HD video looks soft

[MikeW]

I have a new HD camera. I am somewhat disappointed in its performance.
When the light level drops below a certain level the image is no longer crisp. Instead the image is soft but not out of focus. Next to my beloved Canon XL2, the video really looks unacceptable.

What is your suggestion?

 

[Run&Gun]

Are you bumping the gain up or does it have some type of auto-gain/auto-ISO? Also, some lenses get somewhat soft wide-open.

 

[At the scene]

What camera and lens do you have? Might give us a better idea on why you have a problem.

 

[2 Hungry Dogs]

What size chip does the camera have?

 

[MikeW]

HD Video Looks Soft

I wanted a small camcorder. So I purchased a Panasonic HDC -TM300.
3 1/4" Cmos chips. It had very good reviews.

In recording outdoors one day it seemed the image became soft when the ambient light level dropped. I had set the focus to manual and let it roll as a static shot.

 

[MidwestPhotog]

So, low light, small sensor, potentially auto-gain.
Looking around YouTube for lowlight tests, it seems pretty soft in low light. There's also a mention of a 'color night shot' that brings up the brightness but looks pretty noisy. Any chance that was turned on?

 

[svp]

Its a cheap camera. You're not going to get great performance from it, especially in low light. Even much more expensive cameras like the HPX250 and HPX370 have softness issues in very low light.

 

[MikeW]

HD Video Looks Soft

Should I rely on my Canon XL2? HD is not required in many of the events I cover.

 

[BluesCam]

Lenses have a sweet spot. That little guy probably is going to be soft in low light.
If you are going to be shooting a ton of low light stuff, then you need a cam that is proven in that environment.

 

[canuckcam]

The lens' highest MTF is probably going be somewhere around F4-F8.

 

[Ben Longden]

Its a good little thing to use where you cant risk the shouldermount....