Comments

PerroneFord wrote on 4/24/2010, 7:34 PM
"looks fine in the camera" means zero. The LCD on the Canons is absolutely unreliable and should be treated as such.

When I bring in DSLR footage onto the Vegas timeline, it matches what I read on my meter, and it is within all normal video limits. Cineform has zero to do with it.
Spot|DSE wrote on 4/24/2010, 8:32 PM
This is a point that folks need to hear over and over.
Use an External monitor via HDMI. Calibrate the monitor.
jimingo wrote on 4/24/2010, 9:56 PM
Spot: Ialready have a small hd dp-slr on preorder. I know the T2i only outputs SD but I plan on using it with a 7D as well.

Perrone: As far as I'm aware, metering (or even zebras) are not available in video mode on the T2i so until I get my monitor, the LCD is all I have.
I know you can never trust the LCDs, but the T2i's LCD seems to be exceptionally bad when it comes to judging exposure.

I definitely read somewhere that the native .mov files from the Canon DSLRs had to be converted with Cineform in order for Vegas to properly read the highlights (otherwise highlight detail that should have been there will be lost). I guess this is not the case though.
Yoyodyne wrote on 4/24/2010, 10:10 PM
The t2i should have an exposure meter like the 7D. Have not used the t2i so can't say for sure. This is a little set of hash marks on the lower left of the display when you hit the info button. if you half depress the cameras shutter button it will give you an exposure reading. It takes some experience to nail exposure using the meter but a good guideline is to go a click or two above the center mark but not over 1.

Another trick is to take the LCD out of "auto" and put it's brightness into "manual" - this is done in the "wrench" part of the menu. Depending on the ambient light environment in auto mode the LCD can kind of fake you out. Another option is to take a photo and check the histogram (cycle the info button when looking at the still). This can tell you if you are blowing out a big chunk of your image, etc.

Hope this helps.
jimingo wrote on 4/24/2010, 10:19 PM
Yoyodyne, you're right about the meter. I thought it was disabled in video mode. Also, thanks for the other suggestions. I'll give them a try.
DGates wrote on 4/24/2010, 11:12 PM
That's the only downside to my recent Lumix GH1 DSLR purchase. No preview output available while recording.
handleyj wrote on 4/24/2010, 11:39 PM
Why don't you download the CineForm NeoScene trial and see if it works for you? Maybe it'll work. I personally don't think it will, but it couldn't hurt to try, right? :-)
dlion wrote on 4/25/2010, 12:37 AM
i just got a t2i. i'm running win7/64 on an i3 laptop w/4gb. vegas 9d/64.

knock on wood, but i seem to be able to open the t2i mov files with no problem. 1280/60, 1920/24 play back just fine. i've also been able to add jpg and tiff images of 5184x3456.

i haven't really tried to edit yet, but my experience is that if vegas is going to crash, it's often when adding files. so far so good for me.
PerroneFord wrote on 4/25/2010, 5:40 AM
I was talking about an external meter. A light meter. People seem to be allergic to the things these days, but I never go on a shoot without one. I treat the DSLRs JUST like shooting film, including external metering.

And if you haven't taken the LCD out of automatic mode, you have even less of a clue what that is going to look like when you get it home. Fix that pronto.

Again, Cineform is not needed. I just finished a film last fall (on a 5D) that is on the festival circuit right now. No zebras, no cineform. Just good old fashioned exposure tests, and a light meter.