Question on auto exposure when room is darker but windows are lighter.

[etbrown4]

With a Sony Handycam DCR SR67, and a newbie cameraman, I'm having big problems taking indoor video using an auto exposure setting when panning across interior windows during the daytime.

The camera is naturally adjusting to the added light at each window opening and as I pan to other areas in the room, the walls seem dark, even though they really aren't. Eventually the camera catches up and will auto adjust to the natural night in the room away from the windows.

When I tried to adjust the white balance and that made the light areas too bright.

I tried the strongest interior led video light I could find at Ritz and that is of no help, at least when set on auto.

Tips would much appreciated.

Call me clueless in Carolina!

Settings thus far: Scene:auto, White Balance: auto, Exposure: auto

[mike20021969]

If the Sony has an exposure lock, lock it when there is no window in shot. Obviously, this will make the windows look extremely bright (over exposed) when panning past them.
If there is no exposure lock, you'd need to increase the light in the room greatly to match the light coming in through the window.

White balance has nothing to do with exposure. It makes white appear white under different lighting conditions (daylight, cloudy, tungsten, flourescent etc...)

[etbrown4]

Under Exposure, this Sony offers a choice between auto or manual. In manual, there is a slide bar where you adjust + or -. Not sure which way to go. I can try both.

[mike20021969]

'-' reduces exposure. '+' increases exposure. (I have the same type of lock on both my Sony Hi8 and Digital8 camcorders).
Point the camcorder at the scene you want exposing correctly, then lock the exposure. You can then fine adjust if necessary with the '-' and '+'.

[jagabo]

Does it have a "back lit" mode?

[etbrown4]

I do have a backlight button and it helps a lot!

Naturally the camera in auto mode is still a little slow to adjust as you move from bright light to less light.

This is a better result that I can achieve by adjusting the exposure +-, as I have to go about 2/3 scale + to have that look pretty good.

With that setting, the windows wash out completely.

Might I need a better camera than this Sony?

I'm guessing that without a lots brighter external camera light than Ritz's brightest led unit, this kind of shooting may never be but so good?

All tips have been much appreciated!

[jagabo]

I'm guessing that without a lots brighter external camera light that Ritz's brightest led unit, this kind of shooting may never be but so good?

That's correct. You have to use fill lighting or reflectors.

[Cornucopia]

Yeah, what seems "within a reasonable range" to the eye is NOT for that type of camera. The eye has an extremely fast form of automatic adjustment to the iris, such that you hardly ever notice the change, plus it has a MUCH wider latitude than a camera's sensors.

Pros have better sensors with better latitude, but not so much better they don't have to worry about exposure (though they RARELY use auto mode).

One deals with this by:
A. Lowering the exposure from the bright objects - this takes the form of putting ND (neutral density) filters/screens in the windows, shades above the windows, etc. Or not shooting near windows or other backlights at all.
B. Raising the exposure of the less bright objects - this takes the form of fill lighting (of MUCH brighter level than the normal consumer levels you're thinking of) & bouncing sunlight/daylight into those areas, through bounce cards & lightpipes
C. Using REDICULOUSLY SLOW pans such that the sensor(s) in the camera have time to adjust their exposure.
D. Getting a better camera that DOES have better latitude.

If this were a still camera, you could bracket exposure and get a wide-latitude (HDR) master with which to do tonemapping and get a nice, evenly lit final shot.
Can't do that with video really. One can do some compositing in post, but you would have already lost some of your highlights/shadows because of the limited latitude of the camera.

Overcoming this type of problem is a common step along the path from being a newbie to being a veteran videographer...

Scott

[jagabo]

High dynamic range (HDR) camcorders are starting to become available.
http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/25/amp-camera-records-1080p-hdr-video-you-probably-cant-have-one/

[edDV]

This is a problem with all camcorders/cameras. Changing cameras will have little affect**. First option is to draw the curtains if available.

If this were a pro shoot here is what they would do.

1. Place large neutral density or tinted plastic sheets* over all exposed windows (mounted exterior usually) to bring the outside light close to intensity and color temp of interior light.

2. Light the interior for correct camcorder exposure.


* poor man's solutions include K-Mart shower curtains or Home Depot tinted plastic sheets.

** Sony Pro cams do have the "knee" adjustment to limit gamma adjustment to high whites.