Camera Synchronization

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‌Camera Synchronization ‌

The timing relationship between the different cameras must be established. Ideally, all the cameras would all be gen-locked together, snapping each image at exactly the same time. Instead, there are a variety of possibilities which can be arranged and communicated to SynthEyes during the setup process.

Motion capture has a special solver mode on the Solver Panel : individual mocap . In this mode, the second dropdown list changes from a directional hint to control camera synchronization.

If the cameras are all video cameras, they can be gen-locked together to all take pictures identically. This situation is called “Sync Locked.”

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If you have a collection of video cameras, they will all take pictures at exactly the same (crystal-controlled) rate. However, one camera may always be taking pictures a bit before the other, and a third camera may always be taking pictures at yet a different time than the other two. The option is “Crystal Sync.”

If you have a film camera, it might run a little more or a little less that 24 fps, not particularly synchronized to anything. This will be referred to as “Loose Sync.”

In a capture setup with multiple cameras, one can always be considered to be Sync Locked, and serve as a reference. If it is a video camera, other video cameras are in Crystal Sync, and any film camera would be Loose Sync.

If you have a film camera that will be used in the final shot, it should be considered to be the sync reference, with Sync Locked, and any other cameras are in Loose Sync.

The beginning and end of each camera’s view of the calibration sequence and the performance sequence must be identified to the nearest frame. This can be achieved with a clapper board or electronic slate. The low-budget approach is to use a flashlight or laser pointer flash to mark the beginning and end of the shot.

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