EX-1 gain setting, -3db or 0db?

Charlie Anderson

Charlie Anderson

Not so clever
I'm working on a feature as an AC using the ex-1 and brevis setup and I distinctly remember reding that -3db is like 0db on the HVX. The DP just bit my head off hen she saw the camera set to -3db and I told her it gives the cleanest image as opposed to 0db which adds noise.

Now am I right or wrong?
 
Yeah man, you're right on. Shooting at -3db is how we always do it whenever available.

Gain is the devil; why would she be mad that it's as low as it can go unless she thought it was 3db?

Did you have a field monitor? If it looked good, why be pissed?
 
she wanted it at 0db due to not enough light. I told her from the get-go that you need to use a lot of light when using adapters but she doesn't listen to me. Oh well
 
On some cameras -3dB would soften the image a little. On the EX1 -3dB is really native gain aka "true 0dB". Gain at 0 dB will add a little noise but not too much as to be objectionable. I even think 3dB is fine and virtually noise free on the EX1. Whenever I'm outdoors in the sun or shooting with the slow frame rate mode for night shots on a tripod -3dB is on. It also helps to open the iris up on real bright days too.

I hear you on the adaptors comment! Let there be light indeed. I'd shoot with them myself but I hate the light loss and prefer having a little margin with my DoF (focus puller...what focus puller on low budget films?)
 
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"Studying the SAW display in HDRack's waveform monitor, it is apparent to me that a gain setting of -3dB is NOT equivalent to the "real" 0. A GAIN setting of -3dB limits the superwhite IRE to a value of ~90 IRE. Only the 0dB GAIN with 3200K for a white balance yields a neutral, full scale curve"
 
Hmm...I did not know that about -3dB for the EX1. Do picture profiles affect this 90 IRE limit though? I'll be shooting on 0dB from now on if this limit is imposed.
 
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