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iPhone 12 camera flicker on video recording

Hi!

I recently bought the new iPhone 12 Pro Max.

I have noticed that when I shoot video's in the dark (with the lights on in the house), there is some kind of flickering visible in the video.

Apparently it is possible that due to very fast flickering of lights, slowmo video's make this kind of flickering visible when you can not see it with the naked eye.

I however have this problem with normal video's as well. I have compared it with the video's on my iPhone X and it is definitely worse in my iPhone 12 video's.

I noticed that this happens while recording video on HD (or 4K) at 60 FPS, if you switch to 30 FPS this doesn't happen.

Anyone else that has this problem?

Thanks!

iPhone 12 Pro Max, iOS 14

Posted on Nov 15, 2020 12:13 AM

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Joserratlv Author

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84 points

Posted on Dec 7, 2020 3:10 AM

As for the issue of light flickering, studying a little this whole issue I have been able to verify one thing.

This only happens to people who live in countries with PAL format (like Spain), where artificial light works with FPS multiples of 25. In many other places like the US it does not happen because they work with FPS multiples of 30.

I have downloaded the RCam app, which allows you to vary the FPS and I have been able to verify that in video recording with 30FPS and 60FPS this flickering of the light occurs when recording video, which does not happen if I set the recording to 25FPS or 50FPS.

I know Apple is going to introduce 25FPS recording and would ask if they can introduce 50FPS in the future for better and smoother recordings.

Setting the camera's FPS to 25FPS or 50FPS eliminates this problem. so... PROBLEM SOLVED!

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190 replies

Joserratlv Author

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84 points

Nov 30, 2020 6:05 AM in response to ManeeshSapru

Hi!

With video recording at 60FPS the flickering of artificial light occurs almost always, however with 30FPS it occurs rarely.

It is not yet known 100% if it will be corrected by a software update but I can tell you that in the next release version they will introduce 1080P and 4K recording at 25FPS (PAL format).

I haven't been able to check if this fixes the flickering issues but I hope it does.

Aruravi

Level 1

4 points

Dec 11, 2020 11:39 PM in response to Crossfireflame

Solution ⭐️⭐️

How many of you know that you can lock the exposer, for moving videos find a good exposure and lock it. Then this issue exposer shifting won’t happen. To lock the exposer you need to touch and hold on your screen then AE/AF LOCK comes. 👍 let me know if this works. Good day for shooting.

Flack01

Level 1

4 points

Jan 3, 2021 6:44 AM in response to Joserratlv

Hi! I have an iPhone 12 Pro (not max) and have the exact same issue.

I've also been dealing with apple support and was escalated to a guy in the engineer team - of whom has raised a ticket with senior apple support and should hear a response over the next 7 days. I also uploaded 3 'proof' videos showing the issue is present on 4k 60FPS but not when recording in HD 30FPS. Given today is 3rd Jan 2021, unfortunately It doesn't seem the IOS 14.3 update has resolved the issue.

Have you heard back yet?

If not, I will update when i hear back from the engineer guy with hopefully an official apple response or resolution.

Thanks

Joserratlv Author

Level 1

84 points

Jan 8, 2021 2:38 AM in response to Tomcat__88

I can see another difference on both videos.

The first one flickers but video seem to be more smooth.

The second one does not flicker but video seem to be below 60FPS because is not so smooth as first one.

On your wife's iPhone (and yours one), please go to Settings -> Record Video, and check if automatic FPS is enabled or not on both phones.

And also there, do you have HDR Video on or off?

I think it must be something different there because of the smoothness os the first video

Thanks!

Joserratlv Author

Level 1

84 points

Jan 8, 2021 5:13 AM in response to Tomcat__88

Hi! :)

I'm happy to have solved the problem :)

But keep in mind that there is still a problem with the cameras, since what this adjustment does is reduce the FPS of the recording so that the flickering of the light is not noticeable.

This can be seen by the difference in the fluidity of both videos that you uploaded.

If you still have the appointment with the Apple Genious, you can tell them that with this setting the flickering is solved but at the same time, the videos are less smooth and go a bit jerky.

Just to see if they recommend you other settings to have more fluid videos without flicker or if they tell you if it's a software problem.

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,827 points

Mar 14, 2021 3:07 AM in response to AndyAnt

If you refuse to believe actual technical information, that can't be helped.

LED or fluorescent lighting running off 50 Hz AC will flicker when filmed at 30 or 60 FPS, that's just the way it works because of the timing involved.

Again, this page from RED Digital Cinema explains it nicely:

https://www.red.com/red-101/flicker-free-video-tutorial

Dec 8, 2020 4:30 AM in response to Joserratlv

I also have this problem on iPhone 12 Pro.

Video is unusable. It does not matter whether it's 4k, HD, 60 fps, 30 fps, 24 fps, HDR on or off, automatic FPS on or off. It also does not help to lock the exposure by pressing and holding some part of the screen.

https://youtu.be/lJJKyh28jso

In some scenes it is less noticeable, but it's always there. Initially i thought that this is some "smart" HDR feature doing its thing, but now I'm confident that this is some fundamental problem with the camera firmware / calibration etc.

I hope they fix it in coming iOS versions. As of now, the video camera is, IMHO, completely worthless to anyone with a working pair of eyes.

Joserratlv Author

Level 1

84 points

Dec 10, 2020 11:52 PM in response to Jarno Kyttälä

It happens to me also in the outdoor environment, when I focus on the sky, the flickering occurs and I would say that it is a hardware failure in the stabilization of the sensor, since this problem with the lights and shadows occurs only when moving the mobile a little bit, that is, making the sensor stabilizer work.

Joserratlv Author

Level 1

84 points

Dec 18, 2020 3:16 AM in response to Joserratlv

I have noticed that this light flickering issue has been improved a bit in iOS 14.3 over iOS 14.2.1 as it seems that the focus makes it more accurate, but still in outdoor environments it is still very noticeable and indoors it is not completely solved.

It would help if we all asked Apple to include the PAL format at 50fps here https://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

Jan 4, 2021 8:43 AM in response to Joserratlv

It‘s a thing called 'dynamic tone mapping' intended to decrease contrast between dark and bright areas of the video. Even apps where you can lock exposure and ISO can‘t bypass that. It was introduced with the iPhone XS some years ago. So I think it’s safe to say that Apple won‘t repair anything related to this issue in the near future. „Works as designed“ - they even admitted it.

The new iPhone 12 is great for taking photos but professional videos not so much.

Jan 4, 2021 8:57 AM in response to redrabbit

i’ve checked few other iphonea including iphone11 and dis not see this issue.

some apps with manual shutter speed helps with the problem.

apple should definetely do something about it as the the users are actually paying the highest rates of phone market and they can only film unusable videos.

Mar 17, 2021 5:16 PM in response to Joserratlv

Yes bro! same problem here in iphone 12 pro. It flickers also in outdoor (daylight, snow and cloudy, sunny). I return it to the store to fix the camera flickering issue but they replace it with a new one. I try the camera of the new one but still the same, it flickers again.

As a content creator I am sad and disappointed on IP12 pro camera issue, if one of my viewers watch my videos flickering, and one of them has an Illness called Epilepsy it's dangerous for them.

I think all of the Iphone 12 - Pro Max has common issue. I watch different kind of reviews in youtube, try to search it, so many issue on camera flickering. I also notice the flickering on their videos in outdoor. Hopefully apple fix this camera hardware issue, because we spent a lot of money on the phone, because I know apple knows the issue before they sell it.

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,827 points

Mar 29, 2021 12:06 AM in response to giedrius274

Both "flash" videos contain lighting flickering at an AC rate that conflicts with the video frame rate.

The lens flare videos are exactly what would be expected from any camera - high end Samsungs like the Galaxy S21 Ultra do the exact same thing.

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,827 points

Dec 8, 2020 6:53 AM in response to Jarno Kyttälä

I haven't seen it with video posted that is exclusively shot outdoors.

This still looks like an issue with interior lighting that is flickering at 50 Hz.

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,827 points

Mar 15, 2021 10:05 AM in response to ilias165

If you are somewhere that has 50 Hz AC power you are running into the same issue as described above, as 240 does not divide evenly into 50.

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iPhone 12 camera flicker on video recording