New user R50 V video grain/noise

[BikerDan]

Hello. I'm experiencing a lot of video noise/grainy for indoor video and outdoor night video. Alot of samples from others I've seen don't have this. I even use a lot of lights on. 

Lens: RF 18-150mm typically at 18mm F3.5. Auto and manual settings don't matter. 420 codecs are the only ones that my computer will play/edit.

Thanks

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

The RF-S 18-150 could give you f3.5 at 18mm.  However I suspect the camera's ISO is possibly causing the graininess you are experiencing.  

Unsure why your computer is only capable of editing / playing 4:2:0 codecs.  Is this a software or processing limitation? What is the significance of this?

https://cam.start.canon/en/C021/manual/html/UG-04_Shooting_0050.html

[rs-eos]

The RF 18-150mm is a variable-aperture lens, so as you zoom in, the aperture will close down to f/6.3.

Can you share the shutter speed you're using? Typically for video, best to follow the 180º shutter angle rule. So if capturing 30 frames per second, use a shutter of 1/60 second. For 60 fps, 1/120 (1/125) second.

Also, what is the typical ISO value being used?

Finally, for lights, are you speaking to just the overhead lighting in the room, or are you making use of dedicated video lights?

I imagine what is happening is that the ISO needs to be a very high value which would lead to the high noise. What follows is what you can do:

1. Increase the amount of light (e.g. with dedicated, bright video lights)
2. If you're using a shutter of 1/125 second, consider shooting 30 fps so that you can slow this to 1/60 second.
3. Consider other lenses that would have a wider aperture

[BikerDan]

Hello,

I do keep focal length at 18mm to take advantage of the F3.5. I have noticed in Auto video mode, camera will select either ISO6400 or 12800. In manual mode I would try ISO 6400 or 3200, but not much better. Any lower ISO would be getting dark.

Thanks

[BikerDan]

Hello.

I do keep focal length at 18mm to take advantage of the F3.5. I have noticed in Auto video mode, camera will select either ISO6400 or 12800. In manual mode I would try ISO 6400 or 3200, but not much better. Also, I have been following the 180 rule in manual modes, but in auto mode, I have no idea what it is using.

For lights, I am using the typical room lights. I may have to look into a video light.

Thanks

[rs-eos]

Yea, those ISO values are quite high on APS-C sensor cameras. Definitely look at adding more light the scene to be able to reduce ISO.

[TravelingCamera]

Hello. What you’re describing is consistent with noise introduced by exposure and signal conditions rather than anything unusual.

At 18mm f/3.5, the RF 18–150mm is relatively slow for indoor and night scenes. Even if the environment looks well lit, that aperture still forces the camera to operate at higher ISO levels, which raises the noise floor.

A key factor here is exposure placement. In video, if the subject is even slightly underexposed, noise becomes much more visible—especially in midtones and shadows. Having “a lot of lights” doesn’t guarantee correct exposure if the light isn’t sufficiently concentrated on the subject.

If you’re using Canon Log 3 or HDR PQ, that also plays a role. These profiles allocate tonal information differently and are less forgiving if exposure is not optimized. Canon Log 3 on this camera has a base ISO of 400, so the signal needs to be properly exposed around that point to avoid degrading shadow quality.

Recording in 4:2:0 is another contributing factor. It doesn’t increase noise itself, but it reduces chroma resolution, which makes noise—particularly in darker areas—appear more pronounced and less stable.

In summary, the behavior you’re seeing is most likely the result of a combination of lens speed, exposure placement, profile choice, and codec limitations. Adjusting exposure (slightly brighter), ensuring the subject is more strongly lit than the background, and testing with a standard profile can help isolate and reduce the issue.