Aperture seems to change even in manual mode
 

When the camera is set to manual aperture (like 1.6) and I turn the camera towards the window, the screen goes dark like it is adjusting the aperture (even though the display doesn't change). On my Sony VX-2100, that doesn't happen. Is there a custom setting I am missing?

Thank you in advance for your help and advice,

Allen

Unless you've locked both shutter speed and gain as well, they will adjust to compensate as the light changes. Or I suppose it could just be your LCD adjusting so the light from the window isn't blown out.

Thank you, that took care of my problem. I am using the camera for weddings, how slow of a shutter speed can I go?

Personally I would never shoot at anything other than 1/60th when shooting 60i. Others will disagree and say you can go down to 1/30th, but this will introduce other negative qualities. You could achieve a somewhat more cinematic look in 30p mode, which I think defaults to 1/30th.

I find it best to think of shutter speed, not as an *exposure* variable, but as a *motion* variable. The camera thinks that way too; it takes a lot to move it off of 1/60th in normal mode, and it does so only as a last resort. It'll gain up hugely before it changes the shutter speed, in my experience, and I don't think there's any circumstance in which it will voluntarily go down to 1/30th unless you make it do so manually.

Thanks again for the advice and the quick response. You've made my life much easier.

No problem, but don't thank me yet! ;-). Experiment around a bit with all the settings, talking to your cam while you do so, explaining what your variables are. Then you can see which settings you like best. Make sure to play direct to HDTV via HDMI to get the truest playback.

The learning curve phase is the most fun with a new cam, but you want to be done with much of that before you're in a no-second-takes situation. During the vows is not the time to be fiddling with Black Stretch.

Aperture
 

The aperture changes on VX2100 also. You probably never noticed.
The PD-170 also changes as soon as you zoom in about halfway or
so. It doesn't matter if your totally in manual mode. It can't stay at
1.6 due to the zoom. It's little worse on the Z5 because you've lost
a couple of stops before you start compared with the PD-170. I finally
got to shoot an event with the Z5 today.