Trying to clear up footage that looks "too bright"?

[sanlyn]

We all start somewhere. ANyway, now you know what one kind of histogram looks like. I think the viewfinder in your webcam might have one you can turn on. I know that many digital still cameras do; people see 'em all the time in the viewfinders but never bother to wonder what they are or what they're telling the owner. But in a hot-and-fast shooting situation, there's usually no time to mince over details.

[jagabo]

Lost cause. Hard clipping, from the lower midtones all the way up. The peaks at the right show no data, period. Nothing up there to retrieve.

Thanks for the reply, but I have absoloutely no idea what any of that meant?

In short, there are no details that can be restored in the overblown white areas.

[SimonT]

OK well thanks everyone anyway, since then I've actually invested in a digital camcorder which adjusts the brightness/contrast automatically so hopefully this sort of thing shouldn't happen again.

[sanlyn]

OK well thanks everyone anyway, since then I've actually invested in a digital camcorder which adjusts the brightness/contrast automatically so hopefully this sort of thing shouldn't happen again.

In any situation other than average, even illumination with no dominant light or dark objects in view, autogain will be your worst enemy. Every time the subject enters a lighter or darker area, or every time a lighter or darker object or light source enters the frame, exposure will change -- blowing out highlights and/or crushing darks. Try this thread for an extreme example: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/347989-Focus-unblur-sharpen-adjust-colours?p=217668...=1#post2176680

The effects of autogain are extremely difficult and often impossible to correct. The best of the autoexposure features would be based on the more expensive cameras with either selective-area or multi-point matrix metering. None are fullproof. The camera should offer a choice between these various methods and/or manual exposure. Pros and serious hobbyists don't use averaging auto metering unless they have no other choice and must act quickly.

The exposure error you encountered happens quite often, so don't feel alone. The "fix" is a combination of experience, knowledge about the properties of light, and thorough familiarity with the way a specific camera behaves.

[budwzr]

As a segway off Sanlyn's comments, I would highly recommend "The Filmmaker's Handbook", as a handy reference. It's cheap, and packed full of great information.

You can't understand digital until you understand film. Trust me. When this situation resolves, and your mind is free, order the book and put it in the bathroom. A few minutes reading a day is better than trying to cram. Let it soak in over time.

Your mind will expand over time until you "get it". Then, it's smooth sailing.

When I first bought my DSLR to use for video, I thought it would be impossible to shoot a moving scene and hold focus manually. But eventually, my brain got the hang of it. As practice, I go to the local bird sanctuary and shoot egrets and pelicans flying by. I still do that once in a while to increase my ability.

One day I'm going to release a DOC on YT, and I want to get that million hits, hahaha. Yeah, I got the fever. Hahaha

Good Luck!

[SimonT]

As a segway off Sanlyn's comments, I would highly recommend "The Filmmaker's Handbook", as a handy reference. It's cheap, and packed full of great information.

The book by Steven Ascher and Edward Pincus ?

[sanlyn]

That's the one.