Filming at night is a difficult challenge for owners of digital cameras. The regular filming speeds of 50 or 60 frames per second equate to a shutter speed of 1/50 of 1/60 in static photography terms. This means that you have to adjust the ISO and aperture accordingly to capture anything.
With my X-T1 (and formerly, my Nikons), this means turning up the ISO to around 6,400 for a fireworks display, and everything but the brightest lights are just too dark to show up.
But Canon has just announced a new camera targeted at filmmakers to overcome this problem, based on sensor technology premiered in 2013. The ME20F-SH is capable of shooting at 4,000,000 ISO.
Before you get excited, the camera will be priced at around $30,000. So those less determined to spend this much on a camera will do better to choose the Sony A7S, which manages great results at “only” 40,000 ISO.
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