaard

    December 16, 2010 at 3:57 pm

    Who’s Phil? 😉

    Richard van den Boogaard
    Freelance cameraman • Glidecam Operator • Editor • YouTube expert

  • Bob Cole

    December 21, 2010 at 10:15 pm

    Phil is probably Philip Bloom, of https://www.philipbloom.net.

  • Pete Burger

    December 22, 2010 at 8:50 am

    Sorry, Richard!

    Just became aware of my mistake! Had a conversation with a “Phil” in another forum! And mixed up the names. Have to check, if I called him Richard…

    Sorry, again!

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