GS400 low light little enhancement at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > Panasonic P2HD / AVCCAM / AVCHD / DV Camera Systems > Panasonic DVX / DVC Assistant > Panasonic DV / MX / GS series Assistant

Panasonic DV / MX / GS series Assistant
...and other Panasonic DV camcorders.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old May 10th, 2005, 01:02 PM   #1
New Boot
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 8
GS400 low light little enhancement

I was disappointed by the 18dB limit in the exposure gain in manual mode.

The "candle" mode in PROGRAM AE menu boosts a little bit the sensitivity, providing a brighter image than with 18dB in manual mode. No magic, you get some noise, but it may be useful in some situations.
Etienne Sandre is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 11th, 2005, 04:21 PM   #2
Major Player
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 493
Are there cameras that do more than 18dB gain? None of the ones that I have used. Fortunately, the GS400 seems to have very little video noise, even with high gains. It seems rather smooth to me.

Josh
__________________
Owner/Operator, 727 Records
Co-Founder, Matter of Chance Productions
Blogger, Try Avoidance
Joshua Provost is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 11th, 2005, 05:25 PM   #3
Wrangler
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Mays Landing, NJ
Posts: 11,787
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joshua Provost
Are there cameras that do more than 18dB gain?
THe "Hypergain" feature on the Sony HVR-Z1 gives you a +36dB boost...
Boyd Ostroff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 13th, 2005, 05:09 AM   #4
New Boot
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 8
If it has low noise even at max gain, means higher gains could be exploited and the limit has been set too low. Its is probably for marketting reasons that a 18dB limit has been set, to avoid the camcorder to be critisized as noisy.

Nightshot modes on sony camcorders do use a very high gain.
Etienne Sandre is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 13th, 2005, 11:13 PM   #5
New Boot
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff
THe "Hypergain" feature on the Sony HVR-Z1 gives you a +36dB boost...
For only about $3000 more :-), but of course it also does HD.
John Uchida is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 27th, 2005, 01:56 AM   #6
Major Player
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Singapore, Passport: Malaysia
Posts: 407
The ratings +3db or +18db means nothing without refering to what +0db really is. On a super sensitive camera, let's say those $10,000 professional cams with large CCDs, +0DB cam capture at 1 lux, but on the MX series, +0DB captures at probably 50lux or so. So, +18db on the pro camera will make night shine like day (with the corresponding noise, of course) while +18db on the MX will be just nice to see what's in the house under two light bulbs, and with corresponding noise.

Going beyond +18db will probably show so much noise due to signal amplification that you'll not light the footage anyway.

BTW, my little contacts with the pro cameras tells me that sensor sensitivity is the key here: on a night street interview with only street lights, a pro cam can shoot at +3db to expose the face properly, but an MX will be under-exposing even at +18db and all the noise.

The other way to have more exposure is to run slow shutter speed, which some Sony semi-pro cams can. When shooting at 1/50 (I am in PAL-land) under-exposes, you can make the cam go 1/25 or 1/12 but this comes with streaking and blurs. Well, we need to evaluate what we want, sometimes, we MUST carry an additional light.
__________________
Cam: Panasonic MX350EN, SOLD my MX8EN
Mac: G3 400MHz PowerBook, 256 MB, OS 9
PC: Pentium 4 2800MHz, 512 MB, WindowsXP
SW: iMovie, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Ulead Video Studio, various little utilities
Yow Cheong Hoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 27th, 2005, 11:33 AM   #7
Major Player
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Ashford, AL
Posts: 937
Actually, 0 dB with iris at F/1.6 on the GS400 is about 220 lux. I really wish it were 50 (sigh)...
Guy Bruner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 30th, 2005, 01:43 AM   #8
Major Player
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Singapore, Passport: Malaysia
Posts: 407
Quote:
Originally Posted by Guy Bruner
Actually, 0 dB with iris at F/1.6 on the GS400 is about 220 lux. I really wish it were 50 (sigh)...

Ohhh... that bad... well, the alternative to these portable cams are the shoulder mounted not-so-portable cams that needs a van as support vehicle!
__________________
Cam: Panasonic MX350EN, SOLD my MX8EN
Mac: G3 400MHz PowerBook, 256 MB, OS 9
PC: Pentium 4 2800MHz, 512 MB, WindowsXP
SW: iMovie, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Ulead Video Studio, various little utilities
Yow Cheong Hoe is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > Panasonic P2HD / AVCCAM / AVCHD / DV Camera Systems > Panasonic DVX / DVC Assistant > Panasonic DV / MX / GS series Assistant

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:22 AM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network