Tips on lighting

Studio lighting

Use halogen lamps with a color temperature of 3,000K to 3,200K for lighting in a studio.

If the color temperature of the light source differs from this value, the colors of the subject will appear differently to what is seen by eye. The shadows may take on colors or the image may not appear with the proper colors.

Use lighting of 300 lux or above. If it is less than this value, the screen may appear dark, the contrast may be insufficient, the depth of focus may be shallow or the picture quality may suffer deterioration in some other way.

Ensure that the lighting is directed evenly over the entire subject and that no shadows are formed.

Consult the table below and use the figures given, which are approximations only, as a guideline for evaluating the brightness.

Use of halogen lamps (3,000 K to 3,200 K) with a brightness of over 300 lux as the light sources and with the lighting directed evenly over the subject

Key light directed

Back light

 

from a slightly

 

raised position at

 

the left

 

Slightly weaker base light directed from the top right

ND filter requiredActual shooting without lighting Lighting desired Lighting required

10OBrightness of a candle at 20 cm (10 to 15)

OBrightness of a cigarette lighter at 30 cm (15)

30

50 OBrightness underneath a street lamp (50 to 100)

100OShopping arcade at night (150 to 200)

ODirect beam from a flashlight at 1 m (250)

500 OIndoor area lit with fluorescent lighting (400 to 500)

OSales counters of a department store (500 to 700)

1,000 OSunlight 1 hour before dusk on a clear day (1,000)

OSunlight 1 hour after dawn on a cloudy day (2,000) OBy a train window in the afternoon (3,500)

10,000

OSunlight at 10 AM on a cloudy day (25,000)

OSunlight at noon on a cloudy day (32,000)

OSunlight at 3 PM on a clear day (35,000)

OSunlight at 10 AM on a clear day (65,000)

100,000 OSunlight on a clear day (100,000)

OOutdoors at noon under a cloudless sky

OOn the beach at the height of summer

OIn the mountains covered with snow

(Unit: lux)

Notes: $ Do not expose the lens directly to sunlight or shoot a subject for a long time which is reflecting either a bright light or the light which is used for lighting.

$Flickering may result if the camera is used to shoot under fluorescent lights. Add extra lighting such as video lights (optional accessories) in cases like this.

$Use the built-in ND filter if there is too much light.

– 60 –