So, would you consider working with AV Mode or stick with the M Mode (the best mode)? My Timelapse Classes are waiting for you - www.emerictimelapse.com/courses
From Nikon's or Sony's mirrorless shooters perspective shooting in A-Mode (aka Aperture Mode with Auto ISO set within desirable figures) is not a problem in cityscape scenario, especially when shooting static time-lapse with sun rising/setting in your back. Any flicker induced imperfections can be addressed thanks to the mighty LRTimelapse as you said (and if any stubborn flicker remains, other deflicker plugins help a ton while dealing with it). The good old(school) M-mode (manual method) - where the user with a help of program/app like qDslrDashboard controls all 3 parameters (shutter speed, aperture and ISO) or does everything completely manually in camera - is definitely the most reliable one, but requires quite some attention/focus and "babysitting" of the camera setup (imagine using 3-axis motion controlled rig for instance). With more practice comes more experience and a certain shooting method becomes dominant in one's workflow eventually, whether it's the M or A mode (depending once again on shooting scenario/outdoor conditions, changeable light, composition etc.). Extra gadgets like Arsenal or Timelapse+ View Intervalometer can be of great help to automate the holy grail process, although they cost money initially. But once utilised properly, they can offer pleasing results, too. In the end all seriously driven time-lapse photographers (or shall we say timelapsers:)) will find an approach that works the best for them, but not necessarily meaning it is the ONLY and BEST method for Holy Grail/Day to Night/Night to Day time lapse, generally speaking. Keep more episodes coming, Emeric. You're doing a fine job on tutorial side of time lapse things!
Thank you for your comment! I am not saying M mode is the ONLY mode to use, but it is the best in my opinion for several reasons: 1 - Keeping full control over any camera settings and avoid shutter speed being slower than interval 2 - Reduced flicker on final image sequence (even if LRTimelapse or other plugins do a great deflicker jobs, never work with the "I will fix this in post" mindset) 3 - Being able to change the ISO last and not first on a day to night. So M Mode is the best in any situations, but not the only one though like you said. It's still possible to shoot M mode all the time as well, even with motion controlled timelapses. There are plenty of bluetooth or wireless option to change camera settings. I will keep using AV mode once in a while, but it will never be my first choice!
@@EmericTimelapse Your swift reply is much appreciated, Emeric🤝. I'd like to answer your points as best as I can: 1) with Nikon mirrorless camera in A mode it's possible to set the interval without worrying for the shutter to become too long. Problem solved. 2) Totally understand your healthy approach saying avoid as much as flicker as possible in the field (right way to do, absolutely agree on this one!), but as you know yourself, with Holy Grail time-lapse flicker still occurs up to a degree (severe change in light conditions from golden light to blue hour), in such a case LRTimelapse with deflicker comes to help, for sure. I mean it's there for a reason, so that it can be used! 3) Again, with Nikon mirrorless camera with A mode Auto ISO, while shooting wide open with fixed aperture, the ISO starts to change gradually to what maximum you set it at, once the maximum shutter speed has been achieved. Just to give you an idea, I've had really good experience with using Arsenal, which does the Shutter speed - Aperture - ISO change (in this particular order for sunset time) really smooth and day to night transition shows a pleasing result once processed properly in LRTimelapse. That was my whole point. Automated Holy Grail methods offer a viable alternative to a full manual mode. If one knows how to use them correctly, that is. But totally agree with you that manual mode is the most reliable one out there, since you're fully in charge during the whole process. You see, one can achieve similar result with different approach. Choice is as good as never before😉. Hope this clarifies it👍.
Let's say some points in this video are more for Canon users then! It's impossible to do a tutorial with all camera brands and models as they are all different! haha Thanks for the feedback though!
@@EmericTimelapse Well, it's definitely good to see that camera manufacturers are working on improvements regards built in intervalometer functionality. Latest sensors are capable of really very good results in terms of dynamic range (for example Canon R5 surely will become a beast for time-lapse creatives). In my humble opinion, Holy Grail is not as prominent as it used to be back in the day, but to get a truly rewarding, eye pleasing day to night/night to day clip, one still has to put up some efforts to get there. Your time lapse portfolio is of a technically top notch quality, Emeric. Like your cityscape storytelling clips in particular, they're really wonderful👌
In order not to lose control over the shutter speed and interval, I use the aperture priority mode with manual lenses (those with the aperture ring) and gradually change the aperture and ISO. Be careful with lens properties, such as vignetting or diffraction. BTW, great idea to share tips, it's always good to see what you learn from the video or the comments.
Love the video. I shot i AV mode but I found a lot of light/dark flicker when the sun went down. I have read that this is caused by the fact that the actual shutter is not always close/open the same each time but is off a little. I had fun using the Canon P mode once. It actually did a pretty good job. Again, thanks for the video.
Yesterday evening I first time in my life tried Av mode for sunset timelapse with my Sony A7r. ISO range from 100-400, f/22. I shot about 200 shots and now even having already deflickered many times, the clip still have some annoying flickers. It may be because I set the aperture way too small to capture the sunburst.
@@QuanTranVisuals Thanks for the feedback. I have had good luck with AV mode until it gets totally dark. I do start at f22 but I lower the f-stop as it gets darker. I then start adjusting the ISO.
Small extra tip to deflicker in case you can't use LRTimelapse (or for people like me who only have the free version with a limitation of 400 pics): Open your timelapse in your editing software and duplicate it in an extra layer above the main one. Then, move the duplicate video one frame to the right and adjust its opacity to 50%. If needed, you can add more duplicates and change their opacity accordingly (for example, with 2 duplicate you would set the opacity to 100% for the main video, 66% for the first duplicate, and 33% for the second duplicate + move each one frame to the right compared to the one below). That will create a very soft motion blur that may hide the flickering. It doesn't work all the time but it usually works really great on static timelapses that don't have too crazy flicker :)
I would highly recommend Flicker Free by Digital Anarchy. This plugin is amazing and will not create any motion blur! It's not free, but again, it's crazy amazing and remove both brightness and contrast flicker. So worth it!
I’m using mostly my Sony APSC camera’s to make my time-lapses. With playmemories and the new (inbuilt) timelapse App of my a6400 I'm using AV mode or even the P mode and both follow the light on a very steady way. In P mode before I start the timelapse, I can ask for diafragma f8 as starting point. Almost no flicker is produced and don’t need to push too much the deflicker in LRTimelapse. This thanks to the “AE Tracking sensibility” with choices: low, medium and high which I set this to low I can limit the iso (100-800 or more) and activate "shoot interval priority" Tried out P-mode and the camera's did a great job - The program first changed the diafragma and exposure time (in small increments and continuously alternating between the two) - When the exposure was around 1/20-1/5 + f4 the iso-ramping was activated (from 100 to 800) until the limit I decided. Don't know why this was chosen, no settings and not always the same. - The program started to change the exposure time until the interval limit was reached - Continued to open the diafragma afterwords But come to a question for day to night transitions which end by the milky way. Here normally I would like to end with longer exposures to about 15 or longer (with iso 3200 and f2.8 for example). But 15sec or more will maybe to much earlier in the time-lapse. So what would you suggest concerning the interval. The whole timelapse with 15 sec interval or change somewhere from a shorter interval to a longer interval. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, very nice
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Hello Emeric! For transition day to night and night to day, I use qrlsdashboard with LrtProtime 2.5 and setting my camera in M mode. Usually I setting aperture f2.8 costant for D to N and N to D. What do you think?
good info here Emeric. Thanks for sharing! Couple thoughts - I absolutely understand that having control in M mode is the best solution, but what are the main differences that camera does in a different way when in Av mode that you would do differently during the shooting? I remember how you tested one Holy Grail timelapse device (not sure what was the name) and you compared it to another camera where you shot in M mode so all changes have been done by you - do you consider that (besides having full control) those devices or AV mode are doing something drastically different than you would do during light changes? BTW. I can´t wait to see the video about Unleashed smart camera control :)
Most cameras will change the ISO first during a day to night as this mode was designed for handheld shooting. I always change the ISO last during a sunset and first during a sunrise. I can also change the aperture in M mode. I could do it with AV, but that would also change the shutter speed and could create some weird effects! The Timelapse+ View like you mentioned, did exactly the same than what I do with M mode, shutter speed > aperture > ISO, which was great!
