Help, I am completely stuck. I recently recorded some great footage using my Canon MV600i mini DV but the footage is pixelated, probably due to low light levels. Is it possible to smooth out these pixelations?
The problem has definately occured during recording and not during transfer to the PC. I am using Premiere Pro to edit. Are there any programs out there to smooth pixelated footage or can I do it in Premiere Pro.

Low loight will not cause pixellation but may cause and increase in video noise as the camera electronics boost the low signal.

Are you transferring by f wire or usb?

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I have two prejudices - I am anti HDV for consumer camcorders, and I eat mooks who claim to be pro wedding vidders and ask dumb questions.

www.zaskarfilms.com You tube channel 'zaskarfilms'
JVC DV5001e (big cam), Sony PC6E (tiny cam), Vinten pro5, PAG light, SM58, Sony ECM50, Sony C-76, 0.5x convertors for sony, Rode video mic, Vegas 7.

Mark

I transfered using a firewire. The reason I am sure the pixilation took place during recording is it occurs when you play back the video tape on the camera so it is on the footage before it is transfered to the PC.

Phil

Hmm - Odd, a camera really shouldnt cause pixellation, well not in my expiriece -can you post a small clip or just a still of the effect ?

__________________
I have two prejudices - I am anti HDV for consumer camcorders, and I eat mooks who claim to be pro wedding vidders and ask dumb questions.

www.zaskarfilms.com You tube channel 'zaskarfilms'
JVC DV5001e (big cam), Sony PC6E (tiny cam), Vinten pro5, PAG light, SM58, Sony ECM50, Sony C-76, 0.5x convertors for sony, Rode video mic, Vegas 7.

Here is a pic from the video. I selected a particularly bad frame, the rest of the video is watchable.

Attached Images

Newhouse.jpg (46.1 KB, 14 views)

I am 99% certain that you have a worn / dirty head on the camera.

Have you tried cleaning the heads? If the camera is very well used it is possible that one head may be near the end of it's life but that is unlikely as heads last about 2000 hours.

It is normal to get a few (1 to 10) frames with drop outs like that every hour.

__________________
I have two prejudices - I am anti HDV for consumer camcorders, and I eat mooks who claim to be pro wedding vidders and ask dumb questions.

www.zaskarfilms.com You tube channel 'zaskarfilms'
JVC DV5001e (big cam), Sony PC6E (tiny cam), Vinten pro5, PAG light, SM58, Sony ECM50, Sony C-76, 0.5x convertors for sony, Rode video mic, Vegas 7.

That certainly does look like dirty heads, but saying that if it occurs at the begining of the tape it could be a worn start on the tape itself, I have a tape that has a bad first minute or so of the tape and it looks just like that.

If it has break up on Audio as well I would suspect the tape

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At last something I can be of help with...


This has happened to me in the past on a few projects, I had the same "Blocks" type thing going on. The following is how I corrected it:

1. Clean the tape heads
2. Blank out the mini DV tape, (I record the entire tape in a dark room against a black card inside a box with the audio OFF) or use a new tape.
3. Ensure that the tape is recording in SP not LP
4. White balance and focus should be done manually at all times if possible.
5. Let the tape record for a minute before starting the action, and let the tape run on for a few seconds after the action has stopped. If you hit record at the same time as you want to record the action then this may also have an ill desired affect.

I hade a tape which would periodically have these blocks on, I did the above and on the next shoot had no problems. While the light may affect the scene Mark W had it correct saying it shouldn’t affect the pixilation, but it will have an impact on the noise. In bad light with auto focus and auto white balance the camera will "Seek" for something to focus on, and coupled with a dirty tape or tape heads recording in LP will exaggerate this.

This is my opinion, and I sorted that one out with doing the above.

I haven’t used the MV600i but most compact digital camcorders are at best good for home movies or smaller shots, I only use one for off shots or for the "Actors eyes view"

Hope this helps.

Mitch

Ditto point 5 ++

When I have had problems like this it has often been at the start of a tape.

__________________
I have two prejudices - I am anti HDV for consumer camcorders, and I eat mooks who claim to be pro wedding vidders and ask dumb questions.

www.zaskarfilms.com You tube channel 'zaskarfilms'
JVC DV5001e (big cam), Sony PC6E (tiny cam), Vinten pro5, PAG light, SM58, Sony ECM50, Sony C-76, 0.5x convertors for sony, Rode video mic, Vegas 7.

When you have that much pixels it's better just to trow away the tape. (After you have captured it ofcourse ) and for your question if you can correct that pixelated footage in editing software? No...