From: "Bob May" 
To: "atmlist" 
Reply-To: "Bob May" 


The only reason why the test is done in a dim or darkened room is to make
the shadows stand out better for the camera or the eye as the eye will be a
bit more open.
Don't worry about the room being completely dark as that is really too dark
for really doing work.  Just a heavy shade over the windows in the daytime
is plenty of darkness.
The room that I do my testing in is about 20' square (is is a school
classroom) and there are two good sized windows on one side and the door
leading to a well lit hallway in the college campus.  The windows have the
standard blinds on them and that makes the room actually too dark for the
best results and i usually turn on a 60W incadescent bulb on the other side
of the room to illuminate things well enough for my video camera.  You
can't read in the room very well (you can turn the reading material towards
one of the light sources and do some basic reading) but it isn't so dark
that you can't see what you are doing.  I put it at this level so that the
camera doesn't start doing its autobrightness games more than anything else
and I'll also note that aluminized mirrors are done with the room lights on
to keep the camera working where I can see the shadows on the mirror
without the camera messing with me.
Bob May
http://nav.to/bobmay
bobmay{at}nethere.com
NEW! http://bobmay.astronomy.net

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