OT: Spotlight Mode on VX2000

RalphM wrote on 11/29/2004, 5:08 AM

I understand that the spotlight mode on the VX2000 is used to keep brightly exposed parts of the shot from burning out. For example - faces on a stage..

Does this mode shift the whole exposure setting down (as if using an ND filter), or does it apply a reduction to the brightest sections while leaving the rest normally exposed for the aperature/shutter/gain setting used?

Thanks

Comments

RalphM wrote on 11/29/2004, 10:03 AM

Shameless bump...

jeremyk wrote on 11/29/2004, 11:08 AM

I'm pretty sure it just sets the overall automatic exposure setting based on the spotlit section rather than the average of the whole scene.

My evidence for this is that changing to manual aperture control from auto-spotlight doesn't change the appearance of the picture.

Liam_Vegas wrote on 11/29/2004, 11:10 AM

It simply adjusts the auto exposure level down from what it thinks it should be.

it is not doing anything more than you would do if you managed the exposure manually and adjusted the gain/shutter speed/iris etc to get the most appropriate exposure.

RalphM wrote on 11/29/2004, 2:22 PM

Thanks Jeremy and Liam. Not the answer I was hoping for, but what I expected.

Ralph

craftech wrote on 11/29/2004, 7:33 PM

It simply lowers the average exposure. For stage spotlighting I use the indoor white balance setting, color level at +1, sharpness at 0, WB Shift at 0, AE shift -4, AGC Limit 12db. Sometimes I play wih the last two settings.
You can try those settings WITH the spotlight mode, but you need an accurate monitor for the exposure when shooting stage productions and above all, you need to go to the rehearsals and hope the lighting person and/or director doesn't keep changing the lighting script.

John