Sony Camera Picture Profiles and Dynamic Range Guide

If you are unsure of what Sony picture profile is the best one for your next video shoot, then you should check out this article and video. You may just be in for a surprise.

In this video, Gerald Undone walks you through the different Sony picture profiles and reveals how much dynamic range each one has available. He also dispels some myths about over-exposing your Sony S-log footage to reduce your video noise levels.

Your goal when shooting video is to capture as much dynamic range as possible as well as having a low noise floor. In this video, Gerald compares Sony’s Cine 2, Cine 4, Slog, and HLG picture profiles and gives you a recommendation on which one he thinks is the best choice for your next video.

You may also want to consider whether or not it is worth it to shoot in S-log since 8-bit footage is a little less forgiving when it comes to heavy color grading in postproduction compared to 10-bit video. Sony 8-bit footage can reveal some artifacts if you try to push the footage too far in post.

Check out Gerald's video and then do some testing of your own and see which combination you prefer for your particular shooting style. When it comes to which color profile to use with each gamma curve that is a little more subjective. You may want to try the Cinema Color with the Cine profiles and the BT 2020 with the HLG profile for starters. 

This video is well worth your time if you are a Sony video shooter and it will help you to have a clearer understanding of the unique differences of each of the Sony picture profiles. In the video Gerald also dispels some myths about playing with your cameras knee levels and other settings.

Let me know in the comments section below, which one is your favorite Sony picture profile and why?

Craig Beckta's picture

Craig Beckta is a portrait and fashion photographer based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Craig currently has over 160 photography and videography tutorials on YouTube.

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