I was looking for advice on doing an interview outside on a partly cloudy day - the sun coming in and out. In such a situation is it best to leave exposure as automatic or adjust manually? (I'm often reluctant to go automatic even when it seems best)

neil

Can you tent your interviewees? that'll get rid of some of the difference so you can lock your exposure in. Or just find a day leading up to it with similar lighting conditions and try both and see what appeals to you more.

I wouldn't use the auto exposure because the camera is sometimes going to make unneeded adjustments and all the adjustments will be made in a less than aesthetically pleasing fashion ("hunt, hunt, hunt, lock" as opposed to a smooth, non-distracting iris adjustment a human operate would use).


-A

Name your camcorder make and model please.

i'm filming some interviews with football players outdoors, so i'm limited to what control i have over location - unless it rains and then we might get into a more controllable environment.

thanks

Sony Z1 camera

I wouldn't use the auto exposure because the camera is sometimes going to make unneeded adjustments and all the adjustments will be made in a less than aesthetically pleasing fashion ("hunt, hunt, hunt, lock" as opposed to a smooth, non-distracting iris adjustment a human operate would use).-A
The hunt seems to me to be totally eliminated if you go in the "AE Response" (in the Camera Set menu) and select the option for Slow. I also have one of the Assign buttons set for Override.

One interview I did on manual inside a house, when it was sunny. Later in the interview some very black clouds came over and I had no picture.

When I do interviews I put the camera on auto exposure and adjust the Override before I shoot. Then everything works well and smoothly.