Exposure triangle, sensor behaviour, RAW/LOG, and ND filter discipline
Focus: Understand every variable in the exposure triangle through deliberate, isolated practice. You are not making art yet — you are building a toolbox.
Aperture — f-stops, diffraction, and depth of fieldAperture is measured in f-stops: f/1.8, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16. Each full stop halves the light. On your Sony 20mm f/1.8 G, f/1.8 gives maximum light and shallowest depth of field. On APS-C, diffraction softening begins around f/11. Sweet spot for sharpness: f/4–f/8. Your Neewer F700 monitor has a focus-peaking overlay — use it to see exactly which plane is sharp at different apertures in real time.
Shutter speed — the 180° rule and motion cadenceIn video, shutter speed should be double your frame rate: 25fps → 1/50, 50fps → 1/100. This creates natural motion blur. Breaking this rule makes motion look clinical and jittery (too fast) or ghostly (too slow). With a locked shutter, you control exposure via aperture, ISO, and ND filters.
ISO — sensor sensitivity, base ISO, and the noise floorYour a6700 base ISO is 100. FX30 has dual native ISO: 800 and 2500. The FX30 at ISO 2500 is often cleaner than at 1600 because 2500 is a native sensitivity. Always jump from 800 directly to 2500 in low light — never linger at 1250, 1600, or 2000.
Histograms and the Neewer F700 exposure toolsYour Neewer F700 7" monitor displays a waveform, histogram, and zebra patterns simultaneously — far easier to read than your camera's small LCD. Set zebras to 95+ for S-Log3 highlight warning. Use the waveform (not just the histogram) to see spatial luminance distribution across the frame. With the F700 connected, judge all exposure decisions from the external monitor, not the camera body.
The exposure triangle — how the three interactIncrease ISO → brighter, more noise. Open aperture → brighter, shallower DoF. Slow shutter → brighter, more motion blur. In video you lock shutter (180° rule), so only aperture and ISO are variable — making NDs essential.
Drill 1
Aperture isolation series
Set a6700 with Sigma 18-50mm at 35mm, ISO 400, shutter 1/200. Shoot the same static subject at f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16. Connect the Neewer F700 and read the histogram on the external monitor for each frame. Observe depth of field AND exposure shift simultaneously. Pixel-peep at 100% on your Mac to see diffraction at f/11+.
Drill 2
Shutter motion study
Film a moving subject at 1/50 (correct), 1/250, and 1/500 at 25fps. Monitor exposure on the Neewer F700 using the waveform overlay. Watch all three back on a screen — 1/50 looks like cinema, 1/500 looks strobey and wrong.
Drill 3
FX30 dual native ISO shootout
In dim practical light, shoot at ISO 800 (native), 1600, 2500 (native), 3200. Import to Resolve, zoom to 100%, compare shadow noise. The quality jump at native ISO points should be clearly visible.
Drill 4
Neewer F700 monitoring setup
Connect the F700 to your FX30 via HDMI. Enable: waveform (bottom-left), histogram (top-right), zebras at 95 IRE, focus peaking at 65% intensity. Film the same scene reading exposure from the F700 monitor rather than the camera LCD. This is your professional on-set monitoring standard — use it on every shoot from now on.
Week 1 Assignment
"Exposure Matrix"
Shoot a 9-frame grid using three apertures (f/2.8, f/5.6, f/11) × three shutter speeds (1/50, 1/250, 1/1000) at the same ISO and scene. Monitor all frames on the Neewer F700. Arrange in a contact sheet in Affinity Photo with full settings labels.
Depth of field changes clearly across aperture column
Motion blur changes clearly across shutter row
You can explain why each frame is brighter or darker
F700 histogram was used to judge exposure — not the camera LCD
Contact sheet is clean and correctly labelled in Affinity
Sony a6700Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8Neewer F700 monitorAffinity Photo
Focus: Learn how your cameras record light. LOG footage is not broken — it is intentional. Understanding why is fundamental to everything that follows.
RAW vs JPEG — what is actually storedJPEG is processed and compressed — the camera made decisions about white balance, contrast, and saturation, then discarded the rest. RAW stores the actual sensor data before any processing — roughly 10–14× more data per file. You render it in Affinity Photo or Resolve. For serious stills work, always shoot RAW.
S-Log3 — why it looks washed out and why that is correctS-Log3 is Sony's logarithmic gamma curve. It compresses a very wide range of tones into the video signal, producing flat, low-contrast footage. S-Log3 preserves up to 15 stops of dynamic range in the a6700 and ~14 in the FX30. All that extra range is brought back in the grade. Never deliver S-Log3 footage ungraded.
HLG — the middle-ground optionHybrid Log-Gamma captures ~12 stops and is viewable on both standard and HDR displays without conversion. HLG looks far better ungraded than S-Log3. Use it for fast-turnaround work. Use S-Log3 for everything you care about deeply.
Monitoring LUTs on set — the Neewer F700 advantageThe Neewer F700 accepts 3D LUTs loaded via SD card (up to 33-point .cube files). Load your S-Log3 → Rec.709 monitoring LUT onto the F700 — this shows you a correctly transformed image on the large 7" screen while still recording clean S-Log3 to the camera card. This is significantly better than the camera's Gamma Display Assist on the small body LCD. The 7" screen also makes zebra reading, waveform assessment, and focus peaking far more reliable than any camera body display.
FX30 Venice colour vs a6700 standard Sony colourThe FX30 uses Venice-derived colour science. Both cameras in S-Log3 look nearly identical ungraded — differences emerge when grading. Matching them in a dual-camera setup requires careful colour matrix work in Resolve. Be aware now; it becomes important in Phase 2.
Drill 1
Dynamic range comparison
Shoot a high-contrast scene (window with direct sun, interior shadow) in: RAW stills, S-Log3 video, HLG video, and a standard picture profile. Import to Resolve. Push exposure ±3 stops on each clip. S-Log3 recovers far more — see it with your own eyes.
Drill 2
Load a monitoring LUT onto the Neewer F700
Export your S-Log3 → Rec.709 monitoring LUT as a .cube file from Resolve (or download DJI's or Sony's official monitoring LUT). Copy to an SD card. Insert into the F700's card slot. Navigate: Menu → LUT → Load LUT. Apply to the HDMI input signal. Toggle on/off using the F700's LUT button. This is your professional on-set monitoring setup.
Drill 3
S-Log3 highlight clipping test
Shoot a backlit subject in S-Log3 at correct, +1, +2, +3 stops overexposure. Use the F700's waveform to identify the clipping point. Recover all four clips in Resolve. Note the exact point where recovery becomes impossible — this is your upper limit.
Drill 4
Build your first base grade node
Import FX30 S-Log3 footage. In Resolve Colour page, set Input Colour Space to S-Gamut3.Cine/S-Log3, Timeline to Rec.709. Refine with wheels. Grab still. Export as .drx. This is your reusable starting template for every S-Log3 project.
Week 2 Assignment
"LOG to finished"
Shoot 60s of S-Log3 on the FX30, monitoring exposure on the Neewer F700. Deliver: raw S-Log3 clip AND graded Rec.709 version with natural correct-looking colour. Include a screenshot of your Resolve node structure.
No clipped highlights or crushed shadows in either version
Graded version has neutral correct white balance
Skin tones (if present) are accurate
Node structure screenshot included
F700 waveform was used to set exposure on set
Sony FX30Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8Neewer F700 monitorDaVinci Resolve
Focus: ND filters as your primary video exposure control. Once the shutter is locked at 1/50, every outdoor exposure decision runs through aperture and NDs. This week makes that automatic.
Why ND filters are essential for videoThe 180° rule locks your shutter at 1/50. In bright outdoor light at ISO 400, f/2.8 you can be 6–8 stops overexposed. ND filters remove light before it hits the sensor, letting you maintain correct shutter speed and chosen aperture regardless of ambient brightness. Without NDs, you're forced to stop down to f/11+ (losing depth of field and hitting diffraction) or push ISO unacceptably low.
ND stop values — how to calculate what you needND4=2 stops, ND8=3 stops, ND16=4 stops, ND64=6 stops, ND1000=10 stops. Calculate: count stops from your current overexposed shutter (e.g. 1/6400 at f/2.8 ISO 400 in sun) to your target of 1/50 — approximately 7 stops. ND64 + ND8 stacked gets you there. Use the Neewer F700 waveform to confirm correct exposure after fitting each ND.
Fixed ND vs variable ND — why fixed winsVariable NDs use two polarising elements rotating against each other. They introduce colour cast, sharpness loss, and an X-pattern at maximum density. Your fixed NDs avoid all of this. Develop a system: carry filters in order of density in a belt pouch, swap in under 10 seconds.
Colour cast testingNot all NDs are perfectly neutral — even quality filters can introduce a slight warm or cool cast. Shoot a grey card with and without each ND in consistent daylight. Compare in Resolve's parade scope. Log any cast (e.g. 'ND64 = +150K warm'). Compensate in white balance on all future shoots using that filter.
Stacking NDs — vignetting on wide lensesStacking can cause vignetting on wide angles. Your 20mm f/1.8 at f/1.8 is most vulnerable — use slim-profile NDs. Only stack at longer focal lengths. The Neewer F700's 7" screen makes edge vignetting from stacked filters much more obvious than the camera's small LCD.
Drill 1
Bright day exposure discipline
Sunny Adelaide day, FX30, Sigma 18-50mm. Set: 25fps, 1/50, ISO 400, f/2.8. No ND: observe overexposure on F700 waveform. Work through ND collection until F700 waveform shows correct exposure. Stack if needed. This reflex — find ND that gets within half a stop, fine-tune with ISO — should be automatic within weeks.
Drill 2
ND colour cast reference shoot
a6700 on tripod, white wall, 5600K manual white balance. One frame per ND (aperture only changes). Import to Resolve, check RGB parade per clip. Record all cast measurements. This is your permanent per-filter reference.
Drill 3
One-hour changing light exercise
Start 30 minutes before sunset. Film the same outdoor composition continuously. Swap NDs as light changes to maintain 1/50, ISO 400, f/2.8. Monitor exposure exclusively on the Neewer F700. Removing NDs as light fades trains the ND management reflex equally to adding them.
Drill 4
Sony 20mm f/1.8 wide open in full sun
Calculate ND needed for f/1.8, 1/50, ISO 100 in midday sun. Sunny 16 rule: bright sun = f/16, 1/50, ISO 100. From f/16 to f/1.8 is ~8 stops. You need ND128 or ND64+ND8 stacked. Use F700 waveform to confirm. Master this hardest scenario.
Week 3 Assignment
"One lens, all light"
Shoot a 90-second continuous video sequence: interior → shade outdoors → direct sunlight. Maintain f/2.8, 1/50, ISO 400 at all times. Change only ND filters for exposure control. Monitor on the Neewer F700 throughout. No colour correction in the delivered edit — only ND swaps should maintain correct exposure.
Shutter is 1/50 throughout
No exposure jumps beyond what an ND swap explains
Motion cadence is consistent and cinematic
F700 was used as primary exposure monitor throughout
You can explain which ND was used in each location
Sony a6700 or FX30Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8Full ND setNeewer F700 monitor
Focus: Physical differences between your two cameras, rolling shutter, dual native ISO on the FX30, and a full end-to-end pipeline drill on the M4 Mac Studio.
APS-C crop factor and real focal lengthsBoth a6700 and FX30 have APS-C sensors with 1.5× crop. Your Sony 20mm f/1.8 G behaves like a 30mm. Sigma 18-50mm becomes effectively 27-75mm. For true ultra-wide on these cameras you need a 10–12mm native APS-C lens. Always compose using real-world equivalent focal lengths, not the lens markings.
FX30 dual native ISO in detailNative 1: ISO 800. Native 2: ISO 2500. Between these points the camera amplifies electronically from the lower base — increasing noise. ISO 1600 on the FX30 is often noisier than ISO 2500. Never linger at 1250, 1600, or 2000.
Rolling shutter — limits and managementCMOS sensors read line by line from top to bottom. Fast pans or movement cause vertical elements to skew. Both a6700 and FX30 exhibit rolling shutter; the FX30 in its best 4K modes has faster readout. Avoid pans faster than ~30°/second without gimbal compensation. The Neewer F700 shows the full frame at native resolution — rolling shutter artefacts are more visible on the large 7" screen than on the camera body.
FX30 Super 35 vs crop modesIn 4K 25fps S-Log3 mode, the FX30 uses the full sensor width. In 4K 60fps mode it applies an additional crop. Field of view changes depending on the recording format. Always check which mode you are in and account for the extra crop in shot planning.
M4 Mac Studio workflowSet GPU processing to Metal (Preferences → Memory and GPU). 4K S-Log3 ProRes from the FX30 often plays without proxies. H.265 4K benefits from generating optimised media (right-click → Generate Optimised Media). The M4 handles Real-Time noise reduction without dropped frames.
Drill 1
Rolling shutter threshold test
Mount each camera on tripod facing vertical lines. Pan at three speeds: slow (5s), medium (2s), fast (0.5s). Watch the F700 during the fast pan — rolling shutter lean is visible in real time on the large screen. Step through in Resolve. Measure the lean angle. Determine your maximum acceptable pan speed per camera.
Drill 2
Dual camera interview setup
a6700 on wide (Sigma at 18mm), FX30 on tight (Sigma at 50mm). Both in S-Log3, identical Kelvin white balance. Shoot 2 minutes. Import to Resolve. Match both cameras using waveform and parade — not by eye. Document the colour science difference you find.
Drill 3
Full pipeline drill — timed
Shoot 10 minutes FX30 S-Log3 footage. Time: card ingest to SSD → import Resolve → generate optimised media → rough cut → colour grade 3 clips → export H.264. This gives you a realistic sense of post time for client quoting in Phase 4.
Drill 4
FX30 dual native ISO detailed shootout
Dim practical-light interior. Shoot: ISO 640, 800 (native), 1250, 1600, 2000, 2500 (native), 3200, 6400. Import to Resolve, zoom to 100%, examine shadow areas. Document the quality improvement at both native ISO points in a written note.
Week 4 Assignment
"Dual camera edit"
Produce a 2-minute piece using both a6700 and FX30 simultaneously. The two cameras must be visually indistinguishable in the final cut. Deliver: finished cut, Resolve colour page screenshot showing camera match, written notes explaining the FX30 Venice colour science difference and how you corrected it.
Two cameras are visually indistinguishable
Colour match verified via parade scope
Notes explain Venice colour science difference
No rolling shutter artefacts in any shot
Neewer F700 monitor was used on set for both cameras
Sony a6700Sony FX30Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8Neewer F700 monitorDaVinci Resolve
Shooting S-Log3 without a monitoring LUT on the Neewer F700
S-Log3 looks deliberately washed out. Without a monitoring LUT your 7" external monitor shows a flat, incorrect image — you will consistently underexpose. The large screen makes this error more consequential because it looks obviously wrong to anyone observing the monitor on set.
Fix: Load your S-Log3 → Rec.709 monitoring LUT onto the F700 via SD card. Enable the LUT for the HDMI input. Use the F700's LUT toggle button to switch between the corrected and raw views — the corrected view for composition and exposure judgement, the raw view for checking that LOG is actually being recorded.
Using the wrong ISO on the FX30 — between native points
ISO 1600 amplifies electronically from the 800 base — more noise than ISO 2500. Most shooters dial ISO linearly and inadvertently choose the noisiest settings.
Fix: In low light, jump directly from ISO 800 to 2500 on the FX30. Never linger at 1250, 1600, or 2000. Above 2500, continue normally up to your noise tolerance — typically 6400 for usable footage.
Not accounting for APS-C crop factor in shot planning
Planning shots using full-frame lens equivalents then arriving on location with the wrong field of view. Your 20mm behaves like 30mm; your 18mm behaves like 27mm.
Fix: Memorise your real-world equivalents: 20mm → ~30mm, 18mm → ~27mm, 50mm → ~75mm. For future ultra-wide work on APS-C, plan a 10–12mm native lens as a kit addition.
Trusting the Neewer F700 display brightness over the scopes
The F700's LCD can be set too bright for the ambient environment, making the image appear correctly exposed when it isn't. The large screen is still a display — it is not a measurement.
Fix: Always use the F700's built-in waveform and histogram as your primary exposure measurement. The image on the display confirms composition and artistic intent; the scopes confirm technical correctness. Both are needed simultaneously.
Use the Neewer F700's focus peaking and false colour simultaneously
The F700 supports enabling multiple overlays simultaneously. Run focus peaking (65% intensity, any colour) alongside false colour (which shows exposure zones in distinct colours) for maximum information when shooting handheld in changing light. False colour shows underexposure (blue/purple) and overexposure (red/pink) far more intuitively than zebras alone.
Neewer F700 7" monitor
The F700 as a calibration check between shoots
Keep a colour checker card. At the start of any shoot, place the colour checker in frame and record it on the F700 HDMI feed with the monitoring LUT active. Import this reference frame into Resolve. If the colours look correct, your LUT is correctly loaded and your camera settings are right. If they drift, you can diagnose which part of the chain has changed.
Neewer F700 monitor · Sony FX30
Sony 20mm f/1.8 G is your best lens for astrophotography
At f/1.8 on APS-C applying the NPF rule, you'll get sharp stars at ~6–7 seconds at ISO 3200. Almost purpose-built for Milky Way photography from South Australian dark sky sites. Module 13.
Sony 20mm f/1.8 G · Sony a6700
Shoot 4K even when delivering 1080p
4K footage in Resolve on a 1080p timeline gives you up to 200% zoom for reframing and stabilisation without quality loss. The M4 Mac Studio handles this natively. Storage is cheap — always record at maximum quality.