GoPro CineForm Studio Premium/Pro Settings for 5D3 RAW Video

[DANewman]

New version v1.05

* Fixed the -wlX switch (white level), which was being incorrectly used as black level . 

http://miscdata.com/ML/RAW2GPCFv105.zip

White and black levels range whatever the camera's bitdepth is.  For Canon RAW (so far) it is 14-bit, so 0 to 16383.

[Africashot]

New version v1.05

* Fixed the -wlX switch (white level), which was being incorrectly used as black level . 

http://miscdata.com/ML/RAW2GPCFv105.zip

White and black levels range whatever the camera's bitdepth is.  For Canon RAW (so far) it is 14-bit, so 0 to 16383.

I am trying to get this to work but every time I run the script command prompt flashes for a second and nothing happens... what am I doing wrong?

[DANewman]

Many users do have trouble running this tool as there are install prerequisites for supported encoders and sometimes for particular switches.  This new build addresses some of those issues.  It will  test what license level you are running and switch to 422 automatically if you can't encode RAW or 4:4:4, and it will now report if no suitable encoders can be found.  If you are all up and running, there is nothing new for you in the build, but it should help first time users.

http://miscdata.com/ML/RAW2GPCFv106.zip

[fatpig]

Hello again,

Really fine work! Especially for my weak laptop PC, which handles all RAW data nicely with CineForm!

Is it possible for you to make it read the .RAW, .R00, .R01, etc. split files from the 5DII  sequentially without us having to join those beforehand?
This is really time consuming.
Thanks!

[DANewman]

I guess I can simulate that with a non-ex FAT32 CF card.  If you convert the .RAW alone, does it work or do you have to concatenate the files first?

[Africashot]

Many users do have trouble running this tool as there are install prerequisites for supported encoders and sometimes for particular switches.  This new build addresses some of those issues.  It will  test what license level you are running and switch to 422 automatically if you can't encode RAW or 4:4:4, and it will now report if no suitable encoders can be found.  If you are all up and running, there is nothing new for you in the build, but it should help first time users.

http://miscdata.com/ML/RAW2GPCFv106.zip

I guess I am  missing something essential here as I stll do not get it to work with this build, is there some sort of (dummy) instruction for the steps to be taken?

[fatpig]

Hi-

the split .RAW files can not be processed without joining them first. RAW2GPCF immediately closes.
GingerHDR managed to skip the joining step so I guess it is technically possible.

Do you want me to send you a test file?

[DANewman]

I am trying to get this to work but every time I run the script command prompt flashes for a second and nothing happens... what am I doing wrong?

Launch a shell (cmd) first.  Then type raw2gpcf within the opened shell, does that work?

[DANewman]

Hi-

the split .RAW files can not be processed without joining them first. RAW2GPCF immediately closes.
GingerHDR managed to skip the joining step so I guess it is technically possible.

Do you want me to send you a test file?

Yes, please, a sample would be helpful.

[fatpig]

I am currently uploading a sample for your testing. It will take some time.

[DANewman]

New version v1.07

* Add support for segments .RAW .R00 .R01 ...

http://miscdata.com/ML/RAW2GPCFv107.zip

These new feature is barely tested, but it worked on the sample file fatpig provided (thanks.)  The -sX skip frame switch may not work perfectly, and the -iX (input point) will not work beyond the first segment (yet.)

[Pyriphlegethon]

Please Clarify:

A Cineform raw file opened in Resolve (without the patch) would contain all the 'raw' data of that original DNG right? The potentially cumbersome part is that you need to use Resolve's controls to get the image looking 'normal' rather than having a nice Cineform UI built in to Resolve. But you still have the ability to retain the highlights like you do in the raw file and affect color before the demosaicing which Resolve does in this case, cierto? So the .RAW to CDNG to CineformRAW workflow colored in Resolve gives us a result comparable enough to ACR with a much smaller file size and the ability to do an 'online only' workflow. (Minus some features like ACR's highlight regeneration based on unclipped channels.) Is this a correct understanding?

Using the Resolve patch for Cineform means that Cineform does the debayer and raw processing and 'hands' that image to Resolve. This means that the image is subject to older (but still respectable) debayering technology and that the raw data is no longer quite as 'raw'--more like medium rare.

Please shed light if this understanding is incorrect.

[DANewman]

That is all correct.  Although with the RAW2GPCF.exe tool you can bypass the CinemaDNG step.

[iaremrsir]

Does anyone know the likelihood of Blackmagic adding Cineform Raw controls into Resolve? Well I guess before I ask that I should ask if there is a CF Raw SDK to use that will allow Studio Premium type control in other applications.

[iaremrsir]

That is all correct.  Although with the RAW2GPCF.exe tool you can bypass the CinemaDNG step.

Doing this method leaves dead pixels in the image for me. In CF Studio, I have the option to remove dead pixels on import of DNG files. Is it possible to implement this in raw2gpcf?

[DANewman]

Doing this method leaves dead pixels in the image for me. In CF Studio, I have the option to remove dead pixels on import of DNG files. Is it possible to implement this in raw2gpcf?

That would be possible.   I just need samples with dead pixels.  Please share your dead pixels.

[DANewman]

Does anyone know the likelihood of Blackmagic adding Cineform Raw controls into Resolve? Well I guess before I ask that I should ask if there is a CF Raw SDK to use that will allow Studio Premium type control in other applications.

Well Canon RAW might be cutting into BMCC sales, so maybe you could convince them to add the image development support for the non-free version of Resolve.   Blackmagic has full CineForm SDK accesss, they can read all the image development metadata and default Resolves controls to a nice image if there was enough demand.   All doable.

[DANewman]

New version v1.08

* Added support for input point seeking with segments .RAW .R00 .R01 ...

http://miscdata.com/ML/RAW2GPCFv108.zip

Segments should now be fully supported.

[DANewman]

Does anyone see the need for black balancing?  This would be a few second recording with your lens cap on at your current resolution and shooting settings. This could be then used to determine, pixel by pixel, the black offset and removing any remaining fixed pattern noise, and useful for masking any dead pixels (hot pixels in particular.)  Let me know if this is a feature needed.  I have know idea if there are only a few users of this tool or hundreds+.

[fatpig]

Thanks for all the work on this! Amazing, how fast you implemented the split file feature! I am looking forward to testing it!

I know at least that on german film sets blackbalancing is done on a daily basis, so there might be a reason for that, I myself never used it before..

[DANewman]

For SI-2K we would black balance it regularly, particularly if the temperature was significantly different (as the noise level changes.) Black balance can increase the usable dynamic range, so I might give it a go. 

[fatpig]

Okay, I am no expert in this- but I will look into the topic to get a better understanding.

Do I see it correctly assuming paid users can have the full RAW workflow, but smaller file size with RAW2GPCF?
the -422 option does not give the same flexibility right now, of course.

[DANewman]

New version v1.09

* Added support for black level calibration

http://miscdata.com/ML/RAW2GPCFv109.zip

The black balancing will remove any remaining fixed pattern noise (FPN) the sensor can produce. Canon 5D3 is very good a suppressing FPN.  In my own 5D3 experiments, the black balancing did remove the hot pixels that appear at higher ISOs.

How to black balance:
1) With ISO & resolution parameters set, shoot 100+ frames of RAW with the lens cap on.
2) Then shot your scene(s) that uses these camera settings.
3) when converting using RAW2GPCF, add the -bc#### switch like this

>RAW2GPCF  CF0803.avi M21-0803.RAW -bcM21-0802.RAW -422

The -bc switch points to the file that was recorded with the lens cap on.

Sample output:
>RAW2GPCF  CF0803.avi M20-2209.RAW -bcM20-2208.RAW -422
M20-2208.RAW 1920x1080 107frames 23.976fps
min = 2028, max = 2844, avg = 2059
M20-2209.RAW 1920x1080 229frames 23.976fps
................................................................................
................................................................................
.....................................................................
done
Press any key to continue . . .

How it works:
All the frames in the black clip are averaged together, the more frames used the less noise in the pixel map for the black level of the sensor.  So instead of subtracting a fixed black offset value for all pixels (all sensors have an offset), each pixel has a customized black level.  Even with the nice pixels from the 5D3, there is variation in the black level for each pixel location (see output min = 2028, max = 2844, avg = 2059.)

[dariSSight#1]

Does this software support Mac Users

[DANewman]

Does this software support Mac Users

Not yet, but I have someone interested in doing a Mac port.