What setting do you use in low lighting as I've been shooting in places where there's just no room for additional lighting.

I know there's the built in setting but it doesn't give options like frame and ws or is that just my cam?

I shoot with an XL1s in frame mode (aesthetic choice on my part) bump the gain up (you'll get some video noise) a bit, but not all the way if you can avoid it, and crank the iris open. If you still need a little boost, you can set the shutter speed to 1/30 and suffer a smidgen of motion blur to get more light in without sacrificing more image quality.

Thanks for reply, I too only use frame mode, I'm glad they built it that way, I did try it that way but as you say the noise is painful. would the video light attatchment help without making it look too fake? I've been putting off getting one.

A wide, low wattage fill light on camera can help a lot, especially for event work. I use 10-20 watts. Much more power and the lighting can become too bright for people, and cause unwanted shadows, etc. in the image.

Whether or not it will help and look OK depends on what you are shooting and your artistic requirements for the project.

a small on-camera light may not have enough throw for anything other than interviews close to the camera ( http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/vision/isql.html ) as the light won't noticeably reach past 10 or so feet. Again it depends on how you intend to shoot the event and how much freedom you have in the environment.

A straight on camera light will flatten your subjects, you may want to look at getting a bracket that would let you offset that light from the camera if you decide to go that route.

Interviews, dancers, folks at a table, receiving lines, cutting a cake, a toast, lots of stuff goes on within 10 feet of the camcorder.

The fill light is just that, it fills in shadows, and in the process supplements available light to improve white balance, noise performance, etc. Offsetting the light a bit is a better location than directly above the lens. It is no substitute for studio lighting, but can make a big difference in the final product.

Thanks guys that's pretty much what I was thinnking which is why I've put it off for a while.

Ok so would a small (3feet high approx) halogen workman's light with 4 lights on be any good or would halogen be as bad as flourescent?

Halogen would probably be intrusive to the event...they throw LOTS of light. I have a 500watt halogen that I can light up my entire front yard with enough to get decent footage with.

what kind of events are you going to be shooting?

Close quarters live music performances for documentary.

Most halogens lamps provide a good (if not calibrated) color temperature around 3000 K (give or take). Halogen shop/work lights can provide a low cost source of bright light for informal low budget lighting of sets for hobby work.

As for lighting live music performances, that needs to be worked out with the venue and the performing ensemble. Lighting a performance is a form of performing art, and can add to, or detract from, the audience experience. You may want to start with what ever lighting they normally have in a performance, and increase it until you have enough for your video. That can help preserve the look and feel of the performance for the documentary. Try spend some time at a rehearsal to work out the lighting before the money shoot.

The performance is of the bands one at a time in a small room (20x20feet)

Bring good hearing protection with you!

Bring good hearing protection with you!

Hear, hear!