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Appendix
Position the subject in
the center.
Focus manually when you
need to position the
subject off center (see
pages 47 and 48).
Light from behind Backlighting
Appendix
Useful Information
Hints for Better Shooting
• Position the subject in the center of the
scene. When you are using auto focus,
whatever is in the center of the scene is kept
in focus.
• Avoid backlit subjects. For the best picture,
shoot with the light source behind you.
When the background is brighter than the
subject, the subject often becomes too dark.
If you have to record with this lighting, use
Gamma Brightness Compensation or correct
the exposure level to improve the picture (see
pages 33 and 51).
• Before zooming, think about how to best
frame the shot. Frequent zooming produces
unattractive pictures. It also increases the
battery power consumption.
• When image shaking is noticeable during
zoomed-in telephoto shooting, use a tripod or
push the Power Zoom control to the W side to
zoom out.
• Horizontal panning (lateral movement) and
tilting (vertical movement) should be done
slowly to emphasize the wide expanse of a
scene or the height of a building, and to
make scenes easy to watch during playback.
• Use a wide-angle setting for fast-moving
subjects.
Optimal lighting range
Lighting
For clear, good-quality recording, 500 to
100,000 lux is needed. Recording is possible
with less light, but the picture quality may
suffer. Adequate lighting is also essential for
correct white balance.
Note: The figures in the chart are approximations.
Situation (Lux)
Blue sky
Clear day at noon (100,000)
Clear day at 10 am (65,000)
Clear day at 3 pm (35,000)
Cloudy day at noon (32,000)
Cloudy day at 10 am (25,000)
Cloudy day, one hour after sunrise (2,000)
Clear day, one hour before sunset (1,000)
Fluorescent light near window (1,000)
Factory floor (700–800)
Sales counter in department store (500–700)
Bowling alley (500)
Library (400–500)
Office with fluorescent lighting (400–500)
Fluorescent desk lamp (400)
Flashlight at 3 ft (1 m) (250)
Shop stairway (100)
During intermission at movie theater (15–35)
Cigarette lighter at 1 ft (30 cm) (15–20)
Candles on birthday cake at 8 inches (20 cm) (10–15)
Candlelight
Brightness
(Lux)
100,000
10,000
1,000
100
10
Tips on good lighting
In most outdoor, daytime scenes, natural
lighting is adequate for home videos. Indoors,
however, artificial lighting is usually required.
Video lights with halogen lamps provide the
most natural artificial light over a long operating
life.
Note:
• It may take longer to focus when zooming and
panning are used frequently.