Blue lights at DVinfo.net

Steven Davis · May 5th, 2011, 06:04 PM

Well 8 years into this I thought I had seen it all. But I just ran into these wall lights, that were essentially lights behind a white sheer. And I was pretty much good to go until they turned blue or red, then my cameras went nuts as if I was shooting the sun. I even cranked my lights up and they were no match for those blue wall lights. Ok, rant over.

Don Bloom · May 5th, 2011, 08:12 PM

gotta love uplights that change color but the best are the ones that flash and change color to the beat of the music!!!!! SSSSSSSSSCCCCCCCRRRRRRREEEEEEAAAAAAMMMMMMM!

Steven Davis · May 5th, 2011, 08:25 PM

Yeah, they were pretty but gave me a fit.

Dave Blackhurst · May 5th, 2011, 08:55 PM

Make a WB choice, set the camera, fix in post - don't even TRY to shoot variable lighting with AWB on!

Philip Howells · May 5th, 2011, 09:59 PM

As Dave writes, this is basic stuff.

In fact it's easier than Dave says, turn off the AWB and especially Sony's idiot button which is basically a constantly variable AWB, do a white balance with any the other lights only or use the most sensible preset probably 3200K and leave it.

We''re recording events so if the environment is lit by lights which change colour, the clients will be expecting to see faces/dresses lit by changing colours, indeed if anyone succeeded in "correcting" the lights in post I'd not be surprised if the client didn't complain.

Steven Davis · May 6th, 2011, 05:09 AM

Umm, I'm not talking about white balance, I'm talking about silhouettes. And I'm talking about the blue affecting my cameras more than the other colors.

Dave Blackhurst · May 6th, 2011, 02:56 PM

Got a sample clip? I seem to recall someone having problems with certain lights "blowing out" the footage in a "club" situation, again blue was the offending color as the lights "rotated"...

Maybe if you can post a short clip we can have a go at what caused it - since it seems like the first guess wasn't the answer. Some lighting situations just are beyond hope... but never hurts to take a look at it.

Steven Davis · May 6th, 2011, 08:31 PM

Hey Dave, here is a good example before and when I asked the DJ to turn the lights off.

http://droptodesign.com/temp/delete/blue.mp4

May 5th, 2011, 06:04 PM	#1
Steven Davis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,065	Blue lights Well 8 years into this I thought I had seen it all. But I just ran into these wall lights, that were essentially lights behind a white sheer. And I was pretty much good to go until they turned blue or red, then my cameras went nuts as if I was shooting the sun. I even cranked my lights up and they were no match for those blue wall lights. Ok, rant over. __________________ What happens if I push the 'Red' button?

May 5th, 2011, 08:12 PM	#2
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Re: Blue lights gotta love uplights that change color but the best are the ones that flash and change color to the beat of the music!!!!! SSSSSSSSSCCCCCCCRRRRRRREEEEEEAAAAAAMMMMMMM! __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

May 5th, 2011, 08:25 PM	#3
Steven Davis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,065	Re: Blue lights Yeah, they were pretty but gave me a fit. __________________ What happens if I push the 'Red' button?

May 5th, 2011, 08:55 PM	#4
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Blue lights Make a WB choice, set the camera, fix in post - don't even TRY to shoot variable lighting with AWB on!

May 5th, 2011, 09:59 PM	#5
Philip Howells Trustee Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 1,212	Re: Blue lights As Dave writes, this is basic stuff. In fact it's easier than Dave says, turn off the AWB and especially Sony's idiot button which is basically a constantly variable AWB, do a white balance with any the other lights only or use the most sensible preset probably 3200K and leave it. We''re recording events so if the environment is lit by lights which change colour, the clients will be expecting to see faces/dresses lit by changing colours, indeed if anyone succeeded in "correcting" the lights in post I'd not be surprised if the client didn't complain.

May 6th, 2011, 05:09 AM	#6
Steven Davis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,065	Re: Blue lights Umm, I'm not talking about white balance, I'm talking about silhouettes. And I'm talking about the blue affecting my cameras more than the other colors. __________________ What happens if I push the 'Red' button?

May 6th, 2011, 02:56 PM	#7
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Blue lights Got a sample clip? I seem to recall someone having problems with certain lights "blowing out" the footage in a "club" situation, again blue was the offending color as the lights "rotated"... Maybe if you can post a short clip we can have a go at what caused it - since it seems like the first guess wasn't the answer. Some lighting situations just are beyond hope... but never hurts to take a look at it.

May 6th, 2011, 08:31 PM	#8
Steven Davis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,065	Re: Blue lights Hey Dave, here is a good example before and when I asked the DJ to turn the lights off. http://droptodesign.com/temp/delete/blue.mp4 __________________ What happens if I push the 'Red' button?