Color Saturation & Palette Adjustment Advice Needed

[Trox]

My learning curve for the EVO is still straight up. I'm still in the phase of learning all the "mechanical" characteristics of the drone while it is in flight mode performing the various program functions.

But I have noticed that the default Auto setting of all the camera variables produces a noticeable over saturation of colors as well as a color palette bordering on posterization. As a pilot whose objective is using the drone primarily for my photography and video work are there any quick and dirty video settings which will produce the more natural color balance as shown in the DNG raw stills? I hate to burn through a few batteries just experimenting with camera settings to find that natural 'look' I want to achieve. Especially since it requires viewing the recorded results back on my computer screen.

I do have an ND8/PL hybrid lens (3 f-stops + polarization) to start with since I may frequently be filming around or over water during my non-winter season but I have not tried that yet.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[DanielC]

There are several color theme settings in the camera controls including log. You may want to explore them in the app. Some of them may produce and overly saturated image.

 

[Atomic08]

" I hate to burn through a few batteries just experimenting with camera settings to find that natural 'look' I want to achieve. "
TROX.. you might have to experiment with the different settings to get the color saturation that YOU prefer. I find that the color I see on my tablet while flying is very different than what I see on my computer screen. When I touch an area on the screen while flying to darken or lighten the video, it is very different on the computer. When I had my typhoon H, I found the # 4 or #8 ND Filters worked best on sunny or white snowy days. I plan to get some ND Filters for my EVO and see how they work out.
It will depend on what you want to do with your videos and what looks good to you ~
Maybe FRANLAC could chime in and answer your question because in my opinion he has some of the best EVO videos !

 

[jafemu1]

Make sure your color setting is on “none” in the Explorer app, and that on the “style” setting, your saturation is 0 or negative if you want to avoid over saturation. I don’t know of a log setting that gives the unsaturated footage that some people prefer, requiring intense post processing.

 

[Trox]

Thank you all for the tips and suggestions. I did find a significant source of my color concerns. Although I had not changed any settings since 'unboxing' and assumed, incorrectly, that what I was seeing was output at the default level, it turned out to have VIVID selected as my color theme. I must have selected that somehow when first clicking on every option on the screen to see what was behind Door #1, 2, 3,... Back to NONE now as my starting point which I'm pleased with. Classic doesn't look too bad under some circumstances too.

A Puzzle - I've seen a number of the videographer pilots mention they prefer to shoot in LOG. But what I found was selecting LOG substantially washed out my color depth and created an overexposure look which appeared foggy and flat. And yes I removed the lens shipping plastic. This is the first time I have observed what a LOG image display looks like and I really don't see any value in that. I've seen references about it being preferred so that the "real magic" can be performed in post. Hmm.

Here is my take on that. When you are computer editing and starting with perhaps an oversaturated or unbalanced scene with an abundance of color, the color correction process can remove, shift, and adjust the shot to what appears to be the right balance. Like a sculptor chiseling away stone to reveal the work of art beneath. However, if you are beginning with a washed out shot (LOG?) and begin your editing and color correction, you are artificially adding generated color to the scene. And the final may not be as true to nature as the reverse process of pairing down the unwanted color shift and balance. That's just my logical assessment, but perhaps I'm missing something.

I did realize as I looked into the suggestions you all posted that with my controller, tablet and drone all powered up in the house, the EVO's battery was lasting forever as it sat on the desk with only the lights, motherboard and fan using power. I didn't feel 'bad' about tinkering and exploring the software settings as long as I wanted since the drone battery drain was nothing like when it is flying. And that provided me a live camera so I could snap some stills and video in the house at the various camera settings. That was much better than flying outside, snapping or recording a series of test images and clips and then back to the computer to see what I had and try to remember which particular change I had made for each. You could even set the drone outside on the deck and aim at outdoor subjects under natural light and sit in the house to view your results with no glare on your device or controller screens.

To those other new EVO owners like myself, I highly recommend using this method of "controlled" experimentation with your camera settings to expedite your understanding of what you have available once you are out in the field. Take good notes, make helpful comments to yourself as a future reference, and take them along in your flight log or field notebook on each outing.

Thanks again for the responses.

 

[DanielC]

Log mode is designed to preserve dynamic range but it requires careful exposure and post production skill. I always shoot in log for my video production.
Log = logarithmic

 

[Trox]

Log mode is designed to preserve dynamic range but it requires careful exposure and post production skill. I always shoot in log for my video production.
Log = logarithmic

Ah, I didn't know that some fine tuning of the exposure settings are necessary. That seems apparent based on the default image in Log I was seeing. I'll dabble with it later today. Thnx.

 

[Marcle]

Ah, I didn't know that some fine tuning of the exposure settings are necessary. That seems apparent based on the default image in Log I was seeing. I'll dabble with it later today. Thnx.

log is designed basically to preserve highlight and shadow detail by increasing dynamic range. It will keep your shadows from muddying up and your highlights from blowing out but as DanielIC says, you need to know what you're doing in post. Some software has presets for log on certain cameras (and I should think drones) that bring it back in line with the original colors of your scene but I don't recall ever seeing any Autel presets. I guess they're not used enough in a professional setting for anyone to come up with one. Those settings also usually correct for lens distortion as well.

 

[Tufargon]

Marcle they do have a set of Luts.

LUT

CREATIVE LUT PACK TELL YOUR STORY WITH 8 FREE LUTS LUTs or Look Up Tables, can give you a jumpstart on your creative vision. Shooting in the LOG color profile with EVO, gives you the most dynamic range and leaves you with a very flat neutral place to start before color grading. But where do you...

auteldrones.com

 

[DanielC]

Autel has a set of LUTs for the EVO on the support page.

 

[Tufargon]

Autel has a set of LUTs for the EVO on the support page.

Look up. lol

 

[DanielC]

✌

 

[Marcle]

Look up. lol

Yeah well I have the XSP. LOL

 

[Tufargon]

Yeah well I have the XSP. LOL

That's all I have too but I did load those luts into Filmora just in case.

 

[Marcle]

That's all I have too but I did load those luts into Filmora just in case.

I went by Best Buy yesterday (for something else) and they had the Evo for $999. If I didn't have bills, or kids, or a car, or a propensity for food......

 

[Tufargon]

Personally I don't see the need to get the EVO while I have the XSP. Seems like they are having too many issues. For me anyway. The XSP is still rock solid but I hear ya.

 

[Marcle]

Personally I don't see the need to get the EVO while I have the XSP. Seems like they are having too many issues. For me anyway. The XSP is still rock solid but I hear ya.

Yeah, I know what you mean. The XSP camera is still fantastic. It's just getting long in the tooth and I've been getting video connectivity issues with it lately. It doesn't like my iPad mini at all and my phone will sometimes drop the video signal about halfway through the flight. I clean the camera contacts before every flight since it's been doing it. The camera and gimbal just doesn't seem to want to seat properly like my old one did.

 

[Ansia]

I went by Best Buy yesterday (for something else) and they had the Evo for $999. If I didn't have bills, or kids, or a car, or a propensity for food......

You can stop paying bills and sell the kids. Definetly keep the car. You will need it to go to new areas for flying. ??

In reality, if you aren't a professional, jumping from the XSP to the Evo would be meaningless and if you were a professional, the Evo wouldn't be the drone buy either....

Don't get me wrong. I love my Evo, but I know there are better drones out there for the professional world.

 

[Tufargon]

Yeah, I know what you mean. The XSP camera is still fantastic. It's just getting long in the tooth and I've been getting video connectivity issues with it lately. It doesn't like my iPad mini at all and my phone will sometimes drop the video signal about halfway through the flight. I clean the camera contacts before every flight since it's been doing it. The camera and gimbal just doesn't seem to want to seat properly like my old one did.

Knock on wood but mine is still functioning and looks like new. Still never crashed it but I'm a wuss while flying too.