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Nikon D610 timelapse flickering

nikon nikond610 timelapse flickering timelapse flickering

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14 replies to this topic

#1
mw289

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Hi everyone,

I have a Nikon D610 and shoot a lot of timelapses on it. Some have always had flickering, but recently the flickering has become extremely noticeable - shooting on aperture priority I'm getting fluctuations photo to photo of at least +/- 1 EV. 

I've read various blogs and forums that say this may be down to mechanical irregularities and that it is unavoidable, but mine seem to be so noticeable and frustrating that it can't just be normal. Does anyone have any suggestions?



#2
nbanjogal

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A couple things could be causing the problem--my guess is its the aperture priority setting. Have you tried using full manual instead? I've done several time lapse videos and have always used manual--never had a flicker problem.

 

It could also be the lens. I took a time lapse course a while back, and I can't remember exactly what the instructor said about the lenses, but he said my humble little manual focus Rokinon 14mm was ideal--something about the big fancy lenses made them more prone to flicker...more moving parts or something? I wish I could remember. Sorry--that's not helpful, I know, but if you have a manual focus lens, try it?



#3
Merco_61

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Nicole, isn't it a matter of the hard mechanical stop for the aperture being more consistent than an electronically controlled one.

 

Any lens with an aperture ring will give less variance from frame to frame if you use the ring to control the aperture. There is a custom function to enable the aperture ring on chipped lenses, it is under section f. I don't remember if it is f5 or f6, the menu item is Customize Command Dials.

 

mw289, What are the lighting conditions when you get the flickering? is it under artificial light with a relatively short shutter speed? In that case, it can be a matter of the light source being at different points in it's power cycle from frame to frame.



#4
nbanjogal

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Nicole, isn't it a matter of the hard mechanical stop for the aperture being more consistent than an electronically controlled one.

 

 

 

This sounds right, yes.



#5
ScottinPollock

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Using auto exposure in a time lapse is tricky. Consider narrowing the focus on your metering by using spot on a point in your frame you want to be properly exposed. Matrix metering is the worst as it can change exposure dramatically based on sky or other ambient background light.

#6
nbanjogal

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Using auto exposure in a time lapse is tricky. 

 

Yep. I'm still thinking manual would be better than aperture priority.



#7
Merco_61

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Here's another vote for switching everything auto off when you need controlled exposures. Remember to switch off AutoISO and AutoWB as well.



#8
ScottinPollock

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Yep. I'm still thinking manual would be better than aperture priority.

When you can. What immediately came to mind in the OP was transitioning from day to night where you don't have a choice.

#9
TBonz

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I would agree that manual would be your best bet...don't let the camera help make the decisions!



#10
Ron

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Here's another vote for going full manual. Both exposure and focus. In fact, I would turn AF off on the camera (which I do when I shoot macro) and on the lens as well.

 

--Ron



#11
nbanjogal

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When you can. What immediately came to mind in the OP was transitioning from day to night where you don't have a choice.

 

Yeah, bulb ramping--but you can't depend on your camera to do it for you. And Nikon is notorious in time lapse circles for making bulb ramping unnecessarily difficult. I'm still trying to figure out which external device I'm going to buy to attach to my camera to get it done...



#12
ScottinPollock

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Yeah, bulb ramping--but you can't depend on your camera to do it for you. And Nikon is notorious in time lapse circles for making bulb ramping unnecessarily difficult. I'm still trying to figure out which external device I'm going to buy to attach to my camera to get it done...

Have you looked at RamperPro? It seems to check all the boxes on the things that make straight bulb ramping as problematic as it is.

But seriously, I think this kind of solution is far from what the OP had in mind (but OP correct me if I am wrong).

#13
nbanjogal

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I have not looked at RamperPro, but thank you for the recommendation! You can bet I'll be checking it out today. I've been looking for something for a while now.

 

And yes, I'm sure this more than what the OP was asking for. If the OP is trying to do the transition from day to night by letting the camera make every adjustment except aperture, I think he's going to have a hard time. Well, not just that transition--even just shooting moving clouds during the day you might have fluctuations in light. Lots of variables in any situation really, which is why I think a lot of us are suggesting he try full manual before he assumes it's a problem with the camera.

 

On a side note, this year one of my goals is to do more time lapse--got my Rhino sliders and now I'm looking to add a motor. I was originally going to go with emotimo because that's what I am most familiar with, but lately I've been thinking I'm going to stick with Rhino's motors. However, if you have recommendations for something else, let me know. 



#14
ScottinPollock

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I am afraid I am not a big slider guy, and what I currently have will not work well for time lapse... and the stuff that does is wicked expensive and a lot to lug around.

I have heard really good things about the Rhino stuff, but don't know if its shoot-move-shoot system is linkable to RamperPro (but would hope so).

And in case you don't already know... there is a hack you can sometimes use with post to bypass the need for wildly varying exposure. Taking two longer time lapses, one manually optimized for daytime exposure, and the other for night. Then putting them both in your NLE, carefully adjusting the overlap and grading, and then using a long cross dissolve between the two. This can work surprisingly well, but motion of course is the enemy here so it depends on both your scene as well as any motion gear you're using (which would need to stop, and pick up from exactly where you left off the first - and hopefully your gear doesn't shift in the process).

I find time lapse fascinating and would be interested in hearing about what you put together.



#15
saturno

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Hello,

 

I'm driving crazy with a similar problem.

 

If someone can help me here I would be very very happy.

 

D610 + Rokinon 14mm = timelapse flickering - Technical Troubleshooting - NikonForums.com

 

Thank you so much.







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