hd very dark picture at night at DVinfo.net

Jack Major · August 20th, 2006, 06:40 PM

is it just me or does hd seem very dark at night, is there anyway to brighten up picture besides exposure or backlight and black stretch? Is there a brighten feature or something?

Peter Ferling · August 20th, 2006, 07:00 PM

First we need more details. HD of itself is not dark. It's your equipment, scene, and setup. What are you shooting and how?

Jack Major · August 20th, 2006, 09:23 PM

I'm just shooting on an a1u, but i dont want to have lighting i want to use natural likght however i can see in it it still is very dark even in decent light.

Nick Weeks · August 20th, 2006, 10:05 PM

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the a1 doesn't do very well in low light as far as I know. I think it's sensitivity is like 7 lux... which is about the same as a GL2 I believe

Tom Hardwick · August 21st, 2006, 01:00 AM

You're right, the A1 is a 7 lux camera - like the PDX10. So the order goes like this:

VX2100/PD170 - 1 lux
VX2000/PD150 - 2 lux
Z1/FX1 HC3 - 3 lux
Al/HC1/PDX10 -7 lux

These are Sony's fiigures so can be taken as being pretty accurate.

To put things in perspective, the PD170 will be at maximum aperture and zero gain up when the A1/HC1 is at maximum aperture and +18dB of gain up, and the A1 will still be under exposing slightly.

The A1 has a slower lens at max telephoto, so it gets worse as you zoom.

Jack - you've just got to add more light I'm afraid. You can grab a stop by shooting at a shutter speed a stop down, but that will seriously affect the way your film looks.

tom.

Mikko Lopponen · August 21st, 2006, 06:19 PM

HC3 is not 3 lux.

Here's a night clip of fireworks I shot with the hc1.

http://hmcindie.pp.fi/movies/Ilotulitukset%202006.avi

Encoded with divx6.

Stu Holmes · August 21st, 2006, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

HC3 - 3 lux

Hi Tom - i'm pretty certain that the HC3 is rated at 5lux actually. So its kinds between FX1/Z1 and Hc1/A1. Good post though.

Tommy Haupfear · August 21st, 2006, 08:55 PM

Mikko, great low light clip!

Tom Hardwick · August 22nd, 2006, 01:44 AM

Oops, sorry. Yes indeed, Sony rate the HC-3 as 5 lux, as you say.

http://tinyurl.com/p7s2l

August 20th, 2006, 06:40 PM	#1
Jack Major Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Laguna Beach, California Posts: 61	hd very dark picture at night is it just me or does hd seem very dark at night, is there anyway to brighten up picture besides exposure or backlight and black stretch? Is there a brighten feature or something?

August 20th, 2006, 07:00 PM	#2
Peter Ferling Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Wyomissing, PA Posts: 1,141 Images: 57	First we need more details. HD of itself is not dark. It's your equipment, scene, and setup. What are you shooting and how? __________________ Pete Ferling http://ferling.net It's never a mistake if you learn something new from it. -------------------------------------------

August 20th, 2006, 09:23 PM	#3
Jack Major Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Laguna Beach, California Posts: 61	I'm just shooting on an a1u, but i dont want to have lighting i want to use natural likght however i can see in it it still is very dark even in decent light.

August 20th, 2006, 10:05 PM	#4
Nick Weeks Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Birmingham, AL USA Posts: 722	Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the a1 doesn't do very well in low light as far as I know. I think it's sensitivity is like 7 lux... which is about the same as a GL2 I believe

August 21st, 2006, 01:00 AM	#5
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	You're right, the A1 is a 7 lux camera - like the PDX10. So the order goes like this: VX2100/PD170 - 1 lux VX2000/PD150 - 2 lux Z1/FX1 HC3 - 3 lux Al/HC1/PDX10 -7 lux These are Sony's fiigures so can be taken as being pretty accurate. To put things in perspective, the PD170 will be at maximum aperture and zero gain up when the A1/HC1 is at maximum aperture and +18dB of gain up, and the A1 will still be under exposing slightly. The A1 has a slower lens at max telephoto, so it gets worse as you zoom. Jack - you've just got to add more light I'm afraid. You can grab a stop by shooting at a shutter speed a stop down, but that will seriously affect the way your film looks. tom.

August 21st, 2006, 06:19 PM	#6
Mikko Lopponen Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 393	HC3 is not 3 lux. Here's a night clip of fireworks I shot with the hc1. http://hmcindie.pp.fi/movies/Ilotulitukset%202006.avi Encoded with divx6.

August 21st, 2006, 08:55 PM	#8
Tommy Haupfear Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 1,415	Mikko, great low light clip!

August 22nd, 2006, 01:44 AM	#9
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Oops, sorry. Yes indeed, Sony rate the HC-3 as 5 lux, as you say. http://tinyurl.com/p7s2l