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XDCAM EX best settings for sports
I shoot dirt racing video with the EX-1. The cars are moving at well over 100mph and many of the tracks have poor light that changes every 50 feet or so. How would you advise that I set up my EX-1 for this project? Shutter speed? auto Iris on or off? white balance auto or manual set? My B roll camera is a Sony Zu1 with usually an inexperienced shooter that does a great job from the infield with the Z1 set to auto and manual focus. I have been shooting the Ex in the HDV mode to better match the B roll and to give longer time on the cards.
My end product is SD DVD.
Thanks
Ronnie Martin
http://www.dirtracingvideo.com -
1 Reply
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For fast moving sports either 720p60 or 1080i60. You want that temporal resolution.
Avoid auto anything. It’ll hurt more than it’ll help.I’d think about auto focus IF and only IF you ran some tests. The auto focus is slow to track which can be good for sports AFTER you lock onto your target. It may track even though objects occasionally move in front of it. Do NOT assume that though. You’d have to test that. Of course an alternative (may be better) is keep your Depth of Field DEEP if you can. It’s hard to give “best” settings. If such existed there’d be no need for skilled, experienced camera people. A lot depends on conditions such as light, distance from subject, relationship of camera to subject, desired effect.
High shutter speed gives a “staccato” (Saving Private Ryan) motion, may allow for less motion blur if you slow mo in post but you lose light, which you might open the iris to compensate for, which will result in a shallower depth of field which can impact what’s in focus. You have to juggle conflicting needs and find the right balance.
And the lighting conditions may also impact what gamma settings in the Picture Profile you choose.
The one think I can say assuredly is you’ll want that temporal resolution (60 snap shoots a second).
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