Hi all,

This is my first post. I'm glad to have found this forum.

I've been disappointed with my HD110's performance in low light (was using a PD170, which is amazing in low light).

So, does the 13X Fujinon lens improve low light performance?

thanks,

Jay

I think low light performance is a factor of the pixel size on the sensor... With a 1/3" CCD, and HD, the pixels get pretty small... The PD170 has much larger pixels by comparison... One of the "limitations" of HD (it is actually a trade-off)... That said theother lens may have a bigger maximum apture size - which could allow for more light to hit the sensors (the original is 1.4), though I doubt that...

Jay, go into the sticky scene files (that sounds horrible) for the HD100s. Tim Dashwood has a low light setting that really helps you see in the dark without the grain. Good luck

I should clarify that I'm talking about SD performance only right now.

Shooting SD does not affect the pixel size which is what most determines lowlight performance...

Jay, we did some low-light, high-contrast tests on our 251 with mini-35 and cine high-speed primes, I think T 1.2 max aperture. Amazing camera performance !!!
But even more amazing: the scene file that did the best job was superwide, followed by bleach-bypass, not low-light as one would have expected.
yes, doing tests and getting the right settings/scene files is crucial.
and the standard 16x5.5 lens didn't behave that poorly, either. not to be compared to the cine glass but still astonishing.
the right setting/scene file is more important than the lens (not considering depth-of-field, flaring, distortion etc).
test them all on your actual sets, the take a really good monitor (SD in your case, like a 21 inch Sony or JVC broadcast) and compare carefully.