Gain question

B

Ben 171

New member
Hi,

I am shooting a doc in a lot of limited light situations so have been often pumping up the gain to between 6db and 12db.

I really like the raw, grainy look it gives and have been using that style a lot more even when not necessary. My only concern is how this will translate upon projection to big screens.

Could someone comment if they have had any experience using a lot of gain and how it looks on larger screens. Any problems they have had.

Many thanks,
Ben
 
I usually try to stay away from grain and gain, mainly because it lowers the production value look imo. Just to let your audience know you did it on purpose I'd mix some negative gain shots in with the high gain shots, that way they compliment each other. On the big screen the difference will be dramatic.
 
The grainy look of gain is not pretty, it's not like fast film grain

Are you perhaps shooting in some flavor of HD and playing back on an SD monitor?
 
Use what ya got. Nothihn wrong with using the ugly stick in low light situations. Much better than a black screen with no grain.
 
Do what you've got to sure. Get in close and open up the lens, shoot at 30fps, use your iPhone as a mini softbox - but (for me with an XLH1) unless I'm shooting a crime in action I might as well switch the cam off as shoot at high gain settings. The footage will not meet specs -

If you have shot at high gain, checked the footage on an appropriate output medium at whatever res you are distributing at, and you are happy with the results - go ahead. But do check first, don't assume that because the gain dial goes up to 18db, you can actually shoot up there.
 
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