Multi-Cam synching in Davinci Studio 18 (and 18.5) of three Nikon Z9 based on time code not working

[skmadapatu]

You should try asking in the Resolve forum on the Blackmagic site. If anybody knows it'll likely be somebody there.

Didn't you use the GPS to set the times?

Thank you Nick!

I don't this is the issue with Blackmagic. We tried FCP & Premier Pro too. It is an issue with Nikon Z9 not mentioning the CAMERA NAME in the Vidoe file.

I don't think that is the problem. When I tested this, camera name was not set in my video file, and I could sync via timecode just fine.

Thank you, AJ, for your reply.

At least half a dozen Davinci/FCP/Premier Pro professionals spend days and tested it over a week before I posted it in DPReview.

Without a camera name, the synched tracks go crazy (identify hundreds of cameras), or everything synched to one track. Here is the result after changing the camera name in the metadata.

Hmm. Well, I only tried with 2 cameras and no clips had the camera name in the metadata - perhaps it gets more confused when there are more cameras?

Thanks again, AJ.

We tried with clips from three cameras (which have the Time Code) of just one performance as in this video

As you can see, the performance was not on a stage and in a very crowded environment in a not-so-perfect videography situation. Many of these clips are short (some less than 10 seconds) and may not be ideal for synching based on the audio (especially considering repetitive drum(chenda) beats). The Manual synch (since it was not automatically synching) took over 5 hours for a Davinci expert from just three cameras on a relatively simple one. I have ~100 such performances to sync–many of them are even more complicated than that.

--
Camera Specialization: Nikon Z9, Sony A1, D850, D5, D810, D800E, Sony Nex-7, Nikon D4S
Lenses: Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S,
Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S, Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II, 24-70mm f/2.8, 14mm F2.8, 150-600MM, Macro Lenses

 

[skmadapatu]

You should try asking in the Resolve forum on the Blackmagic site. If anybody knows it'll likely be somebody there.

Didn't you use the GPS to set the times?

Thank you Nick!

I don't this is the issue with Blackmagic. We tried FCP & Premier Pro too. It is an issue with Nikon Z9 not mentioning the CAMERA NAME in the Vidoe file.

I don't think that is the problem. When I tested this, camera name was not set in my video file, and I could sync via timecode just fine.

Thank you, AJ, for your reply.

At least half a dozen Davinci/FCP/Premier Pro professionals spend days and tested it over a week before I posted it in DPReview.

Without a camera name, the synched tracks go crazy (identify hundreds of cameras), or everything synched to one track. Here is the result after changing the camera name in the metadata.

In summary can’t one just add a camera name to each clip in the media browser in DVR AND this fixes it? Or is that too simple?

Thank you Andy for your kind wisdom.

YES, that is what I did in DVR as replied earlier.

As I mentioned earlier, here is what I did as a workaround example:

1. I downloaded all April 6th media of CAM1. Selected all clips and added (empty before) the Camera file metadata to 1.
2. Similarly, I downloaded the CAM2 & 3 files and added 2 & 3 respectively to the camera name.
3. Selected all the clips and right-clicked and selected “Created New Multicam Clip Using Selected Clips” – Angle Sync “Time Code”, Angle Name – “Metadata -Camera”, Selected the “Direct Clips from same camera”, Detect Using “Metadata - Camera #”
4. Opened it in the timeline

 

[areallygrumpyoldsod]

You should try asking in the Resolve forum on the Blackmagic site. If anybody knows it'll likely be somebody there.

Didn't you use the GPS to set the times?

Thank you Nick!

I don't this is the issue with Blackmagic. We tried FCP & Premier Pro too. It is an issue with Nikon Z9 not mentioning the CAMERA NAME in the Vidoe file.

I don't think that is the problem. When I tested this, camera name was not set in my video file, and I could sync via timecode just fine.

Thank you, AJ, for your reply.

At least half a dozen Davinci/FCP/Premier Pro professionals spend days and tested it over a week before I posted it in DPReview.

Without a camera name, the synched tracks go crazy (identify hundreds of cameras), or everything synched to one track. Here is the result after changing the camera name in the metadata.

In summary can’t one just add a camera name to each clip in the media browser in DVR AND this fixes it? Or is that too simple?

Thank you Andy for your kind wisdom.

YES, that is what I did in DVR as replied earlier.

As I mentioned earlier, here is what I did as a workaround example:

1. I downloaded all April 6th media of CAM1. Selected all clips and added (empty before) the Camera file metadata to 1.
2. Similarly, I downloaded the CAM2 & 3 files and added 2 & 3 respectively to the camera name.
3. Selected all the clips and right-clicked and selected “Created New Multicam Clip Using Selected Clips” – Angle Sync “Time Code”, Angle Name – “Metadata -Camera”, Selected the “Direct Clips from same camera”, Detect Using “Metadata - Camera #”
4. Opened it in the timeline

No worries

Are you using UltraSync One/Blue or silimilar?

and presumably you have a field recorder and pro audio also time code sync’d

--
areallygrumpyoldsod
Nikon and Hasselblad shooter -- wildlife and and -- https://www.andymillerphoto.co.uk/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajm057/

 

[skmadapatu]

You should try asking in the Resolve forum on the Blackmagic site. If anybody knows it'll likely be somebody there.

Didn't you use the GPS to set the times?

Thank you Nick!

I don't this is the issue with Blackmagic. We tried FCP & Premier Pro too. It is an issue with Nikon Z9 not mentioning the CAMERA NAME in the Vidoe file.

I don't think that is the problem. When I tested this, camera name was not set in my video file, and I could sync via timecode just fine.

Thank you, AJ, for your reply.

At least half a dozen Davinci/FCP/Premier Pro professionals spend days and tested it over a week before I posted it in DPReview.

Without a camera name, the synched tracks go crazy (identify hundreds of cameras), or everything synched to one track. Here is the result after changing the camera name in the metadata.

In summary can’t one just add a camera name to each clip in the media browser in DVR AND this fixes it? Or is that too simple?

Thank you Andy for your kind wisdom.

YES, that is what I did in DVR as replied earlier.

As I mentioned earlier, here is what I did as a workaround example:

1. I downloaded all April 6th media of CAM1. Selected all clips and added (empty before) the Camera file metadata to 1.
2. Similarly, I downloaded the CAM2 & 3 files and added 2 & 3 respectively to the camera name.
3. Selected all the clips and right-clicked and selected “Created New Multicam Clip Using Selected Clips” – Angle Sync “Time Code”, Angle Name – “Metadata -Camera”, Selected the “Direct Clips from same camera”, Detect Using “Metadata - Camera #”
4. Opened it in the timeline

No worries

Are you using UltraSync One/Blue or silimilar?

and presumably you have a field recorder and pro audio also time code sync’d

Thank you Andy for your reply.

To be frank, I am not exactly sure how they synced all the cameras and Sound Devices 633 (I brought Atomos ULTRASYNC BLUE for syncing). Since those external device recordings are primarily at least 30 minutes long, I am not too concerned about it at this point (vs. video clips are very short) – I am sure Davinci professionals can figure it out.

First, I admit my half-baked knowledge and winging as I go – I trusted and depended on the local professionals. Also, everything happened at a couple of weeks' notice, and I had many other things to worry about at that time; managing logistical, religious, cultural, political, and diplomatic (even at Indian Prime Minister level involvement) aspects of one of the largest Festival of Festivals (attended by ~4.5 lakh people) happening after 87 years. I had a delegation of scholars from the USA, and I was visiting India after 5 years.

I had about 20 professional crew members, including an audio recording team from the local Movie/TV industry. Even if they were unfamiliar with Nikon Z9, I trusted them when they told me all the devices were synced.

Sound Devices 633 with microphones used:

1. Rode NT-SF1 Ambisonic Microphone (not sure to what extent they used it)
2. Sennheiser ambisonic 360
3. Sennheiser 418

On camera Mic's:

1. RØDE Stereo VideoMic Pro Rycote
2. Tscam Portacapture X8
3. ZOOM H6
4. RODE VideoMic

Not used because of crowd: Standalone Zoom H3-VR Handy Audio Recorder with Built-In Ambisonics Mic Array

Current Project Details using Resolve 18.5 Collaboration (https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/collaboration) Video Editing

Current PHASE 1 Scope:

• Required outputs:

1. Sync (using the time code and audio – you need to manually sync if anything is messed up based on the rough schedule, too) 4 Nikon Z9 camera videos and create a multi-camera track with 1080P Proxy files (Saji needs to recreate it in his system for future reference – keep Frame extraction from each edited video track for a book in mind)
2. Splice, cut, and clean each Theyyam and thottam/vellattam performance. Each edited video track's output time is approximately <30 minutes (I don't want to lose any quality content).
3. Edit a 1-minute highlight of each performance.
4. Color grading – remote in Saji's system through remote monitoring
5. Frame extraction from each edited video track for a book.

Future PHASE 2:

1. We do have requirements from Doordarshan – will update the requirements later
2. Once I raise the funding, develop the episodes based on each Theyyam based on the specific requirements (for example, NetFlix, Amazon Prime, National Geographic, Apple TV, Universities, Kerala & Indian Tourism departments, etc.)