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Topic: Light flicker problems

What are the best lights to use in order to reduce light flicker?

I'm using two TERTIAL lamps from Ikea; one with a 400 lumen globe, the other with a 600 lumen globe. Both lights have paper taped over them to diffuse the light, but I am still getting a lot of light flicker.

Could it also be how many pieces of glass the images is projected through on my camera? I use a Nikon 18-55mm lens, with a wide angle, and macro lens attachment, and a UV filter over that. It is causing not much light to go into my camera. I know that much, because I have to drop down to 1/20 shutter speed to get a well lit picture (thankfully I have a tripod).

So are there any better lights I could use, or should I just light the scene more for my camera setup?

http://www.cxpulp.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=874&d=1279678499
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Kieren Barnett's Website

  • Location: watching brickfilms
  • Joined: May 7, 2012

Re: Light flicker problems

Kieren Barnett wrote:

What are the best lights to use in order to reduce light flicker?

I'm using two TERTIAL lamps from Ikea; one with a 400 lumen globe, the other with a 600 lumen globe. Both lights have paper taped over them to diffuse the light, but I am still getting a lot of light flicker.

Could it also be how many pieces of glass the images is projected through on my camera? I use a Nikon 18-55mm lens, with a wide angle, and macro lens attachment, and a UV filter over that. It is causing not much light to go into my camera. I know that much, because I have to drop down to 1/20 shutter speed to get a well lit picture (thankfully I have a tripod).

So are there any better lights I could use, or should I just light the scene more for my camera setup?

Cfl bulbs (not fluorescent tubes though) work well. I have heard led's are good because the have a much faster frequency so flicker shouldn't be a problem.
Another cause for flicker when you use a dslr is the lens aperture not staying the exact same from picture to picture. This gave Squid's films flicker till recently when he put a wad of paper in a part of the lens (if this is the problem ask Squid how to do it).
You can also try to remove flicker in post. I have a tutorial for this linked to in my signature (It doesn't work with every kind of flicker but it is always a good idea to try it to see if it works for your particular shot)

YouTube | flickr | Light Flicker Removal
BiM Celebration 9th Place | Archival Project

END films's Website

  • Location: youtube.com/VideobyKB
  • Joined: November 12, 2013

Re: Light flicker problems

That is an awesome program by the looks of it, but nothing like that for mac by any chance? I take it there's probably a way to colour correct frame by frame, but that'd take a long time.

http://www.cxpulp.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=874&d=1279678499
The new KB Videos coming soon.

Kieren Barnett's Website

  • Location: watching brickfilms
  • Joined: May 7, 2012

Re: Light flicker problems

Kieren Barnett wrote:

That is an awesome program by the looks of it, but nothing like that for mac by any chance? I take it there's probably a way to colour correct frame by frame, but that'd take a long time.

I don't know of any version for mac.

YouTube | flickr | Light Flicker Removal
BiM Celebration 9th Place | Archival Project

END films's Website