Messages

A handful of the tools in ACR will change frame to frame. Simply put, ACR was designed for photography, one picture at a time only. Introducing a stream of images will have a flickering effect. I recommend only using exposure, white balance, lens corrections, sharpening. Do not use shadows/highlights, blacks/whites, clarity, contrast. Grain will have the same grain pattern with each frame. Doesn't look natural. You can use noise reduction, but something like Neat Video or Denoiser work better. You may be able to use split toning. If you want a "clarity" look, Magic Bullet Looks has a Pop filter. Or, an unsharpen mask which is right in Premiere and AFX. While they don't do what ACR's clarity does exactly, it is worth experimenting to see if it fits the style you want.

That did the trick! Thanks!

I was working in 1.6.1 and recieved black frames as well. This was after I used 1.6.3. I deleted all of the files for raw2cdng that I downloaded and redownloaded 1.6.1 and had the same issue. I also noticed all of my settings, such as the filename, were the same even after deleting the file. Does this product save files else where for settings? Should they be deleted to correct this issue? If you need me to run some test, or send you some files, I'll be glad to help.

No problem! Thanks for all the effort you have put into the product.

How did you grade the footage? Was it in with DNGs in ACR - Adobe Camera Raw in After Effects or Lightroom/Photoshop? It is a great grade! I think you are refering to the slight flickering in the highlight area in the sky? If you are and used ACR, this method is not the recommended choice. ACR goes frame by frame with its edits. It was designed to be used with photography only, not a stream of images with video. If you adjust a setting such as contrast, it will not be the exact same as the next image which can cause these flickers. If you do want to stay in ACR with your edits, I recommend not touching any of the setting except white balance, exposure, lens corrections and noise reductions (there are better options than ACR noise reduction though, such as Neat Video). Then, I would use a camera profile such as VisionLOG or Cinelog and then export it in ProRes or DNxHD and work with that video in your editor of choice. But, a faster way is to take the cDNGs right into Resolve with a BMD film to VisionLOG or Cinelog node.

Just ran a test with raw2cdng 1.6.3. I was unable to import the cDNGs into AE. I recieved this error.



With 1.6.3 I used 12bit max with vertical banding on and chroma on and off. Normally, I can see the .dng's in Windows Explorer on Windows 8.1 but, they did not load and I was unable to see them in Windows Photo Viewer.

raw2cdng 1.6.1 worked just fine.

Here is the debug from raw2cdng 1.6.3

Code Select Expand

------------- 1.6.3.beta started at 14.12.10 11:45:38 --
[init][settings] -- ffmpeg Exists: false
[drop] started
[drop] Files dropped:
[drop] ------
[drop] -- file C:\Users\Chad\Desktop\M10-1231.MLV.
[drop] ------
[drop] -- file C:\Users\Chad\Desktop\M10-1231.MLV will be analyzed now.
[drop] is MLV
[setFileinfoData] set/changed Filedata
[drop] FileinfoData set
[createMLVBlocklist] started
[createMLVBlocklist] splitFiles counted (1)
[createMLVBlocklist] indexing Blocks in C:\Users\Chad\Desktop\M10-1231.MLV
[getMLVAttrib] started
[getMLVAttrib] reading RAWI-Block
[getMLVAttrib] reading MLVI-Block
[getMLVAttrib] reading IDNT-Block
[getMLVAttrib] reading WBAL-Block
[getMLVAttrib] reading EXPO-Block
[getMLVAttrib] reading LENS-Block
[getMLVAttrib] reading WAVI-Block
***** [getMLVAttributes] audioData Object:
hasAudio=True
audioFile=
audioSamplingRate=48000
audioBitsPerSample=16
audioFormat=1
audioChannels=2
audioBytesPerSecond=192000
audioBlockAlign=4
*****
***** [getMLVAttributes] metaData Object:
xResolution=1920
yResolution=818
frames=116
bitsperSample=14
bitsperSampleChanged=0
isLog=False
colorMatrix=System.Byte[]
lostFrames=0
fpsNom=23976
fpsDen=1000
duration=00:04:00
dropFrame=False
fpsString=23.98
stripByteCount=2748480
stripByteCountReal=2748480
modell=Canon EOS 5D Mark III
camId=MAGICf24bd98
apiVersion=0
splitCount=1
photoRAW=False
photoRAWe=False
RGGBValues=System.Int32[]
RGBfraction=System.Int32[]
wb_R=0.69235970250169
wb_G=1
wb_B=0.410092110532639
whiteBalance=3200
whiteBalanceMode=3
whiteBalanceGM=4900
whiteBalanceBA=4900
blackLevelOld=2047
blackLevelNew=2047
whiteLevelOld=15000
whiteLevelNew=15000
maximize=True
maximizer=5.05952289045009
previewPic=
previewFrame=0
errorString=
isMLV=True
DNGHeader=
version=1.6.3.beta
versionString=System.Byte[]
propertiesString=
verticalBandingCoeffs=
verticalBandingNeeded=False
deadSensel=System.Collections.Generic.List`1[raw2cdng_v2.point]
*****
***** [getMLVAttributes] fileData Object:
fileName=C:\Users\Chad\Desktop\M10-1231.MLV
fileNameOnly=M10-1231
fileNameShort=M101231W
fileNameNum=101231
tempPath=C:\Users\Chad\AppData\Local\Temp\
sourcePath=C:\Users\Chad\Desktop
parentSourcePath=Desktop
basePath=
destinationPath=
extraPathInfo=
_changedPath=
outputFilename=
creationTime=12/10/2014 11:39:48 AM
modificationTime=12/10/2014 12:31:31 PM
VIDFBlock=
RAWBlock=
*****
***** [getMLVAttributes] lensData Object:
lens=24-70mmP4I:
focalLength=70
aperture=0
isoValue=3200
shutter=1/64s
*****
[drop] MLV Attributes and Blocklist created and sorted. Blocks: 393
[drop] hasAudio. AUDF-List created. Blocks: 25
[drop] VIDF-List created. Blocks: 114
[readVIDFBlockData] started
[readVIDFBlockData] done: [0][1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]
[readVIDFBlockData] done: [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49]
[readVIDFBlockData] done: [50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74]
[readVIDFBlockData] done: [75][76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90][91][92][93][94][95][96][97][98][99]
[drop] VIDF-Blockdata read and created.
[drop] adding M10-1231 to batchList
[showPicture] started
[drop] calculating verticalBandingCoeefs and searching hot/dead-pixels..
[drop] NO dead sensels found
[drop] verticalBanding enabled. decision: do it
[drop] verticalBanding CoEffs: 1 1.0008630905897 1.00138402455486 1.01540475086815 1.00000057378494 1.00183129887873 1.00058909931684 0.987164737274471 1
[drop] ** Item M10-1231 imported | MLV
[drop] * res 1920x818px | 23.98fps | 114 frames | BL2047 | WL15000
[drop] * modell Canon EOS 5D Mark III | vidfblocks 114 | has audio
[convert_Click] all in all there are 114 frames to convert
[doWork] started
[doWork] 12 Cores used
[doWork] -> converting item M10-1231
[doWork] settings format 4 with BL0 WL4095 with+ maximizingvalue 5
[doWork] prefix - filename generator 1.6.3 Riggs
[doWork] destinationPath -> 1.6.3 Riggs
[doWork] outputFilename  -> 1.6.3 Riggs
[doWork] Directory C:\Users\Chad\Desktop\Video Test\1.6.3 Riggs created
[doWork] took DNGtemplate and changed values
[doWork] * init frameCount for multithreaded Convert
[doWork][for] read/convert MLV VIDF: [0]
[doWork][for] read/convert MLV VIDF: [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]
[doWork][for] read/convert MLV VIDF: [26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50]
[doWork][for] read/convert MLV VIDF: [51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74][75]
[doWork][for] read/convert MLV VIDF: [76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90][91][92][93][94][95][96][97][98][99][100]
[doWork] convert Done
[doWork] hasAudio file -> 1.6.3 Riggs.wav
[saveAudio] started
***** [saveAudio] audioData Object:
hasAudio=True
audioFile=
audioSamplingRate=48000
audioBitsPerSample=16
audioFormat=1
audioChannels=2
audioBytesPerSecond=192000
audioBlockAlign=4
*****
[saveAudio] bextName: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
[saveAudio] UDI: DECanMAGICF24BD98123131484946241
[saveAudio] datetime: 2014:12:1012:31:31
[saveAudio] timeRefMultiplier: 1.001001001001
[saveAudio] time2frame: 42030.03003003
[saveAudio] timeRef (samplingRate*time2frame): 2017441441
[saveAudio] fpsString: 23976/1000
[saveAudio] DF: NDF
[saveAudio] subChunkSize :951652
[saveAudio] success


I can send you the MLV if you would like.

I have been using 1.2.3 for a few months now when I was using 1.1.3 previously. People brought up that 1.2.3 is slower than 1.1.3. This may have been in the early stages, which would be expected but. The latest build, Aug 2014 I believe, doesn't seem to be slower for me. I use 64 KB cards.

There are a handful of useful cropmarks located in this pack I created.

http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=13638.0

I really liked the video. I think you guys took good advantage of you location and good cuts to keep the pacing up. Some technical things that might make it better the next time you have a MLV project would be the grading process. Looks like from your notes and the video you graded it in ACR/Lightroom? I did see some flickering in the video. ACR/Lightroom look at individual frames separately and not a stream of images where it can cause flickering if you adjust some sliders such as contrast, shadows, clarity, ect. I would limit to only using WB and exposure sliders, you can also include lens corrections and noise reduction but, there are better options than ACR noise reduction. I would also recommend using VisionLOG (Free) or Cinelog (not-free) as the profile in ACR/Lightroom for a flat log-like style and to reduce flickering. That is, if you wish to stay using ACR/Lightroom. If you use raw2cdng, it will create cDNG files that work right in Resolve and Premiere Pro.

Great work!

Here is a project that I recently worked on using Magic Lantern MLV and VisionLOG and their LUTs, specifically their M31 LUT. This is not a review, critique or anything like that of the tools used, ML or VisionLOG. This is me explaining my experience with them. The reason I am doing this is to show new users of Magic Lantern my method, which not be the best for you, and for the more seasoned users to see other workflows. As a disclaimer, I would not classify myself as an expert. I am completely self-taught in the sense of never attending professional classes. I have just used online sources and my own experimentation to develop myself as a filmmaker. Here is a list of the gear I used in this project: Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8, Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8, Komputerbay 64GB x1000 x2, Tripod (for interviews only), Monopod (ever other shot), LED lights x2, Zoom H4N and Sony UWP-V1 wireless lav.

Now that's out of the way, here is my experience.

The producer requested to have a unique look to the film and I showed him clips from the M31 LUT which has been popular nowadays and he wanted that look. He wanted to show the event to promote local music in St. Cloud, MN and wanted to film the live show, with the audio tracks from the bank and to cut in some interviews of the bands and this was the result.

I recorded the first and last two songs of each of the two sets because those are typically the most energetic and in between I filmed the interviews. I knew there wasn't going to be too much footage so shooting MLVs would be reasonable. Sometimes the cards I have don't record continuous at 1080p so I filmed in 2:35:1 to save space and to ensure I did not have any dropped frames. When my cards filled up I offloaded them on an external hard drive that has USB3.0, formatted and put it back in my pocket ready for the next time I needed. This was a fast paced, informal shoot. When shooting the band and the other non-interview shots, I only used my monopod and did my best to keep it stable and used warp stabilizer in post to fix any little shakes I could have had. Most of the band shots were at 6400 which was handled very well by MLVs compared to my previous attempts with Canon's H.264.

When I got home for the event, I converted all of the MLVs to DNGs with Chmee's raw2cdng. I let that go over night and when I woke up I used After Effects (in 16 bit) to convert them to DNxHD 10bit 175 with VisionLOG. This is a slow process but, I did not have a set timeline for this project to be done so that was okay. If I had a tight schedule, this probably would not be the best option. The only issue I had with this process is I think I had some hot pixels. On some of the 6400+ ISO shots, there were white dots that would come in and out of the individual frames. I think this issue will be fixed when Chroma Smoothing is introduced into the raw2cdng too. But, it is not the end of the world for me and this project. I'm sure Youtube compression will fix this issue.

I created four sets of presets in ACR to make the process faster. The first one I had set the basic settings I wanted to start out with. It would clear any other setting back to 0 and it would include WB changes in increments of Tungsten, Sunny, Shade, ect. The second would then include lens corrections for my lenses, the third would be noise reduction with low, medium, and high. I would then review the image to make sure it looks how I want it and then I would place the last profile with VisionLOG. This process was quite fast for me and I was happy with it and all the control I have. For the interviews I included the .wav file but for the other clips, I did not include audio since I would not be using it, and it would save a lot of clicks for me. I created new compositions for each clip, saved, and exported in Media Encoder and let it do its thing. I then came back later that day and edited it just like normal in Premiere Pro with the VisionLOG LUTs, Magic Bullet Looks and other color grading plugins included with the software.

All in all, changing MLVs to DNGs and then from DNGs and DNxHD had me behind the computer for additional 30 min. The actual converting process added about 16 hrs of the computer thinking when I wasn't around to this relatively short project.

I would like to hear from you of the process that I had. I would love some insight if others have had better results with other options. I did choose to stay in Adobe products because of the dynamic link feature since I also do some audio work in Audition. I also use After Effects and Photoshop often in my video work. It just is easier and more comfortable for me to stay all in Adobe.

The EF-S image sensor is just a bit smaller than a Super 35 mm size. With the thought that it would just be used as a guide and no actual production, I felt I would not make individualized cropmarks for each sensor size. It would take me quite a while to do the math to ensure it is centered properly. EF-S is more practical so I will stay with that.

That would be a good idea to also include. I'll have to revisit this in some time due to other projects coming up. I'll include this in the next batch. Actually making these is the easy part, doing the math is the time consuming part.

I did a couple tests on my 5D3 1.2.3 when it comes to the zoom crop mark. I placed it on a sturdy tripod at its normal zoom, or no at all, and recorded a second or so. Then, I zoomed in and recorded another second. Then, I zoomed back out and the zoomed in, moved it the recording selection and then pressed the "directional stick" all the way in to reset the selection and recorded another second. I then pull them in Photoshop and aligned both perfectly on the zoomed out image and say there were both in the exact same spot so I made the cropmark there. There may be different variations camera to camera. Which camera are you using?

[v1.1]

I have updated the Cropmark Pack to v1.1.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwd3r5HwGFltcXBHbkdRVGk5M1E/view?usp=sharing

Updates:
All of the cropmarks are now mathematically exact to the ratio.
A sleek, simple design has been applied to all of them.
Updated to include what I am going to call "Fincher Fifths" and...
5x Zoom preview to help see where your zoom will be by default in Canon Preview mode compared to the pixelated MLGrayscale.
All organized and renamed to be viewed inside ML on camera.
Added some more photography variations.

Questions, comments, requests, issues? Post them here.

Keeping the names to 8 characters can be worked around, just need a clever naming convention for them. Including more than 9 cropmarks would be great though. I think it would be best to just have all of the different variations available all the time since you couldn't forget to put any on your card before shooting. However, it might add a MB or two if people are worried about the size. Doubtful, due to raw space requirements. If it is an easy change, it could be a good addition for all of the cropmarks I have been making these past few days.

When working with the cropmarks in ML, you can only see 8 characters of the name of the cropmark, minus the 4 characters of .bmp. Would there be a way to not include the file type in the name or include longer name fully displayed, maybe have it roll across the screen when highlighted? As well as being able to include more than 9 readable cropmarks?

I have been doing a little more research and currently redoing some of the ones I have provided. The math is just slightly off on some of the ratios so I am mathematically making sure all of the ratios are just right. It takes some time trying to make them look good because you can only have black or white for the guidelines, no greys in between and I want the curves to look as smooth as possible even with this limitation. I also want them to look as simple as possible, not to distract you from the image you are working with. Especially if a client is looking at the screen. Instead of having multiple different copies of similar products, I am just going to re-release when I am happy with them in one big pack. I will also be including some of the "Fincher" crops and the zoom crops as requested as well as photography variations. Keep in mind I am doing this in my spare time. I am sure not a lot of people are anxiously waiting on this product so it is not my highest priority.

@Alex -
I'll put that in the first post.

@chmee -
I sure will update it to include it.

@Hans_Punk -
This is a interesting idea. I will have do a little homework to get the crops right. I'll check it out and post what I have found in the coming days.

@DeafEyeJedi -
From my readings in this forum, the picture format should work with any ML Camera. I have since upgraded to 5D3 1.2.3 from this first post and have not had any issues with them. I'll update the first post to include this.

Has anyone tried these? Did they work on other cameras other than 5D3?

Anyone interested?

...Hello?

Refer to the first post of this article for the download and install instructions. You can download it by clicking on "It's Out!" on the first post.

Yesterday, I updated from 1.1.3 to 1.2.3 on my 5D3 with ML. The installation process was very simple, it has come a long way from a few years ago. I did not have any issues. I was able to record 1080p with a solid green icon for 1 min before I ended the test and after a 1GB card warm up on my KB 64GB 1000x. I did not come across bugs in my non-scientific tests. However, I did not use any HDMI tools.

I really liked the feel and colors of your video. By vertical noise do you mean vertical banding. chmee's latest raw2cdng 1.6.1 has it now. Check out his post for the latest download. I know working with the large file sizes can be difficult. In a smiliar project, I pulled everything through AE and made DNxHD 10bit 175 with VisionLOG. More hassle at first, but editing was much more enjoyable and timely after the conversion process.

Here is my similar project with MLV and the night life scene so you can see what I got with that workflow.

http://youtu.be/OOdGQHGT-AQ

@chee - That did the trick! Working great now.