Settings for filming fast motion in snow at DVinfo.net

Ryan Varjas · February 15th, 2006, 12:39 PM

I have a VX2100, and mostly use it to film snowboarding. Some of the shots we take involve snowboarding/skiing behind the subjec and are very fast motion. This alway requires the ND2 filter as well, because of the brightness. What would the best settings be for these very bright, fast shots? Should I turn the shutter speed up, or white balance differently, or anything?

Mike Oveson · February 15th, 2006, 02:06 PM

I'd definitely up your shutter speed. That will really help with the glare from the snow and the quick motion.

Marcus Marchesseault · February 15th, 2006, 11:29 PM

Don't up your shutter speed too much as you will get a bit of a stuttered motion look, but definitly try out all exposure settings to get the look you want. If you don't like the look of a fast shutter, you can add a neutral density screw-on filter or a polarizer to cut down the light. The polarizer might not help as much as in ocean settings since snow is probably not reflective in the same way as liquid water.

Dennis Khaye · February 24th, 2006, 01:28 PM

testing is the only way to know for sure. White balance is a must before I shoot anything, especially if I shoot indoors then move outdoors or vise versa.

Partlly cloudy days will be your worst enemy I think. You'll have two settings to figure out, sunny and cloudy.

Notes from the last time I shot in snow (with a PD 170 mind you): On a cloudy day, set the gain to 0dB and shoot some, up it to 6dB and shoot some, look at them both and maybe go with 3dB. Shutter set to 60 (ntfs mind you). I don't know if you can do the zebra with your camera but I kept mine on at the 70 setting and ran/skiied with that. If the sun came out I'd add an ND filter on the fly and pray.

Contrast will kill you as you move from shadow to glare if the sun is out. It's just the way it is with video.

February 15th, 2006, 12:39 PM	#1
Ryan Varjas Tourist Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2	Settings for filming fast motion in snow I have a VX2100, and mostly use it to film snowboarding. Some of the shots we take involve snowboarding/skiing behind the subjec and are very fast motion. This alway requires the ND2 filter as well, because of the brightness. What would the best settings be for these very bright, fast shots? Should I turn the shutter speed up, or white balance differently, or anything?

February 15th, 2006, 02:06 PM	#2
Mike Oveson Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ogden, UT Posts: 349	I'd definitely up your shutter speed. That will really help with the glare from the snow and the quick motion.

February 15th, 2006, 11:29 PM	#3
Marcus Marchesseault Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,961	Don't up your shutter speed too much as you will get a bit of a stuttered motion look, but definitly try out all exposure settings to get the look you want. If you don't like the look of a fast shutter, you can add a neutral density screw-on filter or a polarizer to cut down the light. The polarizer might not help as much as in ocean settings since snow is probably not reflective in the same way as liquid water.

February 24th, 2006, 01:28 PM	#4
Dennis Khaye Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 255	testing is the only way to know for sure. White balance is a must before I shoot anything, especially if I shoot indoors then move outdoors or vise versa. Partlly cloudy days will be your worst enemy I think. You'll have two settings to figure out, sunny and cloudy. Notes from the last time I shot in snow (with a PD 170 mind you): On a cloudy day, set the gain to 0dB and shoot some, up it to 6dB and shoot some, look at them both and maybe go with 3dB. Shutter set to 60 (ntfs mind you). I don't know if you can do the zebra with your camera but I kept mine on at the 70 setting and ran/skiied with that. If the sun came out I'd add an ND filter on the fly and pray. Contrast will kill you as you move from shadow to glare if the sun is out. It's just the way it is with video.