Why Does The DVX allow aperature adjustment even in auto mode?

H

Hugh DiMauro

Well-known member
It even says so in the instructions but why? I've used the aperture dial in auto mode and it adjusts the iris slightly in either direction. By why? Why would I adjust the iris in auto mode at all?

Barry?
 
Better to be able to than not be able to...

The better question, for most of us, is why use autoiris at all? Answer that and you'll have your answer. In any controlled situation you'll be using manual iris; autoiris is usually for uncontrolled situations, and having the ability to fine-tune and touch-up the auto selection is a run 'n' gun bonus.
 
Dumb question #132: You gonna be at NAB in April? And if so, what booth? I'll buy you a beer. It might be the last beer I ever buy for anybody since I haven't told my wife that I am going to NAB! In a few days time, stare into the Eastern sky. When you see the horizon glow with an unreal fireworks display you can pretty much assume that will be my wife going off on me.

Ohhhh what a tangled web we weave.

By the way, I will be officially using my DVX 100b for the first time on a shoot this Sunday for the DV Info DV Challenge #5. So far, I have just been noodling with this camera in my basement and for the life of me, I have no idea why I didn't make this the very first camera I ever purchased. The LCD screen has fantastic resolution, much better than the viewfinder. I just don't know if I can trust the viewfinder as far as exposure is concerned without my trusty DV Rack. I will be shooting two scenes in a garbage-strewn alley between two abandoned buildings in Atlantic City's uptown slum section (as a matter of fact, just a few weeks ago, two juveniles committed an armed robbery not far from that spot. I should know, it's my case!) Definitely not a controlled environment. So I will use auto iris and auto focus. Since I am still awaiting your book from Panasonic, can you give me some settings I can use to give my three minute short that gritty "French Connection run-and-gun" look? (I am actually paying homage to a friend of mine whose father was Owen Roizman's camera operator on The French Connection. My friend to whom I refer is Rick Bravo and you can check out his many posts on DV Info.net) Here is what I was going to do:

Gamma set to Cinegamma. Master pedestal at 0. And cinelike. I am thinking since this is fast moving fast cutting, I was going to use a 1/250 or higher shutter for that staccato look. The scene depicts two detectives roughing up some suspect in the alley.

Looking forward to hearing from you, Barry. Thanks.
 
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At NAB, definitely. Best place to find us all will be the DVXUser Hospitality Suite!

For the specific look you want, post a screenshot and we'll tell you. If you want gritty I'd say cine-D with a master ped around -7, turn up detail to around +3, turn chroma level down to maybe -5 to -7, and see what you think.
 
To give me that reversal film look, right? I will use those settings. I am shooting Sunday and might not have enough time to get you location stills before then. Just know that the alley has high brick walls and boarded windows on both sides. Indirect sunlight will be low in the sky because we are shooting darned near close to sunset. So the contrast range will be nice and shallow. I will dial in your settings. Just so you know, output will be for the web, being the DV Challenge that you know about.
 
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