AF100 highlights handling question

[Trevor Ward]

You won’t have a problem if you are exposing correctly. This can be said of any camera.

One thing I DID notice is that if you set the zebras to 100% and wait for even the tiniest of patterns showing up on the face, that part of the face will be overexposed. Which is what we would expect. However, I was surprised to see HOW the face became over exposed. I’m not technical, so I can’t tell you what was happening, other than I didn’t like it. It’s as if the last bit of exposure has a strange look to it. Is this the highlight rolloff?

Anyway, you might want to set your zebras to 95%, 90% or even 85% and expose highlights, especially on the face, at that mark. It will give you a nicer exposure.

Also, the AF100 might not be great for weddings. The crop factor is so large that you’ll need a really wide lens for the reception and your wide shots. Even a 24 mm lens won’t cover you. Then theres the adjusting of the exposure. Canon lenses, forget it. Nikon lenses with aperature on the lens, maybe. I would suggest the Lumix lenses since the a) go wide and b) work directly with the iris control of the camera.

-Trevor Ward
Red Eye Film Co.
http://www.redeyefilmco.com
Orlando, FL

[Geoff Addis]

Just to clarify a point made by Trevor. I’m sure that he would not expose so that face highlights hit 100% zebra, normally something around 65% would be more appropriat and the 100% value he refered to is for scene highlight.

Geoff.

[Trevor Ward]

yes, that’s correct. 100% zebra highlights will make the face look like crap. I see it all the time, even on TV. And this camera especially doesn’t do well with the highlights. They turn a weird yellow muck thing.

-Trevor Ward
Red Eye Film Co.
http://www.redeyefilmco.com
Orlando, FL

[Joe Barta iv]

Faces should be exposed from 60%-80%. Use the Af-100 Zebras set to 85% and make sure no stripes appear on the face, then they should be fine.

For the dress, set the Zebras to 100% and make sure no stripes appear on the dress. This may under-expose the faces a bit, but they can be recovered in post with some color correction.

If you over-expose, its gone; if you under-expose you have a small margin to bring it back.

Bars & Tone
SALUTE!

[Thomas Alexander]

AG-AF100 it is not recommended for weddings unless the person who is using it is experienced. Using an AG-AF100 for weddings can be tricky. All cameras can give blown out highlights. It is very likely that the exposure isn’t correct so if you know well to use the AG-AF100 and is the only option use a polarizer filter and try to expose correctly before the shooting. Using a monitor is better and i do not recommend using the on camera LCD cause you might be in for a surprise in post. And a polarizer can always help. Hope it works out for you.

Thomas Alexander | Independent Cinematographer
Soulman Films | Nicosia Cyprus | +357-97697640

[Gerald Prost]

I haven’t had my AF100 very long but yesterday I went out to test that very thing. I was shooting geese on snow in bright sunlight. I had to use my darkest ND filter. When I checked it out on the computer,I was really impressed how it handled the details in the bright snow. The geese themselves were properly exposed. I primarily shoot live theatre and dance so this is not a definitive test. In a wedding as in live theatre, you get these localized hot spots that will blow out if you expose for everything important. I tend to shoot a little darker than I think is perfect then in post I might tweak it a bit. Before I bought the camera I was a little concerned because of the things that were said in some of the Philip Bloom tests. But I’m confident now that I won’t have a problem.

[Thomas Alexander]

I had the same concerns about it also but to be honest i disagree with Philip Bloom and i must say i am pretty happy also with the AF-100. Indeed it handles highlights very well. However i came across people with no experience in digital cinema video cameras that bought the AF-100 for weddings and don’t even use a grey card or do a white balance and have no clue how to expose and that results to blown out highlights reminding that any camera can give blown out highlights. Still, i wouldn’t recommend the AF-100 to anyone inexperienced in digital cinematography. It’s a manual camera and theres almost nothing automatic about it. But all i am saying is that you need to have some good cinematography skills to make the best out of your AF-100. If you ask me If i am happy with the AF-100 i must say i am pleased 200% with it.

Thomas Alexander | Independent Cinematographer
Soulman Films | Nicosia Cyprus | +357-97697640