Persistence of Vision Explained: How Movie Cameras Trick Our Brains

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In summary, a film projector flashes images at about 30 frames per sec. So each frame is on the screen for a period of time which is less then the persistence of the eye. Before 1 frame has faded a new one is present. Thus you get the feeling of smooth motion.change 24 images a second. This only works well under dark light, with your pupils dialated and your retina getting just enough over-saturation that the persistance increases. Under bright light, you can see 60hz flicker on a monitor, but part of this is that the persistance of the monitor is set for faster refresh rates.
  • #1
DeathKnight
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I know it is used to refer to the property of brain/eye that it takes them one-tenth of a second to process a new image after processing one but I just can't figure out how does a movie camera takes advantage of it and fool our brain so that it thinks that its waching a smooth motion though i know that most of them change 24 images a second. I've tried google but coundnt find anything convincing.
Thanks in advance for any help. :smile:
Abdullah
 
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  • #2
A film projector flashes images at about 30 frames per sec. So each frame is on the screen for a period of time which is less then the persistence of the eye. Before 1 frame has faded a new one is present. Thus you get the feeling of smooth motion.
 
  • #3
DeathKnight said:
change 24 images a second.
This only works well under dark light, with your pupils dialated and your retina getting just enough over-saturation that the persistance increases.

Under bright light, you can see 60hz flicker on a monitor, but part of this is that the persitance of the monitor is set for faster refresh rates.
 
  • #4
here is a neat page with a simple explanation and demonstrative animations:
http://www.privatelessons.net/2d/sample/m01_03.html

however, it seems that the persistence of vision 'theory' may not be correct at all according to research done in the 1980s and that it is really a psychological phenomenon. here is a rather interesting (and surprising - to me at any rate) article on that matter:

it has in fact long been determined that the so-called 'persistence of vision' is also probably irrelevant to the effect of (1), a continuous, flickerless image.
PERSISTENCE OF VISION by Stephen Herbert
http://www.grand-illusions.com/percept.htm

it would seem that the commonly propagated explanation of illusion, may itself be an illusion!
 
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  • #5
Given that the brain takes at least 50mS to process data and somtimes never it's hardly surprising that persistence should be more complex than retina saturation , it is often the case that what you remember is totally different from reallity --- so I guess you can say that everbodies movie is probably different antway.
Ray.
 

1. What is persistence of vision?

Persistence of vision is a phenomenon where our brain retains an image for a short period of time after it has disappeared from our visual field. This allows us to perceive motion when a series of still images are presented to us in quick succession.

2. How does persistence of vision explain how movie cameras trick our brains?

Movie cameras work by rapidly displaying a series of still images, each slightly different from the last. Our brain's persistence of vision allows us to perceive these images as continuous motion, creating the illusion of movement on the screen.

3. Why do some people see flickering or blurring in movies?

Some people may experience flickering or blurring in movies due to individual differences in the rate at which their brain processes visual information. This can also be influenced by factors such as the frame rate of the movie and the quality of the projection or screen.

4. Is persistence of vision the only factor in creating the illusion of motion in movies?

No, persistence of vision is only one of the factors at play in creating the illusion of motion in movies. Other techniques such as editing, sound effects, and camera movements also contribute to creating a sense of movement and action on screen.

5. How does persistence of vision impact our perception of reality?

Persistence of vision plays a crucial role in our perception of reality and our ability to understand and navigate the world around us. It allows us to perceive movement and action, and also helps us to fill in gaps in our visual field. Without it, our perception of reality would be much more fragmented and disjointed.

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