Low Light HDV vs DV? at DVinfo.net

Jeremiah Rickert · November 20th, 2008, 05:42 AM

Is there any advantage of shooting HDV in low-light vs DV?

Since the ultimate result was SD-DVD, I shot a play performance using DV, and the main problem with the results was that the auto-focus had trouble engaging and wouldn't correct itself. The viewfinder looked sharp. When I captured the footage it was very soft and blurred.

Would HDV give the AF a finer degree of focus?

Are the limitations of the optics consistent between HDV and DV?

Thanks!!

Dany Badaoui · November 21st, 2008, 12:38 AM

its all the same hdv or dv. try some of the downloadable presets they can make a big difference.

Bo Sundvall · November 21st, 2008, 01:44 AM

Hi

Focusing in HD is more critical than in SD as you probably already found out.
Unfortenately the small LCD on the XH-A1 makes it hard to judge focus both because the small size and also because the low resolution of the LCD. I almost never trust the autofocus especially in low light. Try to use the LCD/Magnification/Peaking to get proper focus and also read the focus distance on the LCD to get a hint if focus is correct.

'Are the limitations of the optics consistent between HDV and DV?'

A qualified guess is that there is no difference. It all depends on if the image that hits the CCD:s is in focus.

Regards,

/Bo

Andris Krastins · November 21st, 2008, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Since the ultimate result was SD-DVD, I shot a play performance using DV

Just to mention, HDV converted to SD looks a lot better than just standard DV. At least to me.

Bo Sundvall · November 21st, 2008, 06:19 AM

Hi

I agree to 100%. The reason is that you start with a higher resolution material.

/Bo

Angus Findlay · November 21st, 2008, 09:13 AM

A great deal of why HDV outperforms DV on SD DVD output is colour space. SD DVD is 4:2:0, which ends up as 4:1:0 when you feed it DV with 4:1:1 colour space. Not much chroma information at all! PAL DV doesn't have the same issue, as it uses a 4:2:0 colour space.

Daniel Browning · November 21st, 2008, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremiah Rickert

Is there any advantage of shooting HDV in low-light vs DV?

Yes. To my eye, the results come out much better. I don't know why, maybe it's the compression or resampling.

November 20th, 2008, 05:42 AM	#1
Jeremiah Rickert Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Newberg, Oregon Posts: 494	Low Light HDV vs DV? Is there any advantage of shooting HDV in low-light vs DV? Since the ultimate result was SD-DVD, I shot a play performance using DV, and the main problem with the results was that the auto-focus had trouble engaging and wouldn't correct itself. The viewfinder looked sharp. When I captured the footage it was very soft and blurred. Would HDV give the AF a finer degree of focus? Are the limitations of the optics consistent between HDV and DV? Thanks!!

November 21st, 2008, 12:38 AM	#2
Dany Badaoui Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 40	its all the same hdv or dv. try some of the downloadable presets they can make a big difference.

November 21st, 2008, 01:44 AM	#3
Bo Sundvall Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 244	Hi Focusing in HD is more critical than in SD as you probably already found out. Unfortenately the small LCD on the XH-A1 makes it hard to judge focus both because the small size and also because the low resolution of the LCD. I almost never trust the autofocus especially in low light. Try to use the LCD/Magnification/Peaking to get proper focus and also read the focus distance on the LCD to get a hint if focus is correct. 'Are the limitations of the optics consistent between HDV and DV?' A qualified guess is that there is no difference. It all depends on if the image that hits the CCD:s is in focus. Regards, /Bo

November 21st, 2008, 06:19 AM	#5
Bo Sundvall Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 244	Hi I agree to 100%. The reason is that you start with a higher resolution material. /Bo

November 21st, 2008, 09:13 AM	#6
Angus Findlay New Boot Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 12	A great deal of why HDV outperforms DV on SD DVD output is colour space. SD DVD is 4:2:0, which ends up as 4:1:0 when you feed it DV with 4:1:1 colour space. Not much chroma information at all! PAL DV doesn't have the same issue, as it uses a 4:2:0 colour space.