The new Sony PXW-X200 is externally very similar to the old PMW-200, but under the hood it is a very different camera. For a start it has new and much improved sensors and processing. That combined with 10 bit 422 XAVC means that there is a noticeable improvement in image quality, in particular noise levels. As a result the pictures from the X200 actually grade really well.
However for the best results when grading or for general purpose shooting I feel you can benefit from a few simple changes to the cameras picture profiles. Out of the factory the camera uses Rec-709 gamma with a knee. This gives a reasonable picture but the highlights can look rather crushed with some neon colours. I feel that the X200 really benefits from the use of a Hypergamma gamma curve. Below are some settings that you can change in the Picture Profiles for better image quality, change ONLY the settings listed:
General Purpose Profile for day to day shooting (NOT Broadcast Safe, 109% peak white):
Gamma: HG3, Black Gamma -40, Black Level -3.
White Clip: OFF
Matrix: ON, Select 1, Level +10, Phase -4, R-G +8, R-B +6, G-R -10, G-B -8, B-R -5, B-G -12.
HD Detail: Level -10, Frequency +15
Aperture Level +25
Recommend setting zebras 5% lower than you would normally.
General Purpose Profile for day to day shooting (Broadcast Safe, 100% peak white):
Gamma: HG1, Black Gamma -40, Black Level -3.
Matrix: ON, Select 1, Level +10, Phase -4, R-G +8, R-B +6, G-R -10, G-B -8, B-R -5, B-G -12.
HD Detail: Level -10, Frequency +15
Aperture Level +25
Recommend setting zebras 4% lower than you would normally.
Profile for high dynamic range shots, suitable for grading.
Gamma: HG4, Black Level -3.
White Clip: OFF
Matrix: ON, Select 1, Level +2, Phase -4, R-G +8, R-B +6, G-R -10, G-B -8, B-R -5, B-G -12.
HD Detail: Level -12, Frequency +15
Aperture Level +15
Recommend setting zebras 6% lower than you would normally.
Profile for night shooting where low light performance is critical and noise may be an issue.
Gamma: STD5, Black Level -3. Black Gamma +25
Matrix: ON, Select 1, Level +2, Phase -4, R-G +8, R-B +6, G-R -10, G-B -8, B-R -5, B-G -12.
HD Detail: Level -15, Frequency +15
Crispening +40
Low Key Sat -30
Thank you very much!
I just tested with the stanard picture profile settings and was very disapointed! I couldn´t match the image with my EX 1 footage.
The whole image got a yellow tint and fancy colors – very unnatural… – I wasn´t able to grade a natural image at all.
Will the settings above match better with good old EX 1? The great camera with adjustable handle, no fan, a great non reflecting monitor and a picture that looks natural… – …all the stuff X 200 doesn´t offer out of the box…
Thank you Chris
I don’t know why it doesn’t work for you. I find the pictures from the X200 far superior to the EX1. The fan is needed to cool the extra processing needed for the 10bit XAVC codec.
Hey there. Profiles look nice, may I ask why you use the 1st Matrix mode or SMPTE. To me it look a little to saturated in the red department. 2nd one or Rec 709 looks more natural
The SMPTE matrix complies with broadcast specs and also provided the look that I wanted. You can use a different one if you prefer.
Hello
I have a pxw x 160 how to adjust the black gamma It’s not highlighted in camera menu please help me thank you
Just watched your excellent and informative talk that you gave at Vocas on the FS5 and learnt so much about the gamma curves etc. I have a X200 and have used your suggested setting above and they seem to work great. One question I do have for the low light setting is that you use the STD5 setting for gamma. However looking at the gamma curve on your S-Log info page the HyperGamma 3 setting appears to give a higher output for the lower input…albeit ever so slightly. Is there a reason why you suggest the STD5 gamma setting? Many thanks for any ‘light’ ( 😉 ) you can shed on it.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
No, 709 gives the brightest output.
Hi, I’m thinking about to buy the PMW-300 or the PXW-X200. Which one is more sensitive, at the same gain, and which one is most clean in terms of noise?
Thanks!
The X200 is marginally better in low light as it has slightly better noise reduction. However the difference is very small.
Hello
I have a pxw x 160 how to adjust the black gamma It’s not highlighted in camera menu please help me thank you
What gamma curve are you using? Been a while since I’ve used a PXW-X160 but it might be that you need to choose a different gamma curve.
Does anyone know where to find some good picture settings for an X160?
As default it seems a bit “filmic”, soft and red.
X200 and X180 settings should work.
Kind of… except the X160 doesnt offer the Hyper Gamma curve, or HG1, so I dont know how much use all the Matrix settings are in Rec-709. (no picture profiles either)
will these profiles work on a PMW-200?
Similar but not perfect. Try them and see, won’t do any harm.
Hi ALISTER , can you help me by telling me how to do live streaming using PXW X200, step by step, from start to finish.
I am getting errors on my Sony PXW X200, its E-15030 and E-31002
this appears on the camera LCD during recording and it freezes the camera.
Could you please assist if possible
Hi,
Coming a little late to this wonderful website, many thanks, I must say that I need to make peace with this camera. I used a Canon XF300 for shooting an independent documentary and when I had to change it, after a long and detailed study of the market, I chose the PXW200. The disappointment has been big. I do not see a better image at the end of the road… not even slightly. I do not like the colours, I do not find the definition that good, hate the depth of field focus display, I think the ND filters give a very poor foggy result… I even wonder if the back focus is not accurate, so much I feel that my landscape images just look blurry.
So I will definitely start by trying some of your suggestions in the Picture Profile…
Thanks so much.
Any comment about the issues above… to help mi with additional peace and eventually liking this camera… will be gladly appreciated.
If the pictures are not sharp and the ND’s making it blurry you may have a fault. Have you set the back focus?