View Full Version : stereo mic for dvx 100 & contrast issues


Chris Goodyear
March 15th, 2004, 09:33 AM
can antone suggest a good stereo mike for the dvx-100. i am filming marching bands on the streets of new orleans.

i am also having a problem with the whites blowing out b/c most of my subjects are african americans wearing white shirts. can i adjust something so i can capture both extremes? i am shooting in 24p adv.

thank you!!!

Imran Zaidi
March 15th, 2004, 10:28 AM
Being brown myself, though light brown, I have the same problem when I am in photographs or video. Lighting up a face or using a reflector or bounce card helps tremendously, but obviously yours is not a scenario where you can do this. Especially with white shirts! What were they thinking?

I have heard that there are filters that can help with this - i.e., Ultra Con filters. I believe they're supposed to tone down brights and lighten up darks.

Read this thread, it has some info from Charles Papert about ultra con filters at the bottom of the first page:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9953

Also, before you buy anything, on your DVX100, in the menu, check out your Master Pedestal setting. Lower it and you lose detail in darks. Raise it up and you gain detail in dark areas without blowing out the light areas. It's almost like adjusting contrast but a little different. Check out this pic for details on this setting.

http://www.dvxuser.com/MP/MP.htm

Stefan Scherperel
March 15th, 2004, 10:33 AM
I don't know if you are using the factory settings or not, but you might try raising the master ped 2 or 3 stops. You have to be carefull, however, not to start washing things out. You might also check to see if you are shooting with cinegamma. If not, switch it to that, as it can help to preserve your highlights a lot more. If you are using a 100a you also have some additional gammas that might help you out, just try switching through them while looking at your subject.

Imran Zaidi
March 15th, 2004, 10:34 AM
Sorry Stefan, I edited my post to add the master ped thing right when you must have been adding yours.