Customizing your camera with build 3.2.x

[Trent Lillehaugen]

Build 3.2.x includes revamped PRESET and KEY MAPPING features. Some of the highlights are:
- More granular control over what properties go into a preset.
- New "Apply Preset: XXX" key action.
- New "Apply Look: XXX: key action.
- New "Show Dialog: XXX" key action.
- New Key Mapping "Wizard" Dialog that allows quick remapping of keys.

Combined, these features offer a powerful new way to customize the behavior of your camera.

The simplest example is to assign a specific ISO setting (or almost any other camera setting) to a button.

1. Set the ISO to the desired value (say 1000)
2. Create a preset named "ISO 1000" with just the ISO parameter included in the preset
3. Assign the action "Apply Preset: ISO 1000" to any key

By browsing through the available preset parameters, you see how easy it is to make "hot keys" bring up almost any camera setting or combination of settings

Examples:
Create a Modifier Key
Map a Key to Toggle or Cycle Through Different Settings
Bring up Dialog with Key Press

User Examples:
Map a Key to Cycle Through Exposure Check/Video Check/Off
Map a Key to Cycle Through Focus/Edge/Off
Use Motion/Stills Switch to Change Between Default Motion/Stills Settings

[Trent Lillehaugen]

Create a Modifier Key

Goal
Allow the Side Handle front rotary to control different parameters based on which modifier key is pressed (similar to how many DSLRs function)
For this example we will setup the front rotary to control:

• The Aperture (normal)
• The ISO (if the SIDE SSD user key 1 is pressed and held)
• The Integration Time (if the SIDE SSD user key 2 is pressed and held)

Solution Description
Create the following presets:

• Front Rotary - Aperture
  • Maps SH Rotary Front CCW -> Iris: Close
  • Maps SH Rotary Front CW -> Iris: Open
• Front Rotary - ISO
  • Maps SH Rotary Front CCW -> ISO: Increase
  • Maps SH Rotary Front CW -> ISO: Decrease
• Front Rotary - Int Time
  • Maps SH Rotary Front CCW -> Integration Time: Increase
  • Maps SH Rotary Front CW -> Integration Time: Decrease

Create the following key mappings:

• S-SSD User 1 Press -> Apply Preset: Front Rotary - ISO
• S-SSD User 1 Release -> Apply Preset: Front Rotary - Aperture
• S-SSD User 2 Press -> Apply Preset: Front Rotary - Int Time
• S-SSD User 2 Release -> Apply Preset: Front Rotary - Aperture

Optionally save the key mappings made above into another Preset to allow easy setup of this solution.


Solution Step-by-Step Instructions

• Create three different camera presets: "Front Rotary - Aperture", "Front Rotary - ISO", "Front Rotary - Int Time"
  • Map the front rotary to control the aperture
    • Open the KEYS Dialog: SETTINGS->SETUP->KEYS
    • Rotate the Side Handle front rotary - two key events will be shown in the dialog: CW (clockwise) and CCW (counter clockwise)
    • Set the CCW action to Iris: Close
    • Set the CW action to Iris: Open
    • Exit the KEYS Dialog
  • Create the preset "Front Rotary - Aperture"
    • Open the PRESETS Dialog
    • Open the CREATE PRESET Dialog by hitting the CREATE... button
    • Name the preset "Front Rotary - Aperture"
    • Select the following parameters from the "KEY" tab and add them to the preset by hitting the --> button
      • Side Handle Rotary Front CCW
      • Side Handle Rotary Front CW
    • Create the preset by hitting the CREATE button
  • Repeat the previous steps for the next two camera presets using the ISO: Decrease/Increase and Integration Time: Decrease/Increase actions
• Assign keys
  • Open the KEYS Dialog
  • Press the SIDE SSD user key 1
  • Set the PRESS action to Apply Preset: Front Rotary - ISO
  • Set the RELEASE action to Apply Preset: Front Rotary - Aperture
  • Press the SIDE SSD user key 2
  • Set the PRESS action to Apply Preset: Front Rotary - Int Time
  • Set the RELEASE action to Apply Preset: Front Rotary - Aperture
  • Optionally create a preset with the key 1 press/release and key 2 press/release events so you can store the compelte set of presets offline and recreate the setup easily.

Techniques Used
The essence of this solution is to dynamically remap the front rotary key by applying a preset on a key press (and release). Note that this technique could be expanded to remap more than just the front rotary control. For example, you could remap all the side handle keys and use the user keys 1 and 2 to toggle between them.
Furthermore, by Assigning both the 1 Release and 2 Release events to the same action (Apply Preset: Front Rotary - Aperture) we were able to create the concept of a default mapping for the front rotary that is temporarily overridden by pressing and holding wither the 1 or 2 keys.

[Andrew Gentle]

Wow, this is fantastic, Trent. It's incredible how the feature set of these cameras is evolving over time. Thanks for the walkthrough!

[George Tsai]

I like this ability to customize in such detail and options presets. However it is a lot of things to go through in the menus to set it all up. I think it would be cool if we were able to make all these settings and presets on the computer and then download that to the camera on the SSD:-)

[Gunleik Groven]

So this means that I could make a preset looking like:

ISO 320/RedlogFilm/5000k

and toggle between that, and whatever settings I was at

OR

Will I have to save current settings first?

G

[Trent Lillehaugen]

So this means that I could make a preset looking like:

ISO 320/RedlogFilm/5000k

and toggle between that, and whatever settings I was at

OR

Will I have to save current settings first?

G

You'd have to create two presets if you wanted to toggle between two different "looks". Applying a preset wouldn't automatically save your current settings to let you go back.

You could assign your two presets to two different buttons for quick access back and forth.

Or you could use the ability to remap the keys within the preset to create a "toggle" feature. You'd create two presets (A and B) which contains the look information you wanted along with reassigning the desired key to the OTHER preset. I'll post a detailed example showing this soon.

[Trent Lillehaugen]

I like this ability to customize in such detail and options presets. However it is a lot of things to go through in the menus to set it all up. I think it would be cool if we were able to make all these settings and presets on the computer and then download that to the camera on the SSD:-)

Agreed, an offline tool to help create the presets and key mappings would be a time saver. For now, make sure you export your created presets to an SSD and save them on your computer so you can quickly re-deploy them if need be.

Also, feel free to share your creations with others on the forum.

[Gunleik Groven]

What I'd like was to have this "preset" replace "view RAW" in functionality. Just as a quick realitycheck, whenever I should need it.

I usually shoot the cam quite fkat anyways so I guess togling between this and ISO800/RG3/5000 would basically give me most of the info I want...

Good to be able to set these presets, though...

[Trent Lillehaugen]

What I'd like was to have this "preset" replace "view RAW" in functionality. Just as a quick realitycheck, whenever I should need it.

I usually shoot the cam quite fkat anyways so I guess togling between this and ISO800/RG3/5000 would basically give me most of the info I want...

Good to be able to set these presets, though...

I like your idea. Hopefully we can come up with a cool way of incorporating it.

[Joel Arvidsson]

Is it possible to make two presets that just change resolution, framerate, redcode "compression". Then you could switch between slowmo and regular speed in a button push.

Wish build 3.0.7 had the revamped PRESET and KEY MAPPING features. I think i will wait for the 3.2.8 to come out of beta.