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Video flicker/Dumbed down settings

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So I’ve set a goal for myself to get into real estate photography by the end of next year. I’ve mostly focused on, up to this point, flying the drone. Obviously I’ve still much to learn but I’m now starting to focus on camera/video settings which can seem overwhelming at times.

I’ve been going out and making practice videos and I’m wondering what resolution I should be recording at to prevent flicker. I’ve read numerous articles, and searched these forums but when I think I’ve found the answer something else comes along and kind of contradicts it. So I made this video below (with cgo3+) and you can clearly see the flicker in the sign. I’ve noticed the same sometimes when filming different textures (bricks for example, or siding on a house). What causes it and what prevents it? I Believe I was shooting at a high reso (3000’s) @30FPS, and doubled my shutter speed -1/60, but that was only change I made away from auto settings.

So is there a certain resolution that you can pull the camera/drone out of the case and start filming, just using auto settings and basically not touching anything else, and you won’t get flicker effect?

Obviously want to shoot the clearest video possible but at a dumb down level without having to mess with 5 other settings. It’ll obviously take me a long while to learn about camera settings but until then, what’s a no brainer setting appealing to ones eyes?

And at what resolutions are you required to factor in 10 other things so you don’t get flicker effect?

Thanks for any feedback.


 
So I’ve set a goal for myself to get into real estate photography by the end of next year. I’ve mostly focused on, up to this point, flying the drone. Obviously I’ve still much to learn but I’m now starting to focus on camera/video settings which can seem overwhelming at times.

I’ve been going out and making practice videos and I’m wondering what resolution I should be recording at to prevent flicker. I’ve read numerous articles, and searched these forums but when I think I’ve found the answer something else comes along and kind of contradicts it. So I made this video below (with cgo3+) and you can clearly see the flicker in the sign. I’ve noticed the same sometimes when filming different textures (bricks for example, or siding on a house). What causes it and what prevents it? I Believe I was shooting at a high reso (3000’s) @30FPS, and doubled my shutter speed -1/60, but that was only change I made away from auto settings.

So is there a certain resolution that you can pull the camera/drone out of the case and start filming, just using auto settings and basically not touching anything else, and you won’t get flicker effect?

Obviously want to shoot the clearest video possible but at a dumb down level without having to mess with 5 other settings. It’ll obviously take me a long while to learn about camera settings but until then, what’s a no brainer setting appealing to ones eyes?

And at what resolutions are you required to factor in 10 other things so you don’t get flicker effect?

Thanks for any feedback.


Nice job, and professional, nice to see a local as I'm in the riva, fall that is?
 
@Done-guy,

First, if there were easy “dumbed down” settings to get the quality everyone wants, where would the need be to learn everything about the camera?

Second, I have not looked at your video as yet but I have an idea about what you are describing. I have seen “flickering” in video of building and roofing when there is a pattern present. There’s a technical name for it but the term escapes me at the moment.

What I noticed it my own video production was one thing: shooting in 4K instead of 1080p, and viewing via a 4K monitor, reduces or even eliminates this effect.

I will go back and watch your video; will come back and edit this post if I find something different than my assumption.

Edit: “I’m back!”

Admission: I did not catch your initial mention of “the lighted sign flickers” until I re-read your post!

After watching your video, and seeing only the building sign exhibiting “signs” of flicker, a quick search found several fixes, which also have an explanation as to why the flicker in the first place.

Here is one such video. Give it a moment; it really is legit!


The above explains the fix using what appears to be Premiere Pro. Technique should work in other similarly capable editing platforms.


Jeff
 
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@Done-guy,

First, if there were easy “dumbed down” settings to get the quality everyone wants, where would the need be to learn everything about the camera?

Second, I have not looked at your video as yet but I have an idea about what you are describing. I have seen “flickering” in video of building and roofing when there is a pattern present. There’s a technical name for it but the term escapes me at the moment.

What I noticed it my own video production was one thing: shooting in 4K instead of 1080p, and viewing via a 4K monitor, reduces or even eliminates this effect.

I will go back and watch your video; will come back and edit this post if I find something different than my assumption.

Edit: “I’m back!”

Admission: I did not catch your initial mention of “the lighted sign flickers@ until I re-read your post!

After watching your video, and seeing only the building sign exhibiting “signs” of flicker, a quick search found several fixes, which also have an explanation as to why the flicker in the first place.

Here is one such video. Give it a moment; it really is legit!


The above explains the fix using what appears to be Premiere Pro. Technique should work in other similarly capable editing platforms.


Jeff

That is an excellent video. I’ve been delving into different video editors, which a handful of them are themselves pretty overwhelming. I’ve been using davinci a little and there’s gotta be 200 settings of which maybe 10 of them make sense to me at the moment.

Me Using a 4K monitor wouldn’t solve the problem for someone else viewing one of my videos (realtor for example) and seeing the flicker. Why I’m somewhat confused stems from the fact I’ve tried some of the things others (from the sources I’m getting online) have suggested, and yet it’s still happening. I thought it was simply a symptom of shutter speed but I still get it even changing shutter speeds.
 
Nice job, and professional, nice to see a local as I'm in the riva, fall that is[emoji16]

Very cool bro, I used to work in Fall River, I was FR Postmaster from 2016-to beginning of 2018.. That’s certainly a unique place, in regards to the many issues I’ve encountered while working there. More so than many of the other offices I’ve worked in and I’ve worked in a lot.
 
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@Done-guy, a couple of points... always shoot at the highest resolution settings possible... if the client does not have 4K capability, (or has requested 1080), downsample the 4K to 1080 and then edit the 1080 version. Keep the original 4K archived, for a future time when the client comes to you and asks if you have any high resolution video... you can be the hero and say, "Why yes... yes I do!"

DaVinci... nice that it's free, but needs significant computer specs to run and as you have seen, there is a significant learning curve there... fortunately there are ample training videos on YouTube covering DaVinci. IMHO, for Real Estate work it's a bit of overkill.
 
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@Done-guy, a couple of points... always shoot at the highest resolution settings possible... if the client does not have 4K capability, (or has requested 1080), downsample the 4K to 1080 and then edit the 1080 version. Keep the original 4K archived, for a future time when the client comes to you and asks if you have any high resolution video... you can be the hero and say, "Why yes... yes I do!"

DaVinci... nice that it's free, but needs significant computer specs to run and as you have seen, there is a significant learning curve there... fortunately there are ample training videos on YouTube covering DaVinci. IMHO, for Real Estate work it's a bit of overkill.
Not to over take this, but I see divinci, like photoshop, in the learning curve aspect, you get out of it, what you put into it ?
 
@Done-guy, a couple of points... always shoot at the highest resolution settings possible... if the client does not have 4K capability, (or has requested 1080), downsample the 4K to 1080 and then edit the 1080 version. Keep the original 4K archived, for a future time when the client comes to you and asks if you have any high resolution video... you can be the hero and say, "Why yes... yes I do!"

DaVinci... nice that it's free, but needs significant computer specs to run and as you have seen, there is a significant learning curve there... fortunately there are ample training videos on YouTube covering DaVinci. IMHO, for Real Estate work it's a bit of overkill.

Good advice, and yes...I open up davinci and there’s 1000 settings to which I understand about 5 of them. I am looking for the setting referenced in the video above, if it’s really that easy then that would solve a lot of problems.
 
Good advice, and yes...I open up davinci and there’s 1000 settings to which I understand about 5 of them. I am looking for the setting referenced in the video above, if it’s really that easy then that would solve a lot of problems.
I forget the name of the other free video editing program (it was shared informed of here before) but in 10-15mins. you can get your editing done ?
 
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So I’ve set a goal for myself to get into real estate photography by the end of next year. I’ve mostly focused on, up to this point, flying the drone. Obviously I’ve still much to learn but I’m now starting to focus on camera/video settings which can seem overwhelming at times.

I’ve been going out and making practice videos and I’m wondering what resolution I should be recording at to prevent flicker. I’ve read numerous articles, and searched these forums but when I think I’ve found the answer something else comes along and kind of contradicts it. So I made this video below (with cgo3+) and you can clearly see the flicker in the sign. I’ve noticed the same sometimes when filming different textures (bricks for example, or siding on a house). What causes it and what prevents it? I Believe I was shooting at a high reso (3000’s) @30FPS, and doubled my shutter speed -1/60, but that was only change I made away from auto settings.

So is there a certain resolution that you can pull the camera/drone out of the case and start filming, just using auto settings and basically not touching anything else, and you won’t get flicker effect?

Obviously want to shoot the clearest video possible but at a dumb down level without having to mess with 5 other settings. It’ll obviously take me a long while to learn about camera settings but until then, what’s a no brainer setting appealing to ones eyes?

And at what resolutions are you required to factor in 10 other things so you don’t get flicker effect?

Thanks for any feedback.


@Done-guy Nice work! See if your edit software has frame blending. I have shot aerials with a Sony rig with full 1 inch sensor from helicopters in the past and at 30fps always got ringing or shimmer. Frame blending seems to work to reduce it. I'm not sure what drone you are flying but if it can shoot in 60fps it will minimize this at double the frame rate. I haven't had much of a problem with my H480 with an upgraded Peau 3.97 lens at 4K30fps or with the EVO, which I always shoot at 4K60fps. The above video on staggering the composite clips by one frame was something new to me and I've been doing non linear editing with Premiere for over 20 years. I may try it if the problem occurs in the future. Good luck and keep up the good work.
 
@Done-guy Nice work! See if your edit software has frame blending. I have shot aerials with a Sony rig with full 1 inch sensor from helicopters in the past and at 30fps always got ringing or shimmer. Frame blending seems to work to reduce it. I'm not sure what drone you are flying but if it can shoot in 60fps it will minimize this at double the frame rate. I haven't had much of a problem with my H480 with an upgraded Peau 3.97 lens at 4K30fps or with the EVO, which I always shoot at 4K60fps. The above video on staggering the composite clips by one frame was something new to me and I've been doing non linear editing with Premiere for over 20 years. I may try it if the problem occurs in the future. Good luck and keep up the good work.

Thanks for the tips. The video above was shot on a CGO3+ but now that I’m starting to film on the c23 it’s apparent I’m going to need a new computer to even play it (I made another post about being able to watch 4K on my computer with the CGO3 but not with my c23). A lot to learn and didn’t think it’d be this involved, I’m basically coming into this with zero knowledge of anything photo/video related. Never even considered getting into photography for the first 40 years of my life, but I like to challenge myself.
 
The pattern flicker mentioned by @NorWiscPilot is called Moiré Pattern. Stills can be edited by most good photo editing programs to remove the pattern. With video it is more difficult to correct in post. Changing from a rotating pan to a dolly cam pass can reduce the effect. Slowing the pan and dolly speeds will reduce this effect from the rolling shutter and you can shoot slower and speed it up in post.

For lighted signs the shutter speed needs to be about half of the frequency of the power feeding the sign. In the US that is 60Hz so you want a shutter speed of 1/30th of a second or less. You can see this effect doing a video of your computer screen. Use a shutter speed of half or less of the refresh rate the screen uses.
 
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The pattern flicker mentioned by @NorWiscPilot is called Moiré Pattern. Stills can be edited by most good photo editing programs to remove the pattern. With video it is more difficult to correct in post. Changing from a rotating pan to a dolly cam pass can reduce the effect. Slowing the pan and dolly speeds will reduce this effect from the rolling shutter and you can shoot slower and speed it up in post.

For lighted signs the shutter speed needs to be about half of the frequency of the power feeding the sign. In the US that is 60Hz so you want a shutter speed of 1/30th of a second or less. You can see this effect doing a video of your computer screen. Use a shutter speed of half or less of the refresh rate the screen uses.

So one Point I’ve taken away from your post is I’m limited in which resolution to shoot In around neon signs.? I’m now setting shutter speeds to the sign and not my FPS (which shutter should be double. Correct?
 
So I’ve set a goal for myself to get into real estate photography by the end of next year. I’ve mostly focused on, up to this point, flying the drone. Obviously I’ve still much to learn but I’m now starting to focus on camera/video settings which can seem overwhelming at times.

I’ve been going out and making practice videos and I’m wondering what resolution I should be recording at to prevent flicker. I’ve read numerous articles, and searched these forums but when I think I’ve found the answer something else comes along and kind of contradicts it. So I made this video below (with cgo3+) and you can clearly see the flicker in the sign. I’ve noticed the same sometimes when filming different textures (bricks for example, or siding on a house). What causes it and what prevents it? I Believe I was shooting at a high reso (3000’s) @30FPS, and doubled my shutter speed -1/60, but that was only change I made away from auto settings.

So is there a certain resolution that you can pull the camera/drone out of the case and start filming, just using auto settings and basically not touching anything else, and you won’t get flicker effect?

Obviously want to shoot the clearest video possible but at a dumb down level without having to mess with 5 other settings. It’ll obviously take me a long while to learn about camera settings but until then, what’s a no brainer setting appealing to ones eyes?

And at what resolutions are you required to factor in 10 other things so you don’t get flicker effect?

Thanks for any feedback.



DISCLAIIMER: I have no intention whatsoever to be harsh or aggressive towards people who are trying to learn. I do NOT mean to be professorial or arrogant, just to put things how they are and in the simplest possible way. I wish I had this kind of advice in the beginning of my career rather than being eaten alive by harsh and mean critics made by more experienced professionals (I don't know how things are in the US, but down here backstabbing and being an a***hole is quite common among professionals).

I have around 15 years of experience with professional photography and video and I've been seeing some comments about photo and video problems that are mostly based on personal taste or biased opinions rather than technical knowledge (not in this thread specifically). So, please allow me to give my two cents.

First of all, let me put this straight: if you want professional results, you MUST do stuff professionally, from the beginning to the end of the process. That means, first of all, learning the basic technical foundations of digital image capture. That can sound boring, disappointing or uninviting (be sure, there is a LOT to learn), but take your time. You said in the post that you want to be a working professional by the end of the next year. That's plenty of time to study and practice and there is a lot of online resources (some of them absolutely free), meaning you don't need to break the bank in order to become a professional. Also, you can practice most (if not all) of the basic principles at home with your camera (maybe even with your phone), without the need to go out and fly a drone. I will be more than pleased to point you at the right direction if you wish or need to.

Remember that "no brainers", despite their usefullness in some situations, always come with caveats, and "dumbing down" stuff will often give you (guess what?) dumbed down results. Once you learn the basics, and with enough practice, it will become second nature in no time. Believe me, is not rocket science. I am not a brilliant person, by all means, and I could make it. You can perfectly do so. ;)

After all this boring introduction, allow me to address your problem. Firstly, most (but not all) flickering in video has nothing to do with resolution as some folks are pointing out. But let's talk resolution (and what seems to be flickering) a bit further on. In this particular case, the flickering on the sign reveals what seems to be an incompatibility between the shutter speed and the mains frequency. According to you, the shutter speed was 1/60 and the frame rate was 30 FPS, which is a bit puzzling for two reasons:

1) Even with ISO 100, this is quite a slow shutter and frame rate combination to use in a bright sunny day with a f/2.8 lens;
2) As far as I know, US electrical grid runs at 60 Hz, so the lights should not flicker at all, since it matches your shutter speed.

That being said, I would recommend that you double check the settings used, because the result in the video strongly suggests that either they where incorrectly set or that specific sign was being fed by a different frequency (other than 60 Hz) power supply. It is a very good practice to always check what kind of artificial lighting will be involved in your shots, so you can avoid flickering. Not all light bulbs flicker, but some do like fluorescent, compact fluorescent and, in certain cases, LEDs. So be aware of that when setting your shutter speed and frame rate.

Going a bit deeper in the problem now, let's dismantle, once and for all, the myth of doubled shutter speed. This is being taught (or, better said, carved in stone) as the one and only way to film. This arises from the lack of basic technical (and even historical) understanding of the hows and whys in cinematography. Since this is not the time and place to extensively and exhaustively discuss the matter, I will try to break down in the most simple way why it is used and why is it not mandatory (don't worry for I will provide some links for those who want to learn more): first and foremost, this relationship between shutter speed and frame rate is, indeed, the standard in film industry, where it is know as "180º rule" or "180º shutter rule". It was created to simulate, on screen, the way the human eye perceives movement in real life. But, besides being the standard, in some cases, this rule can be broken to make the image purposefully jarred in order to achieve specific objectives.

Now let's talk about resolution, its relationship with what might seem to be flickering and its usefulness.
Some repeating patterns may cause an interference in the image called moiré or moiré pattern. It is a complex effect that can depend upon the distance from the subject, how fine the pattern is, resolution, and even sensor construction. Basically, it happens when the aforementioned repeating patterns interfere with the sensor's pixel distribution pattern, resulting in a third pattern. It can be seen in TV, for example, when people use clothing with specific patterns like houndstooth, pied-de-poule or repeating lines. Under some circumstances, moiré can appear as a moving pattern, giving the impression that there's a flickering on the subject. It must be noted that, contrary to the popular belief, higher resolutions are not always the best way to mitigate moiré - it can make the problem even worse, depending on the case. Also, in some cases, moiré can't be avoided at all.

Still on resolution - and to end this already long reply - let me finish saying that more resolution is not always the best way to do good quality videos. It seems that every time a new resolution landmark becomes barely affordable to the general public, it becomes, automatically, the standard. It happened with FHD and it is happening now with 4K, although there are quite higher resolutions becoming comercially accessible. This comes with quite a large set of caveats, but I'd like to address the ones that, IMHO, are the most important:

- Equipment limitations: most low range and mid range cameras, like the ones used in 99% of the drones we fly, have limited frame rates when shooting in their higher resolutions. Most of them can't go beyond 30 FPS at 4K which, in some cases, is not enough. For example: if you need to create smooth slow motion shots, with low motion blur, you should start at 60 FPS at least, depending upon the situation.

- Processing power and storage: higher resolutions demand higher performance computers and more storage space. This talks not only to your pocket but also to your worflow and how fast your work can be delivered, since 4K videos takes considerably longer times to be imported, edited, rendered, and uploaded even with modern computers and connections.

- Final usage: most people still, as of today, do not have 4K capable devices at their homes or offices. So, the usefulness of shooting absolutely everything at this resolution is highly debatable, since it can be detrimental to the final work if you don't know what are you doing or have mutually excludent issues to deal with (like frame rate).

- Post processing issues: like said before, higher resolution footages are quite demanding in terms of computational performance. But there is a very important detail that most people fail to observe: monitor resolution. Unless you have a 4K monitor and use it to watch your footage full screen while you work on it, recording in 4K is controversial, since you will not be able to extract the most of your video.

I apologize for the very long reply, but I think it can help to shed a light on technical aspects and issues that some drone pilots, specially those who want to do it professionally, seem to be unaware of. Please feel free to get in touch if I can help with further information. Below there's a small list of helpful related articles:

Excellent article about the 180º rule. Personally I think this is one of easiest articles about it: Shutter Speed, Frame Rate and the 180° Rule
Cinematographic shutter formula - Wikipedia: Shutter speed - Wikipedia
Rotary disc shutter - Wikipedia (good to understand motion blur): Rotary disc shutter - Wikipedia
Frame rate - Wikipedia: Frame rate - Wikipedia
Cinematography - Wikipedia: Cinematography - Wikipedia
Moiré pattern explained in a simple way: What is Moiré and How it Can Ruin Your Photos
Moiré pattern - Wikipedia (a bit more complex and technical, but not overwhelming): Moiré pattern - Wikipedia
YouTube's recommended encoding settings: Recommended upload encoding settings - YouTube Help
Understanding video bitrate: Understanding bitrates in video files - Encoding.com Help
Guide on video bitrate: Full Guide: What is Video Bitrate and Why Does it Matter? - ANIMOTICA Blog
 
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Since I was one of the individuals bringing up resolution, I suggest you re-read my post... I did not make any suggestion regarding selected resolution being a solution for the OP's moiré issue. The point I was making that even if a client does not need a high resolution version currently, that does not preclude that client having resolution become a priority in the future. If a pilot is being proactive in anticipating a client's future needs, this is not exactly a negative.

Whatever resolution that is the current "High Resolution" for the few, soon becomes the new standard... noting certain exceptions (like the need for slow motion), when possible... why not avoid future re-shoots by shooting at that higher standard now? You can always downsample to the client's current needs.
 
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DISCLAIIMER: I have no intention whatsoever to be harsh or aggressive towards people who are trying to learn. I do NOT mean to be professorial or arrogant, just to put things how they are and in the simplest possible way. I wish I had this kind of advice in the beginning of my career rather than being eaten alive by harsh and mean critics made by more experienced professionals (I don't know how things are in the US, but down here backstabbing and being an a***hole is quite common among professionals).

I have around 15 years of experience with professional photography and video and I've been seeing some comments about photo and video problems that are mostly based on personal taste or biased opinions rather than technical knowledge (not in this thread specifically). So, please allow me to give my two cents.

First of all, let me put this straight: if you want professional results, you MUST do stuff professionally, from the beginning to the end of the process. That means, first of all, learning the basic technical foundations of digital image capture. That can sound boring, disappointing or uninviting (be sure, there is a LOT to learn), but take your time. You said in the post that you want to be a working professional by the end of the next year. That's plenty of time to study and practice and there is a lot of online resources (some of them absolutely free), meaning you don't need to break the bank in order to become a professional. Also, you can practice most (if not all) of the basic principles at home with your camera (maybe even with your phone), without the need to go out and fly a drone. I will be more than pleased to point you at the right direction if you wish or need to.

Remember that "no brainers", despite their usefullness in some situations, always come with caveats, and "dumbing down" stuff will often give you (guess what?) dumbed down results. Once you learn the basics, and with enough practice, it will become second nature in no time. Believe me, is not rocket science. I am not a brilliant person, by all means, and I could make it. You can perfectly do so. ;)

After all this boring introduction, allow me to address your problem. Firstly, most (but not all) flickering in video has nothing to do with resolution as some folks are pointing out. But let's talk resolution (and what seems to be flickering) a bit further on. In this particular case, the flickering on the sign reveals what seems to be an incompatibility between the shutter speed and the mains frequency. According to you, the shutter speed was 1/60 and the frame rate was 30 FPS, which is a bit puzzling for two reasons:

1) Even with ISO 100, this is quite a slow shutter and frame rate combination to use in a bright sunny day with a f/2.8 lens;
2) As far as I know, US electrical grid runs at 60 Hz, so the lights should not flicker at all, since it matches your shutter speed.

That being said, I would recommend that you double check the settings used, because the result in the video strongly suggests that either they where incorrectly set or that specific sign was being fed by a different frequency (other than 60 Hz) power supply. It is a very good practice to always check what kind of artificial lighting will be involved in your shots, so you can avoid flickering. Not all light bulbs flicker, but some do like fluorescent, compact fluorescent and, in certain cases, LEDs. So be aware of that when setting your shutter speed and frame rate.

Going a bit deeper in the problem now, let's dismantle, once and for all, the myth of doubled shutter speed. This is being taught (or, better said, carved in stone) as the one and only way to film. This arises from the lack of basic technical (and even historical) understanding of the hows and whys in cinematography. Since this is not the time and place to extensively and exhaustively discuss the matter, I will try to break down in the most simple way why it is used and why is it not mandatory (don't worry for I will provide some links for those who want to learn more): first and foremost, this relationship between shutter speed and frame rate is, indeed, the standard in film industry, where it is know as "180º rule" or "180º shutter rule". It was created to simulate, on screen, the way the human eye perceives movement in real life. But, besides being the standard, in some cases, this rule can be broken to make the image purposefully jarred in order to achieve specific objectives.

Now let's talk about resolution, its relationship with what might seem to be flickering and its usefulness.
Some repeating patterns may cause an interference in the image called moiré or moiré pattern. It is a complex effect that can depend upon the distance from the subject, how fine the pattern is, resolution, and even sensor construction. Basically, it happens when the aforementioned repeating patterns interfere with the sensor's pixel distribution pattern, resulting in a third pattern. It can be seen in TV, for example, when people use clothing with specific patterns like houndstooth, pied-de-poule or repeating lines. Under some circumstances, moiré can appear as a moving pattern, giving the impression that there's a flickering on the subject. It must be noted that, contrary to the popular belief, higher resolutions are not always the best way to mitigate moiré - it can make the problem even worse, depending on the case. Also, in some cases, moiré can't be avoided at all.

Still on resolution - and to end this already long reply - let me finish saying that more resolution is not always the best way to do good quality videos. It seems that every time a new resolution landmark becomes barely affordable to the general public, it becomes, automatically, the standard. It happened with FHD and it is happening now with 4K, although there are quite higher resolutions becoming comercially accessible. This comes with quite a large set of caveats, but I'd like to address the ones that, IMHO, are the most important:

- Equipment limitations: most low range and mid range cameras, like the ones used in 99% of the drones we fly, have limited frame rates when shooting in their higher resolutions. Most of them can't go beyond 30 FPS at 4K which, in some cases, is not enough. For example: if you need to create smooth slow motion shots, with low motion blur, you should start at 60 FPS at least, depending upon the situation.

- Processing power and storage: higher resolutions demand higher performance computers and more storage space. This talks not only to your pocket but also to your worflow and how fast your work can be delivered, since 4K videos takes considerably longer times to be imported, edited, rendered, and uploaded even with modern computers and connections.

- Final usage: most people still, as of today, do not have 4K capable devices at their homes or offices. So, the usefulness of shooting absolutely everything at this resolution is highly debatable, since it can be detrimental to the final work if you don't know what are you doing or have mutually excludent issues to deal with (like frame rate).

- Post processing issues: like said before, higher resolution footages are quite demanding in terms of computational performance. But there is a very important detail that most people fail to observe: monitor resolution. Unless you have a 4K monitor and use it to watch your footage full screen while you work on it, recording in 4K is controversial, since you will not be able to extract the most of your video.

I apologize for the very long reply, but I think it can help to shed a light on technical aspects and issues that some drone pilots, specially those who want to do it professionally, seem to be unaware of. Please feel free to get in touch if I can help with further information. Below there's a small list of helpful related articles:

Excellent article about the 180º rule. Personally I think this is one of easiest articles about it: Shutter Speed, Frame Rate and the 180° Rule
Cinematographic shutter formula - Wikipedia: Shutter speed - Wikipedia
Rotary disc shutter - Wikipedia (good to understand motion blur): Rotary disc shutter - Wikipedia
Frame rate - Wikipedia: Frame rate - Wikipedia
Cinematography - Wikipedia: Cinematography - Wikipedia
Moiré pattern explained in a simple way: What is Moiré and How it Can Ruin Your Photos
Moiré pattern - Wikipedia (a bit more complex and technical, but not overwhelming): Moiré pattern - Wikipedia
YouTube's recommended encoding settings: Recommended upload encoding settings - YouTube Help
Understanding video bitrate: Understanding bitrates in video files - Encoding.com Help
Guide on video bitrate: Full Guide: What is Video Bitrate and Why Does it Matter? - ANIMOTICA Blog

Wow, excellent information for sure. I Appreciate the time you put into it, eye opening really. But you also just made that mountain I have to climb even higher now. Lol.
 
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Wow, excellent information for sure. I Appreciate the time you put into it, eye opening really. But you also just made that mountain I have to climb even higher now. Lol.
Believe me, there will be plenty of mountains for you to climb on your path. But you'll make it! ?
If you need, there's a helping hand here.
 
Since I was one of the individuals bringing up resolution, I suggest you re-read my post... I did not make any suggestion regarding selected resolution being a solution for the OP's moiré issue. The point I was making that even if a client does not need a high resolution version currently, that does not preclude that client having resolution become a priority in the future. If a pilot is being proactive in anticipating a client's future needs, this is not exactly a negative.

Whatever resolution that is the current "High Resolution" for the few, soon becomes the new standard... noting certain exceptions (like the need for slow motion), when possible... why not avoid future re-shoots by shooting at that higher standard now? You can always downsample to the client's current needs.

I was not replying to anyone specifically, just bringing up stuff that I've been seeing during the last 10+ years in this business. I am sorry if I sounded adversarial. It was not my intention.
About anticipating client's future needs, it is a long discussion that goes way off the main scope here. So, if it works for you this way, then you are right to do so.
Cheers.
 
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