I wasn't going to update BCC7 to BCC8 because it is almost $300 and there was really only one new feature I wanted: the new "flicker fixer".
The problem is that BCC7 doesn't work at all with V12 though and I use the various plugins from this suite all the time. Anyway, I bit the bullet and paid my $295 to update to BCC8.
As I thought, I really can't see much difference between the two versions other than this one new plugin. I'm sure there are improvements. I just can't really figure out what they are. The flicker fixer is the one exception though.
As many of you who work with DSLRs (especially Nikon DSLRs) may have noticed, auto aperture works in large noticeable jumps instead of changing smoothly like it does on a proper camcorder. No problem most of the time. I just lock it down before I start shooting. Sometimes however, due to shifting light in a moving shot changing cloud cover or whatever, this simply isn't possible and you need to use auto-aperture. Then other times, I just forget to set it.
The good news is that the BCC8 flicker fixer plugin can fix this. Just inserting it and using the default settings seems to be all that you need to do. The only thing that I've found to be important is that when you first enable it, you need to be on a frame that is typical of the light level you want to lock in. Anyway, what it does in this instance is take these sudden jumps in illumination and smooth them over so that the change is gradual. It works wonderfully well. Kind of CPU intensive, so I will still use my exposure lock button, but extremely good any time that I need it.
Why don't I set the exposure manually you might ask? There are no zebras, live histograms or anything like that on my DSLR. All I have to go by is that little three inch image on the tiny little screen being shaded by a Hoodman that I peer at through my progressive bifocals. How anyone can set exposure on a liveview DSLR screen is beyond me.
Anyway, I thought that the Flicker Fixer plugin might be of interest to other DSLR users.
The problem is that BCC7 doesn't work at all with V12 though and I use the various plugins from this suite all the time. Anyway, I bit the bullet and paid my $295 to update to BCC8.
As I thought, I really can't see much difference between the two versions other than this one new plugin. I'm sure there are improvements. I just can't really figure out what they are. The flicker fixer is the one exception though.
As many of you who work with DSLRs (especially Nikon DSLRs) may have noticed, auto aperture works in large noticeable jumps instead of changing smoothly like it does on a proper camcorder. No problem most of the time. I just lock it down before I start shooting. Sometimes however, due to shifting light in a moving shot changing cloud cover or whatever, this simply isn't possible and you need to use auto-aperture. Then other times, I just forget to set it.
The good news is that the BCC8 flicker fixer plugin can fix this. Just inserting it and using the default settings seems to be all that you need to do. The only thing that I've found to be important is that when you first enable it, you need to be on a frame that is typical of the light level you want to lock in. Anyway, what it does in this instance is take these sudden jumps in illumination and smooth them over so that the change is gradual. It works wonderfully well. Kind of CPU intensive, so I will still use my exposure lock button, but extremely good any time that I need it.
Why don't I set the exposure manually you might ask? There are no zebras, live histograms or anything like that on my DSLR. All I have to go by is that little three inch image on the tiny little screen being shaded by a Hoodman that I peer at through my progressive bifocals. How anyone can set exposure on a liveview DSLR screen is beyond me.
Anyway, I thought that the Flicker Fixer plugin might be of interest to other DSLR users.