Setting Exposure using Manual Setting for XL1s

[Leland Jung]

Hi,

Is there a way to know what's the right exposure to use for an XL1s when it's set at Manual? Do I need to buy a light meter? If so, any recommendations? I've tried just using the viewfinder, but when I play the tape on a T.V., everything looks different. Everythings always seems to look good when I use the viewfinder.

Thanks,

Leland

[Dylan Couper]

No luck using the exposure meter that is shown in the top left of the VF under manual mode?

[Leland Jung]

Thanks, I just saw it. I couldn't find this information in the instruction manual. It's also in the same place the XL1s displays the zoom status.

Leland

[Dylan Couper]

Yep, it's a little annoying sometimes to have the zoom meter come over the exposure meter.

[Michael Rosenberger]

For setting exposure in video most cameras use zebra patterns. Turn this option on you'll see stripes in the viewfinder that correlate to a certain brightness level and above. The XL-1S is able to be set for 80 to 100 IRE for zebra pattern.

I set mine for 80 IRE and set exposure for skin tones, so any bright areas that are 80 IRE or up will have stripes on it. Some like it less (70 IRE), but that is the lowest I can get and I find it pulls all of the detail out of a face without blowing up hot spots. Just adjust the exposure until the hotest spot on the face has a bit of zebra crawl and you should be good.

More difficult with landscape, but in that case I set my zebra pattern to 100 IRE to make sure and keep the very hotest spots from going off the waveform monitor. It almost a "try and find the happy spot" scenerio there.