HMC150 DRS Indoor Test 1

[johnnyha]

http://www.vimeo.com/groups/HMC150/videos/1883651

Dynamic Range Stretch Test 1, HMC150. Shot 720p60 shutter 1/120 Scene File 1 default with everything on manual. WB Preset 5.6k. There are three DRS settings. Sequence is DRS off, 1, 2, 3, DRS off. Acts a lot like gain, has an overall brightening effect. I am seeing a fair bit of noise on that credenza? Normally i don't see any noise on this camera. May do better outdoors? With more action? More light? Anyway you get the general idea.

[Noel Evans]

DRS looks great. But the more of anything you apply electronically, the more noise you are going to get. But this looks pretty good. I was saying awhile back the 170 would be great for the wedding shooters, when in fact I think I should have been saying the 150. LOOOOONG record times, cheap recording media, DRS, 720/60p, good price. Very juicy. If I were shooting weddings, Id have two of these for sure.

[johnnyha]

Yeah Noel i think some of the noise in that dark credenza may be a lighting/compression issue. Most everything else I've shot on this camera has looked great with very little if any noise even in the blacks. Since it is dynamic and this is a static shot I wonder if action might really show off the DRS better?

[vavavideo]

Wowzers. Amazing stuff, but that noise really is something else...

Reviewing the footage, I see that your white wall is pretty noisy even when DRS is off, if you really look for it. (it's not easy to see otherwise) Maybe DRS just puts a spotlight on the innate noise of the sensor that we normally miss.

Now I have to wonder what the candle light test would look like, if shot with DRS on. That'd be quite a test.

[ullanta]

Acts a lot like gain, has an overall brightening effect.

Well, no... that's just 'cause this is an overall dark image. But watch the window, etc... those highlight areas are darkened... that's the idea of DRS - simultaneous expansion of low levels and compression of highlights - somehow adaptively on a pixel-by-pixel basis...

[johnnyha]

Well, no... that's just 'cause this is an overall dark image. But watch the window, etc... those highlight areas are darkened... that's the idea of DRS - simultaneous expansion of low levels and compression of highlights - somehow adaptively on a pixel-by-pixel basis...
Ahhh. Thanks. Yeah it seemed like this wasn't the best test of the TRUE POWER of DRS.:Drogar-Evil(DBG):

[johnnyha]

Reviewing the footage, I see that your white wall is pretty noisy even when DRS is off, if you really look for it. (it's not easy to see otherwise) Yeah I noticed that too and the credenza is popping off, I think that's an exposure issue on my part. I've seen a lot of reallllly clean low lite footage from others.

[Noel Evans]

Just to my eyes, I think DRS would be well used if you could lower your aperture, bringing detail in to the highlights and then bringing in the DRS to bring up your darker areas. Rather than let highlights blow out quite so much etc. This way you end up with more overall image detail in your shot which is what Id be shooting for. As opposed to an across the frame exposure setting.

[johnnyha]

Thanks Noel I think that might turn out to be the strength of he DRS.

[Steven Bogda]

I like the Rock Band instruments hiding around the room.

[johnnyha]

OK I finally looked at THE MANUAL!:

"It (DRS) enables the dynamic range to be expanded by compressing the level of the video signals in the high-brightness areas where the overexposure results during normal shooting."

So good eye Noel.