Aperture settings at DVinfo.net

Mark Stavar · March 7th, 2009, 05:21 PM

A general question about the iris settings (for a PD150)

I have shot a couple of dance gigs, and when lights get up very bright and i tighten up the aperture I sometimes find that image has an almost hazie appearance.

I recently found a post where a guy said he likes to shoot with the aperature around f4, so he puts a couple of ND filters.

So, would I get better image quality if, rather than shooting at f8.*, put on the ND filters and shoot with a wider aperture.

All thoughts and experience greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

marks

Don Bloom · March 7th, 2009, 05:25 PM

IMExperience with 150/170/250,the sweet spot is around f/4 to f/5.6 so you might find that your find your friend is correct. Throw the ND on and try to keep the iris around those numbers

Troy Davis · July 28th, 2010, 11:54 AM

Hello,

i will be shooting a couple outside weddings with a vx2100 and wanted to know if I should use auto aperture or manual? I haven't been really impress with my outside footage using the manual setting. Although I usually use f4 and the ND filters.

Thanks,
Troy

R Geoff Baker · July 28th, 2010, 12:49 PM

Auto or manual. Once the aperture is selected, the exposure is set. It doesn't matter if you are on auto or manual -- f8 is f8 is f8. So why choose manual? Well, if you 'know better' than camera's metering system is one reason. Because you hate to see the exposure change (or more accurately, see the camera make a change in response to a passing or transient light) and so want to 'lock' the exposure to the subject, and let any light or shadow that wander into the shot play out in a natural way.

I shoot almost every shot in manual mode. But I have no quibble with the exposure meter in the camcorder -- I simply lock the exposure to the camera's choice before I start the shot. Maybe I zoom in on the subject, lock the exposure & then back off the zoom to the framing I want ...

What I don't do is use a separate light meter, or decide I 'know' what aperture to use -- so really I'm using the auto choice, I'm just locking it in for the duration of the shot. I do the same with focus most of the time, for the same reason -- nothing screams 'amateur' like a camcorder hunting for focus or exposure in the middle of a shot, IMHO.

Cheers,
GB

Troy Davis · July 28th, 2010, 02:14 PM

Great answer Geoff. Thanks.

Bob Hart · July 31st, 2010, 01:43 AM

I understand ( from recollection of reading or hearing something way back in the dim past ) that the BBC arrived at f5.6 as being about the right spot for the PD150.

March 7th, 2009, 05:21 PM	#1
Mark Stavar Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 95	Aperture settings A general question about the iris settings (for a PD150) I have shot a couple of dance gigs, and when lights get up very bright and i tighten up the aperture I sometimes find that image has an almost hazie appearance. I recently found a post where a guy said he likes to shoot with the aperature around f4, so he puts a couple of ND filters. So, would I get better image quality if, rather than shooting at f8.*, put on the ND filters and shoot with a wider aperture. All thoughts and experience greatly appreciated. Thanks, marks __________________ mark stavar http://www.swandancer.com.au

March 7th, 2009, 05:25 PM	#2
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	IMExperience with 150/170/250,the sweet spot is around f/4 to f/5.6 so you might find that your find your friend is correct. Throw the ND on and try to keep the iris around those numbers __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

July 28th, 2010, 11:54 AM	#3
Troy Davis Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Raleigh,NC Posts: 263	Hello, i will be shooting a couple outside weddings with a vx2100 and wanted to know if I should use auto aperture or manual? I haven't been really impress with my outside footage using the manual setting. Although I usually use f4 and the ND filters. Thanks, Troy

July 28th, 2010, 12:49 PM	#4
R Geoff Baker Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 471	Auto or manual. Once the aperture is selected, the exposure is set. It doesn't matter if you are on auto or manual -- f8 is f8 is f8. So why choose manual? Well, if you 'know better' than camera's metering system is one reason. Because you hate to see the exposure change (or more accurately, see the camera make a change in response to a passing or transient light) and so want to 'lock' the exposure to the subject, and let any light or shadow that wander into the shot play out in a natural way. I shoot almost every shot in manual mode. But I have no quibble with the exposure meter in the camcorder -- I simply lock the exposure to the camera's choice before I start the shot. Maybe I zoom in on the subject, lock the exposure & then back off the zoom to the framing I want ... What I don't do is use a separate light meter, or decide I 'know' what aperture to use -- so really I'm using the auto choice, I'm just locking it in for the duration of the shot. I do the same with focus most of the time, for the same reason -- nothing screams 'amateur' like a camcorder hunting for focus or exposure in the middle of a shot, IMHO. Cheers, GB

July 28th, 2010, 02:14 PM	#5
Troy Davis Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Raleigh,NC Posts: 263	Great answer Geoff. Thanks.

July 31st, 2010, 01:43 AM	#6
Bob Hart Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PERTH. W.A. AUSTRALIA. Posts: 4,476	I understand ( from recollection of reading or hearing something way back in the dim past ) that the BBC arrived at f5.6 as being about the right spot for the PD150.