5 SIMPLE Tips for Shooting S-Log3! Sony S-Log3 Exposure Tips for Filmmakers

Shooting in S-Log3 is one of the best ways to get the most out of your Sony camera, whether in terms of image quality, dynamic range, and more.  However, there are a lot of different nuances to shooting log in the PP8 picture profile, and technical gotchas that can make it more of a science than an art.  So what's the simplest way to get the most out of your Sony Alpha camera in shooting S-Log3, and being able to do so in practical, real-world applications?

In this tutorial, I'll cover my top 5 favorite simple tips for how to shoot and expose S-Log3 in Sony Alpha cameras like my a7S III, a7 IV and a7R IV, and several others like the a1, a7C III, a7C R, ZV-E1, and a9 III.  This includes everything from using Gamma Display Assist, all about Exposing to the Right (ETTR), using zebras, knowing your ISOs, and much more.

However, this also covers APS-C models like the Sony a6700, older Sony models (full frame and APS-C) like the a7 III, a7C, a6600, a6400, and more, and can include cinema bodies like the FX30, FX3 etc. using different exposure modes such as Flexible ISO.  By the end of this video, you should have a good idea of what tricks and techniques can help you achieve, well-exposed, noise-free S-Log3 and S-Gamut3.Cine footage!

If you like Sony camera tutorial videos like this, feel free to leave a like and subscribe, and check out the many that exist on my channel!  Do you have any favorite S-Log3 shooting tips and tricks that I didn't cover?  Feel free to leave them or ask any questions in the comments below.

0:00 - Intro, why should you shoot in S-Log?
0:29 - S-Log3 shooting tip #1
2:01 - S-Log3 shooting tip #2
3:45 - S-Log3 shooting tip #3
5:07 - S-Log3 shooting tip #4
6:17  - S-Log3 shooting tip #5
7:12 - Bonus S-Log3 tip #1
7:54 - Bonus S-Log3 tip #2

Sony a7R V Dual ISO Low Light Performance Settings:

Sony a7 IV Dual ISO Low Light Performance Settings:

Sony a7S III, FX3 Dual ISO Low Light Performance Settings:

My COMPLETE Sony a7R V Photo and Video Settings:

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My Current Kit:
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Cameras & Lenses:

Audio:

Lighting:

Tripod/Monopod:

[JoshConnectMedia]

Great show !! Many tutorials out there gets me more confused than ever after watching … but yours, boom !!! Straight up !! Thank you !!

[Studios]

Its nice that noise floor is mentioned. Just to add exposure tips: For outdoor exposure, you dont need to overexpose because you your image wont live on the noise floor, which is at around 10IRE before rec709 conversion. So you just need to expose your subject at 41 IRE. Just like with the tip on preventing the clipping of highlights, you just need to set Zebra at 41 but instead use the standard range +-1 option. To be sure you can set it at 42. This is another tip, but you need a Variable ND Filter to use this tip. This may seem counter-intuitive, but for outdoors, its actually better to use your 2nd native ISO as it actually holds more dynamic range on the highlights. Unfortunately you need to use ND filter because obviously the highlights will be clipped with no ND filter on. Conversely, its better to use the lower native ISO on indoors as the lower native ISO actually holds better dynamic range on the shadows. The downside with that is you will need to bring more lights. Also FYI: raising ISO does not actually raise exposure. The camera sensor wont actually receive more light, rather it digitally amplifies the light that it received, does raising the noise floor. Raising ISO should only be the last resort, such as shooting in an event or run n gun shoot that the schedule is so compact that you wont have time to setup lights. For shoots that you can setup lights, you should use native ISO, and again, at least expose your subject at 41 IRE and 51 IRE for subjects with lighter skin tones. You would greatly benefit with the overexposure tips in indoors since its more than likely that your image will sit on the noise floor, but always remember that you should raise your exposure through bumping up your aperture, or by adding in more light. Upping ISO should only be the last resort.

[NeilFarrimond]

Great tutorial and thank you for the simple workflow. Merry Christmas!

[RandumbTech]

Great tips! The only thing I would challenge you on is the ISO's. For static shots, you'll definitely want to optimize for one of the base ISO's. But when in a dynamic lighting environment (run and gun, passing clouds), I've found it's easier to keep it in Auto ISO and have a consistent exposure compensation of +1.3 dialed in. Sony does a great job with AE so you don't get big jumps like you find with other brands (lookin' right at you Fuji!). It's very difficult to even out exposure in post.

I use CineMatch for R709 conversion. It has some great tools built-in to get perfect exposure for skin tones and/or grey card. Plus if you are shooting with multiple camera brands, you convert it all to SLOG3 and get near perfect match colors.

[Nypics]

The 94% zebra is ONLY valid if you are viewing the raw S-Log3 image- once you apply a LUT your zebras should be set to 99 or 100% - and still you will likely have image data to recover at the very extremes (assuming you just went over the 100%). Ideally the Zebras should be applied by the camera before the LUT -and then the 94% would be correct - but the FX30 applies the LUT first before the zebras. Confusing I know!

[בגושמילר]

Thank you very much, you helped me a lot, this is the best video

[NINETY--SEVEN]

would love to see a video on slog 3 for darker area's such as interiors or night time/low light. my video's always look way too dark or noisy no matter what I do D:

Great video nonetheless! definitely gonna try these out! :D

[richardallan]

Hi Andrew. Merry Christmas. I am a new subscriber. I have just bought a Sony a7R 5. I am primarily a photographer but looking to start doing a bit more video. Looking forward to learning lots from your channel.

[TheTheAaronis]

There is a topic that I have not been able to find on YT about Slog-3 and I see that when you go to the Slog settings, in the "detail" part it has a value of -7. Would the image quality improve if I set a value close to 0? like -2 or -3?

[BackpackingVideos]

Great, succint video! Just curious, what ND filter are you using for these shots in this video?

[mg-pictures]

Multimeter max +2 is a commonly repeated myth. Zebra + histogram are much better in camera exposure tools. It all depends of lighting conditions. I often shoot with mm +2 blinking which doesn't mean image is overexposed.

[itsmirakill]

My Sony FX3 is on the latest firmware update 5.0 and I don’t have PP8, any tips on how to
get it?

[chromiqa]

can you please show how to get that pleasant greenish skin tone in your videos with models?

[JeffreyJDavis]

Thanks - Solid video bringing in a lot of different aspects to consider. Just subscribed. Just to be clear, do you recommend leaving the ISO LOCKED on either the higher or lower base ISO and using aperture as the only real level for exposure control. i.e. (shooting 4k / 60fps using PPT9 on my A1) shutter locked at 1/125, ISO locked at either 800 or 4000 and using aperture or aperture + ND to nail exposure?. I have been aware of the base ISO's but haven't been locking down on them, often shooting at 200 etc if the light allowed.

[pierrienevoldsen]

Thanks a lot! I now also have the A7r V (before I had GH5) but it seems like when in PP8 my zebras only give me signals when set to 80 or less? Not 90 and above? What am I missing? Thanks for a great tutorial

[schusterlugka]

hi, i have Soyn a7 IV, wanna shot Slog3. need Advise. the question is which Zebra setting would be best for face and rest ( 94+ probably?) and which freeluts .. thx

[taylorsol]

Great! where can i access the luts you used in this film?

[adrielfotsography]

great video,
Please where can we get these your conversion luts

[sbozinovic]

Hi, thanks for the video... One thing, though... I don't get what are you overexposing for 2 stops? I mean, that multimeter measures overall brightness of the image, so what is overexposed, especially when you talk about 94% zebras with rec709 (gamma assist) turned on, which isn't overexposed... Maybe a tad under, since I like my whites around 96%.

[avishrivas]

I am using Sony A7 IV, when I set SLOG to 3 in my camera the exposure does not become 2 + unless I set the ISO to auto in my camera, can you tell me the settings that how should I set my camera so that I can use slog better