Videograbs from my MX5000 Footage (important: night-time shooting)
 

http://www.dvuser.co.kr/zboard/data/...ed_Frame_7.jpg

http://www.dvuser.co.kr/zboard/data/...ed_Frame_8.jpg

http://www.dvuser.co.kr/zboard/data/...d_Frame_14.jpg

http://www.dvuser.co.kr/zboard/data/...d_Frame_15.jpg

http://www.dvuser.co.kr/zboard/data/...d_Frame_16.jpg

http://www.dvuser.co.kr/zboard/data/...d_Frame_17.jpg

Thank you for those frame grabs. I'm surprised at the good quality considering the light was low.

What was the shooting info? I am interested in knowing the iris/gain and the shutter speed (I'll guess 60 fps).

Thanks in advance.

60i, 1/60 sec., 6-9dB

The stage was actually pretty well lit up, but I was checking at the fringe people (spectators, supporting musicians) who are not as brightly lit. The noise there is pretty well controlled.

The black background is also quite free of noise.

I'll say pretty low noise at +6 or +9db. My experience with the PAL model (MX500) is not as 'clean'. That may mean that the NTSC model is better than the PAL model!

Re: "That may mean that the NTSC model is better than the PAL model!"

That's what I keep suspecting also. Perhaps the NTSC version has a lower CCD pixel count, and that may be why?

Just my opinion.

The samples shots are those of sufficiently lit subjects although the background is dark, hence, quality is pretty good. I've played with many new model cams and I don't know of any model that is not capable of producing the same (color saturation may vary though). This is more the shooters' technique rather than the cam's inherent low-light capability, IMO. About a year ago, I posted a question in another forum asking whether Disneyland's Electrical Parade is considered as low-light condition or not because regardless of the pitch dark background, it is essentially shooting straight at millions of lights...I was awed how clean and colorful the video turned out (using my Optura100), but then after comparing with those taken using the Sonys and JVC (which are equally clean and colorful), realized it was not that big a deal.

I think most of the complaints regarding poor/noisy low-light performance is when shooting at uniformly illuminated or diffused light conditions.

The clarity is really impressive. The color reproduction too (especially the fire photos).

The stage lighting must have been "very" greenish/yellow because this is the color seen in the frame grabs, correct ?

Yeah. I don't know why they used greenish stage lighting.

Two more. :)

http://www.dvuser.co.kr/zboard/data/gallery/Grabbed_Frame_33.jpg

http://www.dvuser.co.kr/zboard/data/gallery/1070308067/Grabbed_Frame_29.jpg

<<<-- Originally posted by Young Lee : 60i, 1/60 sec., 6-9dB -->>>

Correct me if I'm wrong....is 60i Frame Mode (I own the MX500 PAL).

Thanks

Oh, I deinterlaced video using "Studio 8" (cheapo NLE), so the frame grabs look less sharp.