Re: [CinePaint] Looking for a feature useful to smooth timelapse, sequences - grading (Frank Peters)

On Wed, 22 Nov 2006 21:19:13 -0500
Frank Wylie <[email protected]> wrote:

> 
> I seriously doubt you will get a satisfactory result by trying to 
> manipulate the drastically different frames within a sequence;  the 
> gamma/exposure differences between image frames on digital, and I assume 
> you ARE using digital and not film, will be too drastic to adjust 
> because there simply is not enough latitude in the image data.
> 
> Rather than manipulate faulty data, you need to place the camera on 
> manual control and avoid any automatic gain circuitry that will place 
> the data outside of adjustable parameters for it to look smooth.  Of 
> course, that requirement negates the automatic aspects of the camera and 
> requires an operator to be there 24/7 unless you can interface with the 
> exposure and gain control circuits and write a program to create a 
> "digital flywheel" exposure program that places exposure in a sweet spot 
> averaged from exposure conditions typical for each camera setup.
> 
> What you REALLY need to do, and I KNOW you won't want to hear this, is 
> use a good 16mm or 35mm film camera with time lapse motor so you can 
> have the 5  to 7 stops of latitude film offers without manipulation, NOT 
> the 1 to 2 stops digital offers without automatic gain control.  The 
> bulk of all high quality, time lapse footage is still shot on film for 
> that very reason.
> 

I would tend to agree that the solution should not be the manipulation
of faulty data (but since we have no example of the actual image
sequence involved it is difficult to offer anything other than wild
guesses).

Using digital imagery with its comparatively low latitude, an
exposure bracketing method, where several shots are taken at the
same time, could possibly achieve the same results as with film.
The problem, of course, would then be to automatically pick the
correctly exposed frame before assembly of the final animated product.

Exposure bracketing could possibly avoid the problem entirely.

Frank Peters


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