How do you make mini dv look more crisp and film like?

[MattC]

Good start. There are lots of good books on lighting, but if I were you I would start by getting a couple of books on studio photography - specifically books talking about shooting still lifes. While you may not think it's relevant, it is. You are essentially building a set (your table top still life) and lighting it for dramatic effect and then taking a picture of it. Lighting for motion picture or video really isn't that much different at it's core, it's just done on a much larger scale. So if you can first learn to take a well lit film like dramatic "picture" with your dvx, moving onto filmlike "footage" wont be much of a leap.

That said, there is a difference between creative lighting and overall light level. I really think most of the issues that people are discussing here regarding noise and the HVX would be solved by proper lighting. When I was evaluating SD cameras noise was an issue for me. While I did notice a difference between cameras there were none in the 1/3" range that were noiseless - at best each seemed to be cleaner in a different range. But all of them produce a wonderfully clean image if you provide enough light...

Matt

 

[Brandon Rice]

Look... go to your local video store and pick up 6 different movies shot on film. They will all look a lot different. It's not about getting a film look, it's about learning to light to get the look you want. It looks more like film motion because it shoots in 24p, but the lighting is really what is important. Getting definition between your actors and the background, etc. It's all about the lighting. (Color grading also plays a huge part in it as well, especially if you're going for a specific feel for your piece)