Help with HMC40

[Craig Snedeker]

The quality I'm getting isn't what I'd expect for a $2k camera.

Viddler.com - 00033_xvid_001 - Uploaded by JESUSFRK

(note: video was converted using low quality settings, so I could get the thing uploaded fast (gotta go to bed) so don't expect much, I'm mostly worried on color and exposure, etc)

Watch that, I can't get sky exposed good, and the exposure is just off in to many ways. DDR (or DSR, I forgot) just adds unwanted grain artifacts and makes the video look like a n00b HDR photograph.

Any idea how I can get more professional results? I'm kind of disappointed.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Craig

I have HMC80's which basically have the same "insides" as the 40 and I'm blown away with the resolution and colour!!

Before blaming the camera, start off and shoot a few clips in FULL AUTO but make sure that you employ the usual photographic rules!! If you shoot into a bright sky then your exposure will be way off anyway so make sure for starters that you have zebras on and set to at least 90%...that way you can see immediately if the image is being blown out and simply change your camera angle or position. Without good even lighting even a $25K camera can produce terrible footage!!!

The day you shot that truck also looks like it was cold and miserable??? Cold grey skies are not going to give you the best of images anyway!!!

I wouls seriously do a few shoots on auto and let the camera do the work and you apply the photo principles and then you can switch to manual exposure and start playing with scene files.

The HMC40 shoots seriously good footage but it still needs help from you!!!

Chris

[Craig Snedeker]

Hey Chris, thank you!

I realize I was shooting into the sun, and even in photography, it's not a good idea. But some people seem to pull it off quite well. I'm just worried about the conditions where you can't help the position of the sun, and how to work around it.

I actually forgot I had some ND filters, I'll have to try them out.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Craig

Where you have a super bright winter sky and a dull foreground all ND's will do is reduce all the light so your foreground will then be underexposed and the sky will look better. With uneven lighting often a tighter shot will help ...watch your zebras on the 40 ..they will tell you what parts will be blown out. If the subject is the essential part of the shot then zip into manual and adjust the iris so the truck looks good and the blown out sky doesn't really matter. If you had done a tighter shot there you probably could have reduced most of the bright sky and the 40 would have exposed correctly and the image would look way better.

It's an awesome camera still but needs exposure correction with difficult scenes unless the lighting is really even....an ND would be great if the entire scene is over bright like a beach or snow scene

Chris

[Craig Snedeker]

Thanks again Chris :)