Night with no camera light Canon GL2 Settings, and Panasonic DVX100B settings

[MicMic]

Hey, I recently discovered that a party I have to film today will be held outside and not inside. I do not own a video light, but I need to just try and make it through.

It will be held in a backyard at 8PM. They said they would turn the floodlights on but still it will be dim/dark regardless.

Hence, I need help determining settings to try and get the best picture possible.
I am shooting with a Canon GL2A and a Panasonic DVX100B. Any suggestions for night settings I am totally at a loss.

Thanks in advance!
RGB Productions

[BillGrant]

Well,
Can you get a camera light between now and then? I certainly wouldn't shoot at night outside without a light. Certainly with a GL2. The 5D mkII might be able to do it, but certainly not those cams. Worst case, I might go to Best Buy and get 2 or 3 of their rechargable lights and swap them out as they die.
Good luck...
Bill

[MicMic]

I will try that. I have managed well in low light before. Can you give me any settings I should try for both cameras?

[BillGrant]

No, I never used either camera. I used the Gl1 when I first started. Same as everything esle though. Avoid zooming, avoid auto. Shutter can go to 1/30s that will help. Just keep wide and hope for the lighting to be better than expected. In the meantime, order a light!
Bill

[HankCastello]

Cheap, effective and color-correct lights can be had at Lowes, Wal-mart and Home Depot.  They are utility lights and have stands and a pair of halogen lights with a wire guard.  Two of these cost well under a hundred bucks and will effectively do the job.  You can turn on one or both lights for each stand, giving you a little bit of control.

I've used these for the dance floor at outdoor nighttime receptions (just for 1st dance) and for guest interviews and they were great.  A plus is that their bright-yellow color is visible enough to keep tipsy guests from running into them.  A fifty or 100 foot bright yellow, heavy-duty extension cord might be needed also.

(Halogens are naturally color-correct for video, close to professional tungsten, but still pay attention to white balance).

[MicMic]

 ;)I'm so glad you said that. I was ahead for once in equipment needed^^. We actually own about 2 single halogen work lights and then 1 pair that is a double that sits on a stand. Unfortunately we weren't able to arrive early enough to set everything up so there was a lot of confusion while filming about where to move what where.

After we got the lights up, from on each side angled towards the speaker, though everything was so much better. I am worried about color correction but I just hope our other camera's shots (which were in the light) came out good.

I think I got each light for only $12 and the big double one was $20.

I would still love to know any settings anyone knows about? I had to try and look up the best I could find. Other than running around throughout the whole thing everything was good.

[BillGrant]

There are no real "settings" that I know of on those cameras other than typical camera settings Iris, shutter speed, and gain. I believe that's all you can set... Maybe on the DVX... not sure. Glad it turned out ok.
Bill