Blurry road signs at DVinfo.net

Doug West · July 29th, 2003, 08:21 PM

I am doing road inventory using the GL2. Its attached to the top of my car with a suction type device that can hold it steady.

My problem: As I travel down the street I want to read the street signs from the video. The camera is not pointed directly at the street signs, it is pointed straight ahead so I can show the entire road. However, the street signs are all blurry when I play them back on the computer (even if I do not use compression at all).

Is there some setting I can use so that the street signs are in sharper focus? I am using auto focus, and image stabilization is on. I am not familiar with f-stops, apetures, or the like. If you could give me an idea of how to set the camera, it would be appreciated!

Thank you.

Corey Sturmer · July 29th, 2003, 09:34 PM

Auto focus might be messing it up because you are travelling at highspeeds, even though I understand that the GL2 has an ace autofocus...

Alex Knappenberger · July 29th, 2003, 09:44 PM

I doubt it's a focus issue at all, for one, if it's mid-day, then the aperature is probably close to closed, which creates a virtually infinite DOF, so there's really nothing AF has to do. It's probably more of a resolution issue, since the road signs are probably pretty small, and the resolution of DV in general, just isn't enough.

Try viewing it on a TV, it might look better, since DV on computer monitors looks like garbage in general.

Feel free to post a example framegrab for us to see. :D

Bud Kuenzli · July 29th, 2003, 10:53 PM

if you are shooting in mid day and the light is good, try setting the camera on manual. put the gain up 6db so you can use a bit higher of a shutter speed. set the aperture to something reasonable like 6 and with luck you will have a fairly high shutter speed. If you shutter speed it over 1000, bring the aperture up. Try driving around while shooting with that higher shutter speed.

Chris Hurd · July 30th, 2003, 07:30 AM

Set the GL2 to Frame Movie mode, that ought to do it.

Doug West · July 30th, 2003, 09:06 AM

Thanks, everyone!

I will try each one and let you know which works best for us.

Doug :)

Rob Lohman · July 30th, 2003, 04:38 PM

Another problem might be a too low shutter speed. Try increasing
it to 1/100 or higher.

Frank Pietrantoni · September 19th, 2003, 03:10 PM

I am doing this type of shot as well...and am wondering what the best way (if any) is to protect the lens from "stray" road debris. I'll be shooting in traffic at about 40-45 mph. Any thoughts/ideas/experiences on this?????

Alex Knappenberger · September 19th, 2003, 03:16 PM

Get a UV filter, which are basically used to protect your lens... you can get them for about $6 or whatever at BHPhoto.com

Frank Pietrantoni · September 19th, 2003, 03:19 PM

Thanks Alex. As you can see, I'm a newbie here and navigating through the learning curve! I appreciate the tip.

July 29th, 2003, 08:21 PM	#1
Doug West Tourist Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 2	Blurry road signs I am doing road inventory using the GL2. Its attached to the top of my car with a suction type device that can hold it steady. My problem: As I travel down the street I want to read the street signs from the video. The camera is not pointed directly at the street signs, it is pointed straight ahead so I can show the entire road. However, the street signs are all blurry when I play them back on the computer (even if I do not use compression at all). Is there some setting I can use so that the street signs are in sharper focus? I am using auto focus, and image stabilization is on. I am not familiar with f-stops, apetures, or the like. If you could give me an idea of how to set the camera, it would be appreciated! Thank you.

July 29th, 2003, 09:34 PM	#2
Corey Sturmer Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 144	Auto focus might be messing it up because you are travelling at highspeeds, even though I understand that the GL2 has an ace autofocus... __________________ Corey Sturmer Producer - Woffester Productions

July 29th, 2003, 10:53 PM	#4
Bud Kuenzli Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 197	try manual if you are shooting in mid day and the light is good, try setting the camera on manual. put the gain up 6db so you can use a bit higher of a shutter speed. set the aperture to something reasonable like 6 and with luck you will have a fairly high shutter speed. If you shutter speed it over 1000, bring the aperture up. Try driving around while shooting with that higher shutter speed. __________________ on the Internet, when you get where you're going you still don't know where you are

July 30th, 2003, 07:30 AM	#5
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Set the GL2 to Frame Movie mode, that ought to do it. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

July 30th, 2003, 04:38 PM	#7
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Another problem might be a too low shutter speed. Try increasing it to 1/100 or higher. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

July 29th, 2003, 09:44 PM	#3
Alex Knappenberger High School Student Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canton, Ohio, USA Posts: 609	I doubt it's a focus issue at all, for one, if it's mid-day, then the aperature is probably close to closed, which creates a virtually infinite DOF, so there's really nothing AF has to do. It's probably more of a resolution issue, since the road signs are probably pretty small, and the resolution of DV in general, just isn't enough. Try viewing it on a TV, it might look better, since DV on computer monitors looks like garbage in general. Feel free to post a example framegrab for us to see. :D

July 30th, 2003, 09:06 AM	#6
Doug West Tourist Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 2	Thanks, everyone! I will try each one and let you know which works best for us. Doug :)

September 19th, 2003, 03:10 PM	#8
Frank Pietrantoni Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 29	Sorry to stray OT a bit here, but... I am doing this type of shot as well...and am wondering what the best way (if any) is to protect the lens from "stray" road debris. I'll be shooting in traffic at about 40-45 mph. Any thoughts/ideas/experiences on this?????

September 19th, 2003, 03:16 PM	#9
Alex Knappenberger High School Student Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canton, Ohio, USA Posts: 609	Get a UV filter, which are basically used to protect your lens... you can get them for about $6 or whatever at BHPhoto.com

September 19th, 2003, 03:19 PM	#10
Frank Pietrantoni Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 29	Thanks Alex. As you can see, I'm a newbie here and navigating through the learning curve! I appreciate the tip.