Pocket 4K Time Lapse

[tupp]

I am shooting for the first time with the Pocket 4K.  I need to shoot a time lapse sequence as background plate, from daytime through sunset to night time.  I have to separately shoot a subject for the foreground on a green stage.  I would like to use the Pocket 4K for the time lapse, instead of renting a separate still camera.

 

Has anyone used the time lapse function on the Pocket 4K?  Can you ramp exposure (change shutter angle/speed, aperture and ISO) during the time lapse?  If so, what are the shutter angle/speed increments (1/3rd of a stop?)?

 

If the exposure can't be adjusted on camera during a time lapse, can it be done with a wifi/bluetooth app?   If so, what are the best Pocket 4K apps?

 

Any help would be much appreciated!

[BTM_Pix]

You can make aperture/ISO/WB/shutter angle changes during the time-lapse either directly on the camera or via an app.

Shutter angles are 11.2 , 15 , 22.5 , 30 , 37.5 , 45 , 60 , 72 , 75 , 90 , 108 , 120 , 144 , 150 , 172.8 , 180 , 216 , 270 , 324 , 360

With regard to apps, I think there is someone on here who makes one that seems to work but if you don't want the extra stuff that that one does like recallable focus and exposure memories, custom white balance stores etc then there are a bunch of others that will do the job for what you're doing.

 

 

[kye]

It's also worth mentioning that there's a plugin in Resolve that can smooth exposure changes between frames in time lapses.  It might be the deflicker one, but I can't remember.

I've used it and it worked well, so you don't need to get everything completely perfect in-camera.

[tupp]

5 hours ago, BTM_Pix said:

You can make aperture/ISO/WB/shutter angle changes during the time-lapse either directly on the camera or via an app.

Shutter angles are 11.2 , 15 , 22.5 , 30 , 37.5 , 45 , 60 , 72 , 75 , 90 , 108 , 120 , 144 , 150 , 172.8 , 180 , 216 , 270 , 324 , 360

That's great to know!  Thank you!

 

I wonder how the shutter angle is handled -- relative to the playback frame rate?  That could be a problem a one sometimes needs to make multi-second exposures when shooting time lapse.

 

 

5 hours ago, BTM_Pix said:

With regard to apps, I think there is someone on here who makes one that seems to work but if you don't want the extra stuff that that one does like recallable focus and exposure memories, custom white balance stores etc then there are a bunch of others that will do the job for what you're doing.

Ha, ha!  Whoever it is, that person must be very smart and resourceful!

 

I am interested in all of those features.  Where can I learn more about the app?

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

1 hour ago, kye said:

It's also worth mentioning that there's a plugin in Resolve that can smooth exposure changes between frames in time lapses.  It might be the deflicker one, but I can't remember.

I've used it and it worked well, so you don't need to get everything completely perfect in-camera.

Thank you!

 

It is good to know that it can be done in Resolve without having to obtain a special program.

[kye]

1 hour ago, tupp said:

It is good to know that it can be done in Resolve without having to obtain a special program.

Obviously you have to get the exposure in the ballpark - what get clipped stays clipped, but you don't have to worry about tiny amounts of flickering.  You'll still need to have some kind of auto-exposure to compensate for the light changing.

Day-to-night time lapses are really difficult to do well!

[tupp]

14 minutes ago, kye said:

Obviously you have to get the exposure in the ballpark - what get clipped stays clipped, but you don't have to worry about tiny amounts of flickering.  You'll still need to have some kind of auto-exposure to compensate for the light changing.

There is a special time lapse  program that still photographers use in conjunction with Lightroom.  I know more folks that have Resolve than that special time lapse program, so I will look into using Resolve.  Thanks.

 

I have been watching day-to-night time lapse tutorial videos.  Sometimes they ramp the exposure manually, sometimes they use aperture preferred mode (especially on the A7RIII) and occasionally change and aperture, and sometimes they use a special controller.  There are comparisons of all three and I'm not seeing better results from the auto modes nor from the special controller.

 

So, I am probably going to ramp exposure manually.  The only problem with using the Pocket 4K is:  how do you get a 5-second exposure out of a camera with shutter speeds delineated in shutter "degrees?"

[tupp]

7 hours ago, BTM_Pix said:

With regard to apps, I think there is someone on here who makes one that seems to work but if you don't want the extra stuff that that one does like recallable focus and exposure memories, custom white balance stores etc then there are a bunch of others that will do the job for what you're doing.

Is this the app?

 

It looks good, however, I see a possible deal-breaker -- what is the reason for forcing users to have "locations" enabled?

[BTM_Pix]

2 hours ago, tupp said:

Is this the app?

 

It looks good, however, I see a possible deal-breaker -- what is the reason for forcing users to have "locations" enabled?

That is a requirement in Android purely for the initial bonding of a new Bluetooth Low Energy device.

Once the camera has been bonded for the first time then it can be switched off and used without.

Some more information about it in these two threads and you can download the user guide from our site at www.cdatek.com to see the if the features are what you need before you waste your money on it.

As I say though, for what you are doing with it then if you don't need any of its extra stuff then there are plenty of other apps available that will do the job for you.

 

3 hours ago, tupp said:

So, I am probably going to ramp exposure manually.  The only problem with using the Pocket 4K is:  how do you get a 5-second exposure out of a camera with shutter speeds delineated in shutter "degrees?"

You can't.

Although you can change the display to be 1/nth shutter speeds instead of angles, it is still relative to the frame rate so as the minimum off speed the camera can be set to is 5fps this results in a minimum shutter speed of 1/5th of a second.

 

[tupp]

On 11/9/2019 at 12:24 AM, BTM_Pix said:

That is a requirement in Android purely for the initial bonding of a new Bluetooth Low Energy device.

I see.  Well, Google really likes to know what everyone is doing and where they are doing it.

 

 

On 11/9/2019 at 12:24 AM, BTM_Pix said:

Once the camera has been bonded for the first time then it can be switched off and used without.

So, if the camera has been bonded and then I turn it off and shoot again five days later, it is not necessary to enable "Locations?"

 

 

On 11/9/2019 at 12:24 AM, BTM_Pix said:

Although you can change the display to be 1/nth shutter speeds instead of angles, it is still relative to the frame rate so as the minimum off speed the camera can be set to is 5fps this results in a minimum shutter speed of 1/5th of a second.

Okay.  That limitation prevents use of the Pocket 4K for many night time lapses.  We'll probably rent a GH5 for the time lapse shots.

 

Thanks!

[BTM_Pix]

22 minutes ago, tupp said:

So, if the camera has been bonded and then I turn it off and shoot again five days later, it is not necessary to enable "Locations?"

Correct, once it has been done for the first time there is absolutely no need to ever switch it on again.

[tupp]

23 hours ago, BTM_Pix said:

Correct, once it has been done for the first time there is absolutely no need to ever switch it on again.

Okay.  Great!  Thanks.

 

Does the Pocket 4K have an IR pollution issue like earlier Blackmagic cameras?

[BTM_Pix]

20 hours ago, tupp said:

Does the Pocket 4K have an IR pollution issue like earlier Blackmagic cameras?

The general consensus is that its there but reduced.

There are a couple of tests on YouTube such as this one.