T2i Best way to get noise free images in dark scenes

D

DDirector

Veteran
I did a couple of dark scenes and they had more noise than expected.
I am shooting wide open and I am using native ISO's but still getting lots of noise.
And I am using the Technicolour Picture style.

Its lit well, but, I dont want it over lit as it is supposed to be a dark scene.

Ive seen others shoot really dark scenes with the same camera and they dont have as much noise as I do. I dont know how to improve the image quality.

Is it something they do in post to improve the noise?

This is still the only thing that bugs me. I just cant seem to get it.

I am doing this for theatre screening, so I dont want to be cranking the ISO so high, but sometimes Its so dark I just have to, even thought its lit well. With the T2i, and having it screened in a theatre, what should my highest ISO be? And if I cant achieve a good image with that ISO because its too dark, what can I do? Will I have to do like a day to night scene?

I watched my movie on TV and watched someone elses on TV and mine was full of noise while the other persons was so noise free.
For some reason I have a feeling its something to do with post that does increases noise too... no idea.

I know that if I upgrade to a full size sensor, it will help with the noise, but I dont really want to do that. Not saying this is my only option, but its an idea. I've been thinking of going to a full sensor always.

Help? :embarasse
 
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iso 1250 Imo is the maximum I would go and still looks great. Also a Prime Lens will give you a sharper image. A little noise looks fine to me, just relax as everything will be fine :)
 
I try staying below 1250. But sometimes its just so dark, its not possible. And lighting the subject more will not look great as its supposed to be dark and if you light them too much, everything else will be too dark.

A little noise IS fine, but this is like, a lot. Its not nice looking.
 
DDirector said:
I try staying below 1250. But sometimes its just so dark, its not possible. And lighting the subject more will not look great as its supposed to be dark and if you light them too much, everything else will be too dark.

A little noise IS fine, but this is like, a lot. Its not nice looking.
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You Have Too light your subject, in Post you can bring it down or up. If you want to know how to make your video look better with less noise, this is how it's done.
 
DDirector said:
so I dont want to be cranking the ISO so high, but sometimes Its so dark I just have to, even thought its lit well.
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If it's lit well you will not need to crank up the ISO. It takes a lot of light to make something look dark. I promise you that you are not using enough light. You say a dark scene, what exactly are you trying to shoot, and do you have any references for what you want it to look like?
 
Yeah I see some noise even at 800 so that's your issue. Not only do you need to light so you can use a lower ISO but you need to watch your key to fill ratio so that shadows are not much darker than highlights- that becomes noise too. If you want to do this right you need to bone up a bit on basic lighting and cinematography techniques. Loads of books on this subject out there.

Noah
 
yup...they said it. LIGHT is needed.

here's an example of something I DPed...the night shots (excoet the lat shot where i had no lights) are lit brightly and in post the editor brings down the levels.

http://vimeo.com/23064519

Light elimates noise because u are shooting at a lower ISO.
 
Exactly the same thing that all others said, you need to light your image and stop down. Unless I'm doing documentary shooting I try to never go above ISO 400, and if I have to shoot at 800 if I have to do something out on the street without bringing in lighting.

Also can't hurt to get a 1.2 or 1.4 lens that you can shoot close to the maximum aperture with.
 
also its not aboutt shooting wide open as alot of people may think (dont worry Rob this isnt aimed at you at all :) ) its about controling your image. As rob said...u can get to stop down...or shoot at whatever fstop you like with there is enough lighting therefore controling the image more. People are of the impression that ok i have a big chip and a fast lens so i can shoot in the lowest light possible. Nope...cuz then ur struggling to focus cuz ur shooting wide open plus u get a softer image.
 
mattsdni said:
dark scene=high contrast

Here's an example: http://www.hulu.com/watch/101804/saturday-night-live-backstage-on-the-ground#s-p6-sr-i2

Right in the opening shot you can see Andy and there is a ton of light on him, but it's high contrast so in the actual short it looks like a dark scene.

If you want dirt cheap lighting grab a 500w halogen work light.
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I do have an Arri Lighting kit.

For shots like that, I understand how to pull it off, but what if you are doing an outdoor scene and you need to preserve as much detail in the background too? - but yet you cant light the background as its is big.
If you light up the subject so and use iso 160 or 320, the background will be very dark.


jambredz said:
here's an example of something I DPed...the night shots (excoet the lat shot where i had no lights) are lit brightly and in post the editor brings down the levels.
http://vimeo.com/23064519
Click to expand...

What about the shot at 1:25 -&- 1:27
1:25 - The guys dont look lit that much, and you see a lot of the background
1:27 - In this that guys also dont look lit a lot, but you see a lot of the background
 
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DDirector said:
I do have an Arri Lighting kit.

For shots like that, I understand how to pull it off, but what if you are doing an outdoor scene and you need to preserve as much detail in the background too? - but yet you cant light the background as its is big.
If you light up the subject so and use iso 160 or 320, the background will be very dark.




What about the shot at 1:25 -&- 1:27
1:25 - The guys dont look lit that much, and you see a lot of the background
1:27 - In this that guys also dont look lit a lot, but you see a lot of the background
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In reference to lighting backgrounds, you will need to get creative often if you have limited # of lights. Restricting the distance of the background. Or framing the background to use the existing lights (i.e. a cars below a street light filling the background of the frame). This style will require you to likely reflect your key light and possibly a reflection of your key light to use as a fill, so that you keep a low enough exposure. I am fond of ISO 640 if you need to raise the ISO to get the image control for depth and framing you want. It is only moderately noisy and can be easily controlled.

Also he had mentioned his last shots he did not have lights for, but the scene looks adequately lit, he has a bit of ISO noise, probably 800.
 
DDirector said:
What about the shot at 1:25 -&- 1:27
1:25 - The guys dont look lit that much, and you see a lot of the background
1:27 - In this that guys also dont look lit a lot, but you see a lot of the background
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Looks like a 200w hmi coming in from behind and right of the camera as a rim, and a 2k tungsten light going though a 2x2 on the cameras left as fill. Lots of light, plus lots of lights on in the background.

Where are you shooting?
 
those last shots you mention DDirector i didnt have any lights for...so I had no choice but to use existing streetlights and a fast 1.4 lens wide open at 640 ISO...oh we had some candles for "props" I also used 3 candles right outside the frame to light the front of their faces. Gotta do what you gotta do....but thats when you have no choice :)


i think i mentioned it already ...not quite sure...but also neat video does great stuff...wish i had it for that film.
 
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mattsdni said:
Looks like a 200w hmi coming in from behind and right of the camera as a rim, and a 2k tungsten light going though a 2x2 on the cameras left as fill. Lots of light, plus lots of lights on in the background.

Where are you shooting?
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Hey Matt ..most of this was shot in a graveyard and an inner city community in Kingston Jamaica.
 
Personally, even for low-key nighttime scenes, I prefer not to crush my blacks on initial recording. Use light, as much of it as you can afford. A exterior nighttime scene in a Hollywood movie could easily have 18K HMIs on scaffolding running.

I'ts about shaping and controlling the ratio of light. Get enough light in the scene, and you can use a low ISO, and still stop down. But really, even then, don't presume to make the picture as dark as you want it in the final film in camera. If you can, shoot brighter, since you won't clip the highlights here - and then crush your blacks to taste in post.

I frequently have Directors and Producers look at field monitors and tell me to close the iris down and make the picture darker. But if I indulge them, there won't be as much information to manipulate in post.
 
Depending on what kind of scenery you have in the background, you might consider shooting Day for Night.
 
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