Do you need to use a light meter with modern cameras?
Syncing DV to DAT
Is it true that digital video(Canon XL-1 Mini DV) runs at a
different speed than DAT recordings, making the task of synching up the sound to the video very difficult? And if so, any suggestions on doing this?
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What digital video camera should I buy?
What digital video camera should I buy?
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Contributed by
Glen
Berry
I read in a book that you should always use a light meter when shooting video. I asked a guy at the local photography store and he said I didn't have to worry about it. Which one is right?
That would depend on you, really. There is a light meter built into your video camera that will read the amount of light in the frame of your camera. But what part of the frame? Most cameras don't allow "spot metering", which gives you the ability to measure different sections of the frame for differences between light and dark.
The most important thing to remember here is that your camera can only handle so much contrast between light and dark. It’s your job as the DP (director of photography) to control and mold that light to your purposes. The purpose of the light meter is to tell you what kind of lighting conditions you are dealing with. A handheld light meter that is separate from the camera will provide you with a tool that will allow you to get accurate readings from anywhere in the frame and let you make decisions about how you want to handle those conditions.
Berry is the founder of the Northwest Film School and the creator of Film Underground, a popular and successful network of Moviemaking web sites that includes Cyber Film School.
A former member of the Whatcom Film Association Board of Directors, he also has twice served as the director of the Northwest Projections Film Festival. An award-winning filmmaker, Berry specializes in post production and is currently employed as an editor and post production supervisor on professional independent productions. Berry has written for “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Filmmaking,” “MovieMaker Magazine,” Cyberfilmschool.com and Filmfestivals.com. He also has served as an expert source for international newspaper and radio media outlets.
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