Manual Exposure Settings of the Sony DCR-TRV17

This post has been updated! Click here for the updated version

The exposure on a Sony DCR-TRV17 or DCR-TRV17E Handycam can be set by using the 'Exposure' button on the left side of the camera below the LCD screen. What the camera doesn't show you is the aperture, shutter speed or amount of gain which it is using while it is recording.

This information, however, is stored on the tape as metadata. You can retrieve it by cycling through the displays on the LCD screen when 'DATA CODE' is pressed on the remote. The following table shows the data for different given exposure slider positions (1 being on the far left hand side) on a PAL Sony DCR-TRV17E.

Position	Shutter Speed	F-Stop	Gain
01	1/100	Close	0 db
02	1/100	f/28	0 db
03	1/100	f/22	0 db
04	1/100	f/19	0 db
05	1/100	f/16	0 db
06	1/100	f/14	0 db
07	1/100	f/11	0 db
08	1/100	f/9.6	0 db
09	1/100	f/8	0 db
10	1/100	f/6.8	0 db
11	1/100	f/5.6	0 db
12	1/100	f/4.8	0 db
13	1/100	f/4	0 db
14	1/100	f/3.4	0 db
15	1/100	f/2.8	0 db
16	1/100	f/2.4	0 db
17	1/100	f/2	0 db
18	1/100	f/1.7	0 db
19	1/100	f/1.7	3 db
20	1/100	f/1.7	6 db
21	1/100	f/1.7	9 db
22	1/100	f/1.7	12 db
23	1/100	f/1.7	15 db
24	1/100	f/1.7	18 db

This table shows that position 18 is the most 'cinematic' since it offers the widest aperture and no gain. Maximising your aperture means that you reduce your depth of field as much as possible.
The best way to make a TRV17 looks as 'filmic' is possible on set is to hit the exposure button, set the slider all the way up to the top and then roll it back six positions to 18. Then change your lighting or neutral density filters to expose the scene correctly if possible.

Now if I can just figure out how to get the shutter to 1/50!

UPDATE

Since writing this article, I have noticed the camera choosing 1/50 shutter speeds when in manual exposure mode! I performed the original test with the lens cap on. Perhaps the camera holds the shutter speed which it was using when the 'Exposure' button is pushed. Maybe it just keeps automatic control over the shutter speed. I'm going to perform a few more tests to try to figure out what's going on here.

Posted by Andrew at 12:27 pm, Saturday 31st January, 2009Permalink: http://productions.andrewgentle.com/tutorials/manual_exposure_settings_of_the_sony_dcrtrv17/

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