AGC (automatic gain control) deal or no deal at DVinfo.net

Doug Tessler · December 10th, 2006, 10:58 AM

I have noticed that agc adds alot of noise to the picture in low light and even in other circumstances and lighting situations so I am going to leave it turned off unless it's absolutely necessary. What do you guys think ?

Bill Pryor · December 10th, 2006, 11:08 AM

I can't think of any reason to ever shoot with AGC on, unless maybe you're doing something like that "Cops" TV show where they follow cops around at night.

Steven Dempsey · December 10th, 2006, 01:15 PM

No Deal, Howie.

Philip Williams · December 10th, 2006, 01:55 PM

No deal. Personally I always set the cam to manual mode and map -3db, 6db and 12db to the gain toggle.

Dennis Wood · December 10th, 2006, 02:22 PM

That was the very first thing I did...AGC off, -3db dialed in. I'm still learning the vagaries of NR1 and NR2. The A1 is noisy IMO out of the box, but it looks a ton better with the few tweaks as far as noise. If you're shooting auto mode (like following your tot around the house) AGC is your friend.

Wade Hanchey · December 10th, 2006, 02:22 PM

Does using negative gain have any side effects? good or bad?

Jason Strongfield · December 10th, 2006, 03:02 PM

anything AUTO is basically no deal as we are smarter than the computer chips and mathematical formula. One of the main difference between a consumer and prosumer cam is the ability to go fully manual.

Khoi Pham · December 10th, 2006, 06:51 PM

Auto gain is handy in certain situation with live event but with A1, it is useless and a waste of a button because you can't limit your gain.

Adam Reuter · December 10th, 2006, 11:16 PM

AGC is good if you hand your camera to your mom or a little kid. But if you need to adjust gain, it's easy enough to do it yourself. The camera constantly changing gain levels and adding noise to the picture looks really unprofessional.

Leave it off. Just my two cents.

David Ziegelheim · December 11th, 2006, 06:04 PM

Gain virtually always imparts noise into the image. Letting the camera do it is frequently imparts noise that you don't see until post.

In consumer cameras, it is necessary because the owners don't know how to adjust gain...or even what it is. On still cameras they label it as a film speed.

Auto exposure...sometimes. Auto gain...I never use it.

December 10th, 2006, 10:58 AM	#1
Doug Tessler Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: BOCa raton fl Posts: 342	AGC (automatic gain control) deal or no deal I have noticed that agc adds alot of noise to the picture in low light and even in other circumstances and lighting situations so I am going to leave it turned off unless it's absolutely necessary. What do you guys think ?

December 10th, 2006, 01:15 PM	#3
Steven Dempsey Disjecta Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Seattle, Washington Posts: 937	No Deal, Howie. __________________ Try my Digital Therapy: http://www.pinelakefilms.com/digital_therapy.html Films on ExposureRoom: http://exposureroom.com/members/disjecta.aspx/videos/

December 10th, 2006, 06:51 PM	#8
Khoi Pham Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Dallas Posts: 747	Auto gain is handy in certain situation with live event but with A1, it is useless and a waste of a button because you can't limit your gain. __________________ Khoi Pham www.proeditproductions.com

December 10th, 2006, 11:08 AM	#2
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I can't think of any reason to ever shoot with AGC on, unless maybe you're doing something like that "Cops" TV show where they follow cops around at night.

December 10th, 2006, 01:55 PM	#4
Philip Williams Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Snellville, Georgia Posts: 614	No deal. Personally I always set the cam to manual mode and map -3db, 6db and 12db to the gain toggle.

December 10th, 2006, 02:22 PM	#5
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	That was the very first thing I did...AGC off, -3db dialed in. I'm still learning the vagaries of NR1 and NR2. The A1 is noisy IMO out of the box, but it looks a ton better with the few tweaks as far as noise. If you're shooting auto mode (like following your tot around the house) AGC is your friend.

December 10th, 2006, 02:22 PM	#6
Wade Hanchey Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 117	Does using negative gain have any side effects? good or bad?

December 10th, 2006, 03:02 PM	#7
Jason Strongfield Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: USA Posts: 195	anything AUTO is basically no deal as we are smarter than the computer chips and mathematical formula. One of the main difference between a consumer and prosumer cam is the ability to go fully manual.

December 10th, 2006, 11:16 PM	#9
Adam Reuter Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 234	AGC is good if you hand your camera to your mom or a little kid. But if you need to adjust gain, it's easy enough to do it yourself. The camera constantly changing gain levels and adding noise to the picture looks really unprofessional. Leave it off. Just my two cents.

December 11th, 2006, 06:04 PM	#10
David Ziegelheim Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Warren, NJ Posts: 398	Gain virtually always imparts noise into the image. Letting the camera do it is frequently imparts noise that you don't see until post. In consumer cameras, it is necessary because the owners don't know how to adjust gain...or even what it is. On still cameras they label it as a film speed. Auto exposure...sometimes. Auto gain...I never use it.