On Mon, 18 Dec 2000 06:49:23 GMT, SuperFatty wrote:

>Just testing out my first DV camera, a Sony PC110e.
>I've been using the included UIead VideoStudio app to capture via a
>Firewire card in my PC.
>
>I've found that what looks right in-camera often looks far to dark on
>screen. This is a pain because I like and need to use the manual
>exposure settings to maintain consistent results when I'm panning
>around the place.
>I've reset the camera to defaults in case I had messed up any settings
>but hadn't.
>I've gone and made the viewfinder and external screen brightness match
>the computer better by turning the settings down for both. That
>should help, but is not ideal.
>Any ideas why it might be like this?
>Is it typical?

Welcome to the world of differing standards...! ;-)
I am going to make some assumptions about your gear
(so take that into account, those with fancier gear...;-).
What I would do (and have done) is first set a TV standard
by adjusting your TV for best-looking picture from the
widest-range of TV stations. Once done, that is your
reference. Then, judge the exposures you get with your
camcorder, as seen on this TV (I adjust the eyepiece
viewfinder brightness [exposure is hard to judge using
the fold-out panel image in most lighting conditions...]),
and change the eyepiece brightness until it best represents
good exposure (checked with the TV, with footage shot in
a variety of lighting conditions). When you have this down,
go to the computer monitor and adjust it for best match
with the TV and camcorder. Most PCs have the monitor
contrast set too high and brightness too low for accurate
(or reasonably-accurate - it will never be "just
right"...;-) showing of the video - when set properly,
the blacks will probably be weak on the monitor when
it is viewed in dim light. BTW, if you think adjusting
monitors for video is a problem, you should try adjusting
a bunch of photos for good "reading" on a wide variety
of platforms and monitor set-ups! WHEW!!! ;-)