Messages

Frank7D my research tells me this.

The first priority with video is focus.  And if you are not good with MF then quality of camera AF matters most.  AF is constrained by camera & glass.
Second priority is low light/hi light.  Blotchy / high contrast blobs or lost high lights are loss of detail.  This is constrained by the sensor in the first place, and RAW recovery optionally in the second place (you usually can adjust your lighting to mitigate shooting H264 so RAW is not as crucial). You can win an academy award shooting in B&W.
Third priority is colour/chroma.  This is constrained by the sensor in the first place, and RAW recovery a bigger amount in the second place.  You can desat colour to 17% for instance and still have a film look that's artsy.  A flat pic style and colour grade on H264 may be all that's wanted (with a faster workflow).  However if you want eye pop / richer colour tone RAW is best, but rich colours does not overcome poor priority 1 & 2 performance. 

So while the 7D is a good camera, and has been a work horse, it loses in priority 1 & 2 to the 70D.  Its hard to claim a better 3rd priority performance trumps poor priority 1 &2 performance.  The 5DMII loses only on priority 1, which can be mitigated by MF skill or proper use of an electronic/programmable follow focus rig/gear. However the 70D does fast AF, like the car race, faster than the mitigated approach support, which makes it crucial when fast AF is what you need to get the shot.   JM2C

Edu
"I think I should get a 5D2 and a 1000x lexar memory. The thing is that, to do that, I will need to sell my 70D, can't have both...
Do you think a 5D2 with a 32gb lexar will be ok for short movies (raw)?
I can always dump all the memory into a laptop as long as the card gets full... I don't care, I just want to shoot raw "
- I like a 5DM2 and even Northrup recommended it as a great FF value play, especially for RAW.  If RAW video is your aim
then its a great tool.  When folks talk about Canon 5D used in movies like "Iron Man 2" or "Act of Valor" they are referring
to 5DM2 shot video not 5DM3!!!  So I think that should answer your questions.  The work flow well just ensure you have a CF reader and
enough memory cards, as its rare that you shoot a take for even more than 2 minutes, so it can work.


"Another thing... what about raw and low light? ... Videos about 50d & 7d in very low light show more grain than H264.
5D2 is very old, I think 70D would be even better than the 5D2 in low light... maybe I don't know what I'm talking about? "
- In the Northrup video the 5D2 was one stop better ISO than a 70D.  Its FF so its sensor while older, by design has less noise noise.
- As for the 50D/7D they are worst in low light then the 70D by at least one stop.  The 50D/7D aps-c sensor or is it the processor/algorithms
will AF much slower and seem to be overall noisier than the 70D.  This is hard to measure, and again quality of glass plays a big role in all of this as well, do you have fast glass? Are you using f1.8 or lower primes? else a great deal of what you're sweating may be glass limited. 

The Northrup video test is pretty clear, feel free to draw your own conclusions. The 7D had its day, but even the newer 70D loses out to the even newer 7DII in some features.
If you own a 7D no point in getting a 50D, but if you don't own either, which is what the OP is considering, the 50D+70D he already owns is a better value than only a 7D.  For $400 the 50D gets you into a decent res, aps-c raw.   50D RAW is close to the 7D and has similar pic quality, but if you have a 70D with it your miles ahead (fast AF focus, better low light & pic in h264, close to 1080p aps-c raw, decent raw crop) than just a 7D.

Does shooting in RAW at a nearer 1080p res on the 7D trump a 70D better AF, 70D better low light, and 50D near 1080p raw? Generally no, unless they need HDMI outs or insist on the highest near 1080p raw they can afford.   A 5DMKII raw beats a 7D for close to the same money, which is what I recommended for a better value if he thought high-res RAW with a superior pic quality was most important.     

The 70D picture puts the 7D to shame, check out the link below.  The 70D AF is really the best for AF, and even if you like to manually focus I think you will find the AF lock of the 70D useful, check the fast moving race-car video, I don't think you can get such good fast moving focus manually (perhaps you can?). 

70D AF test, low-light test and comparison which puts the 7D to shame and shows that the 70D in low light is good to ISO 3200.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjR2OztuXtA

70D AF video, where it tracks a fast moving race-car. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHfOHYWB2Dc

I like the 50D for value interms of APS-C raw.  The problem is that the 7D used costs as much as a 70D new, and its picture quality is not better than a 50D (IMHO) and that applies to its RAW footage.  So why pay the extra bucks for a 7D ? (unless you want the HDMI outs uncompressed for a digital video recorder).
If you really are after a higher raw res, I think the 5DMKII FF is a better value than a 7D, for similar coin and it has a better IQ even then the 70D.  JM2C 

The Tokina 11-16mm 2.8 yes it fits/shoots.  16mm works no crop.  It works full range on 3X crop mode.

The Tamron 17-50 2.8 VC yes it fits/shoots.  Interested to see if full range works on 3X crop mode?

The Sigma 30 1.4 Art, yes it fits/shoots. Vignettes on FF.  Works on 3X crop. 
** Edit appears to not work on FF no crop, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVrgoIHPxmE **

The Sigma 18-35 1.8 is yes it fits/shoots. 35mm works no crop with distortion.  It works full range works on 3X crop mode.
** Edit: Slight vignette at 35mm on FF no crop, very usable at f8. http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sigma-18-35-1-8/4

The Sigma 50-150mm 2.8 yes it fits/shoots.  Maintains vignette all focal lengths with no crop.  It works full range on 3X crop mode.

So using aps-c quality zooms, you can cover off 16mm f2.8 with no crop.  Slight vignette on a 35mm at f1.8 (which is very sharp at f2).  Not bad freebies.

The third party zooms, generally work with 3X crop mode on FF. Not a bad way to ease into a FF by saving $$$.

Looks like sigma 50-150mm has been tested on a FF, and it is most useful 50-100mm, f4.
It seems that 100mm is the best of three tested. 

http://www.lenstip.com/364.8-Lens_review-Sigma_50-150_mm_f_2.8_APO_EX_DC_OS_HSM_Vignetting.html

Now here it is used on a Nikon full frame at 122mm, with no noticable issues.
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/37956963

Apparently Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 works even without a crop on a FF!
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/53507819

http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sigma-18-35-1-8/4  ~ Least vignette is 35mm, f8.

"usable from a range 28mm to 35mm, no problem. You get some vignetting but still usable, and a 35mm is where I use it the most and vignetting is very low."
link:    blackandwhite.mx  ~ "pretty much every wide angle shot is made with this lens on a 6D."

So lets see
Tokina 11-16mm at 16mm Philip Bloom Likes
Sigma 18-35mm at 35, is useful on a 6D.
So if you add a nifty 50 and a canon 85 1.8, all rather affordable fast glass, you can start off with a decent set of portrait lengths.
Now if only someone can confirm a Sigma 50-150mm at 135mm, then you would have all the significant focal lengths for UWA,WA, and Portraiture.

Vagabond

Ive looked into this quite a bit previous on this thread.  What folks and I observed was that in crop mode on a 70D, when there is no line skipping, there is more noise.
The increased noise provides for a softer picture.  So although the video you linked, recommends sharpening in post (which is good), its still a softer image which is less to work with.
With full frames, crop is better because they have less noise to start with because of the sensor design.   If they end up with aps-c quality noise, its still good !!! Also FF benefit in a wider FOV when cropped as they don't have the 1.6X.
I bought a 70D VAF, because I like to shoot video that includes streets, hydro wires, street car tracks, bricks, blinds, wooden fences, etc. that cause moire/aliasing.  I do think 3X on aps-c is good for moon shots or other high contrast/vivid colour shots with softer edges (sunsets/rise good).  However 3X on street/car lights or any sharp high contrast/vivid colour edges create CA (the dreaded purple fringe, fixable in post but a pain). 
I think its kind of the same issue with MFT as with aps-c crop, harsh/softer colour tone (hard to get great skin tones), low light poor, and weaker shallow DOF.       

I am probably getting ahead here, but I think the 70D will face a rather unique challenge compared to the standard ML build.
The touchscreen focus, is an integral feature for the 70D, and yet its not clear if that can be handled with ML.

My observation is that DSLR controller app (Android), basically does not work with MLV raw.  Why? because it hooks into the Canon firmware.
Canon's EOS utility does not work with MLV raw, probably because of the same reason.
So the 64$ question is will MLV raw support touchscreen AF??? And if so, are we doomed to a 3" touchscreen.  Its just that putting a 3X LCD hood + diopter will not work because you need to touch it! (foldable's are not practical for touch either).
If you use the HDMI port then you only have a monitor, but where's the touchscreen???

To really unleash the 70D AF, it seems we need MLV raw working on either a EOS utility (like) on a 15" laptop via usb or DSLR Controller app (like) on 7" tablet via usb.  ~ JM2C. 
Since the issue with the EOS utility is that its framerate is too slow, its unlikely that it will be improved unless Canon does an update of the software (meaning its not an interface issue).
However the DSLR controller, seems to be a better choice, perhaps a ML interface emulator can be run on the android, so that DSLR controller thinks its talking with canon firmware


The hybrid approach would be to use the 3" LCD for touch, and port the screen through HDMI to a monitor.  But this only works if the 3" LCD is not blanked while it outputs the HDMI.

There is always the clean HDMI out "ML solution" but that seems to be a rats nest, which we are encouraged to be discouraged about, which basically means not raw even if it happened.

CORRECTION:  It appears HDMI outputs, will never work, as the LCD will always be blank ...  It appears the clean HDMI outs is something ML cant make happen ...
So another approach that will work (somewhat) is to hack the LCD loupe, basically cut out the bottom bellow the 3X magnfier, so you can fit your finger in.  Then you will have 3X magnified screen, and be able to poke around.
This is a hack of a different kind.

Another approach, which may prove simpler (dont know if folks have hacked wifi controls ) is hack the RC-6 wireless controller or the DLR remote (i.e. interface wrapper), so that when it triggers a still shot, in MLV RAW the video record turns on/off.  Either one if used with DLR Remote program means a 7" Android tablet can be used with touchscreen AF.  However since we have not seen MLV raw video stream over wifi, the question of data stream throughput / overload has to be looked at. 

So the Canon EOS utility does not work with my 600D with ML (MLV raw).  It generally refuses to update the screen (but I was able to get slow updates on the zoom in screen).
I disabled global overlays and as much extra as I could. 

That leaves the question does DLSR controller app work on a nexus 7 for the canon 600D with ML???

 

I've been looking rather hard at the issue of what would be a complement to my 70D.
The 6D is great camera if you only do stills, it wins in low light and light better AF over the 5DII  but canon lamed it, so its only a 720p raw video. The 6D wont do continuous 2K in crop, its lamed to 720p.
I will use my 70D for 60p raw 720p, so all I get from the 6D is low light.
The 5DII does not get you video 60fps, but again I think 70D is better choice anyways because its AF is far more useful for video or action shots.

I see great value in the 5DMII, as its not hard to find for $1K used in good shape. 
1. It does 1856x1004 or 1856x1044 (crop) raw continuous (near 1080p options).
2. It does a few things slighlty better than a 70D: low light, richer bokeh, richer colour tone. 
3. It can use many aps-c lenses in crop mode.  Huge savings there.
On that note I think of a FF as mainly a prime lens beast anyways.  Its seems if you need reach then shoot aps-c.
4. It does 2K raw video continuous. The kicker here is the 3X crop, Tokina 11-16mm & Sigma 18-35, 50mm are most useful.
5. With the faster CF reader, you can play around to try out anamorphic, and higher bit rates.   

So that's my take. If you want publishable stills get a 6D, if you want raw video the 5DMII is a great accompaniment to a 70D.
The 5DMII by itself comes up short for video, slow-mo 30fps, and its AF is slower.     
If I could only afford one, probably I'ld get the 70D, its the best all round camera of the three.   

Rainless not quite sure were you're going with that but here's some links for the 5D MII in 3x crop mode shooting 2K,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYuUM3FALwo
2152 x 980  ~ shooting raw video

http://www.ramasolaproductions.com/6.html
In crop mode
2144 x 898 = continuous recording raw video

The sensor being centre 1/3 of a FF, is smaller than a super 16 but its pixels are bigger, it should handle low light better without aliasing/moire (its cropped!).
Low-light is a common blog bitch against the MFT sensors.  I'm a fan of what the GH4 can do well, but low light is not a strength of its sensor. 
I prefer to think of the 5D MII 3X crop raw 2K as a poor cousin to the GH4 in the 16mm space but its ability to compete is really under the radar, and for less than half the money ($1k used) its pretty good value. 
And if you think about a $660 speed booster to get your canon EF mount lenses to work, then its closer to 1/3rd the money. 

As for the GH4 video or claims, I really cant respond on this thread without hi-jacking it, there are so many other places to discuss GH3/4 strengths/weaknesses. 
Rather than compare a MFT 4K with a FF 1080p, try to compare with a 2.5K raw crop and have both re-res to 1080p.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3QC7wqNFQ0

So its kind of occurred to me, that when I shoot video with Tv priority (i.e. 24 fps, Shutter=1/50s, EV=0), on any of my zooms, that not only can I pull focus with touch screen,
but with AF facial recog. set it locks focus as I zoom.  And the interesting part is its not screwing around with aperture/shutter settings as I zoom, so the 70D is making my sigma 18-35mm parfocal!!!

It does the same for my sigma 50-150mm II f2.8.   It can behave the same with manual. 
Its just the Tv mode helps you get a fast consistent exposure when you dont need shallow DOF or if the lighting does not change.

If the light is changing as you pan/follow the subject or need shallow DOF then by all means use manual and you can still achieve a parfocal zoom.

So let's see the 70D not only pulls focus it can make a lens behave parfocal.  Rather awesome.
Not every camera has a decent AF live focus lock, so this is not common.

Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 ~ yes it fits/shoots see below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISFzKI_uDz8

Here is the kind of test I am after, it shows that the Tokina can be used fully in 5D Mark II crop mode (which can be 2k no less so this will be a low-light super 16mm, something the GH3/4 aren't!!!).
http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=8099.0

From this thread at DPR, it is claimed that all 3rd party generally make their aps-c glass EF mount anyways (life is easier).
He claims its only the Canon EF-S stuff that runs a foul!
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/52879934

There seems to be some baffle, which can removed on the canon glass, but is generally not recommended to be. 

So the Canon 17-50 2.8 is out but Tamron 17-50 f2.8 VC is in !

<see reply #7>
http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=9464.0

I guess the moral of this story is always buy 3rd party aps-c glass.

sigma 18-35 f1.8 ~ yes fits/shoots on 6D
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sigma-18-35-1-8/4

So it seems that the sigma 50-150mm should fit as well!?!? But I can't find a bonafide test or shot taken with it.

So the Tokina is a yes it fits/shoots, and works fully on 3X crop mode.

The Tamron 17-50 2.8 VC yes it fits/shoots.  Interested to see if full range works on 3X crop mode?

The sigma 18-35 1.8 is yes it fits/shoots. Interested to see if full range works on 3X crop mode?

The sigma 50-150mm should fit.  Interested to see if full range works on 3X crop mode?

There has been some dicussion on full frame crop mode, but its never quite clear what common glass works on which FF.

I have read that Philip bloom notes that Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 works at 16mm on 5DMIII, even without crop.  I have also read that in 3X crop mode it works full range 11-16mm.

I am just wondering about some other great aps-c glass.  Have any folks checked these on FF (5DII/III,6D)

- canon 10-24
- canon 18-55 f2.8
- Sigma 18-35 f1.8
- Sigma 55-150 f2.8
- canon 55-250 f4-5.6

Ok up till now I was excited about the fast video AF tracking of the 70D. 
So take a gander at these still photo racing shots made on the 70D.  All of the left turns made on a 70D, and some of the right turn as well.  Simply awesome.

https://flic.kr/p/pSixoL

As for the curious like me here's what the shooter told me:
"I used the 400mm f5.6L for that shot. Another lens I like and used for many shots is the 70-300mm L. "
"Shutter speeds were 400-1250 in shutter-priority mode – often with exposure compensation, ISO 160-640, F5.6-F9, AI Servo focus set for fast change. Many reasons for all changes of settings depending on whether panning or not etc.
All the shots from that left hand corner were with the 70D. Some of the others too but right-hand corners were about 70% with the 5DMKIII as I could get closer."
He also stated he was very happy with the 70D, and found some features lacking on the 7DMII, and since he told me he's bought every version of the 5D, I don't think cash was holding back.

Jano

The 7D MII has the clean HDMI output 4:2:2 8 bit.  It has the 70D AF system as far as locking.  You could on a monopod track movement as long as the subject stays in frame.  However its focus is obtained by dialling up the focus point using buttons.  What it does not do is pull focus by touch screen (if your very good with buttons or MF you can pull focus during video).  I dont think the 70D will ever get clean HDMI outs.  It will get RAW video, at 720p for the most part (see back posts last couple of pages for details) you may want to look at the 7DMII for steadicam work.

"Which camera will be better for video shooting? Im not good at manual focusing (im wearing glasses etc), but im a good at raw postprodction and color grading.

70D or 7d mk1? Is there any possibility, that in future 70d will be as good as in raw shooting (or not so far) as canon 7d?
I know- 7d has CF cards, dual processor, but 70d has new digit 5+, and MAYBE faster SD writer/reader than 6D or 60D?"

Read the last 6 pages or so, Ive made a number of posts on what the 70D can do, and should do when ML with RAW is available. 
Basically focus is your most important concern before RAW with video.  The 70D is hands down best.  Check over last 6 pages my posts you'll find links to videos that show the 70D AF test vs 7D (Northrop video).  The 7D is not that great as a primary video camera.   I would suggest look at the 50D over the 7D for cheap RAW, of comparable quality.   You might be able to afford both the 70D($900 new) & 50D ($400 used), which can share lenses.   

Correction: Did not see the Northrup AF test links, I put them on another site.  So here are the AF test links.

70D AF test, low-light test and comparison which puts the 7D to shame and shows that the 70D in low light is good to ISO 3200.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjR2OztuXtA

70D AF video, where it tracks a fast moving race-car. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHfOHYWB2Dc

And AF of race-car without the 70D's AF system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JncnD8k1R80

Dmilligan

"You can capture a short video with the lens cap on and then use that in post to subtract it from your actual footage. This only works for raw data though, once the image has been demosaiced and "non-linearized" (and compressed, as in H.264), the subtraction doesn't work any more."

Do you have and videos shot where this was done right - ideally with a before and after?
I keep seeing astrophotography time-lapse stuff but not seen a RAW video that shows before or after.

Here is a link to one who claims to have used raw and probably at high ISO.  Their attempt at Dark-Frame Subtraction (DFS) made it worse!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNw-fsFnjG8

Thanks Fletch for the video.

The 70D RAW video expect in 16:9 aspect 1280x720 @ 24fps continuous.  If one changes the aspect to 2.35, then one can shoot 1280x544 @ 30fps continuous.  If you use 2.35 aspect then you can shoot 1152x350 (1.4X post stretch to 1152x490) @ 60fps continuous.  It will also do 1920x1080 @ 11fps (crop mode) and 1920 at 2.35 aspect 15fps, and at 2.67 aspect 17fps .... all of which is good for establishing shots with minimal motion.   If we look at the 6D (which is closest in memory and controller speed) 1792x1008 (no crop) for 120 frames (5s) @ 24 fps with motion (I expect at 1920x1080 with crop it would be close to 5s).   This is based on a 40 MB/s controller, so memory card write speed (which is unreliable as it says "up to") should be 50 MB/s+ to realize this.

FF have bitch of time to nail focus on moving subjects (all the Shallow DOF is too much), the 70D is the B camera for Rack focus shots and well lit action shots.  The 5D mark iv rumoured for Q1 2015 release may do it all, have the FF & 70D focus system (or enhanced version), the tea leaves need consultation on that but some are suggesting it will.  Even when it comes out, there will be some time before its shooting raw (1 year lets guess), as it will likely be a new code base for the ML team to ferret their way through - so the long and the short of it is the 70D will be the best HDSLR AF in town for a while.

 cinebooster picture style  pf2 or pf3

Well I tested both in TV mode, shutter=1/50, EV=0.  I tried then in low light and bright light.  I adjust Sharp&Contrast all way down, and sat -2 (this is the video flat settings).  I leave hue to whatever the preset is.
What I found was that when the AF subject was in bright light, the background shadow area falls apart (noise and banding).
I also noticed that Simlaar's flaat_11 and flaat_10, which retains higher DR, seems also to have banding in shadow with such high contrast shots.

The Marvels 3.3 and 3.4 worked beautifully.  They did not have the highest EV/peak retention, what they tended to due with shadow was underexpose, which was more cinematic than banding/noise.

When the AF subject was in low light, the fore/backround in bright light, I observed for the flaat_11/10 in its attempt to remove shadow it brought in detail with noise/banding, but the Marvels held their own
AF subject had negligible noise. 

Annother one I liked, from Cineplus was CINEMA.pf2. When adjusted to video flat settings, I was amazed that at sat=-2 the colour was too strong! Its preset was sat=0 which looks best.
Now it is generally darker then either of the Marvels, but where it shined was when your AF subject is in low light, and there is bright light in the fore/background.  Its general darker
picture clamps down on the highlights adding detail (acting like an ND filter).  In high contrast settings you have to choose between overexposure and under exposure, your camera cant handle both,
and so generally you expose based your AF subject light, so that means with fore/background you get one or the other?  Overexposure is worse because a subject framed by white without detail looks very cheap, underexposure
looks more cinematic because it frames your lit subject in blackness.  When you use the CINEMA profile it rescues the overexposure detail as much as possible, so its a special purpose picture style.  You could use
it to shoot very bright AF subjects as well since it lets you open the aperture more for blurs backgrounds acting like an ND filter.  The colours for all three of these pic styles were very nice on skin tones,
as they all have been crafted and tested for this (assuming your white balance and exposure are good).

I did this all on the 70D but its only slightly better than the 600D/T3i, and I think the same will be true for canon aps-c.

I shoot flat, but even if you shoot with the default preset settings of each pic style, the above is still true for HDR settings in terms of banding and noise.
For general shooting, its safer to go with picture styles that handle challenging HDR environments as they are the most versatile.

Ok to get more green than blue.

Marvel cinestye ver 3.4 adds slight green to skin good for northern sun, sounds like what you want.  The Marvel ver 3.3 pic style adds slight orange which is good for southern sun.  Simlaar's flaat_11, actually supports 11EV peaks, and adds slight yellow to skin, good for indoor lighting.  The trick is to get a proper white balance else the pic style never looks right.  I also found you need to center exposure EV=0, as I like to use Tv priority when I dont need the shallow DOF in the clip.  If exposure is not right it impacts your H264 since there is less recovery room in post, and the right exposure helps get the right colour (ie. a red looks like a richer darker red, where as overexposed looks like there's yellow hue and the red seems off).  H264 is much more difficult to work with colour hue IMHO. BTW the Marvel and Simlaar stuff is free, google is your friend.

FotoGraphr

You want dramatic but dont want high EV.  Hmmm.  Your best bet is monochromatic.  The film noir look is the best in camera dramatic look.  The reason most folks post process is things like skin colour, sky colour, and to get a high EV contrast with detail not just blotchyness (as well as a host of presets which make life easier to get the cinematic look one wants).  For accent I would suggest try the sin city looks (only red, red-yellow) combined with your monochromatic that's about as dramatic in camera s it gets.
Here is a thread on the sin city look: http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=1398.0 
Look around you will find only red, only blue etc.

However if you really must shoot in camera with skin tones the 3 I recommended can be used, just set contrast & sharpness and saturation to values achieve your final look (test it on some short clips).
Film grading for digital video, however is very important, in the very least you should quick colour correct every clip.  White balance is crucial with H264.  Have fun, learn something and see if you like the results (better to be shooting
than not!).

For those who want to enjoy the 70D as is for now.  My suggestion is play with picture styles.  Read up on flat picture styles, because that's the best way to max your EV in H264 (without ML).
Three I have rather liked include the two from Marvel for free 3.3 (slight orange skin hue - good for southern sun) and 3.4 (slight green skin hue - good for northern sun), and look-up Simlaar's flaat_11, (slight yellow skin tone hue - good for indoor lighting).  The flaat_11 really max out the EV (11 EV).  There is a flaat_12 (which is more of a 11EV+) but its very noisey in heavy shadow, so I am not able to use it to get 11+EV. 
Load the picture styles and remote shoot using the canon lap-top usb utility, you will see a curve which shows you just how effective a flat/flaat picture style is on the curve.
Also white balance is so important, as with H264 its baked in, and canon's auto WB is crap.  So until ML raw is here, I humbly suggest play with pic styles & WB (oh yes turn the contrast & sharpness all the way down, deSat = -2, for flat shooting).

There is a whack of picture styles for canon out there for free, that are like special effects (sin city: only red, only blue, only red-yellow, etc.). 

Correction: Skip the Simlaar flaat_10, _11, _12 for high contrast shots.  They fall apart in shadows.

What rig did you use for underwater shots? Nice stuff.  Some of the skin tones were a bit pinky, have you tried the the Marvel picture styles 3.3, 3.4 or the flaat 11?  Its just for those H264 shots, you might find it helps.