Technical Question - shutter speeds whilst filming paintball.

[emisnug]

In the never-ending quest for awesome footage to use, this is a problem I keep running into. Whilst it is all very nice having a fancy camera etc, I always run into problems regarding shutter speed and its effect on image noise.

As potographers will know, the shutter speed is used to create background blur to increase the feeling of motion within a photograph. It works particularly well with runners and cars whilst panning the camera.

However, I am shooting video with a measly 1/3rd sensor. And since it is a paintball field, the amount of avaliable light is based on whatever mood the weather-based deity is in. Sometimes, an f4 is the highest I'll have to go. Other times, f11 (lowest it'll go) and ND3 if it's stupidly bright. There's a ND0.5 filter on at all times, but I'm not running the risk of getting shot in the lens.

However, the brighter it is, the higher I should theoretically set my shutter speed, right? However, regardless of relative brightness, image noise appears above 50. For paintball, I would ideally like around 425, so I can focus on induviual balls. (Fixed 1.6/4.1-82 lens, no I can't change it)

So - anyone have any idea why I get so much image noise?
Example here:

Or an idea of what sort of shutter speed I should go for being able to capture lanes of paint?

As to why I'm asking this question - I'm hoping to push my video standard up and hopefully pask HK levels.

 

[Gadget]

Bit confused mate - surely shutter speed is irrelevant when taking video, as the shutter will be open for the whole duration of the shoot. Are you talking about ISO (sensor sensitivity) or frame rate instead?

To be honest, that footage looks really good to me - what camera are you using? In order to capture individual balls in flight, you'd need something which can capture HD at a very high frame rate, allowing it to be slowed in post-processing. The really smooth stuff like the PBfasion/HK army vids are filmed using either full-frame DSLRs or more recently a RED Epic, which gives to super-slowmo and high res. To match the quality of their videos you'd need some serious cash as well as the skills and technique.

 

[digitalman]

Not knowing the camera you are using this is general advice

Digital noise is caused by the ASA or light sensitivity you can set on the sensor. The higher the ASA number the more digital noise you will have.

Of course the ASA you have set will then alter what shutter speed or what apperture your lense is set at.

A large ASA will permit a fast shutter speed and / or a small apperture giving the possibility of a sharp image with very little depth of field (focusing on the subject with everything else blured in the foreground and background) in a low light situation, but you will have digital noise on the picture.

The smaller ASA number can give the opposite effects in low light.

If the camera has manual settings this will permit a more flexible approach to picture taking than leaving everything set to auto.

Finding the right setting is a matter of trial and error, balancing ASA, shutter speed and apperture setting, but the good news is that with digital it only uses up your time rather than money as well.

I know with still pictures there are programs that will help reduce digital noise but not remove it completely, I'm not sure if the same applies to digital moving pictures.

 

[emisnug]

I'm using a Sony NX5-U. Big ass camera, designed more for broadcasting use, but hey.



I'm calling it shutter speed, 'cause that's the assigned button name. It is sony, so it is also fully possible that it actually means ISO speed - I shall have to look in the manual. I don't think that frame rate is too much of an issue (it can go up to 220) - more about the amount of light going in and for how long. Getting the sun to reflect off the balls etc. Also, white balancing the camera is a huge and every-changing task in natural lighting.

As far as image noise removal goes, it does exsist, but it's not particularly good.

On closer inspection, it doesn't appear to have an ASA setting.... that's definitely one for the manual. Cheers for the help so far guys, and cheers Gadget, it's ok footage in my eyes - needs a bit of color correction and a bit more balls on my part.

 

[digitalman]

In the woods I would set the colour balance to shade on a bright day and cloudy for all the other days. Sup air just set it as you see it. have you tried a plain glass filter over the lense rather than the ND, no point in slowing things down if there is no need

 

[HPUKer]

Out of interest what frame rate are you shooting in for the 7 man video?

I know bugger all about the technical side of cameras, but I have noticed that in low light conditions, lowering the frame rate I am shooting in reduces noise a lot.

The more capable the camera I have used/better the light, the higher frame rates I can go to without noise ruining my footage. I am sure it must be a lot more complicated than that though.

 

[emisnug]

digitalman, I have tried to use a bit of glass plate, as a true f1 filter. One hit broke the mount, so now I've got a load of graduated filters sitting around doing nothing I've taken to using the ND0.5 because I've noticed a marked increase it their quailty and the amount of light they let through - especially in the lower price ranges (I'm not gonna waste a good Hoya filter, unless I win the lottery).

HPUKer, the 7man was filmed at 50 interlaced frames per second, then downconverted to 25p in post production. Yeah, I didn't set the camera up quite right. (plus, i left the gain on +6Db. That was really stupid of me) Light conditions on the day affect how the video quailty is more than frame rates, I've found. But then again - shutter speed (still loading the manual) was set at 80 for that shoot, and it wasn't a very nice day, weather-wise.

 

[Talfryn]

In television it is standard practice to set the shutter speed to double that of the frame rate. This acheives the most 'lifelike' image. So if you're shooting at 50 interlaced frames per second you're actually only acheiving 25 full frames a second so as a rule of thumb you'll want your shutter speed set at about 50 - 60. However if shooting at 50 frames per second progressive you'll want it set at about 100. Buuuuuut... If you want to acheive the least motion blur possible you'll want to set your shutter speed at its fastest possible setting however you'll want to increase to aperture also to prevent the image becoming darker. If you've already increased the aperture to the max but the image is still to dark then at this point you will want to start increasing the ISO.