bradywurtz
Active member
does anyone know any good tricks to get some better low light images on this hmc40?
fixes to get better low light in hmc40?
- Thread starter bradywurtz
- Start date
Barry_Green
Moderator
There are no tricks, there is only adding light.
In The HMC Book I included some scene files including some settings for low light performance. It can make a little difference, but nothing compared to using a $40 light.
In The HMC Book I included some scene files including some settings for low light performance. It can make a little difference, but nothing compared to using a $40 light.
bradywurtz
Active member
yea but since i've just got the hmc40 i can't justify buying a 90 dollar book that only contains about 40 pages or less that actually involve my camera. i guess i'm just better off getting some lights in this case
Barry_Green
Moderator
Did you buy the camera used or something? I keep bringing up the book because you should have gotten it free when you bought your camera, unless maybe you got it second-hand or something...
Not trying to push you into a sale, I was thinking you already had it...
Not trying to push you into a sale, I was thinking you already had it...
bradywurtz
Active member
that's odd. no i bought it new, but it was through bhphoto or amazon, i can't remember, but it shipped through Willoughbys, and all i got was the manual, which as i have come to believe, purposely leave a lot of stuff out so you have to buy books to fully understand the product.
but in my case, i never got a book or anything, just the same manual you can search for and download online
but in my case, i never got a book or anything, just the same manual you can search for and download online
Barry_Green
Moderator
Both Willoughbys and BHPhoto are authorized resellers. If you bought it new, recently, through them -- then the book is absolutely supposed to be in the box. Any authorized USA product, sold through an authorized USA dealer, has the book in the box. If I were you I'd be asking your retailer where it's at, because you should be entitled to it. Possible exception would be if you knowingly bought a gray-market product; B&H clearly states when something is an "import" but I don't know if other dealers do. Authorized USA dealers are not supposed to sell gray-market import products.
Now, if you got it long ago, it might have been before the promotion; I don't remember exactly when they started bundling the book in the box but it's been several months at least, maybe a year, I don't recall. If you bought in the last few months, you certainly should have gotten it.
Now, if you got it long ago, it might have been before the promotion; I don't remember exactly when they started bundling the book in the box but it's been several months at least, maybe a year, I don't recall. If you bought in the last few months, you certainly should have gotten it.
bradywurtz
Active member
yea i got mine back in september of 09 :/ i'm guessing it wasn't being shipped with it back then
Hey Brady,
"which as i have come to believe, purposely leave a lot of stuff out so you have to buy books to fully understand the product." FWIW, if you are new to video, or the 40, reading Barrys book will be some of the best money you ever spent. No conspiracy here, make sure you are using the online manual from Panny as the paper one isn't much more than a quick start guide.
Grant
"which as i have come to believe, purposely leave a lot of stuff out so you have to buy books to fully understand the product." FWIW, if you are new to video, or the 40, reading Barrys book will be some of the best money you ever spent. No conspiracy here, make sure you are using the online manual from Panny as the paper one isn't much more than a quick start guide.
Grant
We just got the hmc40. We will read the book for sure but I wanted to find out what the best light was to buy when in low light situations. I glanced over the book and didn't see where to find that. It is new but I would still like to keep track of how much time we are putting on the camcorder. Also thinking of getting the lexar 32 gb 10 class.
Mike Beckett
Well-known member
Regarding the 32GB cards - I use 8GB cards exclusively. One 32GB card is too much like putting all your eggs in one basket. If a card dies on me, I lose part of a day's work. If that one 32GB card dies, you lose everything. Only reason to consider a larger card is if you need to do 4 hours of recording without a break.
I should point out, I haven't actually had any cards die yet, but I am paranoid about these things.
I should point out, I haven't actually had any cards die yet, but I am paranoid about these things.
Thomas Smet
Veteran
Manuals are not supposed to walk you through the best practices on how to use a piece of equipment. They are there to explain what each button does. Barry's book is great because it explains how and why to use certain things on your camera.
Do a search on this forum. Myself and a few others have purchased a few lights with decent results.
Sadly low light is always going to be an issue. But then thats why we have a professional level camera for $1,800.00. In good lighting this camera can stomp on many much more expensive cameras.
Just keep in mind the more light you have the better. Even camera that look great in low light should still use light. Light is what separates the low end and the high end. Just because you can see something in the dark doesn't mean it looks great. It is about contrast and color and not just seeing it.
Do a search on this forum. Myself and a few others have purchased a few lights with decent results.
Sadly low light is always going to be an issue. But then thats why we have a professional level camera for $1,800.00. In good lighting this camera can stomp on many much more expensive cameras.
Just keep in mind the more light you have the better. Even camera that look great in low light should still use light. Light is what separates the low end and the high end. Just because you can see something in the dark doesn't mean it looks great. It is about contrast and color and not just seeing it.
BobDiaz
The Professor
Low Light:
There's an old saying, "You can't have your cake and eat it too." In the case of the HMC40 and HMC80, you get great images if there's enough light, BUT the weakness is low light.
The limits appear to be maximum gain around +12dB to +18 (depending on your preference) and shutter speed as low as 1/30 (1/24) of a second. A longer exposure does work, BUT give a strobe like effect and any movement really suffers from motion blur.
With high gain, one can use the controls and reduce the color and soften the image. This helps slightly with the image noise problem, BUT doesn't really solve the underlying problem of image noise at too high a gain setting.
Bob Diaz
There's an old saying, "You can't have your cake and eat it too." In the case of the HMC40 and HMC80, you get great images if there's enough light, BUT the weakness is low light.
The limits appear to be maximum gain around +12dB to +18 (depending on your preference) and shutter speed as low as 1/30 (1/24) of a second. A longer exposure does work, BUT give a strobe like effect and any movement really suffers from motion blur.
With high gain, one can use the controls and reduce the color and soften the image. This helps slightly with the image noise problem, BUT doesn't really solve the underlying problem of image noise at too high a gain setting.
Bob Diaz