Getting the Right Lighting to Use Mini DV Camcorders

Video Transcript

" Hi! My name is Paige and you can see my website at www.porchproductions.net. Today we’re talking about your mini DV camcorder and ways to use it. Right now, we’re going to talk about lightening and exposure. Your mini DV camcorder has 3 ways to adjust light. In general, it has a ND filter, an iris, and gain Those are 3 ways you can adjust your camcorder to receive light or close out your light source. Your ND filter on this Panasonic, it’s pretty simple, it goes from off to shutting light out by an eighth; to shutting light out by 64th. If you’re extremely bright setting outside and then you probably want to be in a 64th somewhat in the middle and eighth in a setting like this in the room that is controlled on off. The other way you can adjust it is through your iris dial. It’s generally right here and this just brings in more light or pulls down light. You can always do your iris even if you are in auto mode. In auto mode, your camera will take care of the lighting conditions for you, but if your manual mode you can do it. Generally, in most camcorders, you can also use your iris dial to adjust an auto mode. It’s a great way to bring up light down and up, and not a very dramatic way whereas the ND filter quite a dramatic way to increase and decrease exposure. Also, you can use your gain. It’s the L, M, and, H, the higher you go. You start on L. This is allowing some light and then it allows more light and more light. So, it’s almost like the opposite of the ND filter. It allows more light instead of taking light out of your exposure. When you’re lighting something, you basically just want to see what looks the best either through your viewfinder or your LCD screen. If you’re in a birthday party and it’s kind of dark, ask if you can turn on the light, if you can’t get enough light. Another great thing to do is maybe pull a lamp from another room and set it in to your light source. You want to make sure that you are lighting the face of the person, that’s the most important or the face of the action that you’re trying to shoot. That is just some easy ways to adjust light quickly to be able to get your subjects lit, so that you can have the prettiest picture that you can. "