Hi

We've been using an xdcam EX camera for a while now, and all of our stuff seems to be washed out when I bring it into Avid. It looks ok in the clip browser software though. I can put a color effect on the clips, and set the contract up to 10 and that fixes it, however thats a lot of re-rendering on a 2 hour program.
I'm using MC 3.1.3 (so no AMA fuctionality)

I read that it might be a video card brightness setting, but my outputted blu-ray looks washed out too.

Any ideas?

anyone else encountered this?

when I bring in the MXF's into After Effects, they are darker too

I can't comment on the version of MC you're running, but we're on 3.5.4 and don't have any issues with the footage looking washed out. does the footage look washed out on a broadcast monitor as well, or just in MC's source/record windows?

Yes, it looks the same in the broadcast monitor.

I like your answer though because it gives me another reason to convince my boss to upgrade my software. HAHAHA

Thanks for the reply

What import settings are you using, 601 or RGB?

normally I use 601 / 709
Just to see I tried RGB as well, just to see the result.

It looks identical when it was on either setting though.

something's not working right, 'cuz it makes a significant difference on my imports.

warlock2572:

Just to see I tried RGB as well, just to see the result.

It looks identical when it was on either setting though.

Another thing to do is to open the waveform monitor and look at the imported levels. If you see everything limited to 16-235, you know its importing ok. If you see a lot of white waveform, those values will be clipped on export to 601.

Leaving the clip online, I did a batch import, but checked the 'override settings' box

Most of you seem to be using MC 3.5. I wonder if its a bug in my 3.1.3

At any rate, once I told my boss, he said we'd get the boxed version of MC 4 soon. Hopfully its all good then.

Thanks

Hi all again

Well, we've upgraded our software to 4.0.2.
I was hoping my problem would be eliminated, but it wasn't.

Importing the old MXF way and importing through AMA makes no difference. They both look washed out, compared to what I see in the XDcam software.

The only thing I can think of causing this would be my video card. I have a Geforce 8600 GTS. I'm wondering if I had a workstation card it would fix that.

I'm also concerend that it is just how I'm seeing it in Avid, and it might be different once exported

Could the video card be the issue?

I doubt that it's the video card.  I use an old 7800 with XDCAM footage and it looks fine so I wouldn't spend money on that until there's more evidence.

I would try exporting some footage onto a DVD and play it on a player you use all the time to see if it still looks washed out.  That would help you narrow it down.  When you export, use Quicktime Reference and make sure RGB is checked.  That gives me the correct look when exported.  I use TMPGEnc to encode to MPEG.

There is a setting called "Expand Luminance for Computer Displays" under Full Screen Playback settings.  Experiment with that but it won't effect your client monitor I don't think.

Is it JUST xdcam footage?  Does other footage look OK?

Just one more note I forgot.  I've shot a lot on the EX-1 now and when I first got it I remember everything looking washed out.  I found that it seemed to be the default settings of the camera which I think are REALLY BAD and should never be used.  Also auto iris is NEVER correct, always too hot.  Never use it!  I have no idea why they set it up that way.  

Also on default settings bright red comes out orange and bright yellow is just completely washed out.  Try setting the picture profile to one of the cine settings and give that a test.  There are several gamma choices.

I'm still not sure why the clip browser would look different from the Avid display though.  I always import with 601 settings and use V3.13 of MC.

Ill keep thinking and let you know if something comes to mind. 

Hi thanks for the replay

I was planning on doing a test soon, if I get a chance. I'll make a DVD from Avid, and play the origonal footage off the camera, and compare. I'm pretty sure Avid is exporting it with the colour wrong though.

My camera guy is still figuring out the exposure on our EX 3. He made some of the same comments as you regarding the exposure.
I think Avid is definatly affecting it though.

I exported the same frame from After Effects and from Avid to compare.