How To Shoot At Night ? at DVinfo.net

Sunarto Sosrosaputro · October 23rd, 2003, 03:23 AM

How to Shot at night ???
I used Canon XL1S, but there are grain in my video.

thanks
Sunarto

Adrian Douglas · October 23rd, 2003, 10:05 AM

The best way to get good shots at night is to add light but this isn't always possible and it can go from a simple on camera light to complex multiple light set-ups. If you could give us a little more information on what you are shooting then we could probably offer more information.

Alex Dunn · October 23rd, 2003, 11:42 AM

Put simply, the grain is caused by the Gain level being greater than zero. Adding light should be a given, but you also need to switch the cam to manual and turn off the Gain if you want to remove the grain (also known as "video noise").

Turn off the Gain, if you want to remove the grain. I think I may have a song or something there.

Sunarto Sosrosaputro · October 23rd, 2003, 09:05 PM

I want to shoot candle light, so i can't add light. I want to take romantic scene.

Adrian Douglas · October 23rd, 2003, 09:57 PM

Lighting a scene to look dark is one of the fine arts of lighting. Bounce and diffusion are the keys as well as carefully placed lights in your scene tht will add illumination but not obvious light. Chinese lanterns are great for this.

As Alex mentioned the gain is what's adding the noise in your shot. Anything over +6db and you'll start to notice the noise.

Rick Bravo · October 24th, 2003, 11:57 PM

Unfortunatley, the XL-1 and XL-1S are light hogs. They cut a gorgeous picture in broad daylight but run for cover as the light goes down.

The chinese lantern is a wonderful light source. It is soft and not "sourcey". You can also add a subtle flickering to bring out your candlelight effect. A very inexpensive way to do this is with what is commonly referred to as an "emergency blanket". You would use the blanket as a reflector.

The emergency blanket can be purchased for about $5.00 at any number of stores that specialize in camping or outdoor sporting equipment. It is a shiny, copper color on one side and silver on the other.

When you combine these element with well placed "practicals" within your scene, as Adrian suggested, they should give you the desired effect you are looking for without having to resort to too much gain.

Remember that the best lighting is the lighting that is not obvious.

Markus Aalto · October 25th, 2003, 01:47 AM

And one more thing: the automatic exposure can not deal with darkness, but tries to make it lighter than it should be. That's why you'll have to correct the exposure manually (to minus side) or try using the spotlight automatic exposure setting.

Adrian Douglas · October 25th, 2003, 10:43 AM

Yeah, for difficult lighting conditions stay right away from auto modes. Shoot from a tripod as much as possible, drop your shutter speed down to 1/30 (NTSC), 1/25 (PAL) and open the iris (f stop) wide. In auto modes the camera will set the gain to max, you will have no control and a lot of video noise.

Bryan Mitchell · October 27th, 2003, 12:55 AM

I use a flashlight :-p

Nathan Gifford · October 28th, 2003, 11:10 AM

You will need to experiment some to get the setting right. The idea usually is that you want the scene to look like it was shot at night.

The cam's EVF is not very good for making these judgements. An external monitor is far better.

Anyway, I took some shots with my XL-1 (not the S) in wine cellar. The EVF kept telling me it was a little dark. When I put my video on the monitor later it looked lots better and even had that romatic look about it (leaking light from the hallways).

Greg Boston · November 9th, 2003, 07:24 PM

Nathan,

I just recently had the same experience with my XL-1. I was filming at a party(using full manual) and the meter said low light. The image in the viewfinder even looked so dark that I thought the video would be useless. I didn't have the option to light up the scene so needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when playing back on a monitor and finding a fairly decent image for the amount of light I was working with (or without). I also kept my gain at 0 to keep noise out of the image.

regards,

G. Boston
Canon XL-1 and Pana PV-DV953

Teague Chrystie · November 10th, 2003, 10:56 AM

Or, if you have the background in visual effects that I do, you can film at day and give it a Day-to-Night correction.

Fig

Bryan Mitchell · November 10th, 2003, 12:30 PM

Yeah. I'm very interested in seing the results of changing the time in post (with basic tools: afterfx, premiere, others). I herd that the fast food scene in American Beauty was changed from night to day, and I never noticed anything wierd looking, so It would be interesting to see some results in post (I'm sure there are alot, but I dont know of any).

Patrick Falls · January 15th, 2004, 08:19 AM

teague i'm interested in a little tutorial for your day for night.

October 23rd, 2003, 03:23 AM	#1
Sunarto Sosrosaputro Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Indonesia Posts: 46	How To Shot At Night ? How to Shot at night ??? I used Canon XL1S, but there are grain in my video. thanks Sunarto

October 23rd, 2003, 10:05 AM	#2
Adrian Douglas Trustee Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Chigasaki, Japan. Posts: 1,660	The best way to get good shots at night is to add light but this isn't always possible and it can go from a simple on camera light to complex multiple light set-ups. If you could give us a little more information on what you are shooting then we could probably offer more information. __________________ Adrian DVInfo.net Search for quick answers Where to buy? From the best in the business...DVInfo.net sponsors

October 23rd, 2003, 09:05 PM	#4
Sunarto Sosrosaputro Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Indonesia Posts: 46	Candle Light I want to shoot candle light, so i can't add light. I want to take romantic scene. __________________ Sunarto

October 23rd, 2003, 09:57 PM	#5
Adrian Douglas Trustee Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Chigasaki, Japan. Posts: 1,660	Lighting a scene to look dark is one of the fine arts of lighting. Bounce and diffusion are the keys as well as carefully placed lights in your scene tht will add illumination but not obvious light. Chinese lanterns are great for this. As Alex mentioned the gain is what's adding the noise in your shot. Anything over +6db and you'll start to notice the noise. __________________ Adrian DVInfo.net Search for quick answers Where to buy? From the best in the business...DVInfo.net sponsors

October 24th, 2003, 11:57 PM	#6
Rick Bravo Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 574	All of the above! Unfortunatley, the XL-1 and XL-1S are light hogs. They cut a gorgeous picture in broad daylight but run for cover as the light goes down. The chinese lantern is a wonderful light source. It is soft and not "sourcey". You can also add a subtle flickering to bring out your candlelight effect. A very inexpensive way to do this is with what is commonly referred to as an "emergency blanket". You would use the blanket as a reflector. The emergency blanket can be purchased for about $5.00 at any number of stores that specialize in camping or outdoor sporting equipment. It is a shiny, copper color on one side and silver on the other. When you combine these element with well placed "practicals" within your scene, as Adrian suggested, they should give you the desired effect you are looking for without having to resort to too much gain. Remember that the best lighting is the lighting that is not obvious. __________________ "The future ain't what it used to be." Yogi Berra. www.rbravo.com

October 23rd, 2003, 11:42 AM	#3
Alex Dunn Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 202	Put simply, the grain is caused by the Gain level being greater than zero. Adding light should be a given, but you also need to switch the cam to manual and turn off the Gain if you want to remove the grain (also known as "video noise"). Turn off the Gain, if you want to remove the grain. I think I may have a song or something there.

October 25th, 2003, 01:47 AM	#7
Markus Aalto New Boot Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Finland Posts: 12	And one more thing: the automatic exposure can not deal with darkness, but tries to make it lighter than it should be. That's why you'll have to correct the exposure manually (to minus side) or try using the spotlight automatic exposure setting. __________________ Markus Aalto

October 25th, 2003, 10:43 AM	#8
Adrian Douglas Trustee Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Chigasaki, Japan. Posts: 1,660	Yeah, for difficult lighting conditions stay right away from auto modes. Shoot from a tripod as much as possible, drop your shutter speed down to 1/30 (NTSC), 1/25 (PAL) and open the iris (f stop) wide. In auto modes the camera will set the gain to max, you will have no control and a lot of video noise. __________________ Adrian DVInfo.net Search for quick answers Where to buy? From the best in the business...DVInfo.net sponsors

October 27th, 2003, 12:55 AM	#9
Bryan Mitchell Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 316	I use a flashlight :-p

October 28th, 2003, 11:10 AM	#10
Nathan Gifford Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Tickfaw, LA Posts: 1,217	You will need to experiment some to get the setting right. The idea usually is that you want the scene to look like it was shot at night. The cam's EVF is not very good for making these judgements. An external monitor is far better. Anyway, I took some shots with my XL-1 (not the S) in wine cellar. The EVF kept telling me it was a little dark. When I put my video on the monitor later it looked lots better and even had that romatic look about it (leaking light from the hallways). __________________ Nathan Gifford Southern Cyclist Magazine & Productions For quick answers try our Search! To see me and Rob Lohman click here

November 9th, 2003, 07:24 PM	#11
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	XL-1 and low light Nathan, I just recently had the same experience with my XL-1. I was filming at a party(using full manual) and the meter said low light. The image in the viewfinder even looked so dark that I thought the video would be useless. I didn't have the option to light up the scene so needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when playing back on a monitor and finding a fairly decent image for the amount of light I was working with (or without). I also kept my gain at 0 to keep noise out of the image. regards, G. Boston Canon XL-1 and Pana PV-DV953

November 10th, 2003, 10:56 AM	#12
Teague Chrystie New Boot Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 22	Or, if you have the background in visual effects that I do, you can film at day and give it a Day-to-Night correction. Fig __________________ http://www.figrinfilm.com

November 10th, 2003, 12:30 PM	#13
Bryan Mitchell Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 316	Yeah. I'm very interested in seing the results of changing the time in post (with basic tools: afterfx, premiere, others). I herd that the fast food scene in American Beauty was changed from night to day, and I never noticed anything wierd looking, so It would be interesting to see some results in post (I'm sure there are alot, but I dont know of any).

January 15th, 2004, 08:19 AM	#14
Patrick Falls Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Augusta georgia 15min. from Aiken S.Carolina and 2 hours from Atlanta Posts: 105	interesting teague i'm interested in a little tutorial for your day for night.