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Better Safe Then Sorry?
Dear Cows
I’ll have to shoot (HDV 50i 25 fps) a fashion show (most will be close to subjects), with a minimum outdoor action most if it will be indoors. Because I have to try to get the most of it I’ll have to run from right to left following the VIP’s entry, to the catwalks, change rooms etc etc. As you can imagine the lighting will be the common denominator probably from bad to very bad. I know that I don’t have the best camera to work in poor lighting conditions…… so the smartest thing to do would be…
My question is pretty simple, to get the most out of my Z1 and the situation should I ?
option-1
Z1 on Auto and worry only about the shooting
option-2
Z1 on manual setting with the risk of missing something
The end product will be SD DVD and maybe part will be released on the web ( I have a copy of Internet Killed The Video Star to make sure I’ll do things right from the start )Any thoughts in regard will be very much appreciated. FEEL FREE TO SHOOT TO KILL.. ha ha ha
Ciao
Antonio Atzei
BABALOTTI PRODUCTIONS
SYDNEY
POWER MAC G5 QUAD SYSTEM
4.5GB RAM
1 TB OF MEMORY.
FCS 2
AJA KONA LHe -
10 Replies
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I find that the Z1u has pretty good auto focus, but lousy auto color temp. Auto exposure is OK, especially for what you are trying to do. However, you may run into severe back lighting that fools the camera. Still, if you are comfortable fixing things in post, probably your best bet is to go auto all the way.
On the other hand, if you are swift at adjusting things by hand, go for broke and try to do it all manually!
Playing it safe is no way to stretch your abilities.
Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
An on-camera light like a Litepanels Mini would improve your video immensely. I had to shoot at basically a barely lit cocktail party. I ran a 650 fresnel for a background light through a celo cuc and I used a Litepanels Mini 5500 Flood model with the full CTO and a diffusion panel for fill on the faces. This setup worked quite well.
A light like this can fill in the faces in backlit situations and can function as a soft key in too dark situations. They are not cheap but in my opinion well worth it. I rented it for U.S. $50.00
IMHO, using auto will give you horrendously bad and inconsistent results. Are you are a cameraman or a camera pointer? Learn your tools and how to control them. In most backlit situations, if you don’t use manual iris and zebras, you will end up with silhouettes. What good is that? Same with focus, autofocus will be useless in bad, lowlight situations like you will be in.
Dan
Providing value added material to all of your favorite DVDs
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Rick and Dan
Thank you for your suggestions
I agree with both of you, in manual I can adjust to every situation and in auto I can run into some kind of trouble for sure.
I have to say that the manual otion is ahead at this point in time.Rds.
AABABALOTTI PRODUCTIONS
SYDNEY
POWER MAC G5 QUAD SYSTEM
4.5GB RAM
1 TB OF MEMORY.
FCS 2
AJA KONA LHe -
I think the suggestion of a soft, on-camera fill light is a great one, if you can rent one, or afford to buy it. In general, I hate to have a light on camera — ugly flat. But in the possible extreme lighting situations you may encounter, it could be a great help.
Glad you are going for the manual approach, though I disagree about nixing auto focus. I think you will have too many variables going to be able to effectively balance focus, white balance, exposure, framing, story. That said, if you find the camera hunting for focus because of the low light level, you will just have to switch to manual for that element too.
If there’s anyway you can upgrade to a Sony Z7u or (the more difficult to handle hand-held) EX-1 or 3, you will have better opportunities.
Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
Rick
The more I think about it the more I’m convincing myself that manual may be the better way to go.
In the eventuality that I’ll have to turn on the gain because of very low light I made a change to the settings vaue to high:6db and low:3db to avoid damaging the footage behyond repair. I’m only hoping to keep an acceptable medium between focus,depth and true colour and the only way to start is WB whenever I change shoot location. I’m in a PAL world so would you say that as safe line I should keep ehutter speed between 25 when very low light or 50 in better conditions.BABALOTTI PRODUCTIONS
SYDNEY
POWER MAC G5 QUAD SYSTEM
4.5GB RAM
1 TB OF MEMORY.
FCS 2
AJA KONA LHe -
[Antonio Atzei] “would you say that as safe line I should keep ehutter speed between 25 when very low light or 50 in better conditions.”
I would not drop the shutter speed below 50 or you will begin to get some definitely noticable motion smear.
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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Hi Todd
Thank you for you replayI was hoping for 25 with subject still/talking or walking right towards me. Is going to make any difference or no matter what I’ll experience some king of motion smear? But I have to be honest I’m sure that I’ll shoot something with motion smear after all it’s a fashion event, loud music and drinks it’ll be ok……. What I dont want it’s to be a gigantic smear off course!
Rds
AABABALOTTI PRODUCTIONS
SYDNEY
POWER MAC G5 QUAD SYSTEM
4.5GB RAM
1 TB OF MEMORY.
FCS 2
AJA KONA LHe -
Never miss a shot, man.
IN today’s post world, there is far more color creation than color correction. Get it on tape and make it pretty later.
Ya can’t treat whats not treatable.
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Hi grin!
I just had a meeting with the official photographer of the event and he mentioned the light as a potential issue on the all evening. We may not have the minumum ideal 5600 kelvin ideal to show true or acceptable colors. Where do I stand with the Z1 with at least 50 fps?
ciao
Txs in advance
AABABALOTTI PRODUCTIONS
SYDNEY
POWER MAC G5 QUAD SYSTEM
4.5GB RAM
1 TB OF MEMORY.
FCS 2
AJA KONA LHe -
aim caerma, see cool image, hit record button.
DPs are who overthing this stuff. Truth is, we can color create perfection on the fly. We just need a freakin image now.
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