HV30 Low Light - HELP!

Sherif Choudhry · July 13th, 2008, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brendan Donohue

taking audio directly from the soundboard in a small venue is not the greatest idea. What you'll get is an extremely awkward and vocal heavy mix.

Brendan, you're right - I've had experiences of both - poor and good mixes from sound boards, and I have also where I've been able to or allowed set up my own mics. (for a string quartet where they dont use a PA you'd have no choice but to)

Choices:
1. Set up your own multi-mics
2. Take a feed from mixer
3. Do both 1&2 and clean up in DAW
4. Use good quality stereo cardoid on camera hotshoe
...
99. Use on-board camera mic as last resort :-(

Joseph H. Moore · July 14th, 2008, 01:53 PM

http://www.screentopia.com/pictures/clients/hothead/

Shot with HV20's and 30's and 35mm adapter (so light was being lost to adapter.)

Regarding sound...be careful using the mix from the board. Many times, particularly in smaller venues, the drums may not be mic'd. (Sometimes if the monitors are big enough, the guitars might not even be.)

Fernando Ramos · July 14th, 2008, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph H. Moore

http://www.screentopia.com/pictures/clients/hothead/

Shot with HV20's and 30's and 35mm adapter (so light was being lost to adapter.)

Wow, very impressive Joseph! Was there any trick besides good lighting you used to make the image so clean?

Jeff Anselmo · July 14th, 2008, 10:18 PM

Hi Joseph,

Have to agree with Fernando, very impressive work indeed.

I'm still learning with our new HV30; can you tell us what settings you used?

And which 35mm adapter?

Thanks!

Joseph H. Moore · July 14th, 2008, 11:18 PM

There was most definitely not "good lighting". ;-) The lighting kinda sucked, but we did the best with what was on hand.

I shoot everything in 24p, 1/48th shutter, Tv mode, with the exposure "locked" so as to avoid any gain. All of the PQ settings are at 0 or -1. The adapter is the Cinevate Brevis MP. Canon FD mount. Basically, I try to shoot a digital "negative" that gives me the most latitude to grade in post.

I think that what you'll find, more than anything, is that downres'ing to DVD hides a great many flaws in HDV PQ.

Lee Wilson · August 24th, 2008, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fernando Ramos

Wow, very impressive Joseph! Was there any trick besides good lighting you used to make the image so clean?

You clean up the image in post if it is a little too grainy/noisy:

HV30 low light footage / clean up on Vimeo

Joel Peregrine · September 19th, 2008, 09:17 PM

Hi Randy,

I shot this in a very dimly lit tent with an HV30.

~ R o S H a m B o ~

I intentionally added some grain and film effects to give it a gritty look. The audio recording was over-modulated so I ended up using an old recording from their myspace page. Below is what the original footage looked like before and after CC and film effects:

http://www.dvinfo.net//conf/attachme...1&d=1221880573

Its a wonderful little camera.

July 14th, 2008, 10:18 PM	#19
Jeff Anselmo Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 566	Hi Joseph, Have to agree with Fernando, very impressive work indeed. I'm still learning with our new HV30; can you tell us what settings you used? And which 35mm adapter? Thanks! __________________ --JA

September 19th, 2008, 09:17 PM	#22
Joel Peregrine Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 689	Hi Randy, I shot this in a very dimly lit tent with an HV30. ~ R o S H a m B o ~ I intentionally added some grain and film effects to give it a gritty look. The audio recording was over-modulated so I ended up using an old recording from their myspace page. Below is what the original footage looked like before and after CC and film effects: http://www.dvinfo.net//conf/attachme...1&d=1221880573 Its a wonderful little camera. Attached Thumbnails

July 14th, 2008, 01:53 PM	#17
Joseph H. Moore Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 362	http://www.screentopia.com/pictures/clients/hothead/ Shot with HV20's and 30's and 35mm adapter (so light was being lost to adapter.) Regarding sound...be careful using the mix from the board. Many times, particularly in smaller venues, the drums may not be mic'd. (Sometimes if the monitors are big enough, the guitars might not even be.)

July 14th, 2008, 11:18 PM	#20
Joseph H. Moore Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 362	There was most definitely not "good lighting". ;-) The lighting kinda sucked, but we did the best with what was on hand. I shoot everything in 24p, 1/48th shutter, Tv mode, with the exposure "locked" so as to avoid any gain. All of the PQ settings are at 0 or -1. The adapter is the Cinevate Brevis MP. Canon FD mount. Basically, I try to shoot a digital "negative" that gives me the most latitude to grade in post. I think that what you'll find, more than anything, is that downres'ing to DVD hides a great many flaws in HDV PQ.