DVX 100A Low Light "Reddish" Skin tones help!!!

alchemycinema
Member

Hello,

I have been shooting weddings for about 1 year now and when I get into a low light situation (receptions) with my DVX 100A, the peoples skin tones get very "reddish" no matter how often I try to re-white balance, they go too warm. The shirts are white the brides dress all white tablecothes etc. I have tried white balancing with a slightly orange filter in front of a white card, no luck (a trick a news cameraperson told me) and I am really at a loss. I have used an on board light for my camera (50wt-to 100wt) it helps but people really don't like the light. I have gone in and reduced chroma in settings.

Can anyone help me with this, I have made 16mm films for many years so pretty familar with 16mm filmmaking, but this has baffled me for some time.

Thanks for any help or advice... the more the merrier... Thanks

Peace,

Jan

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

Jan, I don't own a DVX100, so can't give specific advice. In fact, you're probably not going to like my advice at all..

Whether you're a carpenter, surgeon, machinist or videographer, it always pays to use the right tool for the job at hand. Could a surgeon operate with a hatchet and a hacksaw? Probably. Would the results be as good as they could be if using the proper tools? Probably not.

The issue isn't much different here. Weddings and especially receptions, don't have a lot of light. Your camera is a wonderful camera - top notch and high quality. But it is not intended for wedding work. Check your Lux rating against a VX2100 or PD170 (Sonys).

There is nothing you can do that will make your camera the right tool for wedding work. Nothing. Perhaps you can fix your red tones in post, if not in camera. Perhaps you could specialize in outdoor, daylight weddings. But for all-round wedding work, it is not the right tool. Period. End of discussion.

Having said that, I've heard of the DVX100 giving dull colors in low light, but not redish tones. Could be your camera has some particular problem?

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

Here's a thought - there isn't a lot of motion during much of a wedding/reception. Why not try dropping your shutter speed to 1/30? Might introduce a bit of blur in the dancing, but then that might be seen as an enhancement!

Posted 5 years ago #
Andrew Burke
Member

Dropping the shutter is a good idea, compusolver.

I've shot a number of weddings with the DVX100. Here's what I've done:

The shutter on the DVX100 can be changed in very fine amounts. I have used 1/30th and 1/42nd shutter to get a half stop more light without significantly blurring the picture. Speaking about motion, that camera has better low-light performance in 60i mode, than it does in 24p or 30p. Make sure to use good 'ol 60i for a better nite-time picture. The color balance is also adjustable without re-whitebalancing. A few flicks in the menu toward a cooler tone should help.

At the root level, cameras need light. If the picture quality is going downhill then getting creative with lighting the event may be your best bet.

Happy shooting,

andrew @ videomaker

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

As for the red, I think that just has to do with the fact that lower incandescent light levels involve longer wave lengths, hence more red. Happens in all cams. That red is reflected in the embarrassed faces of wedding videographers who must deliver wedding videos shot like this!

I must admit, I've misguaged some receptions and thought my VX2100s could handle things when the light was even beyond their capabililties. Current NLEs can only do so much with luma and color correction - never quite enough.

Posted 5 years ago #