Shoot 60i, 24p or 30p for output to NTSC Bluray?

Laurence wrote on 3/15/2008, 11:34 PM
I have been messing around with the progressive modes on my new HVR-Z7. I seem to like 60i and 30p more than 24p. 24p is altogether too much judder for my taste. 60i looks nice and smooth on motion, but not as crisp and defined as 30p when the camera movement is slow and subtle. Any quick movement has me wishing for 60i though. Given the three options (24p, 30p and 60i) what should I use given that the target audience will be somebody viewing with a Bluray player on a big plasma or LCD NTSC TV?

Comments

NickHope wrote on 3/15/2008, 11:52 PM
Laurence, what are you shooting? For example locked-down arty stuff might do better in 24p while handheld sports action might do better in 60i.
Spot|DSE wrote on 3/15/2008, 11:56 PM
the answer to your question is found by asking more questions...
Do you want it to feel like a cinematic film? Then 24p with gamma curves and cinematic shooting styles. If you're shooting doc work, then 30p or 60i will be more realistic, but each (as you've discovered) has a unique personality. Shooting 30p needs smooth, slow motion. 60i is well....60i.
There isn't a "right" answer to your question, it's a question of what style with which you want to shoot, and the way you want your audience to perceive your work.
Not much of an answer...but framerate and progressive vs interlaced are more emotional/artistic decisions than they are technical questions.
blink3times wrote on 3/16/2008, 2:04 AM
I've done a lot of playing around with the 24p on my HV20 and I would have to agree... way too much judder.

I'm a bit out of my depth here but from what I have been told is that there is a major difference between the 24p you see on film and the 24p that comes out of a digital cam. The only way a (cheaper)digital cam can replicate 24p is by slowing down the clock speed. In my book this ends up translating into "lost information" especially on faster movements and faster pans.

It does however do a better job in low light... which is now the only time I ever use it.
fordie wrote on 3/16/2008, 4:47 AM
I would say that judder would be caused by the shutter speed.
I have just filmed a dance show at 25 f on two canon xh-a1 s and used 50 shutter as to the default 25 and the footage looks fantastic .
The other benefit that i did not realise is that vegas handles the progressive footage so much better..i mean quicker renders.playback. etc. Im sure people who complain about 25p or 24p juddering dont change the shutter speed back to 50 or 48.
Laurence wrote on 3/16/2008, 9:00 AM
Well, what I'll be shooting in about 20 minutes is an interview with a teenager who just got back from a trip to Costa Rica delivering backpacks with my wife's Give a Kid a Backpack organization.

Here's what I see so far with my Z7 plugged directly (via HDMI) into a portable 27" LCD 720p HD TV that I use as a sort of low budget HD monitor:

24p: Clear image but way too much judder, especially with teenagers who tend to move about a bit during interviews.

30p: Clear image with less judder, but still a bit of a problem on erratic teenager movement.

60i: Image looks like HD video: clear but not as pretty or quite as sharp. Still a bit of judder due to the TV's deinterlace.

In the rec room, I have an old 1080i CRT HD TV and I'm sure the 60i footage would look quite good on that, but I think that most people have newer flat screen type TVs that are going to look more like what I am seeing on my 1280x720 LCD TV.

I don't have a 1080i/p flatscreen. Do those ones deinterlace 60i as well? How prevalent are 720p sets vs. 1080 sets these days?