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Long exposure time lapse

PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 7:01 am
by chrisconway
Is it at all possible by BMD to allow the shutter to open for longer when set up for time lapse. E.g 180 degree or 1/2 second on a 1 second interval time lapse. I have a Ursa Mini 4k, but think this applies to all. It's just a lens and sensor with a gate between. Is there a technical barrier here that I am missing, or has it just not been considered to implement. I can only imagine what great time lapse could be created.

Re: Long exposure time lapse

PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 8:22 am
by Anatoly Mashanov
I've tried to somehow sum the BMPCC footage in order to make it appear as a single 1-2 seconds exposure. Results are quite discouraging: the vertical stripes that are almost invisible in separate frames become clearly visible.

Re: Long exposure time lapse

PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 9:57 am
by chrisconway
Hi Anatoly,

Thanks for replying but I am not looking to fudge anything, I am just enquiring if the Blackmagic cameras can open their shutters for longer periods when the time lapse feature is engaged. Is it a mechanical issue or software issue.

Chris

Re: Long exposure time lapse

PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 6:56 pm
by Robert Niessner
Chris, I too have requested this feature then for the BMCC - years ago.

But I think there is a good reason why this won't be implemented with the current hardware and firmware. With longer exposures beyond 360° you quickly start to get into all kinds of sensor noise issues where the implemented calibration won't work as expected anymore. And stuck or hot pixels and so on.
Like Anatoly wrote with averaging frames and getting vertical stripes this would also show up with those much longer exposure modes. Blackmagic would need a different approach for sensor calibration and in-camera noise reduction which is likely not happening anytime soon or maybe even impossible.

So your best bet would do what Anatoly did. Average out and fuse several frames into one. And you would need somehow to create a reference frame for subtraction to cancel the vertical stripes out in post.

https://wiki.apertus.org/index.php/Black_Calibration
https://wiki.apertus.org/index.php/Pattern_Noise

Re: Long exposure time lapse

PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 8:38 pm
by chrisconway
Hi Robert

Thanks for clearing that up. I will stick to my mirror less camera for those types of shots then.

Cheers
Chris

Re: Long exposure time lapse

PostPosted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 5:15 pm
by Tim Franks
Yes I am aware this is a old thread, but just in case someone is looking for a solution.

Here is a video that explains somewhat close to the result we are looking for.