Houston, We Might Have a (Flicker) Problem

ianwood · Feb 10, 2022

Just started processing some footage taken after the new firmware update. Have a look and see for yourself.

There should be no change in exposure at all which is confirmed in the SRT file (see settings below). If you can't see it, look at the sky. It's more obvious when I scrub through the video. Easier still, look at the scopes on the left side and it will become even more evident.

ProRes 422HQ, 5.1K, 50fps, manual exposure
[iso: 100] [shutter: 1/50.0] [fnum: 5.0] [ev: -0.3] [ct: 5600] [color_md : default] [focal_len: 24.00]

I need to go back and see if this was in any of my footage from the previous firmware versions.

brett8883 · Feb 10, 2022

ianwood said:
Just started processing some footage taken after the new firmware update. Have a look and see for yourself.

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There should be no change in exposure at all which is confirmed in the SRT file (see settings below). If you can't see it, look at the sky. It's more obvious when I scrub through the video. Easier still, look at the scopes on the left side and it will become even more evident.

ProRes 422HQ, 5.1K, 50fps, manual exposure
[iso: 100] [shutter: 1/50.0] [fnum: 5.0] [ev: -0.3] [ct: 5600] [color_md : default] [focal_len: 24.00]

I need to go back and see if this was in any of my footage from the previous firmware versions.

Does it happen when you export?

ianwood · Feb 10, 2022

brett8883 said:
Does it happen when you export?

It's in the source footage. Doesn't matter what method you use to play it back. It's there.

brett8883 · Feb 10, 2022

ianwood said:
It's in the source footage. Doesn't matter what method you use to play it back. It's there.

I’m thinking maybe it’s some highlight recovery algorithm and you just teetered on the edge of it and it turned on and off and that’s the flickering. Was this shot in normal color mode?

ianwood · Feb 12, 2022

brett8883 said:
I’m thinking maybe it’s some highlight recovery algorithm and you just teetered on the edge of it and it turned on and off and that’s the flickering. Was this shot in normal color mode?

Shot in normal color. I agree it's not a uniform flicker. Only highlights. Which is super strange.

I've already found other more subtle examples in footage shot on the new firmware. I am going to double check all my settings. Checking my older footage from earlier firmware today.

ianwood · Feb 17, 2022

More examples. Occurred twice in one 25 minute flight. Each time it was a single frame that changed exposure in the mid-tones and highlights.

Surprised no one else is picking up on this. Then again, if you're not a pixel peeper, it is easily missed. Easiest way to spot it is with the luma scope which I use extensively to grade footage.

I highly doubt this is result of a defective unit. This would be a very unusual mode of failure.

ianwood · Feb 21, 2022

I've now seen this on two Mavic 3 Cine so far. It isn't common and it's not easy to spot. I've checked ten or so collections I've shot on the M3C and found two so far that had flicker (each had only a few occurrences out of 20+ mins of footage each). It can be just a single frame or a long shift. It only happens in specific situations. It seems DJI is doing some sort of image adaption on the ProRes footage even with everything set to manual.

It's as if there are different gamma curves being applied in camera based on EV or percentage of frame above 80 IRE, etc. As mentioned, it's almost like a built-in highlight recovery that only kicks in at certain times.

brett8883 · Feb 21, 2022

ianwood said:
I've now seen this on two Mavic 3 Cine so far. It isn't common and it's not easy to spot. I've checked ten or so collections I've shot on the M3C and found two so far that had flicker (each had only a few occurrences out of 20+ mins of footage each). It can be just a single frame or a long shift. It only happens in specific situations. It seems DJI is doing some sort of image adaption on the ProRes footage even with everything set to manual.

It's as if there are different gamma curves being applied in camera based on EV or percentage of frame above 80 IRE, etc. As mentioned, it's almost like a built-in highlight recovery that only kicks in at certain times.

If you record in D-log it will probably go away.D-log bypasses all the in camera wizardry. When can be a good thing or a bad thing honestly

ianwood · Feb 22, 2022

brett8883 said:
If you record in D-log it will probably go away.D-log bypasses all the in camera wizardry. When can be a good thing or a bad thing honestly

Historically, DLOG is it's own set of issues. That said, I have not tested it on the Mavic 3 yet and should. Maybe it avoids this "dynamic gamma" issue. However, DLOG should not be bypassing other internal steps. The pipeline should otherwise be the same.

brett8883 · Feb 22, 2022

ianwood said:
Historically, DLOG is it's own set of issues. That said, I have not tested it on the Mavic 3 yet and should. Maybe it avoids this "dynamic gamma" issue. However, DLOG should not be bypassing other internal steps. The pipeline should otherwise be the same.

Based on what I’ve seen it’s a very different pipeline and it’s obvious enough that you can’t miss it. But yes lots of other issues.

ianwood · Apr 8, 2022

This problem persists. It happens on both of my Mavic 3. It occurs roughly 1 or 2 times per flight. And it's pretty bad.
I am surprised no one else is noticing or concerned about it.

ianwood · May 8, 2022

Still an issue. Even a locked off shot with only cars passing through the frame has highlight flickering. Still surprised very people are talking about this. It my be subtle but once you see it, you cannot unsee it.