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LRTimelapse (LRT) Workflow: Deflickering & Smooth Transitions

LRTimelapse (LRT) is the ultimate tool for time-lapse post-processing, especially for "Holy Grail" (Day-to-Night) sequences where lighting changes drastically. It is currently the best solution for deflickering and creating smooth transitions. This guide summarizes the core workflows from the top 3 most-viewed tutorials on Bilibili, helping you master it quickly.

Core Workflow Summary (Based on Top Tutorials)

The core logic of LRT is not "editing photos directly" but managing metadata. It works in tandem with Adobe Lightroom (LR) by modifying the parameter files (XMP) of your photos to calculate smooth transition values for the frames in between.

Stage 1: LRT Initialization & Keyframes

  1. Import Footage: Open LRT, navigate to the folder containing your RAW sequence in the left directory tree. LRT will automatically load and read the metadata.
  2. Keyframes Wizard:
    • Click the blue button "Keyframes Wizard".
    • Adjust the sliders based on how much the light changes. If the lighting changes drastically (e.g., sunset), increase the number of keyframes; if stable, just one at the start and one at the end is sufficient.
    • Click "Save" to save the metadata.

Stage 2: Lightroom Grading (LR Intervention)

  1. Import to LR: Open Lightroom Classic and drag the folder you just worked on into the Library (ensure "Read Metadata" is active).
  2. Filter Keyframes: In the bottom right filter of LR, select "LRT Keyframes" (usually marked with 4 stars). This will hide all photos except the keyframes you marked in LRT.
  3. Color Grading:
    • Edit the first keyframe.
    • Edit the last keyframe.
    • If there are intermediate keyframes, adjust them according to the lighting at that specific moment.
  4. Sync Metadata: Select all keyframes and Save Metadata to Files (Ctrl + S or Cmd + S).

Stage 3: Smooth Transition & Deflicker in LRT

  1. Reload Data: Go back to LRT and click "Reload" to read the new parameters you just saved in LR.
  2. Auto Transition: Click "Auto Transition". LRT will mathematically calculate the exposure, white balance, and other parameters for every single frame between your keyframes, creating smooth curves.
  3. Visual Previews: This is the most critical step. Click "Visual Previews". LRT will call the DNG Converter to generate a video preview of the edited sequence.
  4. Visual Deflicker:
    • Observe the pink curve (Luminance curve). If it looks jagged or spikey, it means there is flickering.
    • Drag the "Smoothing" slider and click "Apply".
    • Repeat this step until the pink curve becomes smooth.

Stage 4: Export

  1. Once finished in LRT, do not export the video from within LRT (optional).
  2. Return to Lightroom, select all photos, and choose Read Metadata from Files.
  3. You will now see that every single photo in the sequence has been adjusted with the smooth parameters calculated by LRT.
  4. Use the LRT Export plugin or simply export as a JPG sequence.

💡 Personal Practical Tips (Exclusive Experience)

Please pay attention to the following three tips to avoid 90% of the common pitfalls beginners face:

1. Must Work with Adobe DNG Converter

LRT is not a completely standalone software. When generating "Visual Previews," it relies on the Adobe DNG Converter.

  • Note: You must download and install the latest version of Adobe DNG Converter (Free) from the Adobe website; otherwise, LRT cannot generate previews, and you cannot perform visual deflickering.

2. Understand the Essence of LRT: A Transition Tool

Do not treat LRT as a video editor.

  • Core Principle: LRT is like adding "markers" (keyframes) to a photo sequence. You grade these markers in LR, and LRT handles the math to calculate the values for the hundreds of photos in between.
  • It solves a mathematical problem (smoothing parameters), not an artistic one.

3. Final Composition Must Use AE/PR

LRT usually outputs a JPG/TIFF sequence (or an intermediate video file). To get the final polished video, you must combine it with video editing software.

  • Recommended Flow: LRT Process -> Export JPG Sequence -> Import to Adobe After Effects (AE) or Premiere Pro (PR) -> Interpret Footage as "Image Sequence" -> Add Motion Blur, Music, Speed Ramping -> Final Render.

⚠️ Extra Important Warning: PR & RAW Sequences

This is a mistake many people make: Premiere Pro (PR) cannot directly import RAW photo sequences for editing.

  • AE vs. PR: After Effects (AE) has the built-in Camera Raw plugin and can read RAW sequences directly; PR cannot.
  • Solution: Before editing in PR, you must export your processed photos from Lightroom as a JPG or TIFF sequence, and then drag those into PR for editing.