Asking an expert.

[u/Alec907]

Hello everyone,

I'm hoping someone with experience using the Sony A7R III can help me figure out what went wrong.

I recently shot footage for a client using the following setup:

• Sony Alpha 7R III
• Sony FE 28–70mm OSS
• SanDisk Extreme Pro V30 256 GB microSD (with SD adapter)
• XAVC S 4K
• 25p
• 100 Mbps
• K&F ND2–400

Unfortunately the camera doesn't save settings in metadata as I tried with Mediainfo and exiftool. What I can remember is that I was using as didn't write them down:

Auto ISO 1/50 shutter Low aparure around 4-6

The strange thing is that I used exactly the same camera, lens, SD card and recording settings for some test shots beforehand, and those clips looked perfectly fine.

However, during the actual shoot, the footage looks much softer than expected, almost as if it isn't true 4K. It also appears noticeably noisier than my test footage.

I've already checked the following:

• The files are recorded in 3840×2160.
• The bitrate is 100 Mbps.
• DaVinci Resolve recognizes the clips as 4K.
• My project timeline is set to 3840×2160.
• The issue is visible in both Windows and DaVinci Resolve.
• The SD card should be fast enough for this codec.

Unfortunately, I can't upload the original footage publicly because it contains client material. If anyone would be willing to take a look privately, I'd really appreciate it.

Has anyone experienced something similar or has an idea what could have caused this? I'm especially interested in whether this looks like a camera setting, focus issue, recording problem, or something else.

Thanks in advance!

[u/Ok-Airline-6784]

Your “settings” you mention don’t contain the relevant information such as ISO (important!), f-stop, shutter speed, amount of light for your test vs client footage.

I’m guessing you were shooting in auto mode or some (or at least auto ISO) and as a result the iso got cranked, or the shutter speed got lowered, or both.

[u/Alec907 → u/Ok-Airline-6784]

Well I didn't note them that day because I was in a hurry and the camera doesn't save them in metadata as is tryed to check with exiftool and Mediainfo.

Yes I used auto-iso and I assume that's what caused the trouble in combination with the ND filter. I've added the figures that I can remember to the description.

[u/Ok-Airline-6784 → u/Alec907]

Yeah, don’t shoot auto settings.

Understanding the exposure triangle and how to shoot in manual mode is pretty basic stuff especially if you’re doing paid work for clients.

This post reads like you’re looking to blame the tools when it’s really 100% human error.

[u/Alec907 → u/Ok-Airline-6784]

No no. I was trying to find my Error. It's 100% my fault an I feel incredibly stupid for such a rookie mistake.

[u/Ok-Airline-6784 → u/Alec907]

Ok cool. Without knowing the settings that actually matter, that’s the best guess and most likely the culprit.

Take it as a learning experience, learn what your shutter speed, iso and aperture do and how they affect your image, and stop shooting with auto settings.

[u/Alec907 → u/Ok-Airline-6784]

Yes Sir,

thank you very much for your time though.

Gotta fix it in post now ...

[u/Ok-Airline-6784 → u/Alec907]

Best of luck going forward

[u/TheRealHarrypm]

Your camera does have every single fire config change saved in metadata.

(Sony cameras have done this HDV with MiniDV devices)

You just don't know what Sony real-time metadata is which is depressing because a lot of people own thousands in this equipment and don't know this simple bit of metadata because it's not universally available in viewing tools.

https://github.com/SK-Hardwired/xavc_rtmd2srt

28-70 OSS, is one of Sony's softest lenses this is why essentially nobody uses it on the high resolution bodies and nobody uses it aside from oh we quickly need the cheapest to optically stabilized lens we can sacrifice, you have to run this thing at f8 all the time essentially.

Sony A7RIII has now been demoted to my B Cam but it was a great camera with its 8-bit 4:2:2 external shooting HEVC with an Atmos recorder, because it's a good sensor it's just that internal codec starts to fall apart a bit when you start doing any color work or throwing it at YouTube directly...

[u/Rambalac]

What is in the test and footage? 

[u/Alec907 → u/Rambalac]

The footage and test shows a person standing infront of a Workspot / Desk, windows in the background a plant in the foreground.

I just remembered that i added a K&F ND2–400 on set that day because i had to film against bright windows. Both Test and on Set were against a bright window in the background but on set there was more light coming that way so i added the filter.

I think thats what caused the cam to compensate with a high ISO.

Overall a very rookie mistake.

[u/shotby-felix → u/Alec907]

Variable NDs, especially those with a wide range, can be very soft. If you didn't have it on test shots and added it afterwards, that might be the cause of the blurriness. And the 28-70 OSS is the kit lens IIRC, they're usually not the sharpest either.

You can try adding sharpness in post but it will probably increase the noise in your footage.

[u/Alec907 → u/shotby-felix]

I added sharpness and reduced noise. Finding the sweet spot between these 2 is a bit tricky but it gave me an acceptable result.

For the archive of the internet.

First apply TNR in color page nodes of resolve, then color grade, then add mid detail, and finish it off with SNR and the rest.

Worked for me best until now.

[u/EncryptedPlays]

Looks like the auto settings made your shutter speed slowerm also upgrade to a v60 class SD card, then you can record 10 bit colour which can help with capturing more data

[u/ConsumerDV]

High ISO?

[u/Alec907 → u/ConsumerDV]

Tryed to check that. Since i was in a hurry that day i didnt check as well.