External Camera Settings — Complete Field Guide¶
The External Camera Setup dialog in Flair contains many settings that are non-obvious. This guide explains every field, when to change it, and why — drawn from Peter Hacker's definitive forum explanation.
Opening External Camera Setup¶
- Flair 7: Setup Menu → External Camera Setup
- Flair Classic: Setup Menu → External Camera Setup
Every Field Explained¶
External Camera¶
Selects which camera profile Flair uses.
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Any | Generic mode — most cameras, including Phantom. |
| Film | Analogue film cameras with specific pulse timing. |
| ARRI / ARRI LT | Optimised for ARRI cameras with specific sync waveforms. |
| Sony / Ikegami | Broadcast cameras. |
"External Camera = Any is the correct setting for Phantom." — Peter Hacker
Ramp Frames¶
The number of frames the camera takes to reach full speed from rest (for film cameras with a motor).
- For digital cameras: leave at the manufacturer default (usually 0 or a small number).
- For film cameras: match the actual motor ramp-up frame count to prevent wasted frames.
Synch Input¶
How Flair receives the sync signal from the camera.
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Film & Video | Standard — works for most film and digital cameras. |
| Crystal | Flair ignores sync input and runs at its own crystal-controlled rate. Use when camera has no sync output or sync is unreliable. |
| External | Sync driven by an external timecode generator rather than the camera. |
Synch Source¶
Which physical port the sync signal arrives on.
Depends on your RT or MRMC hardware — refer to the specific sync cable diagram for your setup. Typically set to RS232 or Video/Genlock depending on the MRMC controller.
Synch Node¶
Which node (physical box) the sync input is connected to. In a multi-node system, sync may arrive at a different node than the camera control outputs.
One Shot Synch¶
When enabled, Flair locks to one single sync pulse at the start of the move, then runs the rest of the move at its own internal rate.
Why this matters: Digital cameras derive their frame clock by dividing a faster internal oscillator. This introduces slight jitter — frame timing varies by microseconds. If Flair locks to every pulse, the jitter causes slightly uneven axis motion (visible as subtle roughness).
With One Shot Synch on: - Flair locks to one pulse to align frame numbering. - Then runs at its own internal crystal rate — smooth execution.
Enable One Shot Synch for all digital cameras (Phantom, ARRI Alexa, RED, Sony, BMPCC).
Ext. Control (Start/Stop Mode)¶
How Flair triggers the camera to start and stop recording.
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Run/Stop | Flair sends a continuous signal while the move runs; camera records while signal is active. |
| One Pulse | Flair sends a single pulse at the start of the move to trigger recording. Use for Phantom and cameras with a trigger/loop mode. |
| NONE | Flair does not send any trigger to the camera. Use when the camera is started manually or via a separate trigger system. |
"Set Ext. Control to NONE if you want sync but do not want Flair to start/stop the camera (e.g. operator starts the camera manually)." — Peter Hacker
Pulse Length¶
The duration of the trigger pulse (in ticks — typically 50 ticks per second).
- For Phantom: 12 ticks (= 0.24 seconds) is the standard recommendation.
- For other cameras: default is usually fine.
Setting External Control to NONE¶
A common source of confusion: operators set Ext. Control to NONE because they do not want Flair to trigger the camera — but then find the sync signal is also unreliable.
NONE only disables the trigger output. Sync input still works when Ext. Control = NONE. You can sync a camera while starting it manually — they are independent.
Common Configurations¶
| Camera | External Camera | Synch Input | Ext. Control | One Shot Synch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phantom Flex | Any | Film & Video | One Pulse | On |
| ARRI Alexa Mini | ARRI | Film & Video | Run/Stop | On |
| RED DSMC2 (with expander) | Any | Film & Video | Run/Stop | On |
| RED DSMC2 (no expander) | Any | Film & Video | NONE | On |
| Blackmagic URSA | Any | Crystal | Run/Stop | Off |
| BMPCC 6K | Any | Crystal | Run/Stop | Off |
Source¶
- PeterH, "External Camera Setups in Flair" — talk.mrmoco.com/t/504 (2021)