Judder Effect - Camera Pan

[twetzel2k]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this... 

I have a 10 second camera pan (90 degree rotation) of a room.  It renders fine.  Each image looks great.  When I put it together in AfterEffects, and render it out, I am getting a Judder effect (a vibration as I go across the pan).

How can I get this to stop.  I need a smooth pan.

thank you.

[CAMedeck]

I've encountered this when the camera and model are very far from the origin in Max (0,0,0).  Check to make sure all of your geometry in near the center of the scene.  It can also happen if there are objects very far out, even if your model is centered.  I've had imported DWG files place helpers miles out, you can do a zoom extents with everything unhidden to make sure there isn't extra garbage out there.

One last thing to check... is your model built to the correct scale?  Having something extremely large or small could also cause this.  Check your System Units and verify the objects in the scene aren't too far from reality.

[twetzel2k]

It is built to scale.   and building is located at origin.  It is huge though.   1200 feet long!

Rendered to 29.97 fps.   

[CAMedeck]

How is the camera animated, just a rotation on a free camera?

What if you save the camera out to a new scene, is it still jumpy?

[twetzel2k]

Free camera rotating 90 degrees on the Z axis with a slight rise in the middle looking up and back down toward the end.

total of 3 keys.

[twetzel2k]

No other ideas??

[CAMedeck]

Can you save out the camera, and maybe a little geometry, into a separate file and zip it up here so I can take a look?

[twetzel2k]

here is a trimmed version.

[CAMedeck]

I see you are on Max 2015.  I've only got Max 2014 right now.  Can you save it back a version for me?

[twetzel2k]

here you go

[CAMedeck]

I just created a preview animation using the Grab Viewport tool, and the motion seemed smooth to me.  Can you verify it's still a problem in the file you posted?

[twetzel2k]

I haven't tested the preview render, but it definitely happens when I render it.   I did not give you a material version, but I don't think those would cause what I am seeing.

[eodeo]

In Max go to rendering>compare media in RAM player (the very last option)> open your sequence and play it back.

Does it play smoothly here? If so, you have wrong FPS setting in After Effects. If it plays back poorly here too... I have no idea whats wrong.

[ctranchina]

I've had this before. Many changes later I finally fixed it. It was probably a number of things contributing, so I can't say exactly what it was, but I used the following links extensively while looking for a solution:

https://forums.adobe.com/message/6643924

and

http://kb2.adobe.com/community/publishing/908/cpsid_90843.html

[twetzel2k]

I tried a bunch of these things.  Some of them helped a very small amount.

I think it is mainly what the content is... I have hundreds of thin vertical columns and they jitter as I rotate the camera.  

It helped to slow the camera down and to make the frame rate 60 fps, but neither of those things the client wanted.  The client also didn't seem to see it, so I am not going to worry about it at this point.   Thanks for all the feedback.  

I would like to solve it for my own purposes and education, but I think the content is the main cause.

[eodeo]

Maybe upload the image sequence or the actual video over here, so we can take a look at the exact problem- rather than theorycrafting.

Use a free service like sendspace to send the compressed image sequence, or simply youtube for the video.