D3s flickering video

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Archive 2010 · D3s flickering video

Picha
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p.1 #1 · D3s flickering video

I have noticed that the video starts flickering when I'm filming and I have selected:
- tripod mode (menu)
and
-pushed "OK" button on the camera (in order to reveal the exposure screen on the LCD )

As long as the exposure is "right", it seems to be ok.
But as soon as I underexpose some, flickering starts !?

Wondering if any of you D3s owners could test and see what happends.

Thank you very much.

May 10, 2010 at 10:01 PM

dudemanppl
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p.1 #2 · D3s flickering video

Are you filming inside?

May 10, 2010 at 10:15 PM

Avi B
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p.1 #3 · D3s flickering video

Are you filming with cycling lights by any chance?? Just wondering.

May 11, 2010 at 12:24 AM

Picha
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p.1 #4 · D3s flickering video

Filming inside the house while using three kinda light sources. Every time the "effect" occurs.

Gonna test outside asap but I'd like to know if it's a general "error" or just mine.

May 11, 2010 at 01:51 AM

dudemanppl
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p.1 #5 · D3s flickering video

Probably the lights. I'll trade my D300s for your D3s if you want to check. :P

May 11, 2010 at 01:58 AM

Picha
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p.1 #6 · D3s flickering video

dudemanppl wrote:
Probably the lights. I'll trade my D300s for your D3s if you want to check. :P

Very kind !
Where can we meet ?

May 11, 2010 at 04:54 AM

runamuck
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p.1 #7 · D3s flickering video

Unless you have 3 phase power at home, all your lights follow the same cycle. They all brighten and dim at the same time. You might try compact fluorescent bulbs. The ballasts in these are electronic, and operate at frequencies far faster than standard bulbs. Compacts are also available in several light "colors" from the reddish incandescent, to the bluish daylight.

I had a standard 2 bulb workshop fluorescent fixture. I pointed my camera at it once and was amazed to watch the meter constantly adjust exposure.

May 11, 2010 at 06:56 AM

Picha
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p.1 #8 · D3s flickering video

runamuck wrote:
Unless you have 3 phase power at home, all your lights follow the same cycle. They all brighten and dim at the same time. You might try compact fluorescent bulbs. The ballasts in these are electronic, and operate at frequencies far faster than standard bulbs. Compacts are also available in several light "colors" from the reddish incandescent, to the bluish daylight.

I had a standard 2 bulb workshop fluorescent fixture. I pointed my camera at it once and was amazed to watch the meter constantly adjust exposure.

Thanks for the info.

I understand that the kinda light source influences and causes flickering, but what I don't understand is that this only occurs when I press the "OK" button to preview exposure
in the monitor.
My guess, when the light source interferes, it should interfere all the time, regardless previewing or not !?

May 11, 2010 at 07:34 AM

HerbChong
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p.1 #9 · D3s flickering video

the refresh rate on the LCD is much lower than the capture frame rate. this is one of the things i don't like about Nikon's live view.

Herb...

Picha wrote:
I understand that the kinda light source influences and causes flickering, but what I don't understand is that this only occurs when I press the "OK" button to preview exposure
in the monitor.
My guess, when the light source interferes, it should interfere all the time, regardless previewing or not !?

May 11, 2010 at 02:30 PM

Picha
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p.1 #10 · D3s flickering video

HerbChong wrote:
the refresh rate on the LCD is much lower than the capture frame rate. this is one of the things i don't like about Nikon's live view.

Herb...

Herb,
This would mean that the flickering only occurs on the lcd screen, NOT on the computer/laptop.

I hope you are right !!!!!
Gonna check it right away !

May 11, 2010 at 07:00 PM

Picha
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p.1 #11 · D3s flickering video

Nope, flickering occurs in he recording !

This is really a problem, I hope it can be solved by an update of firmware.

But still, I HOPE someone with an D3s can confirm (or not) this behaviour !

May 11, 2010 at 07:19 PM

Jammy Straub
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p.1 #12 · D3s flickering video

Flickering like that is not related necessarily to the D3s, what everyone is saying is that it's a relationship between the lights cycling and shutter speed.

You'll see a similar effect when shooting still images at certain shutter speed under certain types of light. One exposure will look regular and the next will look green and underexposed. It's not the camera doing anything wrong, it's just that the shutter tripped during a certain part of the lights cycle.

Read this
http://ioannis.virtualcomposer2000.com/math/video.html

They also recommend compact florescents.

May 11, 2010 at 07:51 PM

Picha
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p.1 #13 · D3s flickering video

Again, I'm aware of the fact that most probably it's caused by light cycling BUT I do wonder why it occurs when I select the preview exposure mode

When I record without selecting it, the flickering does not appear, regardless using the same light source and same shutter speed !?

Therefore, I'd like to have another D3s owner to check this out.
Film at low ( halogen or bulb) light, selecting the preview exposure( push "OK" while "tripod" is selected in the menu) and lower the speed 1/80th ... 1/30th to see if any flickering occurs.

May 11, 2010 at 08:42 PM

StickyRICE
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p.1 #14 · D3s flickering video

Ok, tested it out on my D3s and no flickering issue. Did it under LV>hit OK for PE and shutter down to 30th and 80th and no flicker issues with 3 different light settings.

Maybe try flicker reductions setting set it to 50hz, I have my set on 60hz.

Edited on May 12, 2010 at 03:56 AM · View previous versions

May 12, 2010 at 03:34 AM

Jammy Straub
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p.1 #15 · D3s flickering video

Picha wrote:

When I record without selecting it, the flickering does not appear, regardless using the same light source and same shutter speed !?

Gotcha, that's weird! Mmm...

May 12, 2010 at 03:43 AM

Picha
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p.1 #16 · D3s flickering video

StickyRICE wrote:
Ok, tested it out on my D3s and no flickering issue. Did it under LV>hit OK for PE and shutter down to 30th and 80th and no flicker issues with 3 different light settings.

Maybe try flicker reductions setting set it to 50hz, I have my set on 60hz.

Thank you for testing !!!!!

I did switch between 50 and 60 hertz, no difference.

Found out that the flickering stops when I use an "equivalent" shutter speed of 50(hz), for example 1/25th, 1/50th, 1/100th !!!!!

?

So Flickers at 1/60th, stops at 1/50th, flickers again at 1/40th, stops at 1/25th.

But that doesn't solve the problem since I don't want to get stuck with those shutter speeds hah

May 12, 2010 at 05:46 AM

StickyRICE
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p.1 #17 · D3s flickering video

Picha wrote:
StickyRICE wrote:
Ok, tested it out on my D3s and no flickering issue. Did it under LV>hit OK for PE and shutter down to 30th and 80th and no flicker issues with 3 different light settings.

Maybe try flicker reductions setting set it to 50hz, I have my set on 60hz.

Thank you for testing !!!!!

I did switch between 50 and 60 hertz, no difference.

Found out that the flickering stops when I use an "equivalent" shutter speed of 50(hz), for example 1/25th, 1/50th, 1/100th !!!!!

?

So Flickers at 1/60th, stops at 1/50th, flickers again at 1/40th, stops at 1/25th.

But that doesn't solve the problem since I don't want to get stuck with those shutter speeds hah

Interesting, I actually cycled thru the shutter speed from 30 to 80 and give or take a stop or two, and no flikering throughout. Also tried from F1.4 to F8, and no issues. How bad was the flickering would you say?

May 12, 2010 at 05:56 AM

Picha
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p.1 #18 · D3s flickering video

StickyRICE wrote:

Interesting, I actually cycled thru the shutter speed from 30 to 80 and give or take a stop or two, and no flikering throughout. Also tried from F1.4 to F8, and no issues. How bad was the flickering would you say?

Will try and post a video sample/link.

Flickering frequence nature is at rather slow pace, not an "hysteric" one as in stroboscope

May 13, 2010 at 06:29 AM

Picha
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p.1 #19 · D3s flickering video

Update, used a colleague's D3s and same behaviour.
Encountered the same problem in different places, depending the lights.

So obviously not an "my camera only" prob but let's hope it can be fixed with a firmware update.
But I figure not many people use the video function on their D3s or use it in artificial light !?

Unfortunately I can't post an example since I'm still figuring out how to compress and post an AVI file.

May 20, 2010 at 04:23 PM

StickyRICE
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p.1 #20 · D3s flickering video

I'm interesting in seeing a video of it, maybe upload it to youtube or photobucket.

May 20, 2010 at 06:07 PM

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