Help Me Come Into The Light!!!!
 

Hello, just wanted to know if anyone out here had some advice on what kind of camcorder light works best in extremely dark situations. This same light would have to work in dimly lit locations also. I generally don't like to lose too much detail when filming in low-light settings. Also, I want the light to be somewhat inconspicuous so as to not draw too much attention to itself. Are there any camcorder light kits out there that offer some sort of flooding or diffusion gels which will help give off just enough to illuminate the subject without being too overpowering? My camcorder is a moderately sized one. It is the Sony DSR-PD170. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you very much.

I use the similar VX2000. Look up posts about camcorder lights, because this question has been answered. The gist of what I have read is that you should use a low-power (maybe 25W or less) light with a softbox to keep people from getting annoyed. Also, a bright light will cause subjects near the camera to blow out and the background to go black. That's ugly. The PD170 needs just a tiny bit of light to make it's image look good and a diffuser will knock down harsh shadows while keeping people happy. There are all sorts of lights at B&H and even clip-on or velcro-on diffusers/softboxes.

Marcus, a gentle reminder that any on camera light will always give more light to objects up close and less light to objects further away. Objects close to the camera won't 'blow out' as you say if you dial in the correct exposure.

tom.