Mixing Typhoon H (CGO3+) Footage with a Cinema Camera (video quality test)

[Frankie]

Really want to thank you Frankie for taking the time to view my video and reply. Its nice to have some positive views on the camera as around here lately it has been pretty negative. I wished I had varied my shots up abit and kicked myself for not flying in reverse but luckily its only about 20 mins from me so I can redo anytime. I'm still getting used to the Typhoon H so I'm working my way up to flying close to objects. I also have GH4 too and will be mixing shots with that as you have been doing so getting good at colour correction and grading is gonna be useful. Been checking your stuff on youtube - I share your dream of wanting to be a full time film maker - keep up the good work

I’m glad I could help out and give you some feedback on your work. You’re right though it seems that the majority of threads about the camera have been negative, but I’m sure that the more testing people do with the camera, the more positive responses will start rolling in (at least I hope so). I suppose it just takes time, and I’m sure with the help of Typhoon H users like you and I (who are the ones who want to show the good things about the camera), we’ll hopefully be able to change some of the negative outlooks that this drone has gotten so far.

 

[Frankie]

So is this following correct -

To prevent 'blooming' (when the camera automatically adjusts exposure when switching between the dark and light parts of a shot)
You need to go into manual mode and fix the shutter speed at approx twice the frame rate. However this makes things far too bright in daylight so you put an ND filter on to reduce the light.

ND filters will not prevent blooming if auto exposure settings are still used

Yes you are correct in saying that switching over to manual mode in the exposure settings will prevent blooming; and you’re also right about ND filters not preventing blooming if auto exposure is still used. Gyro108 gave a great description of why you would want to set your shutter speed to twice the frame rate; and he’s right that if motion blur is not an issue, then setting the shutter speed to whichever setting gives you the right exposure is the way to go.

For the most part increasing your shutter speed won’t cause too many issues with the footage, but if you get to the really high numbers then you may start to introduce unwanted “jello like effects” into your footage, or start to see sun shadows coming from the propellers. Again, this is really only an issue when you’re not using any type of ND filter and need to set the shutter speed to a really high number. To avoid this from happening, ND filters are the way to go, and through my own testing I’ve found two viable options for the CGO3+:

The first is the 3 pack of ND filters from Polar Pro

The second is a Variable ND filter from Freewell
(Unfortunately this filter seems to be out of stock online, but if you’re interested it may be available through another distributor)

I’ve bought and used both of these, and they both give you a great overall picture, but they each seem to have their own pros and cons. The Polar Pro filters are great because they’re small, and are basically the same size as the stock lens filter so they don’t alter the weight of the camera too much. The downside, as I’ve found, is that they are a little difficult to swap out when you’re out in the field shooting. Personally I try to avoid changing filters outside since there’s a small chance that dirt or something can get in between the lens (or at the very least a smudged fingerprint). Now the Freewell filter is nice because you can just rotate the dial until you reach your desired exposure (it also gives you more options to really fine-tune the exposure). The problem with this filter is that it’s a fair amount larger than the stock filter, so not only does the weight distribution of the camera change when it’s on, but the protective cover that came with the camera doesn’t quite fit right.

When I was filming for the video I posted, I used both brands of ND filters, but I ended up using the Freewell more often since it was easier to land the Typhoon H and quickly adjust exposure, then get it going again. I’m sure the more I fly with it though, the more I’ll change my filter preferences; but for now, I enjoy using the Freewell so I can fine-tune my exposure and try to keep the ISO at 100 and shutter speed at 1/50 (since I shoot all my footage at 24fps).

 

[Frankie]

Frankie,

Great work and please don't stop! It's wonderful to see someone here with the skills and willingness to help and encourage people to do good work instead of continually denigrating others and their equipment. You have the marks of a true professional and are very appreciated. It's a pleasure to watch your videos.

PatR, thanks so much for your kind words! I’ve really appreciated all the positive feedback I’ve gotten on this post from you and many others! I definitely plan on posting more videos featuring footage from my Typhoon H, it’s just a matter of finding the right subject matter to film. Generally I try to release a new video every month or so, so once I find a location to film and have some free time from my job, I’ll start working on the next one. Again thanks for your comments and support.

 

[Frankie]

That was really nice. I love the movement, how it hides behind the scenes. Colors look over saturated, but I like that look.

Thanks Tecneek. Yeah some of the footage came out pretty good, and I’m looking forward to trying out some slightly different settings/color grading options in future videos.

 

[num1gever]

I’m glad you liked the video! And for getting a good image out of the CGO3+, it’s important to film in the Raw profile (to allow for good color grading later) and to get the right exposure. I use an ND filter to help reduce the shutter speed so the video looks natural, and of course try to shoot in the lowest ISO to reduce video noise.

As far as my editing workflow goes, I use Adobe Premier Pro CC to edit/color grade all my footage and the key thing is to sequence all the effects in a specific order. In Premier Pro I do this by adding different adjustment layers to the footage (each with their own effect) so I can easily keep track of what’s affecting the final image.

[Original Image from CGO3+] (screenshots from Adobe Premier Pro Workspace to follow)

Hi, is there any chance you can share your presets in premiere for the Typhoon H?
I'm having a hard time doing it right.
Thanks!

 

[Brian Mackey]

First I wanted to say that I’m very new to the world of drone piloting, but I do have some experience in cinematography and film editing. So like many of you, I wasn’t exactly pleased with the footage I was getting from my Typhoon H, but after some testing and tweaking of settings I was able to capture some footage that seems to blend pretty well with my Panasonic GH4/Ninja Assassin combo. The data rate from the CGO3+ camera is still pretty low at around 50 mbps, but again it seems to work well with my other camera, which records video at around 450 mbps.

There’s still plenty for me to learn about this camera/drone (and I do plan to upgrade the lens soon, because as the video shows, the stock lens produces some unwanted blur and distortion at the edges), but for now I’m happy with the results and I’m looking forward to using my Typhoon H in upcoming productions I have planned.

Its an artistic feature, not a bug Well done by the way

 

[Twowingers]

First I wanted to say that I’m very new to the world of drone piloting, but I do have some experience in cinematography and film editing. So like many of you, I wasn’t exactly pleased with the footage I was getting from my Typhoon H, but after some testing and tweaking of settings I was able to capture some footage that seems to blend pretty well with my Panasonic GH4/Ninja Assassin combo. The data rate from the CGO3+ camera is still pretty low at around 50 mbps, but again it seems to work well with my other camera, which records video at around 450 mbps.

There’s still plenty for me to learn about this camera/drone (and I do plan to upgrade the lens soon, because as the video shows, the stock lens produces some unwanted blur and distortion at the edges), but for now I’m happy with the results and I’m looking forward to using my Typhoon H in upcoming productions I have planned.

Also me job

 

[Twowingers]

Nice no great job keep up the alsome job

 

[Frankie]

Hi, is there any chance you can share your presets in premiere for the Typhoon H?
I'm having a hard time doing it right.
Thanks!

Hey num1gever, I hope the short walkthrough for color editing I posted here helped guide you in the right direction for grading in premiere pro. But as far as presets go, I unfortunately don’t have a “one size fits all” preset that I use for the Typhoon H footage. Generally speaking all the shots I get from the camera are slightly different from one another (especially if filming at different times of the day), so when I get all the footage in the editor I try to match up everything as best I can. I do try to stick to the same editing workflow as I posted here, but a lot of the time that means drastically changing different settings from clip to clip. If it helps you can zoom in on the screen shots I posted to check out the specific settings I used for the underpass scene, but again these exact settings will most likely not work for another shot since every scene needs to be adjusted individually.

 

[ZenLife]

Absolutely beautiful work! Well done sir!

I’m glad you liked the video! And for getting a good image out of the CGO3+, it’s important to film in the Raw profile (to allow for good color grading later) and to get the right exposure. I use an ND filter to help reduce the shutter speed so the video looks natural, and of course try to shoot in the lowest ISO to reduce video noise.

Question: What ND filter did you use? I have a Polar Pro 3 pack (ND4, ND8 and ND16). I typically use the ND4, but quite honestly I don't see a difference between them at all. I've flown a couple test flights, same shot with each filter and I don't see a difference at all. I must be missing something, but not sure what.

As far as my editing workflow goes, I use Adobe Premier Pro CC to edit/color grade all my footage and the key thing is to sequence all the effects in a specific order. In Premier Pro I do this by adding different adjustment layers to the footage (each with their own effect) so I can easily keep track of what’s affecting the final image.

And thank you for sharing your workflow. I am having issues with color balancing and exposure with the CGO3 and hopefully this will help.