Ok so I decided to learn more about my camera (Panasonic AG-CX350), which is probably the wrong kind (broadcast camera) for what I do but some of the features like HLG (rec 2020) and V-Log (rec 709) and 20x optical zoom are really great sometimes. It also can record 10 bit HEVC 4k60 4:2:0 internally to two SD cards at 200Mb/s. Otherwise it's just too big to take in a bag somewhere, when I'm not doing a job, that's the only downside, besides it being a fixed lens that can't be changed. I'm actually waiting for the GH6 to come out to decide if I should buy that or the GH5S with a stabilized lens. All of my work is done on a tripod. Now to the main issue:
I have moved from (UHD) 4k60p to 4k 23.976p to make more cinematic footage and I have set the shutter to manual 1/48. Here's where the problem appears:
When AGC (automatic gain control) for the video signal is enabled (which it is by default), the lens will not go below F3.9.
In order to get down to the max of f2.8 I have to disable AGC for video but then everything is too dark unless I manually flip the switch for Low, Medium and High gain for the video signal. I do not have access to manually adjust the ISO to my knowledge as there's no options to change that in any way and the manual doesn't help there.
Can someone explain to me what is going on here? I thought that a lower F number was better or is what the camera is doing correct to compensate for something? Or is what I'm trying to do not really meant to be done since this is a broadcast camera and everything is supposed to be automatic?
To be clear the footage at F3.9 looks fine but it could be brighter, but a transform to rec 709 with gamma 2.4 seems to correct that brightness issue from the HLG setting, which is just expanding the flat Log image, right?
Thinking back, I probably should have got a GH5 or GH5S instead but I didn't want to learn about different lenses. But the camera has been great for what I do, which is recording events where the camera doesn't move - especially outside on a football field in the press box - the 20x zoom is very helpful there.