Flourescent NTSC flicker removal

erikd wrote on 4/28/2010, 4:39 AM
I shot a bit of NTSC video with flourescent light flicker on a 50hz AC system. Normally I would dial this stuff out using the extended clear scan setting on the camera but in this case there wasn't any time for adjustments. Any way to deal with this in Vegas?

I looked into the deflicker filter on Virtual Dub and even tried it but I don't think it was designed for fluorescent flicker. I think it was designed for film flicker.
Anyway, when I applied the filter I couldn't see any change.

Thanks

Erik

Comments

JJKizak wrote on 4/28/2010, 4:59 AM
I used something in Vegas years ago to eliminate VHS light intensity changes but can't remember what it was. Sorry.
JJK
farss wrote on 4/28/2010, 5:43 AM
I've had the reverse problem from sodium vapour lights and it really is a devil to get rid of. The Deflicker filters will not work, I suspect because the flicker is too slow. Motion Blur can help but you need a lot of it and unless the shot is locked off and you can mask any moving subject then other obvious issues arrive. Of course masking off the moving talent means they might still have the flicker problem. I was lucky as they weren't very close the camera and they had some flicker free light on them.

Bob.
musicvid10 wrote on 4/28/2010, 7:54 AM
Try Bob's suggestion of adding a little motion blur first. It might do better than one would think.
erikd wrote on 4/28/2010, 8:52 AM
The motion blur is a creative solution. I will try it because there isn't a whole lot of movement in the shots and I think I can use a mask in those areas.

Erik
robwood wrote on 4/28/2010, 10:16 AM
not sure it'll help but u could try Mike Crashes auto-levels plugin for Vegas...it might stabilize the luma flicker... (32-bit not 64):

http://www.mikecrash.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=13
jeremyk wrote on 4/29/2010, 10:40 AM
Donald Graft's deflicker 1.1 for VirtualDub works great for 50hz flicker on NTSC. There are some other VD deflicker filters that aren't helpful.