Is there a problem shooting in red light?
- Thread starter adanac
- Start date
TooTallTim
Well-known member
Told you once I won't tell you again it's a bad way...
Wild pigeon
Member
I recently shot some footage in a climbing gym with lots of red light.... it doesn't look to good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stC-7WShk1c&feature=player_embedded
Skip to halfway the movie....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stC-7WShk1c&feature=player_embedded
Skip to halfway the movie....
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
Ok, I am going to be "mean" here for a moment and adanac, this is not directed at you personally... ok?
Yes, filming in red light is a VERY bad idea. No, it will NOT look good. And yet again, this is why I say that the very best expenditure for most new shooters is a basic course in photography.
Your camera, in order to function properly, needs some balance of red, green, and blue lighting. IF and that's a BIG if, you have adequate levels of reddish light, AND you do NOT white balance your camera, you can come out with very clean looking red footage. On the other hand, if you attempt to white balance the camera, your footage will look like absolute garbage. If there is enough red in the light to clip the red channel of the sensor, you will have footage that looks like garbage.
It is VERY difficult to do this properly, and is likely beyond the scope of a new shooter. Either take along someone who knows how to read a vectorscope live, when shooting, or save the "look" for post and shoot with normal white light. Heck, I know how to do this, and have done it, and would still advocate doing it in post instead.
Yes, filming in red light is a VERY bad idea. No, it will NOT look good. And yet again, this is why I say that the very best expenditure for most new shooters is a basic course in photography.
Your camera, in order to function properly, needs some balance of red, green, and blue lighting. IF and that's a BIG if, you have adequate levels of reddish light, AND you do NOT white balance your camera, you can come out with very clean looking red footage. On the other hand, if you attempt to white balance the camera, your footage will look like absolute garbage. If there is enough red in the light to clip the red channel of the sensor, you will have footage that looks like garbage.
It is VERY difficult to do this properly, and is likely beyond the scope of a new shooter. Either take along someone who knows how to read a vectorscope live, when shooting, or save the "look" for post and shoot with normal white light. Heck, I know how to do this, and have done it, and would still advocate doing it in post instead.
in fact you need to check the codec you are using.
in 4:2:0 format the red and blue resolution are down sampled to a quarter resolution of green, so shooting in a red or blue light will give deceiving picture.
to counteract this, you can use the WB to activate more sensitivity in Green, so you get the resolution back. In post you will have to convert the picture to B&W and then restore the red cast. this is less a problem in HD because the added resolution, but the problem is still present, particularly if others "normal" scene are present for comparison.
this is particularly difficult if some other colors are still present, because you will need to keep them realistic.
If you shoot 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 there is absolutely no problem.
If you shoot with an Ex1 or EX3, add an infrared filter or even a green or blue filter, because this cam is over sensitive in RED.
in 4:2:0 format the red and blue resolution are down sampled to a quarter resolution of green, so shooting in a red or blue light will give deceiving picture.
to counteract this, you can use the WB to activate more sensitivity in Green, so you get the resolution back. In post you will have to convert the picture to B&W and then restore the red cast. this is less a problem in HD because the added resolution, but the problem is still present, particularly if others "normal" scene are present for comparison.
this is particularly difficult if some other colors are still present, because you will need to keep them realistic.
If you shoot 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 there is absolutely no problem.
If you shoot with an Ex1 or EX3, add an infrared filter or even a green or blue filter, because this cam is over sensitive in RED.
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GreatScott
Member
I'm an amateur (not a mathematician or rocket scientist) but I did recently do a video with Red Light.
Feel free to check it out and judge for yourself. Red footage starts @ 3:47
http://vimeo.com/15334877
Feel free to check it out and judge for yourself. Red footage starts @ 3:47
http://vimeo.com/15334877
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
Very interesting work! In this case, the red channel did clip, but it's fitting with the feel and mood of the story. There's a LOT of ways to get that look in post, and I'd advise most people to do it that way instead.
GreatScott
Member
Thanks for that feedback Perrone.
That makes sense to me.
I guess this is one situation where doing it "in camera" may not be the best way to go.
That makes sense to me.
I guess this is one situation where doing it "in camera" may not be the best way to go.
j
Veteran
From what I've heard, red is actually hard for the sensor (or the film grain) to capture because it is the longest of wavelengths and has a tendency to bleed. I've heard Fotokem recommend that if you have to shoot an all red scene (like a red light interior of a submarine for instance) that you actually use purple light and swing it back over in post color correction. The red mixed with blue will help sharpen the image on camera.
I've shot an all red scene (a van interior lit with red tungsten christmas lights) and even though I was spot on with focus, it was bleedy and soft as crap. I know about the technique and should shot it different.
I've shot an all red scene (a van interior lit with red tungsten christmas lights) and even though I was spot on with focus, it was bleedy and soft as crap. I know about the technique and should shot it different.
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
That's my feeling anyway, others are always free to disagree. Hopefully, after they've tried it and can speak from experience and show me the footage!
