[WilliamTM]

Here's a puzzle for everyone. I've noticed something on BBC HD. I'm not sure if it's down to the H264 codec, or what, but I've only ever really noticed it on the BBC's HD programs (Torchwood, Jonathan Ross, etc), and I've not noticed it on any other HD channels that also use H264 (Nat Geo, Discovery, Sky Sports, etc).

So, basically, the thing that I've noticed is that blue lights, and the reflection of blue lights, show up as quite bright and strange looking blobs. It's hard to explain, so have a look at this screenshot:

Like I said, it only seems to be on the BBC's stuff, and as far as I know, it's not present in the SD version of the show, so it's most likely not the camera that's used.

Any ideas? It's puzzled me for a while now.

[CAS FAN]

Can't check that show now obviously, but i've watched all of the Torchwood shows in HD and never noticed that when I watched them.

Actually just flicked on the preview now and there's some music thing on and there's plenty of blue lights (as well as green) on that and they look fine. They look fairly bright (although nothing like the above), but no more so than the green ones.

[leighprice23]

incase you think its just you ive seen the exact same issue many times
mainly on the torchwood preview youve shown

[pj]

its the cameras that they are shot on, they are HD video as opposed to film and they basically dont like lights! how its slips past them i have no idea but it comes down to the way it was shot judging by the last few torchwoods i would say they got some better kit as it looked more filmic (or didnt have any outdoor at night scenes with headlamps or streetlights!)
cameras and lighting

[HDCriticalFan]

Don't you see that a lot on TV and at the movies ? I always thought that it was down to internal reflections between the different lens elements.

You nearly always see it when a car drives towards the camera at night. The contrast between the headlights and the darkness make it more visible - but I always assumed that the effect was always there.

Perhaps these cameras are super-sensitive to blue (or the blue lights are particularly intense - which I think is more likely).

I recall Torchwood struggling with blue lights in the hub in the last series. They made the white collar on Jack's shirt look very odd in one scene.




Regards