I've been using the HV30 for almost a year now, and i was noticing i almost always have to edit the video in the post to make the visuals clear, because it's pretty grainy. Is there anything i can do to make the video more crisp on the camera itself?
Thanks.
Excessive grain is almost always the result of insufficient light and too much gain. I haven't used the HV30 very much and I can't remember whether it has gain control. If it does, be sure the gain is set at 0db. If the picture looks dark to you, open up the iris or add more light to the scene. If you allow the gain control to float, in a dark scene the gain control will try to compensate by increasing the sensitivity, up to as much as +18db in some cameras. As the gain increases it begins to cause image break up -- grain -- in very much the same manner that digital zooming causes picture break up.
Grain can also be introduced in post production, typically by over-using the brightness FX in a manner which exceeds legal levels. Shadowed areas are most often effected.
Jack
Jack
http://www.videoccasions-nw.com
Jack is right, your answer is more light. There is no gain control on the HV30 but you can do the "Cell Phone" trick, which really just "under" exposes the shot. If you are doing head shots, a camera fill light can do wonders.