Shutter Speed

OhMyGosh wrote on 2/6/2008, 11:07 PM
When I create a still from video (yes, I use best and full settings) of someone in motion, I get horrible horizonal lines of resolution? I found my camcorder has manual shutter speed, so I tried the same shot at 1/250 and 1/2000 and they both looked equaly bad. Also, found a manual 'Iris' setting, guess that is the same thing as aperature? But it is in increments of dB. Isn't that decibles for sound?? Never really play with these settings on anything other than my SLR. Any help, advice, or links on these settings and how to make my captured stills look better?? Please don't laugh, but I know someone will want to know what I'm shooting with, it's a Panasonic PV-GS80 (I swear I'm going HD in March for my birthday) :) Thanks. Cin PS. someone was nice enough earlier to remind me that the stills are only about a third of a megapixel, but even so, won't a faster shutter speed get rid of the blur?

Comments

Eugenia wrote on 2/7/2008, 1:00 AM
The lines you are seeing are interlacing. All consumer cameras are recording with these jaggies, including most HD cameras. So you won't be able to go around this problem just by changing the camera's settings. You must tell Vegas to de-interlace on the fly on the preview window, and select the "Good" or "Best" preview quality for de-interlacing to take place. Finally, when you are exporting, you must select "progressive" in the "custom" screen of your codec, otherwise it will also come up with jaggies.

So it's up to you to understand what interlacing is and how to go around it using Vegas.

As for the dB information on cameras, that's for visual noise (gain/ISO), not audio.
OhMyGosh wrote on 2/7/2008, 11:02 PM
Thank you Eugenia for the reply. Just as an FYI, I have RTFineM for the past several months including HV20, your blog, Projector People, dvdfile, zerocut, Wikepedia, just to name a few sources. However, I like coming here hoping that some of the people will give a more detailed and personal explanation, links, sources, ect. to help better understand the problem. So, when you tell me 'So it's up to you to understand what interlacing is and how to go around it using Vegas.', don't you think that's why I'm here? What is the purpose of this forum if not to help people learn these things? Can you recommend a different forum where people aren't cryptic, and will explain these things so that I too can learn? A place where someone might be able to explain in plain English 1. Why is 'p' so much better than 'i'. I have seen the demos of how they are put together, I just don't understand why one method is better than the other one since the outcome is the same. 2. If 'p' is so much better, why don't cameras and TVs use that format standard to avoid all the converting problems and loss of quality in converting? 3. Should all dvd projects be converted to 'p' if they are shot in 'i' for best quality? 4. How do I 'tell Vegas to de-interlace on the fly on the preview window' 5. How does an 'i' TV deal with 'p' projects and vice versa? Thanks for the help. Cin
Eugenia wrote on 2/7/2008, 11:37 PM
Here:
http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2007/09/10/de-interlacing-with-vegas/
You set your project properties to the right template but you change to Progressive/Interpolate, you select "Good" on your Preview window, and then you export as "progressive" from the "custom" WMV dialog. That's all you need to get rid of the lines both while editing and when exporting.
Eugenia wrote on 2/8/2008, 12:35 AM
1. Progressive vs Interlaced, check the link on the previous link above. ;)
2. It's easier/cheaper to record/broadcast in interlaced. These days it's mostly a legacy issue.
3. No, DVD players and/or TVs can de-interlace on the fly. However, not all devices has the same quality on de-interlacing, but it's always better than Vegas or any other software de-interlacer. So unless you don't export for TV, leave the footage interlaced and let your DVD/TV do the job of not showing jaggies. Progressive looks better, e.g. movies that are actually shot as such.
4. Look above.
5. It interlaces/de-interlaces on the fly. Not always your best deal. If you have the money, buy a 1080p TV, not 1080i.
OhMyGosh wrote on 2/8/2008, 8:54 AM
Can't thank you enough Eugenia for the additional replies, those are the answers and links I was hoping for. Hope you have a nice day. Cin
OhMyGosh wrote on 2/8/2008, 10:02 AM
Wow, what a difference! Followed your advice in your blog and there isn't a jaggie to be found :) Your sample test pictures were very informative as well (that picture vs. words thing) ;) I also added two of the forums that you recommended to my favorites so I can check those out every day like my others. One question though, in your blog you say 'Do not de-interlace if your target format is recording back to the camcorder tape, but do so for all other target formats (e.g. PC viewing, devices, AppleTV etc).' but in your post here you say 'DVD players and/or TVs can de-interlace on the fly. However, not all devices has the same quality on de-interlacing, but it's always better than Vegas or any other software de-interlacer. So unless you don't export for TV, leave the footage interlaced and let your DVD/TV do the job of not showing jaggies.' Every thing I do is DVD for standard TV, although someday I hope it will be HD to 1080p ;). So, in my case would you recommend that I use your blog settings and de-interlace, or leave it interlaced? Thanks again. Cin