Don't fear the dark...

[Mark Toia]

There are so many ways to grade... Gunleik's may differ to mine, but the fact is, if we are getting the results we want, then they both work.

I don't really grade in RCX - Im more of a RESOLVE guy.. or even in AE or speed grade... how ever. RCX even though it give no windows or effects, it still grades R3Ds perfectly as they are.

Here is a very simple & basic before and after still frame to get you started. note the toe of the curve. Also... remember, everyone does things differently. :)

NOTE: I shot at 320 asa on purpose to see how far I could push a base image. Just so you can see something on the video spilt or touch screen for the night, crank it up to 1200 or something... at the end of the day, the chip is still around 320ish... so your only cheating the meta data get it brighter on screen. This is a worse case test for me, to see what I can get from nothing. and from nothing we got something :)

[Gunleik Groven]

Addding in here...

I usually grade in Resolve or still in Lightroom. (Haven't opened Photoshop for a while...)
But run'n gun grades in RCX

One interesting thing with Marks example, is that he leaves ISO @ 320, but adds FLUT to 1.6, which equals an ISO rise to about 1250...

So we don't approach things all that differently after all... :)

Fun to see

[Mark Toia]

Addding in here...

I usually grade in Resolve or still in Lightroom. (Haven't opened Photoshop for a while...)
But run'n gun grades in RCX

One interesting thing with Marks example, is that he leaves ISO @ 320, but adds FLUT to 1.6, which equals an ISO rise to about 1250...

So we don't approach things all that differently after all... :)

Fun to see

There are so many different ways to get good results. :) who's is the right way? who only knows. :)

[Gunleik Groven]

There are so many different ways to get good results. :) who's is the right way? who only knows. :)

If you get the image you want, you did it right. That's the only "rule" I know...

It might (or may not, really) help to knowhow the image is formed in camera, to controll that.

[Patrick Grossien]

Guys, thank you for your insight. And both of you get great images out of it !
What do you set your shutter to for dark shots like these @ 24fps? 180° (1/50, 1/48) or do you expose longer?

Some of the last ones, Mark look like they have a bit more blur with strong motion!? More towards 270°

Cheers!
Patrick

[Brian Shephard]

Guys, thanks so much for the advice and screenshots. They are SUPER helpful for me.
Looking forward to doing some more nights shots and testing in RCX.

Thanks again!

[Mark Toia]

Guys, thank you for your insight. And both of you get great images out of it !
What do you set your shutter to for dark shots like these @ 24fps? 180° (1/50, 1/48) or do you expose longer?

Some of the last ones, Mark look like they have a bit more blur with strong motion!? More towards 270°

Cheers!
Patrick

All of my shots are 180 degrees or 50th of a second... the motion blur shot was a 1 second duration.

[Julio Quintana]

Mark, those are all beautiful shots that could not have been accomplished on film without severe grain. But a 320 iso image pushed 2 stops is only 1280 iso, which is pretty typical of most digital today.

Again, I love the images, but I don't want producers and directors to read this thread and assume we can shoot in the dark, because your scenarios are actually not that dark by digital camera standards. .

[Peter.G]

Mark,

What glass were you shooting with? The Canon or PL set-up?

-P

[Matt Gottshalk]

Or as we used to say in the Marines, "Don't fear the night, fear what HUNTS at night."

Good stuff Mark, exquisite imagery.