EX3 or 5D Mark II for Night Footage? at DVinfo.net

Mitchell Lewis · July 26th, 2011, 03:51 PM

I've got a shoot tonight where I'm capturing someone being pulled over by a state trooper, given a sobriety test, and put in the back of a patrol car. It will take place a night (or maybe dusk) with only the lights of the patrol car and my on-camera light. What would be a better camera for this?

Sony PMW-EX3 shooting 1080 30p? (maybe with the gain at +3?)
Canon 5D Mark II shooting at 1250 iso? (I don't want to go much higher as it gets real noisy)

Which is more sensitive to light? I do like the cinematic look of the 5DM2 in the daytime, but I've never compared them at night.

Thanks in advance. :)

Shaun Roemich · July 26th, 2011, 04:14 PM

What lens/lenses on the 5D?

Les Wilson · July 26th, 2011, 05:29 PM

Another thread on a similar topic wrt EX3 and police cars
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/open-dv-...ide-along.html

I have an EX1 and a 5DM2 with a 50mm f1.4. Personally, I would find it very hard to get critical focus with the 5DM2 in such a run and gun environment. But shots inside the car it may be real good and not need much rigging.... but then there's audio......

Mitchell Lewis · July 26th, 2011, 06:24 PM

Sorry, forgot some critical details.

This is for a television commercial for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation company.

We'll be using a 70-200mm f/2.8 and 16-35mm f/2.8. I will have total control of the scene and will be shooting mostly from tripod. It's a dramatization, so focusing should be doable. Also, I don't need any audio.

I'm leaning toward using the EX3 just because it will be easier.

I just wonder which would be more sensitive to light (less grainy).

Vincent Oliver · July 27th, 2011, 03:02 AM

Go out tonight and try both on a dummy run

Ooops, just read the shoot is tonight. Take both cameras, but I would be inclined to shoot with the Canon and 16 35mm lens

Mitchell Lewis · July 27th, 2011, 10:01 PM

Thanks for everyone' s help. Ended up using the EX3. Footage came out good. Ended up treating it quite a bit. Wish I had time to try the EX3, but the state trooper only had 30 minutes to be in the shoot. Would have been interesting to see if the 5DM2 handled the blown out lights better.

It's just a local television commercial. Nothing special.

Vincent Oliver · July 28th, 2011, 01:11 AM

Very good night shots, what settings did you use?

Mitchell Lewis · July 28th, 2011, 07:17 AM

Thanks. :)

1080 30p
No shutter
Picture Profile OFF (for some reason I've had the best luck shooting dark scenes with it off)
Gain at either -3, 0 or +3 depending on how dark it got

I think the key was to start shooting right after the sun went down. Then continue shooting as it got darker and darker. I also used a Lite Panels on-camera light for most of the shots. When the guy was sitting in the back seat we put the Lite Panels light in the car so it shined on his face a bit.

Vincent Oliver · July 28th, 2011, 08:27 AM

Thanks.

I did some night time filming in Africa (camp fire) and my results were very noisy, I may have applied too much Gain.

Walter Brokx · July 28th, 2011, 04:13 PM

I see you shot during magic hour: that way you still had some light :-) (Good thinking!)

Use the 5D when you shoot at night.
Few months ago I shot a easter-thingy for fun with both shots at night and at day.
The nightshots are shot with a 5D.
On the EX1R with gain set at +18 the image was far more darker (and noisier) than the 5D.
I should post a blog about it: I recorded sound on the EX1R, so I can compare the 2.

Just to show the 5D footage (with a 1.4 lens), don't know the ISO precisely: the operator said he didn't want to go beyond ISO 800.
‪Het ToverEi - Paasfilm 2011 - Vrolijk Pasen!‬&rlm; - YouTube

July 26th, 2011, 03:51 PM	#1
Mitchell Lewis Trustee Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kennewick, WA Posts: 1,124	EX3 or 5D Mark II for Night Footage? I've got a shoot tonight where I'm capturing someone being pulled over by a state trooper, given a sobriety test, and put in the back of a patrol car. It will take place a night (or maybe dusk) with only the lights of the patrol car and my on-camera light. What would be a better camera for this? Sony PMW-EX3 shooting 1080 30p? (maybe with the gain at +3?) Canon 5D Mark II shooting at 1250 iso? (I don't want to go much higher as it gets real noisy) Which is more sensitive to light? I do like the cinematic look of the 5DM2 in the daytime, but I've never compared them at night. Thanks in advance. :) __________________ Sony EX3, Canon 5D MkII, Chrosziel Matte Box, Sachtler tripod, Steadicam Flyer, Mac Pro, Apple/Adobe software - 20 years as a local videographer/editor

July 26th, 2011, 04:14 PM	#2
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	Re: EX3 or 5D Mark II for Night Footage? What lens/lenses on the 5D? __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

July 26th, 2011, 05:29 PM	#3
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	Re: EX3 or 5D Mark II for Night Footage? Another thread on a similar topic wrt EX3 and police cars http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/open-dv-...ide-along.html I have an EX1 and a 5DM2 with a 50mm f1.4. Personally, I would find it very hard to get critical focus with the 5DM2 in such a run and gun environment. But shots inside the car it may be real good and not need much rigging.... but then there's audio......

July 26th, 2011, 06:24 PM	#4
Mitchell Lewis Trustee Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kennewick, WA Posts: 1,124	Re: EX3 or 5D Mark II for Night Footage? Sorry, forgot some critical details. This is for a television commercial for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation company. We'll be using a 70-200mm f/2.8 and 16-35mm f/2.8. I will have total control of the scene and will be shooting mostly from tripod. It's a dramatization, so focusing should be doable. Also, I don't need any audio. I'm leaning toward using the EX3 just because it will be easier. I just wonder which would be more sensitive to light (less grainy). __________________ Sony EX3, Canon 5D MkII, Chrosziel Matte Box, Sachtler tripod, Steadicam Flyer, Mac Pro, Apple/Adobe software - 20 years as a local videographer/editor

July 27th, 2011, 03:02 AM	#5
Vincent Oliver Trustee Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chislehurst, London Posts: 1,724	Re: EX3 or 5D Mark II for Night Footage? Go out tonight and try both on a dummy run Ooops, just read the shoot is tonight. Take both cameras, but I would be inclined to shoot with the Canon and 16 35mm lens __________________ Eyes are a deaf man’s ears. Ears are a blind man’s eyes

July 27th, 2011, 10:01 PM	#6
Mitchell Lewis Trustee Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kennewick, WA Posts: 1,124	Re: EX3 or 5D Mark II for Night Footage? Thanks for everyone' s help. Ended up using the EX3. Footage came out good. Ended up treating it quite a bit. Wish I had time to try the EX3, but the state trooper only had 30 minutes to be in the shoot. Would have been interesting to see if the 5DM2 handled the blown out lights better. Choices & Changes - Affordable on Vimeo It's just a local television commercial. Nothing special. __________________ Sony EX3, Canon 5D MkII, Chrosziel Matte Box, Sachtler tripod, Steadicam Flyer, Mac Pro, Apple/Adobe software - 20 years as a local videographer/editor

July 28th, 2011, 01:11 AM	#7
Vincent Oliver Trustee Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chislehurst, London Posts: 1,724	Re: EX3 or 5D Mark II for Night Footage? Very good night shots, what settings did you use? __________________ Eyes are a deaf man’s ears. Ears are a blind man’s eyes

July 28th, 2011, 07:17 AM	#8
Mitchell Lewis Trustee Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kennewick, WA Posts: 1,124	Re: EX3 or 5D Mark II for Night Footage? Thanks. :) 1080 30p No shutter Picture Profile OFF (for some reason I've had the best luck shooting dark scenes with it off) Gain at either -3, 0 or +3 depending on how dark it got I think the key was to start shooting right after the sun went down. Then continue shooting as it got darker and darker. I also used a Lite Panels on-camera light for most of the shots. When the guy was sitting in the back seat we put the Lite Panels light in the car so it shined on his face a bit. __________________ Sony EX3, Canon 5D MkII, Chrosziel Matte Box, Sachtler tripod, Steadicam Flyer, Mac Pro, Apple/Adobe software - 20 years as a local videographer/editor

July 28th, 2011, 08:27 AM	#9
Vincent Oliver Trustee Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chislehurst, London Posts: 1,724	Re: EX3 or 5D Mark II for Night Footage? Thanks. I did some night time filming in Africa (camp fire) and my results were very noisy, I may have applied too much Gain. __________________ Eyes are a deaf man’s ears. Ears are a blind man’s eyes

July 28th, 2011, 04:13 PM	#10
Walter Brokx Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Maassluis, The Netherlands Posts: 294	Re: EX3 or 5D Mark II for Night Footage? I see you shot during magic hour: that way you still had some light :-) (Good thinking!) Use the 5D when you shoot at night. Few months ago I shot a easter-thingy for fun with both shots at night and at day. The nightshots are shot with a 5D. On the EX1R with gain set at +18 the image was far more darker (and noisier) than the 5D. I should post a blog about it: I recorded sound on the EX1R, so I can compare the 2. Just to show the 5D footage (with a 1.4 lens), don't know the ISO precisely: the operator said he didn't want to go beyond ISO 800. ‪Het ToverEi - Paasfilm 2011 - Vrolijk Pasen!‬&rlm; - YouTube __________________ Brainstormnavigator searching for the hole in the sky..... Audiovisual Designer (NL) - http://www.brokxmedia.nl