An improved synchronization between the radio frequency (RF) signal and the image detector in an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) imaging spectrometer is proposed to optimize power consumption and eliminate image smear. The RF signal is controlled on and off alternately to match the exposure of the image sensor. This scheme reduces the RF power and rejects the light illumination on the image sensor in the interval of charge transfer. An experiment using a visible AOTF, a frame transfer charge-coupled device camera, and an incandescent lamp is conducted for demonstration. The average RF power decreases 7.6%, and the image smear is eliminated.