Low-light test shoot

[Tim Dashwood]

This is a quicktime (sorenson codec so you PC guys can play it) of a test shoot I did Sunday for a film I am prepping now.
The available light level was never any more than 5 footcandles, the average ambient light was probably around 2 footcandles.
For ƒ1.4, 1/48th shutter that would mean a sensitivity of 500 to 800ASA.

I want to stress that this was shot at 1/48th shutter at 0dB, except for the overcranked 576p50, which was shot at 1/50th shutter (I should have switch to 1/59.94 to avoid flicker.) Gain or slow shutter were never used.

http://homepage.mac.com/timdashwood/...y-sorenson.mov

The Camera Process settings were as follows:
MASTER BLACK... Normal
DETAIL... -1
BLACK... STRETCH3
WHITE CLIP... 108%
KNEE... MANUAL 85%
CINELIKE... OFF
GAMMA... STANDARD
LEVEL... MAX

[Robert Niemann]

May You explain me, why there is flickering in the 50p shots? And what has it to do with a 1/59.94 shutter?

[Tim Dashwood]

If I had shot with the same setup in Germany, there would be no flicker at 1/50th shutter. However, in North America electricity is 60Hz, and therefore flourescent and other vapour lights flicker at a rate of 60Hz (not 50Hz like in most of Europe.) This was the main reason for the frame rate differences between NTSC and PAL when TV standards were first introduced.

1/48th shutter generally doesn't present a problem with 60Hz sources, but 1/50th is off just enough to cause flicker. If I had shot 480p60, there would have been no flicker, or I could have used synchro-scan to dial in 1/60th (1/59.94) and still shot 576p50.

[Sean Livingstone]

Was there any extra lighting uses or just what was provided by the light sources around the scene?

[Tim Dashwood]

Originally Posted by Sean Livingstone

Was there any extra lighting uses or just what was provided by the light sources around the scene?

For the CU handheld running shot, and the stuff when she was on the ground, I had a 60W bulb in a china ball about 6 feet away.

Other than that, it was all available ambient light, shot between 9PM and Midnight, while it was raining.

[Jiri Bakala]

Hey Tim,

good job man, the film looks great! Are you actually finishing it with sound, music and CC and submitting to a festival or something?

[Tim Dashwood]

Here's the sequence of informal tests I did last week to compare the DVX sensitivity.

Also, low-res sorenson quicktime:

http://homepage.mac.com/timdashwood/...e-Sorenson.mov

[Tim Dashwood]

Originally Posted by Jiri Bakala

Hey Tim,

good job man, the film looks great! Are you actually finishing it with sound, music and CC and submitting to a festival or something?

This was just a test shoot/screen test. I am shooting the film in the winter, and we will be reshooting this scene then, when it is cold.
The director and I decided to do a practical test so he can use it for a teaser trailer to raise more money. He will be cutting it together and adding SFX, music, titles, etc. I'll post it when he is finished.

Here's some publicity stuff for the film:
http://www.mojoprofilms.com/exlover.html

[Stephen L. Noe]

Originally Posted by Tim Dashwood

Here's the sequence of informal tests I did last week to compare the DVX sensitivity.

Also, low-res sorenson quicktime:

http://homepage.mac.com/timdashwood/...e-Sorenson.mov

Tim, Are you familiar with DivX?

[Tim Dashwood]

Originally Posted by Stephen L. Noe

Tim, Are you familiar with DivX?

Stephen, Here they are in Divx codec if that works better for you. The file sizes are a little bigger.

http://homepage.mac.com/timdashwood/...embly-Divx.mov

http://homepage.mac.com/timdashwood/...uence-Divx.mov

[Sean Livingstone]

Is that shoot with the stock lens?

[Michael Maier]

Nice footage Tim. Looks really good. Specially the slomo shots. Judging by the camera settings, I would say you have squeezed as much low light performance as possible from the camera without adding gain.
The great thing of all is I see no sign or split screen whatsoever in these low light shots.
Great job! Can't wait till I get mine.

[Soroush Shahrokni]

Thx for the footage Tim and good luck with your project. I noticed the in-famous split screen in sec 4-5 of the footage, sadly it appears in one of the best shots in your teaser, great location btw. I can live with a semi-decent lens as it can be changed, I can live with a dead pixel as it can be masked but I wont shoot a feature with split screen...JVC better fix this error ASAP!

Mine will arrive on monday and this split screen problem really bugs me. This was the first time that I saw split screen in action and I hope I wont see it with my unit, this is just not acceptable from a camera like this!

[Soroush Shahrokni]

Michael check the footage again. I didnt notice it the first time I watched it either...but then I just jumped out of my chair when I watched it for the second time. Sad!

[Stephen L. Noe]

Originally Posted by Tim Dashwood

Stephen, Here they are in Divx codec if that works better for you. The file sizes are a little bigger.

http://homepage.mac.com/timdashwood/...embly-Divx.mov

http://homepage.mac.com/timdashwood/...uence-Divx.mov

Tim, The reason I asked about DivX is because there is a high def preset for 720p that gives full resolution with insane quality. I don't think that's just on the Windows side is it? I saw the split screen on a couple of frames. One when she is running (closup on face) and once after she looks at her foot. The first time though I was looking for it and didn't see it at all. The policy is that the camera be replaced if the split is there so it is what it is. I'm relatively sure they'll have to fix it on the production line with closer tolerance on the circuits. From what I've seen of the camera, it is worth changing out over and over to get one without a split. Really great for 1/3".

A 60w light in a china ball in the rain?!? That was hardly worth pulling out!