S100 video flickering issue

[GRbenji]

When I mean in sync, I meant exact frame rate...pardon my bad phrasing

Multiples don't really apply as there's some band tolerance and multiplying this will usually result in greater delta between the two. For example, for 60Hz, if you run at 20 FPS, there's a high chance you will never be in-sync.

It's up to the folks here to decide what works for them. For me, I had my successes. If you don't, I don't expect you to agree with me.

Some basic info about refresh rate....Refresh rate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Now we are on the same page, ie fps in sync with electrical power.

Your wiki link is irrelevant. CRT refresh rate (not related to electrical frequency) is not the same as fluorescent light flickering (related to electrical frequency).

 

[tyzts]

If enough of you brought up this issue to Canon... the faster the firmware will come.

Do update us on this issue. Thxs

Yes, I would urge anyone who encounters this issue to take it up with Canon.

 

[ageha]

Thanks all for the helpful replies, especially to Shuttercount and Fantasy747 for confirming that I'm not the only one here experiencing this problem.

Given the banding appearance of the flicker which occurs only under artificial lighting, The problem probably has something to do with frame rates versus electricity frequency rate. It's however difficult to pinpoint the source as the flickering occurs at all the frame rates that the camera is capable of, ie, both 24 and 30 fps. The flickering is also not always there. It can come on and off under the same lighting source. Also on my camera it seems to appear less often at the 24mm and 28mm settings on the lens (!?)

Anyway, it may be worth my while to just send it in to Canon to have it checked out.
Will still keep it as I really like its still image quality.

It doesn't offer 25Hz and 50Hz?

 

[tyzts]

It doesn't offer 25Hz and 50Hz?

According to the specifications stated in the user manual the available resolutions and frame rates are as follows

1920x1080 - 24fps (actual frame rate 23.976)
1280x720 - 30fps (actual frame rate 29.97)
640x480 - 30fps (actual frame rate 29.97)

No 25 or 50 fps.

Note that the banding/flickering can show up at all the above resolutions.

 

[Shuttercounts]

The problem is when you see the other models of Canon, there is no such problem.

 

[Agrivar]

According to the specifications stated in the user manual the available resolutions and frame rates are as follows

1920x1080 - 24fps (actual frame rate 23.976)
1280x720 - 30fps (actual frame rate 29.97)
640x480 - 30fps (actual frame rate 29.97)

No 25 or 50 fps.

Note that the banding/flickering can show up at all the above resolutions.

Maybe it's not a PAL country optimized frame rate? In Singapore, we should be using 25fps which is the PAL spec. That ties into the 50MHz cycle of our electrical system, @ 29.97 you are shooting NTSC.

Solution, see if you can shoot at 25fps. If not, maybe the s100 is not sg spec but stock from a NTSC country?

 

[GRbenji]

According to the specifications stated in the user manual the available resolutions and frame rates are as follows

1920x1080 - 24fps (actual frame rate 23.976)
1280x720 - 30fps (actual frame rate 29.97)
640x480 - 30fps (actual frame rate 29.97)

No 25 or 50 fps.

Note that the banding/flickering can show up at all the above resolutions.

Have you tried changing it to PAL? Think default is NTSC.

There is a Video System under Settings I believe.

I don't have a S100 to try. On Canon DSLR, set to PAL system willgive FPS of 25 or 50. NTSC will gives 30/60 fps.

 

[tyzts]

Have you tried changing it to PAL? Think default is NTSC.

There is a Video System under Settings I believe.

I don't have a S100 to try. On Canon DSLR, set to PAL system willgive FPS of 25 or 50. NTSC will gives 30/60 fps.

No, the default is PAL. Anyway, the flickering appears whether it is set to NTSC or PAL I'm afraid.

 

[CanonEOS]

I suppose the problem is due to a combination of two issue. One is the different in frequency and the other is the rolling shutter of CMOS. Here is a explanation from a website: DVXuser.com :: The online Community for digital filmmaking

"Another dangerous situation for rolling shutters is slow-refresh fluorescent lighting. Modern fluorescent lighting uses high-frequency ballasts and produces a largely continuous stream of light, but older fluorescents used quite slow ballasts and as such, the intensity of the light could vary significantly over the course of 1/60th of a second. This varying intensity can play havoc with a rolling shutter camcorder. Be very cautious about shooting under fluorescent lighting with a rolling-shutter camcorder, and try to use only high-frequency-ballast fixtures with a rolling-shutter camcorder"

CMOS Sensor usually have rolling shutter (signal readout is line by line) while CCD Sensor have global shutter (whole sensor is read out at the same time). The flickering of video in artifical light is generally more prominent in CMOS sensor camera/camcorder as at different point of time, due to the variation of intensity, the readout is slightly different thus the flickering.

 

[paul dva]

Hi. The problem quite a few s100 users are having with the video-flickering is NOT related to the phasing of the shutter with the 50/60/hz frequency. The effect is much, much more severe. However, I have discovered a work-around that at least works for my s100. I have to set both WHITE BALANCE and EXPOSURE to manual settings. The down-and-dirty proof/test I have posted here:

(sorry, I am not allowed to post links yet, just search for "canon powershot s100 flicker test and solution" on youtube)

But honestly I am rather disappointed with more than a few quirks with my s100, and I am even unsure if this is simply a faulty unit. Sending it back to Canon right now seems like a bad option, since there are no replacement stocks here in Germany, meaning I'll be without the camera for an extended time.