Category: Cinematography / Camera Settings

You switched your camera to S-Log3 because you want that cinematic dynamic range. You know you’re supposed to use a gray card or a light meter to expose it perfectly.

But you’re on a run-and-gun shoot. The sun is setting, the talent is moving, and you left your gray card in the car (or you never bought one). You look at the screen—the image looks flat, gray, and washed out. Is it underexposed? Is it noisy?

If you guess, you risk coming home with footage that falls apart when you try to grade it.

Here is how to nail your S-Log3 exposure every single time using a tool already built into your camera: Zebras.

Why You Can't Trust Your Eyes

Log footage is deceptive. Because the contrast is flattened out, an image that looks "bright enough" on your LCD screen might actually be dangerously underexposed, hiding ugly noise in the shadows.

You need data, not vibes.

The Magic Number: 52%

In the world of Sony S-Log3, specific brightness values correspond to specific things.

• 41% is "Middle Gray" (a standard gray card).

• ~50-55% is typical human skin tone.

• 94% is pure white (clipping).

To expose for a person's face without any external tools, we just need to tell the camera to highlight everything that hits that 50-55% range.

The Setup (Step-by-Step)

1. Open your Camera Menu.

2. Find Zebra Display and turn it ON.

3. Go to Zebra Level.

4. Select C1 (Custom 1) or Standard.

5. Set the value to 52% (or a range of 50% to 55%).

How to Shoot

Now, point your camera at your subject. Adjust your ISO or Variable ND filter until you see the zebra stripes appear on the highlighted side of their face (usually the cheekbone or forehead).

• No stripes? You are underexposed. Open up the aperture or bump the ISO.

• Stripes everywhere? You might be overexposed (or the subject is just very bright).

• Stripes just on the highlights: Perfect.

The "Backup" Method: +1.7 to +2.0

If you hate looking at stripes, look at the Metering Number (M.M.) at the bottom of your screen.

Many colorists recommend "Overexposing" S-Log3 slightly to keep the shadows clean (a technique called ETTR - Expose To The Right). If you aim for your light meter to read roughly +1.7 to +2.0, you are usually in the safe zone for a clean, noise-free image.

Summary

You don't need a light meter to shoot cinematic footage. Set your Zebras to 52%. If the stripes are on the skin, the exposure is locked in. You can grade it later knowing the data is there.