CANON XF-105 HD CAMCORDER – Shooting in low-light,bar – will post to Vimeo. Help!

[MonkeyManJoe]

Need some advice on shootinga short video in a low-light bar and pub. I have a Cannon XF-105 HD Camera, what would be the best setting, ideally? Any lighting techniques? There will be talking heads and I'll have them on wireless mics – talk show feel. Any advice would be amazing, thank you. It's been a long time since I've shot – cheers!

 

 

[theonecanoe]

A small LED light on top the camera is very usefull for doing interviews.  You don't really need a powerful one, just enough to add some detail and fill in the shadows.  A light with a dimmer, or adding a diffuser gel helps to reduce the light output.  The problem with a light that's too bright when used in a dark setting like a bar is the camera has to iris down in order to properly expose on the face resulting in a very dark (or almost black) background making it look like a face "floating in space".  Another method I like to use with a camera mounted LED light is to use a small ball-joint adapter so I can pivot the light in various directions allowing me to bounce the light off a ceiling or 'throw' more spill light onto the background.  You can also use an assistant, hand holding a second light that can be used to fill in the background or add backlight.

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