Change photo settings during time/hyperlapse

sionkosionko · Apr 24, 2020

Hello Mavic pilots!
Wondering if its possible to change camera settings during a time/hyperlapse to keep values on 0.0

What is your best advices here.

Cheers. Happy flying.

Dave Maine · Apr 25, 2020

That almost always results in a visual bump in the video Unless done very gradually. It is a problem with time lapse terrestrial video as well. The only really good solutions come from using Lightroom post processing on the individual frames. The software and methodology is explained as part of using “lrtimelapse” which can be found on-line.

Dale D · Apr 25, 2020

Dave Maine said:
That almost always results in a visual bump in the video Unless done very gradually. It is a problem with time lapse terrestrial video as well. The only really good solutions come from using Lightroom post processing on the individual frames. The software and methodology is explained as part of using “lrtimelapse” which can be found on-line.

I believe what you are referring to is the term "ramping." That is the timelapse technique used for "Holy Grail" timelapse studies where there is a change in the lighting from light to dark (sunset) or dark to light (sunrise). Techniques for this have been well developed by Gunther Wegner who developed software for this very specific usage and he explains it very well in his free tutorials. I have been using his software for 5 years. Go to www.LRTimelapse.com for the tutorials and information. See some of my sunrises and sunsets which are still a work in progress at Dale Davis

Not A Speck Of Cereal · Apr 25, 2020

However, LR Timelapse will be of no use if the Mavic doesn't allow exposure changes mid-hyperlapse, which is the original question. (I don't know.)

Dale D · Apr 25, 2020

Not A Speck Of Cereal said:
However, LR Timelapse will be of no use if the Mavic doesn't allow exposure changes mid-hyperlapse, which is the original question. (I don't know.)

Yes- I can ramp my exposure- as the sun is setting, I gradually open the aperture. When the sun is bright I might start at f/11 and at the end it might be down to f/3.5

GadgetGuy · Apr 25, 2020

Dale D said:
Yes- I can ramp my exposure- as the sun is setting, I gradually open the aperture. When the sun is bright I might start at f/11 and at the end it might be down to f/3.5

Are you using the M2P Automated Hyperlapse, or are you shooting yours manually?

Dale D · Apr 25, 2020

GadgetGuy said:
Are you using the M2P Automated Hyperlapse, or are you shooting yours manually?

My settings and a thorough discussion is still underway on another thread named "Downtown Miami." I went back to that thread and copy/pasted here what I discussed. Here is the thread partially;

BOTH WAYS
I did it every which way I could. I've been on it today for 3 hours.

(1) I processed it through the native drone processing (very wobbly, and an almost black foreground with no details at all).
(2). I processed it just through Lightroom, opening up the shadows in the Develop module, but still wobbly
((3) I processed it through LRTimelapse Holy Grail method to account for shutter changes and flicker- still the same wobble.

The only relief I got from the wobble was after Warp Staibilization in Adobe Premiere Pro, and I even tried warp stabilization in After Effects with no discernible differences in the wobble. One of the replies I got (Blue Mantle - a very sharp guy!) was to fly higher because DJI does not recommend doing hyperlapse at low altitudes so I flew these two 125 frame segments at 150 feet instead of 100 feet.

Not A Speck Of Cereal · Apr 25, 2020

It's still not clear to me from your last answer, so let me ask it another way:

Are you able to make manual exposure adjustments during the M2P automated DJI Go hyperlapse sequence?

If so, how: aperture adjustments? Exposure compensation adjustments?

This question has nothing to do with post-processing, or warble, or staibilization.

Chris

sionkosionko · Apr 25, 2020

Dave Maine said:
That almost always results in a visual bump in the video Unless done very gradually. It is a problem with time lapse terrestrial video as well. The only really good solutions come from using Lightroom post processing on the individual frames. The software and methodology is explained as part of using “lrtimelapse” which can be found on-line.

I Think i Got the answer here... the final result wont be good. I understand the “lightning bumps” that will happen when changing camera settings while a hyperlapse capture is on.

thanks.

Dale D · Apr 26, 2020

Not A Speck Of Cereal said:
It's still not clear to me from your last answer, so let me ask it another way:

Are you able to make manual exposure adjustments during the M2P automated DJI Go hyperlapse sequence?

If so, how: aperture adjustments? Exposure compensation adjustments?

This question has nothing to do with post-processing, or warble, or staibilization.

Chris

Hi Chris:

Thanks or your help and interest:

Yes- I make exposure changes, but I wish I really knew what I was doing!

On the last two go-arounds, for the sunset, the scene starts out bright and gets darker as the sun sets. So I need to gradually ramp the light entering the sensor down, e.g.: either by closing the aperture(example f/5.6 to f/8 to f/11) , or increasing the shutter speed. (example: 1/60th second to 1/120th second, etc). According to the rules set out by Gunther Wegner, the developer of LRTimelapse, he recommends the following order or ramping: For sunsets- elongate exposure, then elongate aperture, and finally, increase ISO. I believe what I did was to elongate exposure during the sunset, and this was sufficient without going to the next step of opening aperture. The software (Holy Grail) adjusts for this to avoid flicker.

Thus, a brief answer- the order of. light adjustments;
SUNSET- Increase-Exposure>Aperture>ISO
SUNRISE- Decrease-ISO>close Aperture>shorten exposure

My last sunrise film was April 21. attached here. My last sunset film was April 25th, also attached.

gnirtS · May 15, 2020

If you're using proper software for producing the timelapse such as LRTimelapse you can absolutely change exposure settings as needed.

According to the rules set out by Gunther Wegner, the developer of LRTimelapse, he recommends the following order or ramping: For sunsets- elongate exposure, then elongate aperture, and finally, increase ISO. I believe what I did was to elongate exposure during the sunset, and this was sufficient without going to the next step of opening aperture. The software (Holy Grail) adjusts for this to avoid flicker.

One thing to be aware of with ISO on the M2 is its in full stop increments under manual not 1/3 so results in a huge change in the image.
Also the aperture goes rapidly soft from diffraction after f/5.6 so its worth being aware of those extra limitations due to the small sensor and camera setup.

Dale D · May 15, 2020

gnirtS said:
If you're using proper software for producing the timelapse such as LRTimelapse you can absolutely change exposure settings as needed.

One thing to be aware of with ISO on the M2 is its in full stop increments under manual not 1/3 so results in a huge change in the image.
Also the aperture goes rapidly soft from diffraction after f/5.6 so its worth being aware of those extra limitations due to the small sensor and camera setup.

I have given up on trying to capture a sunrise or sunset in a fixed position with the Mavic 2 Pro. No matter what I do, the footage is unstable and wobbly despite stabilization inside Premiere, and 3rd party stabilization program.

So my next attempt was much better if I had the drone actually moving towards the sun as slowly as I could in tripod mode and then further enhancing it in post by using key frame s to slowly zoom in. I have already submitted that film on another forum post, but here it is again if you wanted to view it. In this film I did ramping as needed, using faster shutter and smaller aperture as the sun rose, trying to keep at ISO 100 . I don't believer I got much diffraction.

Here is the film, which is 2 1/2 minutes if you do not count the end credits of 30 seconds.