Making Timelapse with Canon R7 and DaVinci

Method 1: InBuilt Function

Easiest way to make a Timelapse with the R7 is to  use the inbuild function.

First turn the power switch to Video. (past on)

The turn the wheel to Manual.

Then menu  > camera > 5 > Time-lapse Move > Enable

Canon R7 Timelapse 1

Canon R7 Timelapse 2

Note: CLog will need to be turned off to do this.

For moonrises...

  1. use interval 4 seconds (shutterspeed of 2 sec)
  2. increase number of shots to maximum limit
  3. change the Movie to 4K (highest)
  4. Interval - use 2 seconds for moonrises.

It creates the 4K timelapse video and removes flickering atuomatically.

Select Autoexposer to each frame if the exposure needs changing over time (like with a sunrise or sunset). Otherwise the video will get very dark as the sun goes down.

Canon R7 Timelapse 6

See here for details: https://cam.start.canon/en/C005/manual/html/UG-04_Shooting-2_0110.html

 

Method 2: With multiple shots - then using DaVinci Resolve

If possibile shoot with RAW files.

Set the Camera to Manual mode.

Manual Focus and Exposure

Manually keep the ISO to optimum for the camera. Might be 400 ISO. (Maybe 100 ISO)

Set Daylight White Balance 

Set interval to be from 2 sec to 6 seconds

If taking shots of a city from day to night - keep an eye on the histogram and slowly drop the EV from 0 to -1. This will stop the city lights and highlights from blowing for night shots. (Press INFO button to check).

As the night gets darker - reduce the shutter speed to let more light in. (Don't change teh apature otherwise the depth of focus will change).

When done, you may need to convert your RAW files to DNG files with the free adobe DNG Converter. 

Then fireup Davinci to De-Flicker and Colour Grade.

Drag and drop the whole folder of images into the media panel. Davinci should recognise it as an image sequence.

Media Tab: Right click... Create a new timeline with the sequence.

Colour Tab: Camera Raw Icon - Decode Using: Clip 

Edit Tab: Click on sequence in the time line - then click Image icon and adjust. (Colour boost, Shadows, etc)

You might want to copy the timelapse to additional layers (using the opacity slider to fade) to change white balance, exposure, or highlights throughout the clip.

(Whitebalance is something to adjust during a sunset timelapse to go from red to blue image).

To remove flicker...

Colour Tab: Add node, add effect "Color Stabilizer". 

Region of Analysis: could move the square to sky part that flickers.

Better - select "Entire Frame" - then go to first fram - "Live Region Analysis".

  • Mode: Balance, Brigthness
  • Uncheck Stabilize White Balance.
  • Check Stablise Brightness.
  • Stabilize "Levels and Contrast"

If flickering is still visible, add another node, add effect "Deflicker"

  • Deflicker settings: timelapse

 

Good tutorial to watch here...