Hi Leslie

Yes, it sounded like NTSC to me too.

I have PAL Area and SP 1080/50i selected

Switchable Shutter choices are 1/60. 1/100. 1/125, 1/250. 1/500, 1/1000 & 1/2000

The same choices are there for HQ 1080/50i, but if I select HQ 1080/25P, I then have 1/50 as a selectable choice.

As I already knew, there's a lot I don't know ...

Has been noted at DVInfo. Same on my camera. Don't know why. Shouldn't matter and it's never bothered me, only ever shot in SP apart from a few tests. Why fill up SxS cards when it's for SD delivery unless you really want 25P..

I've shot 50i at 100th and 250th on a Z1 as well. Works better if you want to stabilise in post.
HTH

Bob.

Thanks Bob - good to hear your experience.

This'll be the first time I've used SP - may not be the last though ....

50i SP/HQ gains you one of the following:

1 stop of light.
6dB less noise
MORE FRIGGIN DOF!!

Oh yeah, we got focus assist. Try hitting that button when you're at the long end of the lens without shaking the camera. And then Bob realises that as he's nicely framed the 16:9 shot so the talent is looking into the frame they're not in the frame anyway! Or as happened recently she likes to rock side to side.

Bob.

> "MORE FRIGGIN DOF!!"

I'm with you here Bob - this so called holy grail of shallow DOF is a pain. I've seen a couple of movies lately were it was so annoying - I wanted to see what was happening in the background, not an artificial blurrrrrr!

I've had a search/read at DVInfo - it seems that switching Shutter OFF gives you same shutter speed as frame rate, so I think I'll try that.

"I've had a search/read at DVInfo - it seems that switching Shutter OFF gives you same shutter speed as frame rate, so I think I'll try that."

If in 50i you get that switch to make any difference you're doing better than me.
What's even more confusing is what the manual has to say i.e. nothing about what happens when the switch id Off.

Bob.

Fortunately I've got more than an hour of support acts before the hour I'm recording, so I'll do some testing. The main thing I want to avoid is those "strobing bars" rolling through the frame.

Had them!
My understanding is they're a product of two factors:

1) Sensor readout time which is fixed at 1/60th of a second.
2) Frame rate. I don't think 25p or 50i will make much if any difference.

In my case due to odd frequency fluro dimmers of dubious parentage. You can actually see the flicker with the naked eye which the rolling shutter turned into waves of light up the white walls. No amount of trying things did much except make it worse. I stopped worrying about it as the rest of the lights which shone on the talent were fine and the effect on the walls behind them looked OK, phew!

Bob.