Best images in low light - how?

bifter

bifter

Member
I am shooting PAL interlaced on a DVX102A, and will be filming possums at dusk/night. I have some very limited lights.

Other than raising light levels, what can I do to maximise the image quality?

I know I can choose a slow shutter speed, which will be OK as possums don't generally move fast. I guess I can go to 1/25 or even 1/12?

What about the settings such as are changed in the f4 B-STR scene file preset? thanks
 
Re: Best images in low light - how?

Well, you can change your setup to 7.5 from 0, you can boost the gain, slow shutter, open iris, use lights...You may want to get your hands on a cheapo cam that has night vision, then conform the footage to 24p using dv film maker.
 
Re: Best images in low light - how?

[quote author=PDX_DVX link=board=Events;num=1107606017;start=0#1 date=02/05/05 at 08:20:14]Well, you can change your setup to 7.5 from 0 [/quote]

7.5 IRE does not exist in PAL-world. The other suggestions are still good though.

Also, raising your mped will help you too. This will reveal som more details in the shadows. In most situations it's better to have a higher mped and adjust it down in post rather than crush the blacks when shooting, in this case it's even more important.

You might as well consider shooting it in 50i instead of 25P, since 50i will give you another stop of light or so.
 
Re: Best images in low light - how?

Just wonderring what changing to 7.5 from 0 effects for low light shooting?
 
Re: Best images in low light - how?

Yep. The early europeans brought them from Australia to establish a fur trade, but they took too well and started eating all the native trees, eating little birds and eggs. Due to that and the fact they spread TB in cattle have made them NZ's number one public enemy. They HATE them. I'm making a film about it for my Natural History filmmaking postgrad' course. (see www.otago.ac.nz/nathist/index.html)

Cheers!
 
Re: Best images in low light - how?

Cheers PDX_DVX. Johan, thanks for your advice about mped levels: what is that? Sorry if that's a bit of a newbie question. I did a few searchs and found nothing.

I've just noticed in Barry's book that engaging SLOWSHUTter mode disallows the use of the GAIN circuit.

Some rough experimentation suggests that engaging 18db of gain and the f4 B-STR scene file preset, (which raises chroma level +3, and gamma to high) looked more usable than slowing the shutter, despite being grainy. I want to avoid fully opening the iris because of the noticable quality loss.
 
Re: Best images in low light - how?

Ah, thanks Gabe. I rewatched Barry G's DVD and paid particular attention to the master pedestal section. I had a go pointing my camera into dark sections of the room and adjusting it, with gain +18 and F3 B-STR scene file.

Even at subtle levels the contrast changes were quite noticable, and I can see it is something to play with when I am in situ, down with the possums, rather than sat here at my computer. And then some post experimentation with that footage, cheers Johan

Better light should be the next thing I should think about, it looks like these setting are as good as I can squeeze out of the camera at extremely low light levels. Unless there are any more ideas?

edit: Couldn't find that link, the code's a bit messy on that article page. Someone should be told, maybe? :P
 
Re: Best images in low light - how?

DVX is infrared sensitive (well, you can see infrared from a TV remote control at least!), so maybe buy/hire an infrared flood/spot light or maybe one of those ones that go with security cameras and replicate those wildlife programme nightshoots! If it works you won't risk scaring the possums with visible lights.

Please post your footage if you succeed. ;D

EY
 
Re: Best images in low light - how?

Doesn't work. The DVX can see the red portion of the TV remote's light, but not the infrared. I tried a DVX in pure darkness using an infrared light, and it saw *nothing*. Pitch black.
 
Re: Best images in low light - how?

Actually, only tried it once, but pretty sure the remote LED wasn't emitting visble red light. Maybe it's a question of finding an infrared lamp which emits in the same obviously narrow wavelength range of the remote? Will investigate further...
 
Re: Best images in low light - how?

Funnily enough, I was up a tree tying up a security light only earlier today. We found a woman who feeds possums nightly with bread on kebab sticks! She's going to turn on the light while they feed to habituate them to it, or run away! B-plan is to use some difusing material and see if that's ok for them.

I've got a sachtler reporter light with a dimmer to fill some shadows from on camera. The plan is to underexpose the footage, then tint it blue in post for a moonlit appearance.

Those security lights cost nothing  :)
 
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