HMC-150 and filming bright lights:

Simon Zimmer · October 5th, 2009, 06:44 PM

Great Information here!

I love this forum.

I learned a lot these last few days.

Simon

Simon Zimmer · October 6th, 2009, 09:47 PM

I had to film again in the room with the bright lights and I tried the method explained in this thread and it worked!

What a difference.

Thanks again everyone!

Simon

Simon Zimmer · October 8th, 2009, 07:41 AM

Hello,

I have a question about the workflow of setting up a scene with the right exposure, etc.

I have learned the importance of using ATW, ABB and the IRIS in manual mode in the last week but in which order should I be adjusting these features? Also when (which order) should I adjust the N-filter? At the beginning?

At the present time I adjust the IRIS first, then the ABB and then the ATW.

I am wondering if this is the right order?

Simon

Tom Hardwick · October 8th, 2009, 09:06 AM

Hi Simon,

It really doesn't matter when you set the white balance but I'd suggest it's probably easier for the inbuilt program if it's reading a well exposed scene rather than a completely blown out or completely dark scene. BTW, you can manually white balance off anything that has no colour, so that could be a white card, a grey street or a black curtain.

So firstly I set the ND filters. If I'm walking out into the sunshine I automatically click both NDs into place. If it's grey out there I just click in ND1.

I check that I'm set on the default shutter speed (1/50th sec here in PAL land) and zero dB gain. I have the iris on auto and my zebras on 100%. I raise the camera to look at the scene and lock in the auto-selected iris setting. Then, using my experience and with the help of the zebras, I fine-tune the iris setting, opening or closing the aperture to give the exposure I want to use.

Locking the exposure in this way (ND, shutter, gain and iris) means that should a white car or huge red bus cross my path, my exposure of the house I'm filming (say) won't fluctuate.

tom.

Simon Zimmer · October 8th, 2009, 09:20 AM

Great info!

And what about the ABB? Where would you do that?

Thanks,

Simon

Tom Hardwick · October 8th, 2009, 09:24 AM

As a Sony man Simon, you'll have to tell me what ABB stands for. Auto black balance maybe? If so, you can probably ignore that if you've got the WB correct, but I'll leave it to a 150/151 owner to update me.

Simon Zimmer · October 8th, 2009, 09:30 AM

Oops, sorry about that.

ABB is for black balance adjustment.

Ignore it? Okay, one less thing to do. ;)

Thanks again,

Simon

October 6th, 2009, 09:47 PM	#17
Simon Zimmer Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Easton, Maryland Posts: 497	It worked! I had to film again in the room with the bright lights and I tried the method explained in this thread and it worked! What a difference. Thanks again everyone! Simon

October 5th, 2009, 06:44 PM	#16
Simon Zimmer Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Easton, Maryland Posts: 497	Great Information here! I love this forum. I learned a lot these last few days. Simon

October 8th, 2009, 07:41 AM	#18
Simon Zimmer Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Easton, Maryland Posts: 497	Hello, I have a question about the workflow of setting up a scene with the right exposure, etc. I have learned the importance of using ATW, ABB and the IRIS in manual mode in the last week but in which order should I be adjusting these features? Also when (which order) should I adjust the N-filter? At the beginning? At the present time I adjust the IRIS first, then the ABB and then the ATW. I am wondering if this is the right order? Simon

October 8th, 2009, 09:06 AM	#19
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Hi Simon, It really doesn't matter when you set the white balance but I'd suggest it's probably easier for the inbuilt program if it's reading a well exposed scene rather than a completely blown out or completely dark scene. BTW, you can manually white balance off anything that has no colour, so that could be a white card, a grey street or a black curtain. So firstly I set the ND filters. If I'm walking out into the sunshine I automatically click both NDs into place. If it's grey out there I just click in ND1. I check that I'm set on the default shutter speed (1/50th sec here in PAL land) and zero dB gain. I have the iris on auto and my zebras on 100%. I raise the camera to look at the scene and lock in the auto-selected iris setting. Then, using my experience and with the help of the zebras, I fine-tune the iris setting, opening or closing the aperture to give the exposure I want to use. Locking the exposure in this way (ND, shutter, gain and iris) means that should a white car or huge red bus cross my path, my exposure of the house I'm filming (say) won't fluctuate. tom.

October 8th, 2009, 09:20 AM	#20
Simon Zimmer Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Easton, Maryland Posts: 497	Great info! And what about the ABB? Where would you do that? Thanks, Simon

October 8th, 2009, 09:24 AM	#21
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	As a Sony man Simon, you'll have to tell me what ABB stands for. Auto black balance maybe? If so, you can probably ignore that if you've got the WB correct, but I'll leave it to a 150/151 owner to update me.

October 8th, 2009, 09:30 AM	#22
Simon Zimmer Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Easton, Maryland Posts: 497	Oops, sorry about that. ABB is for black balance adjustment. Ignore it? Okay, one less thing to do. ;) Thanks again, Simon