Generating a blur at DVinfo.net

Bill Sluyter · December 10th, 2007, 04:49 PM

I have a unique opportunity to film a series of LED’s that form images while moving.
Any suggestions on how I could capture this? It would be similar to a blur trail as a vehicle passes.

Thanks to any and all,
Bill

Jonathan Kirsch · December 10th, 2007, 06:27 PM

Hi Bill, welcome to the forum.

Thing is, it might be more of a post-production effect (in editing) rather than something done to the camera. The thing about the tail lights on a car is you get that effect on a still camera when you leave the iris open for a certain amount of time, basically recording action to one individual frame. Can't really do that with video. Someone might prove me wrong here, though. :)

What exactly are you shooting? Something big? Small? That might give us a better idea.

Jonathan

Jay Gladwell · December 11th, 2007, 07:48 AM

Bill, slow down the shutter speed to 1/8 second and that should give you some smear, not as much as in some photographs (some of those shutter speeds are measured in seconds).

As always "experiment."

Bill Sluyter · December 11th, 2007, 08:07 AM

Thanks Jay, I'll start off around the 1/8 speed and go from there.

The technology that I’m filming is completely new and creates a fun challenge to capture it with the XL2. I’ll post a couple of pictures of the finished film strip and how the motion trails come out.

Bill

Jonathan Kirsch · December 12th, 2007, 05:37 PM

Jay's got a good idea. I haven't tried it, but I'm wondering what it does to picture quality, as when I take the shutter slower than the FPS (ex: 1/24 at 60i), then the movement gets extremely "stuttery", blown out, and hard to follow. Then again, you'll probably have the camera on a tripod performing a static shot, right? So it might work. I'd be interested to hear what happens. You learn something new every day.

December 10th, 2007, 04:49 PM	#1
Bill Sluyter Tourist Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Aurora, Co Posts: 2	Generating a blur I have a unique opportunity to film a series of LED’s that form images while moving. Any suggestions on how I could capture this? It would be similar to a blur trail as a vehicle passes. Thanks to any and all, Bill

December 10th, 2007, 06:27 PM	#2
Jonathan Kirsch Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 204	Hi Bill, welcome to the forum. Thing is, it might be more of a post-production effect (in editing) rather than something done to the camera. The thing about the tail lights on a car is you get that effect on a still camera when you leave the iris open for a certain amount of time, basically recording action to one individual frame. Can't really do that with video. Someone might prove me wrong here, though. :) What exactly are you shooting? Something big? Small? That might give us a better idea. Jonathan

December 11th, 2007, 07:48 AM	#3
Jay Gladwell Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,244	Bill, slow down the shutter speed to 1/8 second and that should give you some smear, not as much as in some photographs (some of those shutter speeds are measured in seconds). As always "experiment."

December 11th, 2007, 08:07 AM	#4
Bill Sluyter Tourist Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Aurora, Co Posts: 2	Thanks Jay, I'll start off around the 1/8 speed and go from there. The technology that I’m filming is completely new and creates a fun challenge to capture it with the XL2. I’ll post a couple of pictures of the finished film strip and how the motion trails come out. Bill

December 12th, 2007, 05:37 PM	#5
Jonathan Kirsch Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 204	Jay's got a good idea. I haven't tried it, but I'm wondering what it does to picture quality, as when I take the shutter slower than the FPS (ex: 1/24 at 60i), then the movement gets extremely "stuttery", blown out, and hard to follow. Then again, you'll probably have the camera on a tripod performing a static shot, right? So it might work. I'd be interested to hear what happens. You learn something new every day.