Night time settings help please...

[Jordan-Drones]

Hello guys.
I've recently got a P4A, and coming from a P3A it's alot harder to get the camera settings right when shooting at night.
First I have 2 examples, this is a picture I took with my P3A around 2 weeks ago at night (1st image below)

2nd image was took with my P4A, quite disappointed to say it's a 4k camera.
Can some one please advise on the best settings for this type of scene?
It's mostly dark apart from the lights on the bridge.

I some times do shots of the city from above too, and local marina, well lit areas but still on a night time, maby some one can help with what settings to use there too?
Or can some one give me detailed information on what each setting does exactly so I can try my self?

Thanks for any help/advice, I really aprichiate it.

 

[LarBear360]

Hello guys.
I've recently got a P4A, and coming from a P3A it's alot harder to get the camera settings right when shooting at night.
First I have 2 examples, this is a picture I took with my P3A around 2 weeks ago at night (1st image below)

2nd image was took with my P4A, quite disappointed to say it's a 4k camera.
Can some one please advise on the best settings for this type of scene?
It's mostly dark apart from the lights on the bridge.

I some times do shots of the city from above too, and local marina, well lit areas but still on a night time, maby some one can help with what settings to use there too?
Or can some one give me detailed information on what each setting does exactly so I can try my self?

Thanks for any help/advice, I really aprichiate it.

I could only see one photo. Nevertheless, I don't own a P4 so I'm not familiar with the camera. Be that as it may, don't confuse video and photos. Video can be captured in 4K but I don't think there is such a thing as a 4K photo. Photos are usually RAW or JPG. JPG is compressed. RAW is not.

First thing I would change is the file format. Set that to RAW (DNG). Bigger files but information is captured and contained in the file for you to work with in post. Keep your ISO as low as possible and work with aperture (2.8 fixed?) and shutter speed to keep the noise down.

YouTube has a couple of million videos of guys explaining their camera settings. Check there, too.

 

[Jordan-Drones]

I could only see one photo. Nevertheless, I don't own a P4 so I'm not familiar with the camera. Be that as it may, don't confuse video and photos. Video can be captured in 4K but I don't think there is such a thing as a 4K photo. Photos are usually RAW or JPG. JPG is compressed. RAW is not.

First thing I would change is the file format. Set that to RAW (DNG). Bigger files but information is captured and contained in the file for you to work with in post. Keep your ISO as low as possible and work with aperture (2.8 fixed?) and shutter speed to keep the noise down.

YouTube has a couple of million videos of guys explaining their camera settings. Check there, too.

Second image didn't upload for some reason.
Yeah I understand now lower iso and I have my aperture set to 2.8 fix.

Shutter speed is also set to the lowest.

I've watched a few videos, I'm kind of understanding, problem I'm having is that when my iso is set to 100, I can't see any thing on my live link, it's practically black, meaning I can't see what I'm actually taking images of.

However when I took that photo above with my P3A live link was good enough to see what I was taking a shot of, and the image came out perfect.

 

[Jordan-Drones]

Just checked the settings on the image I put up above.
Iso was set at 1600, aperture was at 2.8 fix.
Think I'll either go with 1600 or 800 in future, it's still a little grainy but perfect for what I'm looking for.
And at least i can still see what I am taking a picture of on my live link if that makes sense.

Is there no way to change the settings so when it takes the photo it takes them with set settings, so ive can still actually see my live link, that would be good.

 

[Meta4]

I've watched a few videos, I'm kind of understanding, problem I'm having is that when my iso is set to 100, I can't see any thing on my live link, it's practically black, meaning I can't see what I'm actually taking images of.

We can't see what your second photo looks like but the camera is probably having the same problem you described in the line I quoted.
At any settings, your camera is going to have problems photographing a scene that's mostly black with just a few small bits of distant bright light.
Think low-light rather than (almost) no light

 

[Jordan-Drones]

We can't see what your second photo looks like but the camera is probably having the same problem you described in the line I quoted.
At any settings, your camera is going to have problems photographing a scene that's mostly black with just a few small bits of distant bright light.
Think low-light rather than no-light

How about when shooting over a city where there is plenty of light, especially videos?

 

[Meta4]

How about when shooting over a city where there is plenty of light, especially videos?

Here are some simple instructions for stills
If you aren't experienced with camera settings, set the camera to Aperture Priority and let the camera select an appropriate shutter speed.
In low light, with a static subject, try to set ISO to 100, open the aperture to f2.8 and check the shutter speed the camera is choosing.
If you have a moving subject or it's really dark you might have to increase the ISO.

Nice and clean at ISO 100

Tons of noise at ISO 1600 but no other way when the subject is moving fast and you have to go for 1/100th sec shutter speed, half an hour before sunrise

 

[Jordan-Drones]

Here are some simple instructions for stills
If you aren't experienced with camera settings, set the camera to Aperture Priority and let the camera select an appropriate shutter speed.
In low light, with a static subject, try to set ISO to 100, open the aperture to f2.8 and check the shutter speed the camera is choosing.
If you have a moving subject or it's really dark you might have to increase the ISO.

Nice and clean at ISO 100

Tons of noise at ISO 1600 but no other way when the subject is moving fast and you have to go for 1/100th sec shutter speed, half an hour before sunrise

Amazing pictures.
Thanks for your replies I'll give them settings a try

 

[LarBear360]

Just checked the settings on the image I put up above.
Iso was set at 1600, aperture was at 2.8 fix.
Think I'll either go with 1600 or 800 in future, it's still a little grainy but perfect for what I'm looking for.
And at least i can still see what I am taking a picture of on my live link if that makes sense.

Is there no way to change the settings so when it takes the photo it takes them with set settings, so ive can still actually see my live link, that would be good.

I see some excellent suggestions here. But to answer your questions, ISO 1600 is very noisy. 100 is for daylight. I have found 800 to work with minimal noise (graininess). Beware the slower the shutter speed the more motion blur can occur. Have you tried auto? Let the camera decide. If the aperture is fixed at 2.8 (pretty wide open) then it's a fine balance between shutter speed and ISO.

If your screen is hard to see, you can try boosting everything until you get your shot framed up. Then go back to your manual settings to get the final photo.

 

[Ridowh]

Here are some simple instructions for stills
If you aren't experienced with camera settings, set the camera to Aperture Priority and let the camera select an appropriate shutter speed.
In low light, with a static subject, try to set ISO to 100, open the aperture to f2.8 and check the shutter speed the camera is choosing.
If you have a moving subject or it's really dark you might have to increase the ISO.

Nice and clean at ISO 100

Tons of noise at ISO 1600 but no other way when the subject is moving fast and you have to go for 1/100th sec shutter speed, half an hour before sunrise

Awww I recognise that beautiful city. That’s a lovely photo. I’ve just returned to the south of the U.K. adter spending 14 years there. I do miss the warmth, though not the humidity.

 

[Jordan-Drones]

Awww I recognise that beautiful city. That’s a lovely photo. I’ve just returned to the south of the U.K. adter spending 14 years there. I do miss the warmth, though not the humidity.

I feel for you...
Having to come back to this cold miserable country!

 

[Ridowh]

Thank you. It was my choice though, but I have dual citizenship now too, so I can go back whenever I can afford it. I do miss flying my drone amongst all the mountains where I used to live. Amazing scenery and wildlife. And so green, so much green, and wonderful blue skies, day after day.
And this country isn’t really too bad, the freezing temperatures are quite refreshing compared to the endless and fierce heat over there.
Biggest downer here is the total farce that is Brexit and all the arsehole politicians that couldn’t manage their way out of a paper bag.