Pictures under HID?
- Thread starter NorCalRx
- Start date
SuperToker
Member
Supertoker's Guide to Taking Photos of Pot
1. Turn off your HID light
2. Take picture utilizing flash
1. Turn off your HID light
2. Take picture utilizing flash
slappyjack
Member
I've always wondered about the pics with lines. Is that an artifact of a digital ballast?
I get a sine-wave pulsation in the viewfinder with my magnetic ballast (which makes it impossible for the camera to meter the light correctly), but no lines on the final image.
I get a sine-wave pulsation in the viewfinder with my magnetic ballast (which makes it impossible for the camera to meter the light correctly), but no lines on the final image.
I'm trying to do time-lapse photography, which would require resolving the HID pulse (only thing that I know will work is using digital ballasts which have a high enough frequency to eliminate the line effect) but it looks tough to just swap my ballast (plugs look different). The only other option I could think of is using green light during dark periods (anyone have experience with this?).
oldgrayhair
Member
Can you place the ballasts remotely out of your grow area? I use magnetics, but they are in the attic and no prob.
Peace - OGH
Peace - OGH
Good call clowntown. 
This same phenomenom happens when you try and still photograph a CRT monitor because the picture is interlaced, not progressive and the camera shutter can be so fast it may catch the picture between it's refreshing of the interlaced picture.
The same thing can happen when video caming a computer monitor or TV.
But I never knew it occured for magnetic ballasts and not digital ballats.
I think fluorescent lights work in the same manner as pulsating.
This same phenomenom happens when you try and still photograph a CRT monitor because the picture is interlaced, not progressive and the camera shutter can be so fast it may catch the picture between it's refreshing of the interlaced picture.
The same thing can happen when video caming a computer monitor or TV.
But I never knew it occured for magnetic ballasts and not digital ballats.
I think fluorescent lights work in the same manner as pulsating.
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The reason it doesn't happen with digital ballasts because it flickers at a much faster rate (this is partly why digital ballasts can claim higher light output because there's a shorter period of the dark-flicker), faster than most cameras can catch.
Yes, fluorescents work in the same manner but I believe it an even slower pulse, which is why fluorescent lighting makes certain types of people queasy / nauseous. You've heard of people that aren't compatible with fluorescent lighting, haven't you?
Yes, fluorescents work in the same manner but I believe it an even slower pulse, which is why fluorescent lighting makes certain types of people queasy / nauseous. You've heard of people that aren't compatible with fluorescent lighting, haven't you?
The purple Lumatek's should now ship with a free Sun System adapter. (Yes, the default plug is different!) But if it's not specified whether or not the adapter is included, make sure to ask! I know that some places such as MDHydro will attempt to charge you extra ($2) for something that Lumatek ships in the box already! 
I just bought a 25w green party bulb and mounted it above my reflector so that it indirectly illuminates. I have it on a timer to run for 2 hours before and after the lights are on so that I can extend the hours I can film. I figure any effect on the girls would be negligible from the posts I've read and Jorge's grow DVD it doesnt affect them. I figure at the worst it would be like dawn/dusk light or moonlight. Once I get a good ballast I will produce some cool time-lapse stuff and upload it.
when i grab pic its allways 15 min's before lights on in the flower erea
get em like that everytime
get em like that everytime
slappyjack
Member
clowntown said:
Well, my older magnetic ballast and Canon Powershot S5 don't produce lines at all so I don't agree with this theory. I really think it's a function of the particular camera and a particular ballast's frequency not syncing.
The frequency pulsation I see in the viewfinder is very long.. About 3 seconds per pulse. But the resulting snapshot never has lines, it's just either too dark or too bright depending on when the camera measures the light.
I've long since stopped taking pics while the CMH is on.
pineappaloupe
Active member
norcal Rx, what type of camera are you using? I get lines like that if i try to use my camera phone, but never with my digiSLR. your sensor is probably the issue, no the ballasts.
Well I just bought an expensive PTZ cam and mounted it in the cab... the pulses arent that bad... just not good for the high framerate time-lapse video I want to do. Can't replace the camera but a digital ballast sounds good since I will probably get a new bulb next round too. I've had this effect on different cameras (mostly happens during video stream) so I know its the ballast. I've always had a weird feeling my lights were flickering at a high frequency and I'm glad to know I'm not crazy for thinking that!
Edit: In case anyone didnt know, I'm talking about video streams, not still images.
Edit: In case anyone didnt know, I'm talking about video streams, not still images.
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ConceptOfSleep
Active member
I have foud that if your camera has a "Forced Flash" setting, then it seems to fix the "lines" that show up...
Of course the best bet is still to turn the HPS off when you take pics...or snap a few right when it goes off.
EDIT: Just realized you are talking about video images not cameras... Disregard the post...
Time lapse of a grow would be one of the coolest things to see... Hope you can post some of it here
Of course the best bet is still to turn the HPS off when you take pics...or snap a few right when it goes off.
EDIT: Just realized you are talking about video images not cameras... Disregard the post...
Time lapse of a grow would be one of the coolest things to see... Hope you can post some of it here
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