Whats the BEST Video camera (high end) For Low Light Situations And the Dark

Question

Like I own 7 video cameras.. and Really only the older sony hi8 video cameras give me the best in low low light Because I film parties. BUT SOME SAY the CANNON on the high end. and SOME say the PANASONIC. I'm talking the BIgger cameras. that the pro's. use. well i Need a light that has a batter pack on my belt too. some say the Bigger the lens. the more light that can enter. anyone film in low light have a pref. camera?

Answer 1

That's a good question, however, there is no set answer. You can't really make an accurate judgement of low light according to brand. Some Sonys are good, some are bad.

The general rule of thumb when it comes to low light is that HD cameras do NOT perform as well in low light as standard def cameras. If you think about it, HD records must record much more information. It's somewhat analogous to light sensitivity of film; high speed film are much better in low light, but are worse quality. With that said, the best low light cameras are standard definition, like the Sony PD170 and VX2100.

Other factors to consider is lens size, as you mentioned. The larger the lens, the larger the iris can open, and the more light can enter the lens. It is also important to consider the size of the image sensor. Larger sensors, like a 2/3" one will be much more sensitive than a 1/4" one.

Looking at HD camcorders, the Sony EX1 and Panasonic HVX200 are decent in low light. The both have large lenses, the and EX1 has large 1/2" sensors. The EX1 is probably not as good as the HVX cuz it is higher resolution (the EX1 is true 1920x1080 and the HVX is 1440x1080).

Another camera to look at is the Red Scarlet, coming out in 2009. It's cheaper than the EX1 or HVX, but considerably better. It incorporates a nice 2/3" Mysterium X CMOS sensor and a large lens (I don't know the exact measurement of the lens, but I'd say at least 72mm). No one knows for sure, cuz it's not out yet, but Red has been known to exceed expectations.

One last thing to keep in mind is LUX, the measurement of the minimum illumination. This measurement isn't exact; it's not the best indication of light sensitivity, but generally speaking, the lower the LUX, the better the light sensitivity.

Answer 2

Both the Canon and the Panny are great.  A friend has the Panny HVX100 and loves it.  Even the DVX100 looks good in low light.