Sony Picture Profiles Explained - How To Create Film Simulations With Your Sony Camera
I know many of you are eager to find out how to customize the Sony Picture Profiles to create film simulations. Well, today we’ll dive deep into this feature. We’ll explore the Picture Profile menu, submenu, and settings that can help you create your very own Sony film simulation recipe.
But first...
What are Picture Profiles?
Picture profiles are a set of presets that you tweak in-camera to change the characteristics of your image. Sony calls them Picture Profiles, but all cameras have these build-in presets that simplify your workflow.
How to change the picture profile on Sony cameras?
To change the PP, you'll have to enter the deeper menu. On older cameras, go to Color/WB/ Img Processing. On newer cameras, go to Exposure/Color, then Color/Tone.
Table of contents
Benefits of Using Sony Picture Profiles
The picture profile menu was designed to help videographers change certain parameters, such as color, detail, or gamma curve. While it was created with video in mind, Sony’s picture profile menu can also be used to get great JPEGs straight out of camera.
Here are some of the benefits of using them:
Change the image before compression.
Get the best dynamic range out of your Sony camera.
Improved Sony Colors.
Better low-light performance.
Make your workflow 10x faster & save time in post-production.
Express your unique style.
Customize them to fit any shooting scenario.
Sony Picture Profiles Explained
Before we go through the Picture Profile menu & the tutorial for creating film recipes yourself, I’ll give you a brief overview of each preset Picture Profile. Remember, you can always customize these. And that's exactly what I do when creating film recipes on Sony cameras.
PP1 - based on Movie Gamma
Offers a balanced, ready-to-use image with room for grading. It has soft contrast and retains good shadow detail, providing an excellent base for projects needing only simple exposure adjustments or minimal color corrections in post. corrections in post-processing. Great for projects with limited budgets.
PP2 - based on Still Gamma
This Picture Profile uses Sony’s standard gamma curve for stills, offering higher contrast than the Movie Gamma (PP1). The high contrast of Still gamma might reduce the dynamic range available so details in shadows can be lost. Suitable for fast-paced productions with limited budgets. Least flexible for color grading purposes.
PP3 - based on ITU709 Matrix gamma + Pro color
PP3 delivers more natural color tones, making it ideal for broadcasting. Compared to Movie, Still, and Cine 4 gammas, PP3 has faded shadows. Less dynamic range in higher areas, a.k.a it’s easily clipped in the highlight area. It’s a good all-rounder for general use.
PP4 ITU709 Gamma with the ITU709 Matrix color
This profile reproduces color tones according to the ITU709 standard, making it ideal for television broadcasts. Like PP1, PP2, and PP3, it delivers a ready-to-use image straight out of the camera.
PP5 Cine1 with the Cinema color mode
Cine1 strikes an excellent balance between delivering a good looking straight out of camera and allowing room for color grading.
PP6 - Cine 2 gamma
Optimized for low-light conditions. Similar to Cine1 but with a 100% video signal and higher noise reduction for cleaner images. Ideal for nighttime or dark studio scenes where dynamic range is less critical.
Like Cine1, it’s great for a fast turnaround of projects due its built-in noise reduction, which eliminates an extra step in post-production.
PP7 S-Log2 with S-Gamut color
14+ stops dynamic range and wide color gamut. Great for big productions where extensive grading is required. Less dynamic range compared to S-Log3, but it’s also easier to color grade.
S-log will offer the softest highlight rolloff, and the most flexibility in the color correction process. It’s where creativity becomes limitless.
PP8 S-Log3 with S-Gamut3.Cine color mode
15+ stops dynamic range and wide color gamut, offering the max dynamic range the camera can handle. the S-gamut3 Cine color made will give an accurate color reproduction. S-log will offer the softest highlight rolloff, and the most flexibility in post. It’s where creativity becomes limitless. Great for big productions where extensive grading is required, or for archiving.
PP9 - S-log3 with S-Gamut3
Similar to PP8, just with a bump in contrast.
PP10 HLG with BT.2020 color space
Great for HDR television. Offers a good balance between a pleasing "out-of-camera" look and ample room for color grading. High dynamic range and wide color gamut, but usually requires more grading than Cine1 gammas.
Might not be suitable for all medium formats.
PP11 S-Cinetone
Sony’s highly acclaimed color science is encapsulated in this ready-to-use profile. S-Cinetone is designed to mimic the cinematic look of Sony’s VENICE camera, with optimized skin tones and a film-like color palette. It desaturates colors in shadows and highlights, providing a film-like highlight rolloff and soft contrast. It has higher contrast than Cine1 but is softer than Movie Gamma, making it versatile for various projects. This profile is perfect for fast-turnaround productions, as it requires no color grading.
The Sony Picture Profile Menu
Before I show you how to go from the standard setting with the Picture Profiles, let’s explore the menu. Each option plays a significant role in shaping the final look of your images, so it's important to understand how they work together. Here's a breakdown of the key features:
The Black Level
The black level is the equivalent of the Black Point in any editing software. This setting determines the level of the darkest blacks in your image, which affects the contrast and the shadow detail.
You can either lower the black level to make the image darker and more contrasty, or raise it to make the image brighter and softer. However, depending on the gamma curve you use, you may want to avoid changing the black level too much.
Actually, the only situation when you really want to fade the blacks is when using it with high contrast gammas.
So, for example, it works really well with Gammas like Movie or Still, which already have a steep gamma slope and high contrast, which in some occasions might be a little bit too much. So in this scenario, by using the still gamma, we have a punchy contrast as a base, and lifting the black retains some of the shadow details.
For low contrast gammas like cine1 or cine2, I recommend decreasing the shadows to maybe -10 or -15 since they already have a super soft and fitted contrast. Lifting the Black Level further will only make your image lose contrast and look muddy.
Black level will not work with log Gammas. Only the black gamma will influence them. With HLG gamma, it's the exact opposite; only the black level will work. So the black gamma is disabled.
P.S: Compared to other manufacturers, Sony doesn’t compress the image so much. So even if the shadows or highlights seem crushed, I’m always surprised how much detail I can actually recover in post-processing.
Gamma
Gamma refers to how the camera reads the input data and control the contrast and brightness distribution in an image. You can compare it to the S curve you find in editing software.
Each gamma setting will offer a different contrast and dynamic range.
Still & Movie are standard gamma curves provided by Sony. Each brand offers standard gammas for photos & videos. These gammas are the highest in contrast & with the least dynamic range. They offer ready-to-go footage, but are least flexible for post-production
Cine gammas are meant to replicate film-like contrast. These gammas are pretty easy to work with. They have a fairly high dynamic range and a soft contrast - in most cases, enough dynamic range so you won't spend hours trying to fix things in editing. Also, the 109% video signal will make it easy to bring back details in bright areas that might look blown out at first.
One more thing that makes Cine gammas great for quick jobs is their built-in noise reduction. It helps cut down on graininess in your footage, which saves you time in post-production. You don't have to spend as much time cleaning things up.
There are a few different Cine gammas, and they're all similar, but each is designed for slightly different uses. The main difference is in the contrast levels. Cine1 and Cine2 have softer contrast, so you might need to adjust that a bit when editing. Cine3 and Cine4 have stronger contrast and more dynamic range, so you can often use them as-is without needing to fiddle with exposure or contrast afterward.
S-log gammas, a.k.a S-log 2 & S-log 3 require the most time, effort, and skill in post-processing. The thing about S-log is that it captures more info into the footage, which is great for professional work, where you have a more controlled setting. The footage comes out flat – so it’s a great base that you can paint the exact look and feel you want for the footage. However, using them does require more skill, so I wouldn’t recommend them if you’re looking for minimal post-processing.
When you create a custom film simulation, the trick is using them your advantage to get a punchy look or a soft faded one. That means you can also use S-log gammas for JPEG footage if you are looking for a more faded look.
Black Gamma
Black Gamma provides refined control over shadow details. By adjusting the range and level settings, you can choose the extent of shadow influence and lift or lower the shadows accordingly. The range setting determines how much of the shadows you want to affect, while the level setting allows you to lift or lower the shadows.
For example, for portrait profiles, a wider range with lifted shadows can brighten skin tones, while for a moody film look, choosing a wider or middle range and dragging the level down can create a darker, more atmospheric effect.
To create your custom picture profile, you’ll use the black gamma in combination with the black and gamma - going back and forth to refine your image.
You can watch my YouTube video to have a visual reference for all of this 👇
Knee Correction
The Knee option softens and improves Sony's highlight roll-off. By setting it to manual, you can customize the percentage and slope values. So you can control the percentage at which the highlights start being compressed to retain the details. The slope value determines the maximum white level point.
The Knee feature essentially allows you to compress and manage the transition from mid-tones to highlights, resulting in a smoother and more pleasing rendition of bright areas in your images. When properly set, the Knee can prevent the clipping of highlight details, preserving information that would otherwise be lost.
P.S: Keep in mind that each Gamma has a different maximum white point, which means you may need different knee settings for each Gamma profile. Experimenting is key here! One thing I found useful is using the camera’s viewfinder for a more accurate representation. Sony's screens don’t always provide a reliable representation.
Color Modes
There are 10 or more color modes on Sony cameras, each with its color science and a distinct look.
Every color mode in Sony cameras imparts a distinct hue tonality and saturation, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your creative vision.
For example, the itu709 color mode tends to have more saturated reds, while the cinema color mode emphasizes blues and magentas.
Therefore, it’s super important to choose a color mode that aligns with the look you’re going for. The idea here is to test them out until you understand them for real. Because once you know the characteristics of each color mode, you’ll have full control of the pre and post-production process.
Here’s a description of each color mode, taken from Sony’s website:
When you start creating your custom picture profile, you might want to revisit the table or look up videos for a direct comparison between the main color modes. This might help you get acquainted with them.
While some color modes may be more suitable for specific scenarios or genres, such as Movie or Stills for standard colors and pleasing skin tones, don't be afraid to think outside the box and experiment with different color modes to achieve unique results.
Saturation
Saturation controls the intensity of colors in your image. Increase or decrease it according to your preferences. An interesting trick is to exploit the characteristics of certain color modes, such as itu709, which tends to have overly saturated reds. By selecting itu709 and decreasing the saturation, you can balance out the reds while achieving desaturated and deep greens.
Color Phase
Color Phase allows you to shift the hue of the entire image. When used in combination with the color depth setting, it’s a powerful tool that shifts all the colors in different directions, creating different color palettes.
For example, if you shift the color phase to a negative value, it will shift the whole color palette counterclockwise. A value of -7, for instance, will make reds become orange, yellows become green, greens become teal, and blues become violet/magenta. On the other hand, if you lift the color phase to a positive value of +7, reds will become magenta, oranges will become reddish, greens will turn into olive, and blues will become teal or even green.
Got any questions? Let’s come together and create a tight-knit community for Sony film simulations! Hop on the forum & join the conversation.
Color Depth
Color Depth refers to luma adjustments on each color channel, enabling you to control the brightness of individual colors. This, coupled with Sony's array of color modes, gives their film simulations the ability to closely mimic real film. This is where Sony shines, compared to Fuji. You’ll get more flexibility in adjusting color tones in-camera for a film look.
P.S This setting is a bit counterintuitive – if we lift the color depth it gets darker, and if we drag it down it gets brighter.
Now, if you apply some basic color theory to the equation, you’ll find that the darker a color is, the more saturated it will appear. The brighter the color, the more desaturated.
However, the brighter the color, the less saturation you want to apply to it because it will be too much, too vibrant. And the darker the color or overall image, the more saturation you can apply because the darkness will counteract the vibrance of the color, making it pop out less and less noticeable.
For a basic portrait picture profile, I would go with bright skin tones. So bring down the reds and yellows to lift their luma values, which is luminosity. That’s the most important part for skin tones. The rest of the colors you can shift however you like them. Maybe you want deep blues to offer contrast to your model’s skin tones or maybe you want deep greens. The magentas can be tricky because they can also influence skin tones sometimes, so it’s best to lift them up a little to have a safe bet.
Don’t create huge color contrast between two adjacent colors, for example blue and cyan or green and yellow. You don’t want to set blue to -7 and cyan to +7 because that will make color fall apart and create artifacts, noise, and color separation over the whole image.
Additionally, shifting the color depth may cause colors to change their hue slightly. For example, pushing the reds might make them appear almost pink, while darkening them might shift them towards red or orange. This effect is more noticeable in film simulations with strong color adjustments.
Detail
Many Sony users are familiar with the camera’s sharpness. However, you can experiment with the detail settings to produce a super soft, organic, and analog look.
For example, decreasing the detail to -7 reduces general sharpness. Furthermore, you can fine-tune the detail settings for shadows, midtones, and highlights. Adjusting the v/h balance allows you to emphasize either vertical or horizontal details. Meanwhile, the B/W balance enables you to choose which part of the image should have more details. Lowering it accentuates details in shadows and reduces them in highlights, while raising it does the opposite.
Now that you're familiar with the menu, let's see how you can tweak the picture profile settings
to create film simulations.
How To Create Film Simulations With Your Sony Camera w the Picture Profile Menu
The Kodak Gold film simulation - shot taken in Bucharest
Since nobody’s really explaining how to customize picture profile settings I want to explain every bit of it & show you the step-by-step process involved in creating your custom Picture Profile recipe.
P.S - You can use them to create your own black and white & color profiles!
Check out comparison shots of all custom Sony Picture Profiles I've created!
1. Check if your Sony Camera has a Picture Profile Menu 😂
Nowadays, most Sony cameras do have this feature, but you still need to check. So – google your camera model and check.
P.S - You’re looking for the Picture Profile menu, NOT the Picture Effect feature, or the Creative Look one.
What’s really cool is that you can create your custom picture profile button. This is one of the reasons why I love the Sony system - they give us so many customizable options.
2. Choose the RAW + JPEG file format.
Once you determine whether your camera has this feature, the next step is to choose the file format you want. Even though these Picture Profiles are mainly focused on video, Sony mentions that it can indeed be used for images as well and the looks will be baked into JPEGs only).
However, I always choose the RAW + JPEG option. Just in case I want to edit the image further in post-production. Sometimes you need that RAW power.
3. Think of a look or film stock you want to emulate & analyze it thoroughly. 🔍
Consider the style or mood you want to create with your film simulation. Are you aiming for a vintage, cinematic, or natural look?
Define the key visual elements that make up that look, such as color tones, contrast, or shadow details. How would you achieve that look in editing? How would you tweak the black level, knee setting, gamma/black gamma, color phase and color depth to achieve the look?
You can start off with a super popular film stock, like Kodak Gold. Check out your own drive, lomography.com, YouTube or forums for photo samples.
Take some notes with your ideas and test them. Then, refine your recipe! If you do have access to the Sony Film Simulations , you can check how your recipe compares to mine and hop on the forum to chat!
4. Start with the Gamma Settings
Choose a gamma setting that aligns with your desired look. For instance, if you want a high-contrast style, choose a Gamma like Movie Still. If you’re into a softer look, you might want to go for the Cine Gamma curves. For a flat look, but the best dynamic range - the Log curves are your best bet.
5. Adjust Black Level and Black Gamma ⚫
Fine-tune the black point to control the level of darkest blacks in your image. Lowering it will increase shadows and create a darker look, while raising it will maintain more shadow detail.
Experiment with black gamma settings to refine shadow control.
Select a range that determines how much of the shadows you want to influence, and adjust the level to lift or lower the shadows accordingly.
6. The Knee Setting
The knee option helps control highlight roll-off. What I usually aim for is a soft, faded highlight roll-off to cut down that high contrast and give my shoots a moody tone. For that, I usually set it between 75-80% and set the slope to +1 or +2.
7. Choose The Color Mode
Select a color mode that complements your desired look & respective gamma curve. For instance, if you went for the still gamma curve, you’ll want to choose the color mode accordingly.
8. Fine-tune Saturation, Color Phase and Color Depth
Adjust the saturation setting to enhance or reduce the overall color vibrancy. Decreasing saturation can create a desaturated or muted look, while increasing it can make colors more vivid.
Use the color phase option to shift the hue of the entire image. Experiment with subtle adjustments to achieve the desired color balance and tonal shift.
Pro Tip - Analyze the look you’re going for beforehand. How would you twitch these settings to get your look? What hues stand out? Is the look muted or vibrant? How dark/light is each color? Then - Test, test, test! 🧪
9. Go Into Details
Next step is setting the details of your profile picture. I’m going to share what I’ve found to be the best default setting for a smooth cinematic picture profile. This setting will give you that specific analog soft look, while also preserving the overall image quality & details. With these settings, Sony doesn’t over sharpen images anymore.
First, bring down the general sharpness to -7 for a softer look. This helps create a more organic feel in the image. In terms of detail balance, I tend to prefer a higher balance for horizontal detail, as it adds a pleasing aesthetic to the final result.
When it comes to distributing detail, I often reduce the level of details in the highlights, particularly for portrait profiles, as this helps achieve smoother skin tones. For those aiming for a clean low-light profile, setting the B/W balance to type 5 works wonders, minimizing shadow details and potential noise.
Lastly, to ensure that the brighter areas of the image retain their subtle details, I typically set the Crispening to +4.
These settings have consistently yielded that soft film look in my custom profile pictures.
10. Save, play, and refine. 📷
Once you've achieved the desired look, save your custom picture profile so you can easily access it in the future.
The trick here is to continuously experiment with the picture profile in different settings & to refine it. Honestly, it’s a great way of letting your creativity burst!
Frequently asked questions
Are picture profiles only for videos?
No. Although advertised as such by Sony, they can also be used to get great Sony JPEGs straight out of camera.
What is the best picture profile for color grading?
What are some great PPs if I want great colors out of camera?
How do I choose the right picture profile for my project?
Can I use Sony Picture Profiles for stills?
Curious what your Sony's capable of?