How do I do low light filming with the XF300 at DVinfo.net

Syeed Ali · March 16th, 2011, 07:30 AM

Tomorrow evening I may be doing some filming at an event launch party.

I will be filming both outside as well as inside where I will be doing interviews. I'm assuming it will be low/bad light.

Any tips and suggestions on camera settings?

Thanks

Michael Horn · March 16th, 2011, 09:53 AM

If you don't need to shoot in 1080p, switch to 720p as it gives you a bit more light.

Dom Stevenson · March 16th, 2011, 02:58 PM

Some are saying that this camera's 4:2:2 codec stands a good bit of post manipulation. It could be that if you shoot as bright as you can in the normal way, without too much gain, you can brighten it up afterwards. Do some tests with dim footage and see how you get on. I'd be interested to know how it works out.

Daniel Gustafsson · March 16th, 2011, 04:01 PM

If you don't own a post denoiser app you can always use the internal noise reduction in the camera! It is quite powerful.

Syeed Ali · March 20th, 2011, 11:10 AM

Thanks guys.

It was my first evening/dark shoot and it was just one big problem.

In the end I added gain which I later found out when looking at footage, made it very grainy so will use Neat de-ioniser for that. Also used a rotolight which helped considerably.

It's just one looooong learning curve!!

:)

Thanks again.

Syeed Ali · March 30th, 2011, 02:21 AM

Here's the finished video

YouTube - Concours D'Elegance 2011 Launch Party

The intro shot outside the venue came out quite nice. Inside it was awful.

I made a big rookie mistake. Had a rotolight attached to the camera but didn't use it until halfway. Works quite well with it.

Learnt a lot from that shoot and doing the editing/post stuff.

Andy Wilkinson · March 30th, 2011, 03:34 AM

Hey its not too bad (inside shots) at all. I was expecting a lot worse from your description - just scanned through some sections of it on a quick break (up to my neck with client edit deadlines!) but it seems to capture the atmosphere of the event well (which is all 99% of your clients intended audience will be interested in, I imagine, not low light performance of a XF300). Nice cars! One or two focus errors and some of your taking head cutaways were not ideal (but having done the odd live event as a sole cameraman I know how tricky these things can be!). Things often unfold fast and you just have to capture the magical bits as best you can and hope to hide/remove any glitches in edit.

Sure, you've learnt something to do better next time. The day the complex world of is video production gets totally predictable and I stop learning something new is the day I'll probably loose interest anyway. Most important thing, is the client happy?

Syeed Ali · March 30th, 2011, 01:59 PM

No client. All video work that I'm doing is for an online channel that I set up recently.

The original length was double, but I decided to edit it down. As I'm continuously moving, I tend to keep it on auto focus. Everything else is on manual settings.

but... I really want an Af101

Alf Hanna · May 1st, 2011, 08:47 AM

Sayeed,if u still r out there,nice job on this. While some small flaws, they didn't seem horrible.it worked fine for what it was. That kind of shoot is low value, don't you wish you were here kind of coverage.

As to wanting an af100,while I too would love to play with one, what would you have done differently if you had one? The event is a wide angle, high DOF event, run &gun. Not likely the right scenario for AF100 style shooting. Or was there some reason you wanted one?

In your network, do you need 'broadcast quality? Your network is web based? the reason I ask is that if it's not b.q. Then just shoot with a 7d or 5mkII? Or are u hoping for stringer work out of this?

Syeed Ali · May 2nd, 2011, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alf Hanna

Sayeed,if u still r out there,nice job on this. While some small flaws, they didn't seem horrible.it worked fine for what it was. That kind of shoot is low value, don't you wish you were here kind of coverage.

Hi Alf,

It was a quick job and ideally I would have liked to have spent more time on it, but it's mainly news/event stuff and I've seen much worse on TV.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alf Hanna

As to wanting an af100,while I too would love to play with one, what would you have done differently if you had one? The event is a wide angle, high DOF event, run &gun. Not likely the right scenario for AF100 style shooting. Or was there some reason you wanted one?

I wouldn't have used the Af100 for that shoot, but for the documentary type stuff I'm doing later. I also have an XHA1 and that and the XF300 are perfect for run and gun stuff.

I've played around with the AF100 and really like, but at the moment it's way down on my list of things to purchase.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alf Hanna

In your network, do you need 'broadcast quality? Your network is web based? the reason I ask is that if it's not b.q. Then just shoot with a 7d or 5mkII? Or are u hoping for stringer work out of this?

You're correct, I don't really need broadcast quality as most if not all of the footage is for the internet. I used to shoot with an XHA1 and decided to get the XF300. The XHA1 is a great camera, but I prefer using the XF. Used the XHA1 for two days of shooting as the XF was in for repair and I really missed the XF.

I'm considering the 5mkII as the B camera though.

Christopher Icha · May 2nd, 2011, 01:01 PM

Nice video clip. Slightly too long for me, and 3.38 (which I consider to be the money shot) much too short.

Alf Hanna · May 2nd, 2011, 06:10 PM

If I can ask, why was the XF in for repair? What broke? Was it operator error (G) or an actual flaw?

Syeed Ali · May 7th, 2011, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christopher Icha

Nice video clip. Slightly too long for me, and 3.38 (which I consider to be the money shot) much too short.

Unfortunately, the only long clip I had was done in daylight. I forgot to do it at the time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alf Hanna

If I can ask, why was the XF in for repair? What broke? Was it operator error (G) or an actual flaw?

I connected a V Lock battery to it and it blew a fuse. I was told it would work, but evidently it didn't.

Canon Service Centre fixed it in a couple of days and even gave me a free viewfinder cap.

Robin Davies-Rollinson · May 7th, 2011, 10:22 AM

Syeed,
Did you take your camera in personally to the Canon Service Centre in Elstree?
I need to get mine in to replace the EVF (burn on!) and I'd rather take it there myself if possible.

Syeed Ali · May 7th, 2011, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robin Davies-Rollinson

Syeed,
Did you take your camera in personally to the Canon Service Centre in Elstree?
I need to get mine in to replace the EVF (burn on!) and I'd rather take it there myself if possible.

Yes. You just drop it off at reception and they give you a receipt for it.

Then email you a confirmation and once ready, send you an email that it's ready for collection.

I've been a few times and never booked it, just turn up and hand it in.

March 16th, 2011, 07:30 AM	#1
Syeed Ali Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: London Posts: 161	How do I do low light filming with the XF300 Tomorrow evening I may be doing some filming at an event launch party. I will be filming both outside as well as inside where I will be doing interviews. I'm assuming it will be low/bad light. Any tips and suggestions on camera settings? Thanks

March 16th, 2011, 09:53 AM	#2
Michael Horn New Boot Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Meriden, CT USA Posts: 20	Re: How do I do low light filming with the XF300 If you don't need to shoot in 1080p, switch to 720p as it gives you a bit more light.

March 16th, 2011, 02:58 PM	#3
Dom Stevenson Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: London UK Posts: 430	Re: How do I do low light filming with the XF300 Some are saying that this camera's 4:2:2 codec stands a good bit of post manipulation. It could be that if you shoot as bright as you can in the normal way, without too much gain, you can brighten it up afterwards. Do some tests with dim footage and see how you get on. I'd be interested to know how it works out.

March 16th, 2011, 04:01 PM	#4
Daniel Gustafsson New Boot Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 5	Re: How do I do low light filming with the XF300 If you don't own a post denoiser app you can always use the internal noise reduction in the camera! It is quite powerful.

March 20th, 2011, 11:10 AM	#5
Syeed Ali Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: London Posts: 161	Re: How do I do low light filming with the XF300 Thanks guys. It was my first evening/dark shoot and it was just one big problem. In the end I added gain which I later found out when looking at footage, made it very grainy so will use Neat de-ioniser for that. Also used a rotolight which helped considerably. It's just one looooong learning curve!! :) Thanks again.

March 30th, 2011, 02:21 AM	#6
Syeed Ali Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: London Posts: 161	Re: How do I do low light filming with the XF300 Here's the finished video YouTube - Concours D'Elegance 2011 Launch Party The intro shot outside the venue came out quite nice. Inside it was awful. I made a big rookie mistake. Had a rotolight attached to the camera but didn't use it until halfway. Works quite well with it. Learnt a lot from that shoot and doing the editing/post stuff.

March 30th, 2011, 03:34 AM	#7
Andy Wilkinson Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 2,853	Re: How do I do low light filming with the XF300 Hey its not too bad (inside shots) at all. I was expecting a lot worse from your description - just scanned through some sections of it on a quick break (up to my neck with client edit deadlines!) but it seems to capture the atmosphere of the event well (which is all 99% of your clients intended audience will be interested in, I imagine, not low light performance of a XF300). Nice cars! One or two focus errors and some of your taking head cutaways were not ideal (but having done the odd live event as a sole cameraman I know how tricky these things can be!). Things often unfold fast and you just have to capture the magical bits as best you can and hope to hide/remove any glitches in edit. Sure, you've learnt something to do better next time. The day the complex world of is video production gets totally predictable and I stop learning something new is the day I'll probably loose interest anyway. Most important thing, is the client happy? __________________ Andy K Wilkinson - https://www.shootingimage.co.uk Cambridge (UK) Corporate Video Production

March 30th, 2011, 01:59 PM	#8
Syeed Ali Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: London Posts: 161	Re: How do I do low light filming with the XF300 No client. All video work that I'm doing is for an online channel that I set up recently. The original length was double, but I decided to edit it down. As I'm continuously moving, I tend to keep it on auto focus. Everything else is on manual settings. but... I really want an Af101

May 1st, 2011, 08:47 AM	#9
Alf Hanna New Boot Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 10	Re: How do I do low light filming with the XF300 Sayeed,if u still r out there,nice job on this. While some small flaws, they didn't seem horrible.it worked fine for what it was. That kind of shoot is low value, don't you wish you were here kind of coverage. As to wanting an af100,while I too would love to play with one, what would you have done differently if you had one? The event is a wide angle, high DOF event, run &gun. Not likely the right scenario for AF100 style shooting. Or was there some reason you wanted one? In your network, do you need 'broadcast quality? Your network is web based? the reason I ask is that if it's not b.q. Then just shoot with a 7d or 5mkII? Or are u hoping for stringer work out of this?

May 2nd, 2011, 01:01 PM	#11
Christopher Icha New Boot Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: London: United Kingdom Posts: 22	Re: How do I do low light filming with the XF300 Nice video clip. Slightly too long for me, and 3.38 (which I consider to be the money shot) much too short.

May 2nd, 2011, 06:10 PM	#12
Alf Hanna New Boot Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 10	Re: How do I do low light filming with the XF300 If I can ask, why was the XF in for repair? What broke? Was it operator error (G) or an actual flaw?

May 7th, 2011, 10:22 AM	#14
Robin Davies-Rollinson Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Gwaelod-y-garth, Cardiff, CYMRU/WALES Posts: 1,215	Re: How do I do low light filming with the XF300 Syeed, Did you take your camera in personally to the Canon Service Centre in Elstree? I need to get mine in to replace the EVF (burn on!) and I'd rather take it there myself if possible. __________________ TV Director / Cameraman