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Home: Video University Forums: Canon All Camcorders:
A1 Low Light Settings

 
 


woolbrig
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Sep 9, 2008, 5:18 AM

Post #1 of 8 (2372 views)
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A1 Low Light Settings Can't Post
I've been playing with trying to create a good low light settings, but I'm still not happy with the results. So I thought I would see what other XH A1 users are using. What presets do you use for low light in the following conditions?
  • For a ceremony with dim lighting (no on camera light obviously)
  • For a reception (with an on camera light)

Do you ever use gain? If so how much?

Joe

_____________________________________________
Woolbright Video Productions


fr0gm@n
Veteran


Sep 9, 2008, 1:53 PM

Post #2 of 8 (2359 views)
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Re: [woolbrig] A1 Low Light Settings [In reply to] Can't Post
I am using a version of the Trucolor setting created and posted on dvinfo.net. I will run the gain up to 12db if needed but don't like to. I have a version of Trucolor created for regular to good light. This preset is basically the same as the Trucolor but I may have tweaked it a little. I have a version of the Trucolor where I reduced the sharpness a little and then moved the NR2 to High. This will make it a little softer but will smooth the grain. NR1 will make your image "ghost" or have trails so I stay away from it completely.

There are lots of settings that will boost the shadows and mids in the camera and I used to crank them way up but I found the footage just to be hazy or seem to have a "milky" look to them. I would CC the footage to clean it up but I got to thinking why bother when I can shoot it that way.

Here is what we do. For dim ceremony's my wife's cam (tripod in the back) and our third static cam can safely run on 6db with the main Trucolor preset. When my wife has to zoom in for things like the grooms face or the rings or a reader she will bump the iris to 30fps since the shot has little motion it really isn't that obvious in the video and gives lots more light. For my cam at a dim ceremony ( I am mobile looking for closeups) I fight a little more since I am shooting closeups and b-roll. I will either bump the shutter to 30 if my shot is reasonably static or up to 12db. I kinda decide on the fly what I am going to do. If it is really important and just too dark but I need a close up I will go to 30fps and 12db gain but I don't like doing that because the gain is pretty noticable if your NR2 is not cranked up.

At the reception we have a light on a stand next to the DJ (about 50-75 watt) and I have a 20W light on my cam for closeups. We attempt to stay at 6db gain as much as possible but will go to 12db gain if we have to. For toasts we will go to 30fps since they are a static shot. For dancing I will probably go to my low light version of the preset and shoot 12db if needed just because the closeups are important to me. I play around a little before the dancing starts and see what is working best. If I go to 12db (or think I will) I try to bump it to my low light setting.

One trick I have learned is that in editing you can take a motion blur filter (Edius and Vegas have a percentage setting) and set the percentage around 20-30%. This will clean up a lot of grain. Any higher on the percentage and you will get trails on movement. This helps too.

The big thing for me is to try and stay away from 12db unless I have changed to the low light preset. I have found shooting a little dark at 6db brightens better in post than trying to clean up 12db footage.

My low light preset really doesn't brighten the image much like some peoples does. It only smooths grain and reduces sharpeness a little. If you stay at 6 or 12db the footage still looks acceptable. I realized it is ok to have some dark spots and dark sections as long as the customer can see what is needed. They don't need to see all the detail in the shadows that their eye couldn't see either (The PD/VXs spoiled us on that ability). The darkness can add depth and a movie quality to your production.

The customer is not expecting perfect footage when the lights go down. They know it won't be as good. The cameras are not great in low light but are very acceptable. You will have to "work" the camera a lot more than you did in the SD days but you footage under ok to good conditions is so much better that it is worth the "work". The low light footage is still decent so your overall product is just better.

Hope that helps.

Why does a gorilla have big nostrils.......cause it has big fingers.

frog blog


woolbrig
User

Sep 9, 2008, 3:54 PM

Post #3 of 8 (2353 views)
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Re: [fr0gm@n] A1 Low Light Settings [In reply to] Can't Post
Wow! That helps a lot! Would you be willing to share your version of the Trucolor settings. I have been tinkering with it, but hadn't hit upon the right combo.

Thanks,

Joe

_____________________________________________
Woolbright Video Productions


fr0gm@n
Veteran


Sep 9, 2008, 4:18 PM

Post #4 of 8 (2351 views)
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Re: [woolbrig] A1 Low Light Settings [In reply to] Can't Post
PM me with your email and I will send you a copy of them.

Why does a gorilla have big nostrils.......cause it has big fingers.

frog blog


anniec
User


Sep 10, 2008, 9:50 PM

Post #5 of 8 (2318 views)
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Re: [fr0gm@n] A1 Low Light Settings [In reply to] Can't Post
Do you use a light on a stand even if the dj doesn't have a lighting set-up? Many of my receptions are very dark with no dj lighting and I'm wondering what to do now that I've got the A1s. Are you pointing the light onto the floor with a diffuser or are you bouncing it off the ceiling?

annie


MLiebergot
Veteran


Sep 11, 2008, 6:55 AM

Post #6 of 8 (2307 views)
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Re: [anniec] A1 Low Light Settings [In reply to] Can't Post
I believe that Phillip uses his lighting the same way I do.

I use 2 small 50-75w lights on 11 foot light stands with large battery belts wrapped around the base for power and support.
I place both lights on the same side as the DJ or stage (for a band) on both sides of the dance floor and run them on full blast for dancing.
The light generated from these lights aren't enough to overpower a DJ's light setup, but it is enough to add some nice depth and pop to the dance floor while I am shooting. We also ahve onbaord lighting to use if needed. I generally only use this at a low 10-20w for fill lighting or for lighting when I am not shooting on the dancefloor, like for interviews or shooting guests at the bar, table greetings etc.

BTW both lights are controlled with a small remote control, to power the lights on/of when needed.

As for using the lights when teh DJ doesn't ahve lighting. Thsi would be a definite yes.
I worked a reception in a tent at night, last month, where the DJ didn't have a light setup. The only lighting in the tent was two small sets of rope lights at both endds of the tent, and some small votive candles on the fountain in the middle of the tent. If I didn't have my lighting setup, the guests would not have been able to see who they were dancing with Wink

The additional lighting, gave us a nice image and being up so high didn't distract teh guests in any way. Actually I talked to the bride after, and asked er about our services for the day, and she raved about us, including the lighting.

Michael

Cameras: (3) Sony FX1, Canon HV20
Audio: Marantz PMD620, Edirol R44, ZoomH4N, ZoomH2, Sennhesier G2
Mics: Rode NT5, Rode NT3, Rode M3, Rode NTG2, Shure SM57, AT822
Software: Sony Vegas, Final Cut Studio
Computer: MAC BABY! MacPro, MacBook Pro


fr0gm@n
Veteran


Sep 11, 2008, 6:57 AM

Post #7 of 8 (2307 views)
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Re: [anniec] A1 Low Light Settings [In reply to] Can't Post
I use a light on a stand next to the DJ speaker whether he has lights or not. It is a NRG 100W dimmable and run it about 50-75W. It runs on a battery and will last about an hour to hour and a half. It has a small remote to turn it on or off from where ever I am at so I can turn it on when I want it. A number of people here have the setup but I can't remember the website to get them. This setup points at the floor but because it is up high pointing down it isn't in guests eyes as much as if it were on camera. I have one of these types of lights. It will give you good, indirect light. It is sufficient for the main dances if you are shooting wide. For closeups with my camera I have a small camera light that punches it up a little more for my closeups. Even without lights from the DJ it will be enough to get you some footage but you may have to go 12db. I have wording in my contract to keep lights up at reasonable levels through the main dances before turning them off. I talk with the venue/DJ and get them to leave them up for the first dance and parent dances. After that my on cam light will be enough.

Having said all that our last reception had a DJ that just turned everything off so his 5 lights could be "pretty". I got them back up for the parent dances then he turned them off again. We shot all our open dancing footage at 30fps. It will just have that progressive look. Since it will all be RT and not slo mo it will just look different.

Why does a gorilla have big nostrils.......cause it has big fingers.

frog blog


MLiebergot
Veteran


Sep 11, 2008, 7:04 AM

Post #8 of 8 (2306 views)
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Re: [fr0gm@n] A1 Low Light Settings [In reply to] Can't Post
Quote
A number of people here have the setup but I can't remember the website to get them.
Reception Light.


Michael

Cameras: (3) Sony FX1, Canon HV20
Audio: Marantz PMD620, Edirol R44, ZoomH4N, ZoomH2, Sennhesier G2
Mics: Rode NT5, Rode NT3, Rode M3, Rode NTG2, Shure SM57, AT822
Software: Sony Vegas, Final Cut Studio
Computer: MAC BABY! MacPro, MacBook Pro