HDSLR Camera Accessories: White Balance Aids and Remote Controller Options

White Balance: The Foundation of Color Accuracy and Creative Editing
A white balancing reference aid can be an invaluable tool to take along with your HDSLR for use before and during motion capture. The reasons to custom or manually white balance your HDSLR video footage are the same as for doing it for still work: It allows you to make the decisions with respect to your color accuracy rather than relying on the camera to do so, and enables you to maintain greater control and consistency throughout your shoot. Setting a custom or manual white balance can reduce the need for some color corrections during the editing process. Additionally, accurate color capture is an excellent departure point for creative grading. While white balance is often spoken of in terms of color accuracy, it is as much about a pleasing appearance and /or the look you choose to create. If you are just beginning to shoot video and are editing with software that has limited color correction options, setting a manual or custom white balance may become even more important.

There are two ways to achieve in-camera custom/manual white balance:  The incident or reflective methods. The incident method of white balancing  involves placing a neutral "filter" over the camera lens and shooting a reference frame from the position of your subject, to measure the light and color of light hitting the subject. Popular aids using the incident method include Expo Imaging’s Expodisc and the Brno BaLens cap. The reflective method involves shooting a neutral gray or white card, and capturing and measuring the color of the light reflected by the card from the subject position back to the camera sensor for the reference frame. Products such as WhiBal, Vortex Media’s White Balancing Reference System, and a host of other 18% grey or white card-type products use the reflective method of measurement. Whichever method you use, the reference frame is used to set the custom white balance (you should refer to your camera manual for specific instructions as to how to use the reference frame to set the custom white balance).  As lighting conditions change, you should repeat the process for the best results. Is one better than the other? It really comes down to a matter of choice. Choice also extends to product price-points as there are white balance aids available at a variety of prices.

While there is a lot to be said for using products that have been manufactured to be color neutral or expressly to warm, cool or produce other specific results, there are people who use items like coffee filters and translucent plastic lid caps, as well as simple white paper or fabric to white balance. A word of caution, about using some of these products: White paper and fabric often contain brighteners or bleach which reduces their neutrality, and can result in color cast, so be careful.

Remote Controller Options for Canon’s 5D MarkII, 7D, Rebel T2i, and Rebel T1i Cameras

Do not underestimate the ability to stop and start the video functions of your camera via a remote controller. The benefit is that to the extent you do not have to touch the camera, you reduce the potential for causing camera shake. And with options from Canon that retail for under $30, the remote controller units should be essential for HDSLR shooters. The Canon RC-1 and the RC-5 (as well as the newly announced RC-6 remote controller) are capable of starting and stopping  camera video recording. The main difference between the RC-1 and RC-5/6 is that the RC-1 can be used for instant shutter release or a two second delay for still shooting while the RC-5/6 only has the two-second delay for stills. For stopping and starting video, you set the camera drive to one of the timer release modes. With the RC-5/6 you are ready to start your video by pressing the release. With the RC-1, you simply slide the switch to the #2 position and you can start and stop video recording by depressing the release button.  There is no delay when the controllers are used for video work.  Now the one drawback to the Canon remote controllers is that they require proximity and/or line of sight to the camera’s Infra-Red (IR) lamp on the front right side. I indicate proximity because depending on the camera model and the placement of the IR lamp,the start-stop can sometimes be activated if the controller is close enough without actually  having direct line of sight; but I would not want to take a chance or advise users to count on proximity working in the majority of situations.  Always strive for line of sight.

In order to address the proximity issue, Long Island-based Switronix has developed the Flex DSLR remote, the base of which can be mounted to a tripod or stabilizer. The Switronix unit uses a flexible gooseneck to allow the remote optical trigger to be placed in front of the camera’s IR sensor. The ability to position the optical trigger in this manner results in flawless wireless stop-start of the video functions without having to hold a remote controller in your hand.  While the Flex DSLR which sell in the vicinity of $150, is expensive relative to the Canon remote options, many users, especially those using the cameras for professional applications, will find it an attractive and viable solution.

So there you have it-- some additional items to consider adding to enhance your HDSLR motion capture experience. Feel free to click on the product insert below to get more information on some of the products mentioned in the entry as well as a few others which are noteworthy. Please note that the white balance products in the inset utilize the incident method of measurement. A separate entry on white balance aids which use the reflective method will be posted within the next few weeks in our companion blog www.hdhd411.com.
Click on the image below to enlarge.



Disclosure: No consideration has been received in connection with this blog entry, nor has any manufacturer and/or retailer offered any consideration.

A Promise Kept: New Firmware for the Canon 5D Mark II is on the Horizon

On or about March 17, the Canon 5D MarkII moves a few steps closer to becoming the “ultimate” HDSLR motion-capturing camera. That’s when the long awaited firmware announced in the summer of 2009, bringing enhanced functionality to the camera’s video capabilities, becomes available for download. The improvements included in Firmware 2.03 are far beyond what many had envisioned when Canon originally announced the planned firmware update, and as outlined in a recent release by Canon, appear to be well worth the wait. The improvements and new features include the option of recording at 24 and 25 fps (NTSC and PAL respectively), an adjustment of the camera’s original frame rate of 30fps to conform with the NTSC protocol, manual adjustment of recording sound levels, a change in sound sampling frequency to match that of the 7D and 1D MarkIV, shutter and aperture priority movie shooting modes which give users control over shutter speed and aperture, and histogram display during manual exposure shooting. I can’t recall a camera manufacturer that has implemented this number of substantial changes to a product, and one which is nearly 18 months old at that. While the changes do not bring all of the resolution and frame rate options available on Canon’s newest models to the 5D MarkII, they do bring consistency to what are probably the most widely used frame rates available on Canon’s latest releases (7D, 1D MarkIV and Rebel T2i.) and the 5D MarkII. Those using multiple camera models will appreciate this.

The nature of the firmware changes underscores the fact that today's digital image-capturing tools are computers. It also confirms the belief of many that manufacturers have tremendous latitude to adjust and improve products, as well as add functionalities during their lifecycles; unfortunately, many do not, opting instead to release new products. Canon could have easily introduced a new model and left the 5D MarkII as is; thankfully, they did not. As a HDSLR, these changes make the Canon 5D MarkII with its full frame (35mm film-sized sensor) an undeniable value leader in terms of price, features and image quality. This is tremendous for those who have been shooting with it since day one, and have come to appreciate what it offers as well as understand and work around its limitations for video, both capture and after-capture workflow. With this firmware release, a stellar imaging machine will be getting even better. The fact that the firmware update is free makes this all the more compelling. While Canon has not announced or indicated that similar firmware upgrades will be made available for other cameras, 7D and 1D MarkIV users must be wondering if they are going to see some of these enhancements made available for those cameras as well.

Canon does acknowledge that the new advances are targeted specifically towards professional video users. Last month’s announcement of the EOS MOVIE Plugin-E1 which was developed to enhance the workflow for Canon HDSLR users editing with Apple’s Final Cut Pro software makes it abundantly clear that they feel there is a substantial professional videographer market for the 5D MarkII as well as their other HDSLRs. The fact is that as the Firmware 2.03 has been described, most video shooters, from the seasoned professional to the enthusiast to the novice, should benefit from the changes and enhancements to the 5D MarkII, although as is the case with all camera features, everyone may not take advantage of them: By way of example, people who are shooting video without recording sound, may not appreciate the significance of the audio control and/or the frequency change.

As the ranks of HDSLRs grow, the technology continues to evolve. Not everyone is going to be happy with some of the features or the lack thereof or the balance between still and video capture capabilities. It is difficult—if not impossible—for a product to be all things to all people. This is and will remain particularly true for multi-media capturing devices. As far as Canon and the 5D MarkII are concerned, the bottom line is that Firmware 2.03 represents a promise kept and then some.

For more details on the upcoming 5D MarkII firmware release, click here.

UPDATE 3/16: The 5D MarkII firmware is available now. Make sure you read and follow the instructions carefully.