Auto exposure on bright days too low? Which one would you choose?

[tomperson]

Hi all,
Today I was doing some tests with my beloved HV20. I stuck it with a tripod in my departments' window looking outside. It's sunny here, something like 32º C, clear sky.

HV20 set in HDV 25P (PAL land here), CINE, connected to laptop with DVRack, zebras set at 100IRE.

auto
f8.0 1/50
no zebras visible

manual +1
f8.0 1/50
zebras barely visible in white rooftops on bottom left corner

manual +2
f7.3 1/50
zebras visible in white rooftops

manual +3
f6.7 1/50
zebras clearly visible in white rooftops and buildings


Now some tests with a tiffen circular polarizer set to deepest blue:

auto with polarizer
f5.6 1/50
zebras visible in white rooftops and buildings

manual +1 with polarizer
f5.6 1/50
zebras visible in white rooftops and buildings



If you were aiming for the "cleanest", most neutral yet subjectively good image in order to give you most flexibility to get the look you want in post, which one would you choose? Why?

My personal choice is manual +2 and manual +1 with polarizer.

For bigger sized captures, go here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/datzmvd/sets/72157603625752587/

Some notes:

* When going from auto exposure to +1, both aperture and exposure time stay at the same values. So, there must be a ND filter being taken out, right?

* When using the polarizer, the camera goes a full stop lower in order to get the same exposure.

 

[vsansal]

Don't forget to take color grading into consideration. If you overexpose, you will have problems while playing with colors.

 

[tomperson]

I totally agree with you, that's why I made the poll, to see what we should be aiming at. Its true that crushed whites are a problem, but so are underexposed parts of the image, you end up losing detail (due to the compression).

Hence my question: which exposure gives the best "neutral" image? An image that best uses the dynamic range of hdv and that gives the most flexibility for color grading?

 

[vsansal]

I think your question doesn't have an exact answer. Seeing these images vs the video itself will be different, the filters, plugins or whatever method you are using for color grading will make a difference, the personal taste will make a difference and the most important you cannot use a single setting everywhere. Your environment will make a lot difference even the same place with different angles will make a difference. It is so hard to say.