Mk3 in low light

New_Zealand

New_Zealand

Veteran
This is my real first attempt to shoot with the 5d mk3. There were three pick up shots that the director needed for a film that has already been shot. There was a group of cameraman/women shooting the scene at different angles. This footage (angle) is what I shot. The lens I used was the Canon 70-200mm 2.8 is ii. I don't know much about the film itself or the full story line. I was taking a Canon Class in Burbank and was able to be one of the ones to help with the pick up shots. Anyway long story short the mk3 shoots very well in low lighting. The ISO was set at 1250 - Shutter 40 - F stop 5.6 - Frame Rate 24 ALL-I This was shot in a bathroom and the only light was coming from the shower stall. Not sure what the light was set at. The lighting we see in the footage is the same lighting that was in the bathroom no changes were done in the camera setting to either lighten or darken the shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2Fup6vUVEs&feature=youtu.be
 
Only for those that don't make films. There were four different angles being shot at the same time. I got the over head and to be honest it is a great angle. I'm guessing that you only watch Doc and Comedy films?
 
I have to agree with JoeButch. The blocking is very awkward in the first shot (a direct downside of trying to shoot with multiple cameras and staying out of everyone's shot). The lighting in the second shot reminds me more of the Lady/frog optical illusion and doesn't establish that it's a bathroom until the mirror gets into frame. Without knowing the story much, I'm not sure how there's a justification to that much dead space within the frame. I know these are pickup shots on a multi-cam shoot, but at the moment I just have to say that I can't see anything.
Yes these cameras look good in low light, but no camera looks good in bad light.
 
I have to disagree with you I thought the lighting was fine. I myself have no clue what the story line is or what the edit will be. I just grab some footage that I was taking to show the low lighting shot without any color correction or???. Are they going to use this angle in the final edit I have no clue what so ever until I get to see the whole film and it doesn't really make any difference with me it isn't my film. The director decided where he wanted all the cameras to be set up in many different angle so he has a lot of footage in all angle to pick from. I myself shoot only with one camera. As for the bathroom or knowing it is a bathroom I'm sure the director/editor will use the first angle shot showing her coming into the bathroom that shows the shower stall and sink but I'm just guessing at that. Also I think they used the bathroom for a few other shots so the viewers will know its the bathroom.

It is hard to tell what the story is from just a clip or two but that isn't why the clip was being shown - the real subject matter here is that the Canon 5d Mkiii shoots in low light much better then many other cameras out there. I will be using this camera on my next film shoot and most of it is in low lighting.
 
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I also find the blocking rather strange, it looks like the camera was there to shoot whats happening (as in a documentary), rather then the "what´s happening" was set up so it could be shot the best way (as in a feature film)...
About low light: I don´t see the concept apply here. If you're doing outdoor shots in a city, good low light capabilities are important. But this has nothing to do with filming an indoor late evening/night scene. Why shoot an indoor scene with ultra high contrast and crushed shadows right from the beginning? You said there was no CC, this is straight from the camera?
 
LOL - For those that can't read look at what I first wrote above.

Why is the lighting so low and set up like that in the bathroom? Why were we so cramp in such a tight place? Why did the director request these different angles? I really don't know and I really don't care it wasn't my film. I do know that if I used my HVX200 at this low light filming it would have been a mess. Yes this is straight from the camera.

(Why shoot an indoor scene with ultra high contrast and crushed shadows right from the beginning?) hmmmmm good question because it isn't the 'beginning' but a 'pick up shot' of a film that was already shot and the director needed some different angle or maybe the footage they took before didn't work the way that wanted it or???????

Now that we have this all figure out I would really love to see some of your guys work :-)
 
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New_Zealand said:
(Why shoot an indoor scene with ultra high contrast and crushed shadows right from the beginning?) hmmmmm good question because it isn't the 'beginning' but a 'pick up shot' of a film that was already shot and the director needed some different angle or maybe the footage they took before didn't work the way that wanted it or???????
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He was talking about shooting something that lacks any detail in the shadows to begin. Honestly I could get footage like this from most any camera on the market, run a denoiser on the blacks, and have something very similar. It's not really testing the camera's lowlight ability. Going out and shooting in the woods on a full moon at f2 and iso5000 with only a shinyboard for frontal fill would do the trick just as well.

As for examples of our work, here's a music video I lit intending to push the RAW codec. Not MkIII related, but here we go.
**WARNING: LANGUAGE**
Shot on a RED with a little second-cam by me using an FS100. Our grip truck was whatever the DP had in the back of his car (biggest head available was a 1k, and we usually kept those outside blasting through windows). The shot at :38 is lit using two 1k's blasting through the windows from approximately 30 ft away, a tota light upstairs, a 300w Arri in frame shining at the actors. Practicals were replaced with three 75-watt bulbs and two orange party bulbs. Yes it's dark, but you can tell exactly where the actors are and their relation to the space. That's the difference between this low-light test and the one in your shoot.

Again I understand the circumstances this was shot in, but this doesn't really say great low-light capabilities.
 
I agree with J.F.R. I would like to see the original post???????

I find it very amazing how people act so fast to comment what's bad about something but will never say what is good.
 
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Spartaus: Please don't tell me you are one of those guys that lives in their parent basement you know the guys that our film school instructors tells us about. Guys that never have made a film in their life and more then likely never even held a camera but spend countless hours on the interent getting info and trying to answer quesion making everyone think they are a big film maker. You have a high number of post so the chances are you are in your parents basement. Prove me wrong and post your work on this forum let see what you have done.

Joebutch: hmmmm you are just starting with low number of post I'm guessing you are going to be one of those basement people also? let see your work too.

Corine Backus
 
Sorry if it sounded like I was trying to start a flame war, or that my stuff is better than everyone or anyone else's. Cinema is an art and you're rarely going to please everyone. How you handle the criticism makes all the difference, and saying that it's an awkward angle "if you only watch documentaries or comedies" (in response to JoeButch) came off sour to me.
For what it's worth New_Zealand, I liked some other work on your youtube page.
 
I have no beef with anyone LOL I did remove the footage but have PM some of it to a few that has requested to see it. I was just the guy that push the record button LOL they setup the camera etc... on how they wanted it. I don't shoot with lights so I thought it was interesting to see how it was done. I did watch your video and thought it was interesting but would have love to seen it at a better res then what the internet would give you. Youtube can be harsh to footage as everyone knows.

Corine - thanks for sticking up or kicking butt on everyone LOL but I'm good here.
 
New_Zealand said:
I have no beef with anyone LOL I did remove the footage but have PM some of it to a few that has requested to see it. I was just the guy that push the record button LOL they setup the camera etc... on how they wanted it. I don't shoot with lights so I thought it was interesting to see how it was done. I did watch your video and thought it was interesting but would have love to seen it at a better res then what the internet would give you. Youtube can be harsh to footage as everyone knows.

Corine - thanks for sticking up or kicking butt on everyone LOL but I'm good here.
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You are welcome
 
New_Zealand there is no need to justify yourself you're not on trial. We was just giving our opinion of the shot

I agree with Mondayc "if you only watch documentaries or comedies" really was an attacking post that was unnecessary.

If you can't handle criticism don't ask for your footage reviewed.
 
I didn't ask for the footage to be reviewed I was just showing the lighting from a class I was taking at Canon. This footage is not from one of my films so I don't need someone to tell me what they think of it. I'm not going to down grade the director decision on why and what he did and I'm not in place to answer for him or will answer for him. He is not on this forum to come back with an answer to those that may be having their own comments about what was filmed. As for the angle I didn't find it odd and I have received PM from a few others that felt the same way. I'm sure Hitchcock would have like the angle but maybe he wouldn't I can't talk for him.

I don't use lighting setup so I was interested in what they were doing for the bathroom scene during the class BUT if you want to criticism what I DO then look at this project that is becoming a feature film. I would be interested to see what you have to say and compare it to what others have said :-) Just to let you know this footage was grab and put together for people who worked on the film it isn't the real trailer. I own Black Widow Films so the animation is pretty cool with the Black Widow but then I'm sure there are a few out there that won't like the spider.

As for the story line it cover two different time lines - 1700's and present day. You and other will more then likely be confused but that is okay since it isn't the release trailer.

PLEASE NOTE - ROUGH LANGUAGE and TENSE Scenes. Not for Children to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyQDa3eRt0w

And I think it would be great to see some of your films.
 
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