• Joined: July 18, 2012

Topic: Dark Lighting

Hey guys. I'm just starting out on a new scene in a Brickfilm I'm doing where the room has to be very dark. ...Very dark. While I have plenty of experience in the animation process (I've been silently animating this particular film for more than a year now), I'm not that experienced when it comes to post production and I've never really done a scene with this dark of lighting before.

I'm just wonddering if it's better to set the lighting how I need in on set with the camera or leave it for post-production. Could anyone with experience tell me which is better?

I'm using a Canon T2i with the kit lens. These pictures are how I now have it. The settings in these pictures are: 0"4 / f16 / 100 ISO

http://www.flickr.com/photos/92160911@N … hotostream

Please forgive my being technically unsavvy and not putting the pictures right up for you to see them. Thanks in advance for the advice. I always find you guys here on this site extremely helpful.

  • Sean
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  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: Dark Lighting

Try animating with something along the lines of 1/2, f32, 400 (the 400 is the important one, experiment with the first two to find what works). Should give a good image and help prevent flicker.

As for lighting, I would suggest having the scene lit well enough that you can clearly see what's going on and the image capture is clean then pumping it down in post.

THAC XIV entry here: (Never) Meant To Be

Sean's Website

  • Joined: July 18, 2012

Re: Dark Lighting

I did a test with my previously mentioned settings. Here the shot is without any editing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXLOSQqTDr8

So you're saying that it's wiser to shoot it too bright than too dark because it would be easier to darken the shot in post than brighten it, it that right?

Try animating with something along the lines of 1/2, f32, 400 (the 400 is the important one, experiment with the first two to find what works). Should give a good image and help prevent flicker.

I usually animate with the ISO set to 200. Isn't that better? Doesn't lower give you a clearer image? That's what I've heard anyway. And I can't seem to get the f32 setting. f22 is as far as it will let me go with the others in place. As for lighting flicker, I haven't had a problem with that because I've been using this trick:  http://blogs.adobe.com/aftereffects/201 … raphy.html

Last edited by Jayko (January 14, 2013 (06:06pm))

  • Location: Cyberspace
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Re: Dark Lighting

Jayko wrote:

I did a test with my previously mentioned settings. Here the shot is without any editing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXLOSQqTDr8

So you're saying that it's wiser to shoot it too bright than too dark because it would be easier to darken the shot in post than brighten it, it that right?

That's what I do; I shoot really bright, then tone down the brightness and contrast.

My life goes by 24fps.
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  • Joined: July 18, 2012

Re: Dark Lighting

Right. Well I've shot it again, this time with the settings Sean suggested:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrA2PX4bzJ4

Too bright, of course, but then I guess I can easily tone it down in post. Are there any important modifications or factors that I should be aware of before going on and shooting the rest of the scene?

  • Location: Middle Zealand
  • Joined: July 6, 2011

Re: Dark Lighting

You can't get f/32 because the lens you're using can't close the aperture that far, in fact there are very few if any lenses that can get to f/32. As far as ISO goes, yes technically an ISO will give you a cleaner image than ISO 400; if your blowing up the photo to a poster half the size of your wall. Video is such a low resolution that a shot at ISO 800 and a shot at ISO 100 are going to look the same. Also, Sean is very right about it being better to shoot brighter, brightening in post almost always doesn't look as good, unless you have state of the art software, and even then the detail won't be as good. If you shoot bright enough that details are visible, in post you can adjust the lighting so it's dark, but the viewer can still see what's going on. mini/smile

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7340/16345454720_e04c98539a.jpg
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  • Joined: July 18, 2012

Re: Dark Lighting

Also, Sean is very right about it being better to shoot brighter, brightening in post almost always doesn't look as good, unless you have state of the art software, and even then the detail won't be as good. If you shoot bright enough that details are visible, in post you can adjust the lighting so it's dark, but the viewer can still see what's going on.

So then would you say that the second video could still be brighter? I mean, I don't want it to look like it was completely darkened in post.

  • Location: Middle Zealand
  • Joined: July 6, 2011

Re: Dark Lighting

I think it's fine the way it is, I could see fine. mini/smile

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7340/16345454720_e04c98539a.jpg
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  • Sean
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Re: Dark Lighting

The second shot looks great. Ready for colour grading and post!

THAC XIV entry here: (Never) Meant To Be

Sean's Website