Sync two cameras

[Walter Soyka]

[Daniel Sepulveda] “I am having a lot of trouble trying to get the same colors and exposure on both cameras. I balance whites with the same target, and set the cameras both with the same settings, but the image is still very different. Is there any way (maybe with a cable) that I can sync the cameras to obtain near the same image?”

It takes a lot of engineering to get studio cameras to match perfectly — and these are not studio cameras.

Since the two cameras likely have different perspectives on the subject, the same camera settings may not give you comparable images. I imagine that your white balance is consistent, but the exposure varies. Waveform monitors will help you expose properly and consistently.

[Daniel Sepulveda] “And maybe it possible start recording at the same time so editing is easier?”

If you’re doing post-production on this show anyway, you might be able to get the cameras close in the field, and then do some final color correction to get a perfect match.

If your cameras have a TC IN connector, you can use a timecode generator to sync them. If not, you can sync them manually with a slate, hand clap, or flash. You could also use PluralEyes [link], which is software that syncs audio and video files together based on their audio tracks.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
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