Mastering Time-Lapse Editing: Techniques to Eliminate Flickering for Impressive Videos

Occasionally, videos may exhibit annoying, brief light flashes known as flickering. Through this article, we will demonstrate how to edit a time-lapse video to eradicate flickering and enhance snapshots to bolster the prominence of your video. If there’s anything that can detract from your time-lapse, it’s flickering. We’ll delve into the causes of this issue and present effective prevention strategies.

What is time-lapse flickering?

Time-lapse flickering manifests as short flashes throughout your video, disrupting the smoothness of the time-lapse and creating a chaotic appearance. This flickering usually arises due to inconsistent exposure across various shots. While subtle, these differences become noticeable when the individual images are combined.

The flickering can be readily observed in the example below:

Identifying the cause of flickering can be challenging, as it can arise from numerous factors. Broadly speaking, it falls into two categories:

• Aperture flickering: Even when taking consecutive shots at the same aperture setting, a slight deviation is inevitable. Due to this inconstancy, successive images may not share identical aperture values, particularly when the aperture is regulated by the camera. However, this issue is mitigated when setting the aperture directly on the lens. To prevent this type of flickering, use the widest aperture available, which keeps the diaphragm open and maintains a consistent aperture across shots.

Learn more about aperture.

• Shutter flickering: Similarly, variations in shutter speed between shots can introduce discrepancies, more pronounced at high shutter speeds. A minimal delay, just a few milliseconds, can be noticeable. Opting for a lower shutter speed can mitigate this issue.

Learn more about shutter speed

Implementing the suggested measures may result in overexposed images. To counteract this, use an ND filter to artificially adjust the exposure.

ND filter effect. Source: Wikipedia 

Ultimately, various triggers can induce flickering. Some, like a sky obscured by clouds, are difficult to circumvent. Investing time and energy in a long-duration time-lapse can be frustrating when flickering compromises the outcome. Yet, don’t despair! Certain editing solutions enable flicker removal, proving to be invaluable.

Most time-lapse flickers stem from inconsistent exposure between frames. 'Exposure' pertains to the quantity of light that reaches the camera sensor.

This guide will elaborate on the origins of time-lapse flicker, offering simple tests to detect its presence and strategies to minimize or eradicate it from your videos.

Comprehending Time-lapse Flickering

Time-lapse photography captures object movement over extensive periods. This technique involves capturing frames at set intervals, which are then played back in sequence to create a video.

Flickering is a common occurrence in time-lapse films, often resulting from lighting variations within the camera’s viewing range between frames. While difficult to discern in static images, the flickering becomes evident when the frames are edited together into a video.

Causative Factors of Time-lapse Flickering

Although troublesome, there are multiple solutions to fend off time-lapse flickering. Let’s first examine the typical causes of this problem.

Video flickering during recording can arise from:

Artificial Lighting Influences

Lighting and video cameras operate best at specific distances from the light source. Generally, lights are positioned above or surrounding the scene, while the camera is several feet away. With this setup, the moving image may exhibit a flickering effect; this is particularly true when illuminating a dark space with artificial fluorescent lamps or neon lights, due to their inherent light fluctuation.

This issue is common when using artificial fluorescent lamps/neons, as their emitted light undergoes minute variations.

Interrupted Video Source

Interrupted video flickering can be attributed to a host of factors, such as power outages, incomplete downloads, storage media viruses, equipment malfunctions, corrupt data headers, or other technical maladies. Flickering may persist in an otherwise flawless video.

Challenges in Slow-motion and Time-lapse Videography

Photographers and videographers filming in slow motion or pursuing time-lapse projects often encounter disruptions during capture, potentially leading to flickers caused by suboptimal focus.

Alignment of Frame Rate and Shutter Speed

The video’s frame rate and shutter speed should be synchronized, conforming to the '180° shutter rule', which dictates that the shutter speed should approximate 1/(frame rate x 2). For example, a 24 fps frame rate would correspond to a 1/48 sec shutter speed.

Motion Blur Implications

To avert flickering or disruptions, adherence to the 180° shutter rule is crucial. Capturing effective motion blur, which is challenging on its own, hence becomes essential to preventing flickering.

How to Eradicate Flickering?

Upon detecting the roots of your time-lapse flickering, consider the following remedies:

• Implement a low shutter speed

• Switch to manual mode

• Ensure consistent lighting (in the case of artificial sources)

• Select a broad aperture

If your long-term time-lapse suffers from flickering, there’s no need for dismay. An alternative solution lies in using specialized software or a website dedicated to editing time-lapses. Numerous options are available, from paid software to free versions, though the latter may offer limited functionality. Online applications and services exist to assist with flicker removal.

We understand how exasperating flickering can be, and that’s why we’re incorporating a flicker removal tool into our web application (my.tikee.io).

Now it’s your turn! Have you experienced flickering issues? What methods have you employed to eliminate them? We look forward to your stories!

Flickering compromises the quality of a time-lapse, detracting from the viewing experience. But with the correct approach, it can be resolved.

Once you discern the underlying cause of flickering in your time-lapses, you can apply the following solutions:

Opt for a Low Shutter Speed

In still photography, a low shutter speed can be achieved through panning (slowing shutter speed as the camera pans) or the use of neutral density filters (allowing for slower shutter speeds without inducing motion blur). For video, a slow shutter speed is typically obtained by extending the exposure duration for each frame.

Transition to Manual Mode

Creating consistent time-lapse videos demands regular photo intervals, which can affect image quality. Relying on manual mode is crucial for those seeking ultimate quality, as it preserves the integrity of the shots and ensures control over each frame.

Ensure Stable Lighting (for Artificial Sources)

Depending on your location and lighting conditions, camera settings like TTL (through the lens), auto, or manual help the camera capture all scene colors appropriately. Generally, TTL is recommended unless confronted with complex lighting situations, which may necessitate manual adjustments.

Avoiding flickering in time-lapse videos enhances their watchability. By comprehending the causes and implementing the suggested strategies, you can produce fluid and entrancing time-lapse footage.

For those aspiring to higher-level, professional time-lapse photography, consider the advantage of Enlaps' Tikee cameras, engineered to yield superb results without the hassles of flickering.

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