Really Cool Feature

[Mark Von Lanken]

The HMC150 has this feature called DRS. Dynamic Range Stretch. Video has a very limited dynamic range. That is why the whites can get blown out so easily and darker section of the shot may just appear to be black when our eye can actually see the details in darker areas.

A couple of examples from my business is when the bride is in bright light and the groom is in a shadow. You have a choice of exposing for the bride and under exposing the groom or visa versa. Or when you are shooting an establishing shot of the church, but part of the church is in the shade. You have a choice of blowing out the sky and part of the church or under exposing the portion of the church that is in the shade.

These are examples when DRS can really help. The only negative is that DRS is not available in 25p and 30p. Watch the clip and you will see the power of DRS.

http://vonweddingfilms.com/preview/HMC150DRS.wmv (http://vonweddingfilms.com/preview/HMC150DRS.wmv)

[targa]

Nice tip, Mark. . . wished I would have used this on some high contrast desert shooting near phoenix recently.

[Barry_Green]

DRS can be very cool but recognize that there is no free lunch. The tradeoff with DRS is amplified noise in the dark areas. I would advise people to use drs the same way they use gain - only use it when you need it.

[Noel Evans]

Mark I think DRS will suit your purposes pefrectly, in fact Barry not sure you recall but I did say the DRS on the 150 should be a great feature for wedding shooters when the initial specs were released.

[Mark Von Lanken]

DRS can be very cool but recognize that there is no free lunch. The tradeoff with DRS is amplified noise in the dark areas. I would advise people to use drs the same way they use gain - only use it when you need it.

You are right about the noise. At level 1 and 2 the noise was not too noticeable, but on level 3 the noise was very noticeable, especially in the dark areas.

I wish DRS was available in 30p and 24p. As I went through the Scene Files in 30p I noticed that there were using various levels of DRS, it's just not adjustable.

I'm doing a 5 part series for EventDV-TV and I will show some more DRS samples, the stock Scene File looks, among many more things.

[Mark Von Lanken]

Hi Noel,

You are so right. On the wedding day we do not have much control of the lighting, especially an outdoor ceremony. That is where DRS 1 and 2 can really help.

[Flintstone]

Just to get a feel of the wedding videography scene.... I have questions for you Mark.

What DRS level do you use normally? Or do you change the level throughout the day?

What format do you shoot in, and what do you offer your clients in terms of HD delivery: 720p60, 1080i60, other?

Do you shoot multicam? If you do, what is your camera setup and placement?

[booggerg2]

DRS 1 was pretty good. DRS 2's dark halo effect on the sky was too extreme... but since it's not available for 24P, it won't be much use for me when I shoot weddings.. too bad.

[Flintstone]

I wonder, isn't there a gamma setting that approximates to a certain extent what DRS does?

[Humanoid Typhoon]

DRS2 and 3 do have that major halo affect in the sky....thanks for the clip. I'll know now to stick with DRS1.

[Mark Von Lanken]

Just to get a feel of the wedding videography scene.... I have questions for you Mark.

What DRS level do you use normally? Or do you change the level throughout the day?

What format do you shoot in, and what do you offer your clients in terms of HD delivery: 720p60, 1080i60, other?

Do you shoot multicam? If you do, what is your camera setup and placement?

Hi Flintstone,

I have been doing more shooting in 1080/30p, so DRS is not an option. When shooting in 1080/60i, I keep DRS off. Then when I have a high contast scenario I will use level 1 or 2, but not 3. Level 3 is just too noisy.

We have two companies. ABridalMovie.com is documentary and has the option for one or two cameras for the ceremony. If they church allows a manned camera at the front we use that location and if they book the second camera, it goes in the balcony at the back.

VonWeddingFilms.com is cinematic and it has a minimum of two manned cameras, front and back when the church allows a manned camera the front.

When delivering on Blu-ray, we go with 1080.