Major shift in contrast when using HMC40

[dpetto]

Hello All,
I use a Panasonic HMC40 to shoot high school football (mostly at night) and always in Full Auto mode. The first season I used the camera (2012) I had no problems. Last season (2013) I started to notice a major shift in contrast (very blown out picture) at different times. My routine is this: I videotape a play then usually let the camera hang from my neck on the strap until the next play gets ready to go. When I return the camera back to shooting position, at times I notice a big shift in contrast. Sometimes the camera re-adjusts back to a normal picture after several seconds, but other times he only way I can get back to a normal picture is to turn the camera off and then back on again. I'm thinking that when the camera is pointing at the ground (between plays) it must be adjusting to what it's seeing? If so why does it not readjust quickly or at all when it returns to videotape the next play? Is the camera malfunctioning or is the operator malfunctioning? I use full auto mode because I am a real beginner when it comes to video camera settings, etc.

I hope I'm explaining this in an understandable way. Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks
Dave P.

 

[ggrantly]

I can't explain specifically your results, but anytime you use auto functions, the results are usually unpredictable. If you isolate the offending function and turn that off, that would solve the problem. You might try to learn to use the cam in manual mode. Turn off one function at a time and learn how to do it manually, rinse and repeat with the next function. Probably best to start with the exposure - neutral density - gain functions.

Grant