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Color Shifts Mid Clip
AlpacaJackie53 [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Jun 04, 2011 16:17 Messages: 19 Offline
[Post New] May 19, 2013 09:12
Need help in narrowing down where my problem is- with camera, with lighting, with PD11?

In making demo videos for the magic tricks we sell on our website, I will record between 10 and 20 clips in a session.
When I look at the videos in PD11, the color sometimes shifts.
I attached a 2-second clip to show the color going from a red cast to a yellow cast, mid-clip.

Once I set the lighting I don't change anything- not the amount or the position of the lights.
I use a 3-light setup (one on a boom above the subject, one on each side).
I use a CowboyStudio 2275 Watt Digital Video Continuous Softbox Lighting Kit.
I turn all the lights on in each box.
The regular room lights are off.
There are two windows in the room, but they are covered with a diffusing material (not blacked out, but diffused).
The windows are on each side of the subject.
The closest window is about 6 feet from the subject.

My camera is a Sony Cybershot DSC-HX200V.
It is on a tripod, about 6 feet away from the subject, and about in line with the two side lighting boxes.
I use the Movie mode on the camera, and do not make any in-camera adjustments.

What am I doing wrong, and what can I do to fix this?
I am not a video pro, by any means, so please have mercy on me and speak in plain language.
 Filename
color-change.wmv
[Disk]
 Description
Mid-clip color shift
 Filesize
645 Kbytes
 Downloaded:
230 time(s)
Carl312
Senior Contributor Location: Texas, USA Joined: Mar 16, 2010 20:11 Messages: 9090 Offline
[Post New] May 19, 2013 10:41
The first thing to do is check your camera videos in another viewer other that Powerdirector. Depending on the settings applied, Powerdirector can do all kinds of things to video that may not be in the original video.

VLC is free and will play most videos.

Windows Media Player will play most videos if you install the K-Lite Codec Pack.

After you have viewed the camera videos, you can make decisions about changes in your setup and what video mode or setting in camera.

Quote: 45 watt fluorescent light bulb = 200 watt Incandescent light bulbs, color temperature 5500K, total output is 2000 Watt. These high-output daylight balanced compact fluorescent bulbs are ideally suited for digital photography

The above tells the color temperature of the light. 5500K is Daylight. Set the camera's White Balance for Daylight or Automatic White Balance (AWB).

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at May 19. 2013 10:43

Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

AlpacaJackie53 [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Jun 04, 2011 16:17 Messages: 19 Offline
[Post New] May 19, 2013 11:48
Thanks, Carl, for the great answer.
Imay, in fact, not be able to adjust the white balance while shooting video with my camera. I have contacted SONY to ask if this is possible.

Meanwhile, I did view the raw footage on Windows Media Player and saw the same color shift, so I know it is not PD. Good to know.

I may need to get a different camera for video. Thanks!
Carl312
Senior Contributor Location: Texas, USA Joined: Mar 16, 2010 20:11 Messages: 9090 Offline
[Post New] May 19, 2013 13:07
Quote: Thanks, Carl, for the great answer.
Imay, in fact, not be able to adjust the white balance while shooting video with my camera. I have contacted SONY to ask if this is possible.

Meanwhile, I did view the raw footage on Windows Media Player and saw the same color shift, so I know it is not PD. Good to know.

I may need to get a different camera for video. Thanks!

Read your manual on the camera (my Canon has a CD with a PDF).

Look up White Balance.
As far as I know all cameras whether it is a still or video camera has settings for White Balance.
Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

AlpacaJackie53 [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Jun 04, 2011 16:17 Messages: 19 Offline
[Post New] May 19, 2013 14:00
Yes, my camera has a white balance adjustment, but it only works in still mode. Not in video mode.

I chatted with SONY just a little while ago, and they confirmed that.

The page about white balance adjustment for my camera can be seen here:
http://docs.esupport.sony.com/dvimag/DSCHX200_HX200V_guide/en/contents/04/02/15/15.html?search=white%20balance

You'll notice the link at the bottom that says "Menu items not available in all REC modes".
Click it and see the table that shows what is available.
Find White Balance in the left column, go across and you'll see no check mark for that feature under the Video mode.

Really, my camera is meant for still photography, with the ability to record video.

I think it may be time to get a camera meant for video.

Which is something I needed to get anyway.
I need a camera with a jack for an external microphone (mine does not have that).
Plus, I need a camera lens that is not so wide-angle.
I take video from about 6 feet away, and I would like the shot to be tighter.
Consumer cameras seem to feature the wider lenses as an advantage, which I guess it would be for most outdoor shots.

Thanks again for your help and your interest, Carl. I can always count on you!

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at May 19. 2013 14:06

Carl312
Senior Contributor Location: Texas, USA Joined: Mar 16, 2010 20:11 Messages: 9090 Offline
[Post New] May 19, 2013 15:28
Thank you for the reply, I could tell from your camera model number that it was a still camera with a video mode.

I do think you would be happier with a real Video camera. The video cameras that I have seen and the one I own has a zoom lens that can do a very good job at 6 feet.

And, yes it does have White Balance control.

Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

ynotfish
Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline
[Post New] May 19, 2013 15:45
Hi Jackie -

For your purposes, you'd definitely be better served by a dedicated video camera.

You mentioned that you were using the default settings on your camera for recording. Have you tried recording in any other mode to see whether the same colour shift occurs? Have you tried recording outside in natural light in the same mode?

http://docs.esupport.sony.com/dvimag/DSCHX200_HX200V_guide/en/contents/04/02/33/33.html#l2_movie%20quality/movie%20size

Cheers - Tony

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at May 19. 2013 15:45


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AlpacaJackie53 [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Jun 04, 2011 16:17 Messages: 19 Offline
[Post New] May 20, 2013 07:41
Carl, thanks again. Do you have a suggestion for a good camera for a non-techie like me who needs to shoot these demo videos in a studio?

And Tony, thank you, too. I did go back and try recording in other modes, and I did not see a color shift in any of the modes in the test clips. I recorded the clips indoors in a different location, using regular room lighting in the daytime. And whenever I shoot outside in natural light, the color balance is always perfect. This camera is great outdoors. :

- Jackie
Dafydd B [Avatar]
Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 26, 2006 08:20 Messages: 11973 Offline
[Post New] May 20, 2013 09:27
Hi AlpacaJackie53,
Re: Cameras.
The majority of editors only experience is of the one they bought. I used to write Camera reviews some years ago but would say that the reviewers experience is a smidge compared to the regular user. I suggest you hunt around and read up on the specs and the price of a camera and then pose a question to PDR editors such as:

I'm a new PDR editor looking at the Panasonic/Canon/Sony xxxxx video camera. Is there anyone using the same here and what do you think of the camera?

You can then follow up with questions about using the video clips in PDR etc.

Dafydd

Edit, added an "a"

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at May 20. 2013 09:28

AlpacaJackie53 [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Jun 04, 2011 16:17 Messages: 19 Offline
[Post New] May 20, 2013 10:35
Wonderful advice, Dafydd. That is what I will do.
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