Flicker in a time-lapse is caused by small brightness changes between frames, and the fix is to make every frame as consistent as possible. Use fully manual exposure, a fixed white balance, manual focus and a lens aperture that does not change between shots.
Why Flicker Happens
A time-lapse is a series of still photos played quickly. If frame 12 is slightly brighter than frame 11, you see a pulse when the sequence plays. The usual causes are automatic exposure, a lens aperture that closes slightly differently each time, and artificial lights that vary in brightness.
Camera Settings That Help
- Set the camera to manual mode. Choose shutter speed, aperture and ISO yourself, and avoid any automatic ISO.
- Set white balance to a fixed value, not automatic.
- Switch to manual focus after focusing once, then do not touch the ring.
- Shoot raw, so you can correct small differences in editing.
- Turn off in-camera features that change the image, such as automatic lighting optimizers and noise reduction on each frame.
- Turn off image stabilization on a tripod, because it can cause tiny shifts.
Control Aperture Flicker
Many lenses use an electronic aperture that closes to the chosen value just before each exposure. The blade position can vary slightly, producing brightness changes, especially at wide apertures. A common trick is to set the aperture, press the depth of field check button, and while holding it, twist the lens slightly off its mount, which locks the blades at that value. Check your lens and camera instructions before trying this, and note that it disables autofocus and electronic aperture control. Another option is to use a mid-range aperture such as f/5.6 to f/8, where variation tends to be smaller.
Handle Changing Light
Sunrise and sunset change the light dramatically. If you keep exposure fixed, the sequence may become too dark or too bright. Two approaches are common.
- Exposure ramping: change the shutter speed in small steps over time. Some cameras and external timers do this for you.
- Shoot at a fixed exposure that holds both ends, then adjust in editing software with keyframes.
Ramp in small, even steps rather than large jumps, which can themselves look like flicker.
Reduce Flicker in Editing
Even careful shooting leaves some variation. Deflicker tools in editing and time-lapse software analyze the average brightness of each frame and smooth the differences. Apply the same raw edit to every frame first, then run deflicker as a final step. Rendering at a slightly lower frame rate can also make small changes less noticeable.
Watch for Artificial Light
Fluorescent and LED lights may pulse at a rate related to the electricity supply. Using a slower shutter speed, such as 1/50 or 1/60 and longer, often averages out the pulse. If you shoot a city at night, test a short sequence before committing to a long one.
FAQ
Can I use aperture priority for a time-lapse?
You can, but it often causes flicker because the camera adjusts exposure for each frame. Manual mode gives more consistent results, except when you are deliberately ramping through a big light change.
What interval should I use?
It depends on the subject. Clouds often work with an interval of a few seconds, while a fast street scene may need one second or less. Treat these as rough first values and adjust.
The Short Version
Lock exposure, white balance and focus, manage the lens aperture, and ramp light changes smoothly. Finish with a deflicker pass in editing to polish the sequence.
