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Activity Forums Cinematography Controlling Contrast

  • Controlling Contrast

    Posted by Tom Nelson on August 11, 2008 at 5:02 pm

    I’m often stuck shooting on smaller-chip cameras which, in my experience, have issues dealing with heavy contrast. If I’m shooting on a bright day with minimal control of light, is there a way for me to paint the image in-camera so the final product isn’t so blown out in some spots and underexposed in others? Just curious if anyone has any proven methods or suggestions.

    Todd Terry replied 17 years, 11 months ago 2 Members · 3 Replies
  • 3 Replies
  • Todd Terry

    August 11, 2008 at 5:16 pm

    Just depends on the camera… some are very tweakable, some hardly at all. The big question is, exactly what camera are we talking about?

    For example I normally shoot with a Canon XLH1, and it has (if memory serves) 23 different adjustible parameters, so it is quite “paintable.” Other cameras I have, less so… and one or two, not at all. Just depends, your mileage may vary.

    If not, you can cut contrast (to a degree) with filtration.

    T2

    __________________________________
    Todd Terry
    Creative Director
    Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
    fantasticplastic.com

  • Tom Nelson

    August 11, 2008 at 5:19 pm

    I’m usually running on a DSR-390.

    -Tom

  • Todd Terry

    August 11, 2008 at 5:50 pm

    Well the DSR-390 is not what most people would consider a “smaller camera”… it’s not a 2/3″ camera but it is 1/2” in a full-size body. Not having used one, I don’t know what the tweakability of it is, but I would imagine there are a lot of adjustible parameters that would allow you to paint reasonably well… at least that’s the case with most cameras in that particular range.

    T2

    __________________________________
    Todd Terry
    Creative Director
    Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
    fantasticplastic.com

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