hm100 with led for events at DVinfo.net

Andrew Maclaurin · September 19th, 2011, 02:44 PM

i've been thinking of getting a second hand hm100 to replace my sony pd170 and complement my canon 7D. i shot events ( including weddings) and i realise the hm100 isn't the best in low light. has anyone used it with a LED light (cn160 or similar)? how did the image turn out? would this camera produce clear images in wedding (church/town hall) situations?

Jordan Hooper · September 20th, 2011, 11:49 AM

I had to shoot an event with venue lighting just a bit brighter than a night club. The event staff didn't want me to change the mood with bright lighting so I was only able to use an LED mounted on the shoe. The light doesn't travel far. You have to be really close to a subject to even have an effect.

This is the footage using HM100 with LED.
Vendors at the Red Deer Taboo Show - YouTube

I was really disappointed with the footage. Pretty embarrassing actually. HM100 is not a low light performer and I think you'll feel the same way especially if you've been using your 7D for video.

Andrew Maclaurin · September 20th, 2011, 02:07 PM

thanks jordan.
what was the led? i have a pretty powerful one.
your footage is very dark. that must have been horrible to film. did you use gain?
i would normally be in a place with more light but it is concerning.

Jordan Hooper · September 21st, 2011, 12:28 PM

The LED was a smaller one I borrowed last moment so I can't remember which one, but I'm guessing 150 LEDs or so.
I find you can't use this cam with manual settings in low light. You can't get it looking even the same as full auto does. Full auto has access to more controls than are available in manual mode. You can't add gain in full auto mode.
You absolutely must try it before you buy it. Take a class 6 SDHC card and your LED light into a dealer and do some test shots in various lighting conditions then go check the results on your computer.

Myles Williams · September 25th, 2011, 07:20 PM

I shot this with the 100 and a lite panels micropro with soft box in some areas of the interior. This is with the camera in full auto. A few times there is back light and the light is low.

Andrew Maclaurin · September 27th, 2011, 01:08 AM

cheers jordan, i think you are right. i need to test it!
myles, nice images. i can see you are using quiet a bit of light there in an area which many cameras wouldn't require so much lighting. what was the support you were using? the shots had a lovely flow to them

Myles Williams · November 15th, 2011, 11:05 PM

Sorry just saw this. I used the 100 with a knock off Fig Rig. Its smaller so it can go inside cars with no problems. IF you use the Fig Rig and REALLY isolate the movements with your arms you can get it to look VERY Steadicam-ish....

I found using manual settings with a little gain and 3200k WB to work MUCH better than auto. I had NO choice recently than to do this and it worked out well. Waiting for the final edit now.

M.

September 19th, 2011, 02:44 PM	#1
Andrew Maclaurin Major Player Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 396	hm100 with led for events i've been thinking of getting a second hand hm100 to replace my sony pd170 and complement my canon 7D. i shot events ( including weddings) and i realise the hm100 isn't the best in low light. has anyone used it with a LED light (cn160 or similar)? how did the image turn out? would this camera produce clear images in wedding (church/town hall) situations?

September 20th, 2011, 11:49 AM	#2
Jordan Hooper Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vernon, BC. Canada Posts: 111	Re: hm100 with led for events I had to shoot an event with venue lighting just a bit brighter than a night club. The event staff didn't want me to change the mood with bright lighting so I was only able to use an LED mounted on the shoe. The light doesn't travel far. You have to be really close to a subject to even have an effect. This is the footage using HM100 with LED. Vendors at the Red Deer Taboo Show - YouTube I was really disappointed with the footage. Pretty embarrassing actually. HM100 is not a low light performer and I think you'll feel the same way especially if you've been using your 7D for video.

September 20th, 2011, 02:07 PM	#3
Andrew Maclaurin Major Player Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 396	Re: hm100 with led for events thanks jordan. what was the led? i have a pretty powerful one. your footage is very dark. that must have been horrible to film. did you use gain? i would normally be in a place with more light but it is concerning.

September 21st, 2011, 12:28 PM	#4
Jordan Hooper Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vernon, BC. Canada Posts: 111	Re: hm100 with led for events The LED was a smaller one I borrowed last moment so I can't remember which one, but I'm guessing 150 LEDs or so. I find you can't use this cam with manual settings in low light. You can't get it looking even the same as full auto does. Full auto has access to more controls than are available in manual mode. You can't add gain in full auto mode. You absolutely must try it before you buy it. Take a class 6 SDHC card and your LED light into a dealer and do some test shots in various lighting conditions then go check the results on your computer.

September 25th, 2011, 07:20 PM	#5
Myles Williams Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 104	Re: hm100 with led for events I shot this with the 100 and a lite panels micropro with soft box in some areas of the interior. This is with the camera in full auto. A few times there is back light and the light is low. KPAX RACING VOLVO S60 TECHNICAL TEASER on Vimeo

September 27th, 2011, 01:08 AM	#6
Andrew Maclaurin Major Player Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 396	Re: hm100 with led for events cheers jordan, i think you are right. i need to test it! myles, nice images. i can see you are using quiet a bit of light there in an area which many cameras wouldn't require so much lighting. what was the support you were using? the shots had a lovely flow to them

November 15th, 2011, 11:05 PM	#7
Myles Williams Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 104	Re: hm100 with led for events Sorry just saw this. I used the 100 with a knock off Fig Rig. Its smaller so it can go inside cars with no problems. IF you use the Fig Rig and REALLY isolate the movements with your arms you can get it to look VERY Steadicam-ish.... I found using manual settings with a little gain and 3200k WB to work MUCH better than auto. I had NO choice recently than to do this and it worked out well. Waiting for the final edit now. M.