Just got my Z6iii recently and have been searching YT for some practical help to dive into N-Log and color grading etc. As a seasoned, but for some time now dormant wedding and event photographer I realize that there seems to be more demand for hybrid photography and so it would make more sense to be versed on doing both video and photography if one is to remain competitive or have an edge in gaining clients. Anyway I am saying this to commend Josh for so simply demonstrating how to set up my camera to film and later grade in Resolve. I know that there is a lot to learn and just like stills and learning Raw some time ago, we can only get better when we practise and learn the various video lingo. Thanks much Josh. You have definitely helped me to kick start my filmic journey towards hybrid photography! Great tutorial.
The Video Assist works fine. Same with the Nikon LUT. They convert the N-log image to an SDR image shot with SAME SETTINGS! That's important. The N-LOG curve makes the exposure much brighter than SDR. That's why your "base" iso changes to 800. It's still the good old 100, but the N-log curve brightens the shadows so much the noise levels and the overall luminance of the frame "looks" as if it was shot in SDR with ISO 800 - I think the new ISO scale is just an ease of use UI feature. If you actually shoot SDR with ISO 800, and then switch N-LOG (notice that the iso doesn't change automatically to 6400 - it stays at 800) and shoot again - same settings, same iso. Now if you apply Video Assist or the Nikon LUT, your N-LOG footage will look almost perfectly same as the SDR shot with ISO800. Now does all that info help you with exposure? I don't know ;)
Great tutorial. One comment, I'm not afraid to clip a little, it's a natural part of the scene in some cases (sun, lamp, even clear sky). Just add halation in post to take out the hard edges on the light, or some sort of a mist filter when you shoot. Also, Nikon, bring us false colors please...
The view assist! Bloody hell, good pickup, this explains so much, so annoying though. I wonder if the other Nikons have this issue or if it’s a ZF thing.
Nikon needs to release an NLOG 2 and NLOG 3, taking account the Z6 III and Z8's sensor/pixel size because the current NLOG is one of the worst performers when comparing to SLOG, VLOG, and CLOG. Nikon's Flat Profile is almost more useful in retaining colors and quality vs NLOG.
A couple tips that would come in handy: If you want more precise control of the framerate, to get your shutter closer to 48 instead of 50, you can toggle on "High frequency flicker reduction" in the video menu. If you would like to use the large waveform more effectively, option g18 in the video section under the custom settings menu will let you customize multiple display screen layouts, that way you can press the display button to toggle the large waveform.
Thanks. You can see my color grading process in FCP in these videos for Clog3 and Slog3. It would be very similar: ua-cam.com/video/JCDaz1Ewirg/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/Z4Ic19eP36Y/v-deo.html
I record ProRes HQ with an Atomos Ninja V and a Deity Duo mic on Zf. Files are definitely bigger to deal with. You do get much more information to work with. It is quite a few things to juggle around, so it's definitely not for everyone.
Great video! Can you please elaborate on the base ISO concept? Why is the base ISO of Z cameras 800? Intuitively, I would use 100 or 200 if light is sufficient. Thank you so much in advance.
Thanks! The base ISO is determined by the manufacturer to give the most dynamic range and the best balance of highlights and shadows. For NLOG, the lower base ISO is 800.
Hey Josh thank you for making this video. View assist, wow it is so far off. Itd be nice if we could just load a lut on the camera. Maybe its a trick nikon will pickup from RED and add it down the road. For the hand grading in Davinci... I'm not a pro at grading but have watched Qazi quite a bit. Is it better to grade before the cst node? From my understanding you maximize the files editing latitude if you make your adjustments before transforming to Rec 709. I could also be horribly wrong about that, and do apologize if thats the case. Take care!
You're welcome. There are many ways to grade footage. In this video I used the CST to convert the color space (gamut) from Rec 2020 to Rec 709. I was still working in the same gamma (Nikon N-Log). So I was still grading log footage, just in a different color space. This is different from most "Rec 709 conversion LUTs" where they add contrast and saturation. It is confusing because Rec 709 can be the gamma and gamut.
Do you HAVE to shoot at 800 or 4000 in log? If you're in a run and gun situation with constantly changing light and no nd filter, can you use something like 100 or 400? Will the footage be ruined?
You definitely don't have to shoot at those ISOs. Those are the base ISOs and they will give you the best noise and dynamic range performance for most situations. Lowering the ISO below the base ISO when it is really bright will technically lower the exposure that you record but it is actually going to give you less highlight information. It's kind of counterintuitive. Check out this video to learn more: ua-cam.com/video/AWzqLE64TzI/v-deo.html Also, you should definitely try and get in the habit of using a ND filter when you are in bright situations.
Thanks! You can shoot below ISO 800 but you will be shifting some of the dynamic range to the shadows and also lowering the total amount of dynamic range. Base ISOs in cameras are to be the sweet spot of dynamic range and noise performance.
Hello Josh , thanks for this interesting review ! may i ask your advice on the best setting in videographing birds in low lights like owls ( i have z6ii and moving soon to z6iii), i usually use auto , as i dont know much about videography , any suggestions ? i am usually either on tripods and something panning in day light. thanks again
I have a question, I did some testing and I saw that by exposing correctly by shooting in n-log there is a lot of noise while if I overexpose (without burning the highlights) the noise is extremely less. But at this point what's the point of view assist? if I overexpose to avoid noise from the view assist I see everything overexposed thus making it useless. What's the point of making a view assist that only works by exposing incorrectly?
The video at 10:55 looks better than the Canon have to say. More overall pleasing what’s your thoughts. Btw I am cameraless sold all my gear. So not a fan boy
I really don't know what's going on with the view assist there, but it's spot on for me and always has been. What comes out of the camera after N-LOG conversion in Davinci is exactly what was displayed on the camera's screen and viewfinder before. I re-tested this watching your video just now and I'm holding my camera screen next to my grading screen with the same footage open in davinci (using colour management N-LOG to Davinci Intermediate to Rec 709). Is it possible this has to do with "adjust for ease of viewing" setting which doesn't reflect your camera's settings but is supposed to make the image visible whatever your settings are? EDIT: I think it's option d9 (sorry, not yet used to Nikon lingo).
Short answer is yes, iso 800 and 4000 are the two base ISO for video, Nikon does not state as it but multiple video users on Z9/Z8 have found it to be so, including this channels video on the Z8. For context as a heavy video shooter with the Z8 I shoot at iso 800 and 4000 exclusively to give me the cleanest files and use ND/lights to get proper exposure. Many other shooters from other brands ie Sony Canon etc do the same process and shoot at the cameras cleanest video iso setting aka the dual ones. So if I need more light I jump straight to iso 4000 from 800. Hope that helps and there is more info about it on UA-cam and DP Review for the Nikon Z9/Z8 video capabilities.
Silly question but why are you pushing the exposure as high as possible without clipping, rather than just backing off the exposure a bit to get it closer to correct right out of the camera? I have heard to push the exposure a bit higher for nlog bc it handles being darkened better than bringing up the exposure. Thanks man, great video!
You're welcome. In general when you are shooting a scene with high dynamic range (like I show with the outside example) you want to capture as much dynamic range as possible. If you have the exposure as high as possible without clipping then you are raising the shadows as much as you can. This will give you as much information in the shadows as possible without losing highlights. If you expose lower than that then you will lose more information in the shadows. If the shadow information is more important than the highlights you can expose higher and clip the highlights. The decision is yours.
@@Josh_Sattin I just tried activating it by checking the histogram box on the settings, but going back to video mode, I still don't see it there. I tried all the display choices. Any idea what could be the issue? Thanks, btw. Edit: i found it, it's ok "g" settings. Thanks again!
@@carlosandreviana9448 Outside I set my camera to the desired aperture and adjust the exposure with a variable ND filter. If it is still too dark with the least amount of ND then I remove the ND filter. Inside I generally don't use a ND filter (but there are some times it is needed), I set the exposure with aperture and/or lighting.
@@Vladi_mir_M If you have removed your ND filters, have the fastest aperture set and can't add any more light and you are still underexposed, then yes, I will bump up to the second base ISO.
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Just got my Z6iii recently and have been searching YT for some practical help to dive into N-Log and color grading etc. As a seasoned, but for some time now dormant wedding and event photographer I realize that there seems to be more demand for hybrid photography and so it would make more sense to be versed on doing both video and photography if one is to remain competitive or have an edge in gaining clients.
Anyway I am saying this to commend Josh for so simply demonstrating how to set up my camera to film and later grade in Resolve. I know that there is a lot to learn and just like stills and learning Raw some time ago, we can only get better when we practise and learn the various video lingo. Thanks much Josh. You have definitely helped me to kick start my filmic journey towards hybrid photography! Great tutorial.
You are very welcome. So glad this was helpful for you as you get into this stuff. Thanks for watching!
The Video Assist works fine. Same with the Nikon LUT. They convert the N-log image to an SDR image shot with SAME SETTINGS! That's important. The N-LOG curve makes the exposure much brighter than SDR. That's why your "base" iso changes to 800. It's still the good old 100, but the N-log curve brightens the shadows so much the noise levels and the overall luminance of the frame "looks" as if it was shot in SDR with ISO 800 - I think the new ISO scale is just an ease of use UI feature. If you actually shoot SDR with ISO 800, and then switch N-LOG (notice that the iso doesn't change automatically to 6400 - it stays at 800) and shoot again - same settings, same iso. Now if you apply Video Assist or the Nikon LUT, your N-LOG footage will look almost perfectly same as the SDR shot with ISO800. Now does all that info help you with exposure? I don't know ;)
Great tutorial. One comment, I'm not afraid to clip a little, it's a natural part of the scene in some cases (sun, lamp, even clear sky). Just add halation in post to take out the hard edges on the light, or some sort of a mist filter when you shoot. Also, Nikon, bring us false colors please...
False color would be a great addition.
The view assist! Bloody hell, good pickup, this explains so much, so annoying though. I wonder if the other Nikons have this issue or if it’s a ZF thing.
Yeah the view assist is not good. Thanks for stopping by Mark!
It's on all Nikons, it just turns on Nikon n-log lut, and as we see it's very bright and too saturated, nobody uses it.
Nikon needs a video friendly on screen display, currently it looks too crowded.
Nikon needs to release an NLOG 2 and NLOG 3, taking account the Z6 III and Z8's sensor/pixel size because the current NLOG is one of the worst performers when comparing to SLOG, VLOG, and CLOG. Nikon's Flat Profile is almost more useful in retaining colors and quality vs NLOG.
A couple tips that would come in handy: If you want more precise control of the framerate, to get your shutter closer to 48 instead of 50, you can toggle on "High frequency flicker reduction" in the video menu. If you would like to use the large waveform more effectively, option g18 in the video section under the custom settings menu will let you customize multiple display screen layouts, that way you can press the display button to toggle the large waveform.
Great Video. please make a video showing how to color grade N-log from start to finish. It would be a great help, Thanks!
Thanks. You can see my color grading process in FCP in these videos for Clog3 and Slog3. It would be very similar:
ua-cam.com/video/JCDaz1Ewirg/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/Z4Ic19eP36Y/v-deo.html
I record ProRes HQ with an Atomos Ninja V and a Deity Duo mic on Zf. Files are definitely bigger to deal with. You do get much more information to work with. It is quite a few things to juggle around, so it's definitely not for everyone.
The video I've been looking for since getting the Z9. Much appreciated.
You are very welcome. Glad the video was helpful for you. Thanks for watching!
Loved the video - looking to improve my videography with the Z9 - you picked up a new sub. Thanks!
You are very welcome. Thanks for the support!
Great video! Can you please elaborate on the base ISO concept? Why is the base ISO of Z cameras 800? Intuitively, I would use 100 or 200 if light is sufficient. Thank you so much in advance.
Thanks! The base ISO is determined by the manufacturer to give the most dynamic range and the best balance of highlights and shadows. For NLOG, the lower base ISO is 800.
@@Josh_Sattin is there a high base iso for the Z8 in Nlog?
Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!
You are very welcome. Thanks for watching!
Hey Josh thank you for making this video. View assist, wow it is so far off. Itd be nice if we could just load a lut on the camera. Maybe its a trick nikon will pickup from RED and add it down the road.
For the hand grading in Davinci... I'm not a pro at grading but have watched Qazi quite a bit. Is it better to grade before the cst node? From my understanding you maximize the files editing latitude if you make your adjustments before transforming to Rec 709.
I could also be horribly wrong about that, and do apologize if thats the case.
Take care!
You're welcome. There are many ways to grade footage. In this video I used the CST to convert the color space (gamut) from Rec 2020 to Rec 709. I was still working in the same gamma (Nikon N-Log). So I was still grading log footage, just in a different color space. This is different from most "Rec 709 conversion LUTs" where they add contrast and saturation. It is confusing because Rec 709 can be the gamma and gamut.
@@Josh_Sattin makes perfect sense. Thanks 🙏
You're welcome! Thanks for the question and for watching!
Do you HAVE to shoot at 800 or 4000 in log? If you're in a run and gun situation with constantly changing light and no nd filter, can you use something like 100 or 400? Will the footage be ruined?
You definitely don't have to shoot at those ISOs. Those are the base ISOs and they will give you the best noise and dynamic range performance for most situations. Lowering the ISO below the base ISO when it is really bright will technically lower the exposure that you record but it is actually going to give you less highlight information. It's kind of counterintuitive. Check out this video to learn more: ua-cam.com/video/AWzqLE64TzI/v-deo.html
Also, you should definitely try and get in the habit of using a ND filter when you are in bright situations.
Great video Josh. Just got my own Z8 and wondering if you can explain again why ISO 800 and not lower. Thanks
Thanks! You can shoot below ISO 800 but you will be shifting some of the dynamic range to the shadows and also lowering the total amount of dynamic range. Base ISOs in cameras are to be the sweet spot of dynamic range and noise performance.
@@Josh_Sattin Excellent tip, thanks very much!
Hello Josh , thanks for this interesting review ! may i ask your advice on the best setting in videographing birds in low lights like owls ( i have z6ii and moving soon to z6iii), i usually use auto , as i dont know much about videography , any suggestions ? i am usually either on tripods and something panning in day light. thanks again
Great videos, you are the best :) very helpful. Video for Nikon users about video making, woohoo!
Glad the video was helpful for you. Thanks for watching!
I have a question, I did some testing and I saw that by exposing correctly by shooting in n-log there is a lot of noise while if I overexpose (without burning the highlights) the noise is extremely less. But at this point what's the point of view assist? if I overexpose to avoid noise from the view assist I see everything overexposed thus making it useless. What's the point of making a view assist that only works by exposing incorrectly?
The video at 10:55 looks better than the Canon have to say. More overall pleasing what’s your thoughts. Btw I am cameraless sold all my gear. So not a fan boy
Really great video Josh ! Thanks for Nikon users !
You are very welcome. Thanks for watching!
1st 🥸
dang! beat me
I really don't know what's going on with the view assist there, but it's spot on for me and always has been. What comes out of the camera after N-LOG conversion in Davinci is exactly what was displayed on the camera's screen and viewfinder before. I re-tested this watching your video just now and I'm holding my camera screen next to my grading screen with the same footage open in davinci (using colour management N-LOG to Davinci Intermediate to Rec 709). Is it possible this has to do with "adjust for ease of viewing" setting which doesn't reflect your camera's settings but is supposed to make the image visible whatever your settings are? EDIT: I think it's option d9 (sorry, not yet used to Nikon lingo).
On the Nikon Z8 it looks like ISO cleans up again at 4000, at least to my eyes. Is that a dual base ISO of 800 and 4000? No clue.
I don't think Nikon formally lists it as having a dual base ISO, but check out this video: ua-cam.com/video/2xt6wocHJRk/v-deo.html
Maybe noise reduction is ISO dependant
If you watch the video, this shows up in raw, where there isn't noise reduction.
ua-cam.com/video/2xt6wocHJRk/v-deo.html
Short answer is yes, iso 800 and 4000 are the two base ISO for video, Nikon does not state as it but multiple video users on Z9/Z8 have found it to be so, including this channels video on the Z8. For context as a heavy video shooter with the Z8 I shoot at iso 800 and 4000 exclusively to give me the cleanest files and use ND/lights to get proper exposure. Many other shooters from other brands ie Sony Canon etc do the same process and shoot at the cameras cleanest video iso setting aka the dual ones. So if I need more light I jump straight to iso 4000 from 800. Hope that helps and there is more info about it on UA-cam and DP Review for the Nikon Z9/Z8 video capabilities.
@@nicolascarle8210oh man thank you for this helpful information!
Instead of a variable ND could the same result be obtained using exposure compensation. Thanks for your time.
That is not the same whatsover. You are using shutter speed, ISO and aperture to control the exposure. It will not give you the exact same results.
Silly question but why are you pushing the exposure as high as possible without clipping, rather than just backing off the exposure a bit to get it closer to correct right out of the camera? I have heard to push the exposure a bit higher for nlog bc it handles being darkened better than bringing up the exposure. Thanks man, great video!
You're welcome. In general when you are shooting a scene with high dynamic range (like I show with the outside example) you want to capture as much dynamic range as possible. If you have the exposure as high as possible without clipping then you are raising the shadows as much as you can. This will give you as much information in the shadows as possible without losing highlights. If you expose lower than that then you will lose more information in the shadows. If the shadow information is more important than the highlights you can expose higher and clip the highlights. The decision is yours.
Thanks Josh. You are the best.
You are too kind. Thanks for watching!
Great video
Thanks so much!
hi! i would like to see how you color grade for Prores raw and N-log in Final cut a video please if you have time to make one! thx
You can see my color grading process in FCP in these videos:
ua-cam.com/video/JCDaz1Ewirg/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/Z4Ic19eP36Y/v-deo.html
How do you activate the histogram on video mode on the Z6III?
Menu -> Shooting/display -> d19 Custom monitor shooting display -> (choose which display, ex: Display 1) -> right arrow (set) -> select histogram
@@Josh_Sattin I just tried activating it by checking the histogram box on the settings, but going back to video mode, I still don't see it there. I tried all the display choices. Any idea what could be the issue? Thanks, btw.
Edit: i found it, it's ok "g" settings. Thanks again!
Is it advisable to use auto ISO while shooting N-LOG
No. I would stick to the base ISO and expose using aperture, ND and lighting.
@@Josh_Sattinwhat do you then with sudden changes in light during a shoot like moving from bright sunlight to shade or interior?
@@carlosandreviana9448 Outside I set my camera to the desired aperture and adjust the exposure with a variable ND filter. If it is still too dark with the least amount of ND then I remove the ND filter. Inside I generally don't use a ND filter (but there are some times it is needed), I set the exposure with aperture and/or lighting.
@@Josh_Sattinwhat about second base iso for example 4000 in z8 or 6400 in z6iii should we use it filming n-log in dark environments?
@@Vladi_mir_M If you have removed your ND filters, have the fastest aperture set and can't add any more light and you are still underexposed, then yes, I will bump up to the second base ISO.
Why do you use ISO 800 outside?
That's the base ISO of NLOG. It will give you the best balance of highlights and shadows.
@@Josh_Sattin Thank you your reply, Josh! So, there are different base ISOs for stills and video? Thought that it was a property of the hardware.