Should GAIN be avoided?

[Salvatore_Jones]

I am learning that the DVX focuses best at certain aperture settings- according to my DVX book by Barry. (Too open or too closed is bad, from what I am learning) My question is- should gain be used to keep the iris in midrange- or is it better clarity to keep the iris more open and avoid gain?

If the goal is to achieve 5.6 iris setting (or thereabout) how can I try to do that?

 

[Neil Rowe]

use more light. gain is the devil.

 

[Sumfun]

It's better to open the aperture than to add gain. Gain will add noise to your video. Opening the aperture will only give you a shallower depth of field (which is desirable in some cases), and maybe a SLIGHTLY softer picture.

 

[Daniel Skubal]

Gain makes kittens cry.

 

[Barry_Green]

and maybe a SLIGHTLY softer picture.

In my testing, any softening is absolutely minimal. Maybe 10% at the maximum wide-open aperture. Obviously opening the iris is far superior to adding gain. If you can't open the iris any further, and still need more light, you can consider using a slower shutter speed (at the expense of adding motion blur to your footage). And the ultimate solution is to just add some light.

Gain is to be avoided whenever possible; it should only be an option of last resort.