50hz flicker example

I took my 5d to a shopping area today to discover 50hz flicker (in signs, shop windows, reflections) splashing about everywhere.

I've posted an example on Vimeo, shot with a 24mm Nikkor @f2.8. My friend is sitting outside, but there's a chemist with 50hz lighting in the background.

My apologies for the jerky motion - I let Vimeo convert 30p>24... I should have done that myself.

Canon 5DmkII 50hz flicker on Vimeo

[Mathieu Kassovitz]

Try to pay attention to the shutter speed. Test it again. It should work.

[Josh Dahlberg]

Originally Posted by Mathieu Kassovitz

Try to pay attention to the shutter speed. Test it again. It should work.

Hi Mathieu, can you elaborate? Has a solution been found for easily achieving a desirable shutter speed? I must have missed it. Thanks.

[Mathieu Kassovitz]

You just need a multiple of the electrical system's frequency. I mean a shutter speed that can match the 50Hz frequency. 1/100th, 1/50th . . . should work fine in New Zealand.

[Josh Dahlberg]

Originally Posted by Mathieu Kassovitz

You just need a multiple of the electrical system's frequency. I mean a shutter speed that can match the 50Hz frequency. 1/100th, 1/50th . . . should work fine in New Zealand.

Okay, but we can't effectively control shutter speed with the 5D mkII, and therein lies the problem. How does one set a shutter of 1/100th or 1/50th? In video mode, even the shutter speed info provided is often patently false, as others have noted.

[Mathieu Kassovitz]

Originally Posted by Josh Dahlberg

Okay, but we can't effectively control shutter speed with the 5D mkII, and therein lies the problem. How does one set a shutter of 1/100th or 1/50th? In video mode, even the shutter speed info provided is often patently false, as others have noted.

In movie mode? Seems not. Only exposure simulation.

Take a look:

Canon 5D Mark 2 Video Aperture Manipulation Demo on Vimeo

1/100th with f/5.6 but 1/50th with the least aperture. Or . . . manual lenses control.

[Josh Dahlberg]

Originally Posted by Mathieu Kassovitz

In movie mode? Seems not. Only exposure simulation.

Take a look:

Canon 5D Mark 2 Video Aperture Manipulation Demo on Vimeo

1/100th with f/5.6 but 1/50th with the least aperture. Or . . . manual lenses control.

Hi Mathieu... thanks for the link. These tricks to get the camera behaving are all good fun and games - and useful for personal projects - but not very practical when you have a paying client and you have to repeat the steps over and over again every take.

I can't complain too much, because I knew the camera had limitations when I bought it, but I really hope Canon will make a few simple changes in a firmware update so we don't have to fool around.