I've never understood why anyone in NTSC video land would think 24 fps would be better than 30/60 fps, but there is a powerful mystical tradition surrounding 24 fps as being more cinematic, and therefore better. However, we're talking video, not cinema.

My suggestion is to forget 24 fps and decide if shooting/editing at 60i or 60p gives you the best work flow. If you are going to watch on a computer monitor set to 60 fps, your video may look a little better shot and edited in 60p. If you are going to make video DVDs or BluRays to watch on a TV, you are going to end up at 30p/60i no matter what you do.

I shoot in 60p if there is much movement involved (either of the camera or subject), otherwise, I find 60i to be just as good with a smaller file size and easier (smoother) preview.

You may reach a different conclusion.

I wish I had enough information to reach a conclusion, any conclusion. There sure are a lot of variables.

I just checked the render settings in Vegas. For both Project and Render settings, there are 1080 24p selections. The 24p render setting says it's for BluRay.

If I set my Project to 60p, there's a canned render setting for 1080 60p.

Are you saying that BluRay converts whatever I do to 30p/60i when watched?

I didn't realize computer monitors were set to any fps at all. Mine is set to 60 Hertz, but I can't find any way to set fps. Can you give me some direction on this?

Good idea about shooting in 60p for movement. Here's the workflow question of the day. If I shoot in 60p, should I then use 60p for Project Settings and 60p for Render Settings? I assume it's true and I know that could be a moronic question, but I'm a beginner. All I want is normal speed playback.

And, finally, if I shoot at 60p and render at 60p, will motion be real? Or will I get slow-mo?

Thanks very much for your help. I appreciate it.

Complete bluray and dvd specs can be found on wikipedia and elsewhere.
Speculation is futile.

If your camera can shoot 1080p at 60fps, and you have enough space on your memory card, then shoot like that. (Also take into account the bitrate, because this is the determinant factor for file size). You get the best results for slow motion.
As for the 24p, much of it is myth and very subjective, as for looks, but some codecs and hardware (tv etc) are optimized for 24p, so you'll get a better end result when shooting 24p and rendering to 24p, rather than shooting 30p (or whatever) and then render that footage to 24p.
Do some trial and error with a short clip to find out what works best with your setup. The differences are most noticable in footage with fast movement in it, btw. (pans, action scenes etc.)

That said, PAL users may feel more comfortable viewing 24p footage, as it more closely resembles PAL video framerates.

We become imprinted on our local display rates, and many people are uncomfortable with unfamiliar flicker rates, as demonstrated by all the tepid buzz when Peter Jackson released 48 fps into US theaters.

Hello Everyone,

Good comments.

Let me pose what are probably ridiculous questions.

60p camera settings with 30p project settings and 24p render settings should play on a TV in slow motion, eh?

60p camera settings with 24p project and render settings should play in slow motion on a TV, correct?

You probably see what I'm getting at.

In your opinion, what would play best via a DVD on TV?

What would play best on YouTube?

"

No. After opening your 60p source in a 30p project, you must stretch the event to precisely double length. Good idea to turn resampling off. And only 30p will work, not 24p, which would look predictably horrible (will 24 divide into 60 evenly?).

"In your opinion, what would play best via a DVD on TV?"
The PAL and NTSC specs are on Wikipedia ;?) Some formats are not included, including the ones you keep asking about.

Playing 24p DVDs on an NTSC television involves one of several types of frame conversion or flagging, called "pulldown" or "telecine." Those are completely separate topics.

I think from the nature of your questions that it is time for you to start experimenting, testing, and making lots of mistakes. I don't know any other way to learn this stuff.

Now we're making some headway!

"No. After opening your 60p source in a 30p project, you must stretch the event to precisely double length. Good idea to turn resampling off. And only 30p will work, not 24p, which would look predictably horrible (will 24 divide into 60 evenly?)."

That's just what I was looking for!

I will start experimenting just as soon as I get out of where I am. I'm stuck in Africa at the moment.

Thanks again

I shoot all but sports videos in 24p and love the cinematic look. One major reason is that I set my shutter speed at double the frame rate or 1/48th of a second. When shooting at 30p, most shoot at 1/60th and that's letting in a lot less light in dark situations.

Plus, if it's good enough for films like the Godfather or Casablanca, it's good enough for me.

I do not want a "video" look to my footage. But to each his own.

"Plus, if it's good enough for films like the Godfather or Casablanca, it's good enough for me."

Of course, the reason those films were shot 24 frames per second had nothing to do with 'cinematic' or artistic choices. The ENTIRE reason was to save money by using as little film as possible. The slower the film rate, the less film used and the less money spent. It was decided that 24 was about the slowest they could shoot and still retain believable and fluid motion.

There's nothing more exotic about it than that.