650D nightime video - best settings?

[Phillips321]

Hi guys,

Have ML on my 650D and i'm trying to figure the best settings for night time video. I won't have an LED light on top or anything like that so am thinking high iso and wide open?

I have a 50mm f1.8 so will use that to get the most light but what settings should i use on camera?

Many thanks

[Levas]

Indeed high iso and wide open, and of course slow shutter time, 1/50 or 1/25 if that's possible.
But if there are no light sources like street lanterns or other lights, you're not getting very usable video.

If you have a video editing program, it can help to also shoot a video file with exact the same settings as you're other videos (same iso, same shutter time) but with the lens cap on.
A so called dark frame video, this video only contains noise. You can subtract this video file in you're video editing program by layering it and use extraction.

If there' s not much movement in your video you can also use frame blending.
This is done by layering your video files in your video editor and use blend mode. Move one video layer 1 frame further on your timeline then the other, this way two different frames will be blend and remove some random noise:
This website explains how it's done for photos, but works also for videofiles.
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/image-averaging-noise.htm

[Walter Schulz]

50/1.8 II wide open?
DOF small and using MF is not that pleasing: Focus ring cannot be called decent, prone to be moved unintentionally. Dampening/precision ... don't let me go started!

Sure you're gonna handle this?

[Phillips321]

It's all i have available unfortunately. Maybe f2.5 to increase dof and iso at H (12800 i think?).

Moon 2nights ago was at full and no cloud cover tonight. So ambient light should be high.

What other options are there? Am thinking asking around for a sony handicam with night mode but need it in less than 7 hours time....

[Levas]

Full moon would help a lot (be sure to have the moon in your back, so it lights the scene you're recording).

But how serious is this, where is the video going to be used for(internet, or is it for your own), is it for a paying customer, what is the subject, landscape or people ?
If you have people in front of the camera, maybe you could lighten them with your cellphone ?
Edit: Ask all you friends to bring their cellphones and make a huge light to use for your video 

Edit: Do you have a car, use the head lights to lighten the whole place...