Can't video laser shows

[planters]

I have been struggling to record a laser show with less than pro level equipment and less than pro level skill. The major problem is contrast. Even with the brightness turned down to 25%, and even in a light room the laser still blooms on the projector screen and the hard won fine lines are not shown; they are FAT. To our eyes the lines are sharp, and even though there is a little mis-registration (you can detect the individual colors) this is within the 1 mrad level. We are using a Sony Handy Cam (10 years old?)

[swamidog]

here's the counter-intuitive trick:

project onto a flat black surface. it's also handy to be able to manually control your ISO, frame rate, and shutter speed.

I have been struggling to record a laser show with less than pro level equipment and less than pro level skill. The major problem is contrast. Even with the brightness turned down to 25%, and even in a light room the laser still blooms on the projector screen and the hard won fine lines are not shown; they are FAT. To our eyes the lines are sharp, and even though there is a little mis-registration (you can detect the individual colors) this is within the 1 mrad level. We are using a Sony Handy Cam (10 years old?)

[dsli_jon]

Heya Cap'n -

Waiting for an oil-change, so, posting from my 'iChallenged' phone..

I have been struggling to record a laser show..Even with the brightness turned down to 25%, and even in a light room the laser still blooms on the projector screen..

Try putting a 70/30 splitter in front of the scan head (..thus, 'dumping' most of the light off-sides.. shoot into yer 'razor-blade beam-dump' or other-such appropriate quencher..) and you can *also* try a 'camera-store-grade' neutral-density filter in front of the cammy-lens.. Experiment w/ 30%, 50%, etc.. This is what I used to do to *try* to film KTP-show modules, OMGreen!

fwiw..
j

Ps- ^^ Yes! Plus what swami said, absolutely.. 'Duvatine' fabric works the charm, nice and flat and consistent.. And, if you also use the '70/30' trick, you'll be less-likely to set said-black surface, aflame...