Vertical flaring of bright light sources
 

I was filming some video the other night with my MX500 and discovered that it really doesn't like bright light sources against a dark background.

As you'll see in this framegrab there's a noticeable vertical artifact which appears under such conditions.

There were much worse examples of this but this was the only frame-capture I have at hand.

Is this normal and does it simply indicate that the camera is built to a price.

Other than a few niggly little things, I'm quite happy with my MX500 and have taken some (for me) really good footage with it over the past 12 months.

Actually, no video cam or still cam "likes" this, unless the light is positioned correctly, and the exposure is correct and locked.

Bruce, that's mild compared to the Sony VX.

For a full list of miniDV cam faults, check this out:

http://www.ferrario.com/ruether/vid_pict_characts.htm

For more informative links, see my list here:

http://www.dvfreak.com/links.htm

Thanks Frank, that was interesting reading.

Allways set no higher than 1/60(1/50) if you want to avoid vertical streaks in critical situations. If e.g. 1/10000 is chosen, just remember that the effective light captured by the fotodiodes on the CCD corresponds with 1/10000 sec, but the high amount of light, (needed because of the short shutter setting) "shines" on yr CCD during the full 1/60(1/50), all the time generating leakage photons, which are further being transferred and generate the vertical streaks. For the same scene at 1/60(1/50) you will have to set for a higher f-number and/or use ND filters. Both reduce the amount of light (and the leakage!)on the CCD

I hope you don't hate me for saying this, Bruce, but even without the vertical streaks, that is a dreadful picture. Way underexposed. I am amazed at the number of examples of "camera error" we see that are from stills that exhibit "pilot error." I am reminded of the recent wedding photo that was terribly exposed, but the young lady who took the picture was concerned about the "blue spill," that was barely visible.

Before we start knocking our tools, perhaps we should work on our skills.

<<<-- Originally posted by Wayne Orr : I hope you don't hate me for saying this, Bruce, but even without the vertical streaks, that is a dreadful picture. -->>>

I don't mind you saying it -- because I'm the one *in* the picture, not the one taking it :-)

Everything was left on automatic for the person using the camera and it was almost pitch-black at the time so I wasn't expecting anything special -- but was interested to see the amount of flare/bleed produced.

Bruce,
I'd love to see a short clip of that video...in spite of the *weak skills* exhibited. It seems to me to be an excellent depiction of the low light, auto mode ability of the MX500/DV953 as well as an interesting scene. Man! That looks like fun! If you need bandwidth, put it in the Members Album on my website.

Bruce, one more thing. It's really difficult to get half decent video when one shoots in the dork. In fact, it's difficult taking stills too, in the dark. Man, I'm a bad speller. :-))

Do you mean shooting in the dork or shooting a dork?

In the dark. :-))

I've put up a 3.5MB MPEG1 file at: www.interestingprojects.com/jknightrun1.mpg

It's only rendered at a fairly low bitrate (750Kbps) but will give you some idea.

There's some daytime footage of the same activities at: www.interestingprojects.com/jkdayrun1.mpg

Bruce,
I get an error on attempt to download...is the server offline? Ah, I see now. Your URL is wrong...leaves off the .COM.

Now that I have seen the footage of your "rocket," I can say that what you are seeing is very common to chip cameras. They don't like hot sources of light, and you will often see this streaking in footage with headlights, or other bright lights in dark backgrounds. Not a problem exclusive to your camera.

For the technical explanation, read Andre De Clercq's post.

BTW, can I have your camera after you blow up? ;-}

Wayne