Auto Exposure Sucks! =/ at DVinfo.net

Alex Knappenberger · April 30th, 2003, 01:59 PM

Damnit, I took my camera to school today, and I gave my camera to a couple kids to walk around and get some funny footage (they are nuts) and in almost every shot of something good, it was backlit, and as you all know, Auto exposure isn't good with handling stuff like that, so it exposed for the bright backgrounds and bright lights, instead of the subject, oh well. Now I have lots of funny stuff shot poorly =/. I should of gave them a little lesson instead of just telling them which button is the record button, heh.

Jim Ioannidis · April 30th, 2003, 02:25 PM

well don't be blaming AE, thats just wrong.

I love AE, I do everything in there. I write documents and spreadsheets in it, if it could browse the web and send emails I would never Exit out of it. :-)

But seriously, I love AE even if it can't do EVERYTHING.
I used it to design a t-shirt logo because it know it better than most programs so I knew i could get the logo the way I wanted it using AE instead of Photoshop or Illustrator.

Alex Knappenberger · April 30th, 2003, 02:36 PM

*Didn't read the post alert (sirens)* ;)

Heh, I wasn't talking about After Effects, even though I suck with that program... :D

EDIT - I changed the subject so it's more clear. :)

Jim Ioannidis · April 30th, 2003, 02:39 PM

O hehe, ok, I wrote faster than I thought

I thought you meant you couldn't fix the footage in After effects
not talking about Auto Exposure.

I always call After Effects AE and I just assume other people do to.

hehe

Jeff Donald · April 30th, 2003, 02:42 PM

I think we have two different discussions going on here. Alex, I believe is referring to Auto Exposure (AE) and Jim is referring to Adobe After Effects (AE). You two can try and sort it out from there.

Alex, try manual exposure.

Bryan Beasleigh · April 30th, 2003, 03:30 PM

Alex
A word of advice, don't lend your camera to anyone, especially someone that doesn't understand how to use it properly.
You really enjoy your camera and it would most likely be devestating to have it lost or damaged. You do good work Alex, you have more dedication and incite than a lot of people twice your age.

Alex Knappenberger · April 30th, 2003, 03:30 PM

Yes, of course, if I was operating the camera, I would use manual exposure properly, but like I mentioned, it was some other crazy kids using my camera filming some funny stuff, and they are electronic illiterate to begin with...

Chris Hurd · April 30th, 2003, 08:54 PM

At first glance of the thread title, I too thought it was about Adobe After Effects. I've edited the thread title to read "Auto Exposure" for clarity.

Bill Pryor · May 2nd, 2003, 08:48 AM

There are several things on cameras that suck...auto exposure, auto shutter, auto video gain, audo audio gain. Notice that all those things that suck begin with auto. Just because it's there doesn't mean it should be used. My previous car would do 120 miles per hour, but that didn't mean I should use it that way.

That'll teach ya to lend out your camera! Heheheh.

Dylan Couper · May 2nd, 2003, 09:20 AM

Bill, don't forget the worst of all, auto focus! :)

Bill Pryor · May 2nd, 2003, 09:48 AM

For sure! I thought after I posted that I left out something--good catch. If you had to pick the worst of the worst, that probably is it.
The manufacturers put all the auto stuff on because they can and it's cheap and appeals to the masses, but for a normal person (by our standards of normalcy, if there is such a thing), the very first thing to do when you get a camera is turn all the auto stuff off.

On the other hand...there is always an exception. On occasion, I do the same thing Alex did--I let somebody else use a camera. But, the person who uses it is sort of experienced and it's used for things like talent auditions. I turn on the auto stuff and say, "Here...push this button to record, keep you finger off the zoom when you're shooting, and don't put anybody in front of a window."

Chris Hurd · May 2nd, 2003, 10:14 AM

I usually refer to the full-auto mode as the mother-in-law mode.

"Oh, looks like Gladys is chopping off heads again."

Alex Knappenberger · May 2nd, 2003, 02:41 PM

..heh thats another problem I have with letting other people shoot stuff with my camera -- They can't frame FOR CRAP! and oddly, i've had 2 kids so far film some stuff with my camera, and it's not chopping off heads, but rather bodies, meaning they have the camera frame up way to far, and that also means the auto exposure underexposes the subject because it's exposeing for either the sky and the lights on the ceiling, because these kids can't frame...

Honestly, in good daylight and in the right conditions, I use the auto mode. There's nothing to worry about with auto focus, especially in daylight, because the aperature is usually at f11-f16, which basically makes a insanely deep depth of field, so the need for the camera to keep re-focusing isn't necessary. When the light gets low or when I need to shoot a subject that will throw off the auto stuff, I will use the manual modes...

Garret Ambrosio · May 2nd, 2003, 05:54 PM

Alex, kids with your cam...dangerous!! I had two adults use my cameras last weekend because I had to "run" things and dang, that was a mistake, like you said they couldn't frame crap, they zoomed in and out of everything they shot...it was a disaster. I guess we are both lucky in the sense at least they didn't drop the darn thing.

Speaking of AE (the adobe kind), how the heck do you use that program, I have it and I can't even figure out how to start anything with it.

Alex Knappenberger · May 2nd, 2003, 06:05 PM

Heh, i'm in the same situation as you. I have access to AfterEffects also, and I can't figure it out for crap, I can do some stuff, but the timeline is so screwy, it sucks, it doesn't make any sense, because howcome you only have 8 seconds of footage on the timeline at a time? It's stupid....lol

"Alex, kids with your cam...dangerous!!"

I use the word "kids" loosely, I myself am considered a kid, apparently, i'm only 14. :D

April 30th, 2003, 01:59 PM	#1
Alex Knappenberger High School Student Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canton, Ohio, USA Posts: 609	AutoExposure Sucks! =/ Damnit, I took my camera to school today, and I gave my camera to a couple kids to walk around and get some funny footage (they are nuts) and in almost every shot of something good, it was backlit, and as you all know, Auto exposure isn't good with handling stuff like that, so it exposed for the bright backgrounds and bright lights, instead of the subject, oh well. Now I have lots of funny stuff shot poorly =/. I should of gave them a little lesson instead of just telling them which button is the record button, heh.

April 30th, 2003, 02:25 PM	#2
Jim Ioannidis Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 60	well don't be blaming AE, thats just wrong. I love AE, I do everything in there. I write documents and spreadsheets in it, if it could browse the web and send emails I would never Exit out of it. :-) But seriously, I love AE even if it can't do EVERYTHING. I used it to design a t-shirt logo because it know it better than most programs so I knew i could get the logo the way I wanted it using AE instead of Photoshop or Illustrator. __________________ www.downfallproductions.com

April 30th, 2003, 02:39 PM	#4
Jim Ioannidis Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 60	O hehe, ok, I wrote faster than I thought I thought you meant you couldn't fix the footage in After effects not talking about Auto Exposure. I always call After Effects AE and I just assume other people do to. hehe __________________ www.downfallproductions.com

April 30th, 2003, 02:42 PM	#5
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	I think we have two different discussions going on here. Alex, I believe is referring to Auto Exposure (AE) and Jim is referring to Adobe After Effects (AE). You two can try and sort it out from there. Alex, try manual exposure. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

April 30th, 2003, 08:54 PM	#8
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	At first glance of the thread title, I too thought it was about Adobe After Effects. I've edited the thread title to read "Auto Exposure" for clarity. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

April 30th, 2003, 02:36 PM	#3
Alex Knappenberger High School Student Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canton, Ohio, USA Posts: 609	Didn't read the post alert (sirens) ;) Heh, I wasn't talking about After Effects, even though I suck with that program... :D EDIT - I changed the subject so it's more clear. :)

April 30th, 2003, 03:30 PM	#6
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	Alex A word of advice, don't lend your camera to anyone, especially someone that doesn't understand how to use it properly. You really enjoy your camera and it would most likely be devestating to have it lost or damaged. You do good work Alex, you have more dedication and incite than a lot of people twice your age.

May 2nd, 2003, 08:48 AM	#9
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	There are several things on cameras that suck...auto exposure, auto shutter, auto video gain, audo audio gain. Notice that all those things that suck begin with auto. Just because it's there doesn't mean it should be used. My previous car would do 120 miles per hour, but that didn't mean I should use it that way. That'll teach ya to lend out your camera! Heheheh.

May 2nd, 2003, 09:20 AM	#10
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Bill, don't forget the worst of all, auto focus! :) __________________ Need to rent camera gear in Vancouver BC? Check me out at camerarentalsvancouver.com

May 2nd, 2003, 09:48 AM	#11
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	For sure! I thought after I posted that I left out something--good catch. If you had to pick the worst of the worst, that probably is it. The manufacturers put all the auto stuff on because they can and it's cheap and appeals to the masses, but for a normal person (by our standards of normalcy, if there is such a thing), the very first thing to do when you get a camera is turn all the auto stuff off. On the other hand...there is always an exception. On occasion, I do the same thing Alex did--I let somebody else use a camera. But, the person who uses it is sort of experienced and it's used for things like talent auditions. I turn on the auto stuff and say, "Here...push this button to record, keep you finger off the zoom when you're shooting, and don't put anybody in front of a window."

May 2nd, 2003, 10:14 AM	#12
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	I usually refer to the full-auto mode as the mother-in-law mode. "Oh, looks like Gladys is chopping off heads again." __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

May 2nd, 2003, 02:41 PM	#13
Alex Knappenberger High School Student Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canton, Ohio, USA Posts: 609	..heh thats another problem I have with letting other people shoot stuff with my camera -- They can't frame FOR CRAP! and oddly, i've had 2 kids so far film some stuff with my camera, and it's not chopping off heads, but rather bodies, meaning they have the camera frame up way to far, and that also means the auto exposure underexposes the subject because it's exposeing for either the sky and the lights on the ceiling, because these kids can't frame... Honestly, in good daylight and in the right conditions, I use the auto mode. There's nothing to worry about with auto focus, especially in daylight, because the aperature is usually at f11-f16, which basically makes a insanely deep depth of field, so the need for the camera to keep re-focusing isn't necessary. When the light gets low or when I need to shoot a subject that will throw off the auto stuff, I will use the manual modes...

May 2nd, 2003, 05:54 PM	#14
Garret Ambrosio Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Vallejo, CA Posts: 263	Alex, kids with your cam...dangerous!! I had two adults use my cameras last weekend because I had to "run" things and dang, that was a mistake, like you said they couldn't frame crap, they zoomed in and out of everything they shot...it was a disaster. I guess we are both lucky in the sense at least they didn't drop the darn thing. Speaking of AE (the adobe kind), how the heck do you use that program, I have it and I can't even figure out how to start anything with it. __________________ "USA Today has come out with a new survey - apparently, three out of every four people make up 75% of the population." -David Letterman

May 2nd, 2003, 06:05 PM	#15
Alex Knappenberger High School Student Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canton, Ohio, USA Posts: 609	Heh, i'm in the same situation as you. I have access to AfterEffects also, and I can't figure it out for crap, I can do some stuff, but the timeline is so screwy, it sucks, it doesn't make any sense, because howcome you only have 8 seconds of footage on the timeline at a time? It's stupid....lol "Alex, kids with your cam...dangerous!!" I use the word "kids" loosely, I myself am considered a kid, apparently, i'm only 14. :D