Topic: I'm a video newbie and I need help: 60i, 60p, 24p, what?!

[mysticeyes]

Hello all,

I have lots of experience with still photography, but next to none with videography, and I have a new camera, a Sony NEX-VG30, if that matters. When in video - as opposed to still - mode, there are three submenus under the Image Quality/Size menu:

1. REC Mode: Highest Quality (FX) or High Quality (FH). According to the icons at the bottom of the screen, recording to AVCHD is not possible in FX, so I choose FH.

2. Frame Rate: 60i, 60p or 24p. If I were to shoot action or sports, I would use a higher frame rate, but my main objective is to record live music performances. I also remember that 24 frames per second is the standard speed of movies on film, so I choose 24p.

3. HD/STD Setting: of course, I choose HD.

Now, I'm hoping to get some help because I don't know the implications of these choices. As I mentioned above, I'm mainly concerned with shooting live music. After the show, I convert and save the MTS files in avi format. I don't own a Bluray player or burner, though I can play Bluray iso's on my computer. I don't know the first thing about using any kind of video editing software. What I need to know is, do the choices I make above make sense in terms of, first, archiving and, second, manipulating the videos later? Would shooting at a higher frame rate make it easier to edit? Are there other problems I have not thought of? Thanks for any help at all .

[willndmb]

I just started out with more hd stuff and a guy who runs a video recording and editing business told me not to use 60 unless it was requested.
He said that 30 (my cams option) was easier to work with among other reasons.

[fguidry]

Hello all,

I have lots of experience with still photography, but next to none with videography, and I have a new camera, a Sony NEX-VG30, if that matters. When in video - as opposed to still - mode, there are three submenus under the Image Quality/Size menu:

1. REC Mode: Highest Quality (FX) or High Quality (FH). According to the icons at the bottom of the screen, recording to AVCHD is not possible in FX, so I choose FH.

2. Frame Rate: 60i, 60p or 24p. If I were to shoot action or sports, I would use a higher frame rate, but my main objective is to record live music performances. I also remember that 24 frames per second is the standard speed of movies on film, so I choose 24p.

3. HD/STD Setting: of course, I choose HD.

Now, I'm hoping to get some help because I don't know the implications of these choices. As I mentioned above, I'm mainly concerned with shooting live music. After the show, I convert and save the MTS files in avi format. I don't own a Bluray player or burner, though I can play Bluray iso's on my computer. I don't know the first thing about using any kind of video editing software. What I need to know is, do the choices I make above make sense in terms of, first, archiving and, second, manipulating the videos later? Would shooting at a higher frame rate make it easier to edit? Are there other problems I have not thought of? Thanks for any help at all .

I'm not sure why you choose a lower quality in order to have AVCHD encoding. What is the stream format when the higher quality is selected?

Frame rate is as much an aesthetic choice as it is a technical one. If you're aiming for a motion blur similar to film then 24 fps makes sense, but 60i probably delivers 30p which is the standard for optical media. 60p is generally preferred for slow motion and as you suggested for high action.

Fran

[faninor]

If you're aiming for a motion blur similar to film then 24 fps makes sense

The OP should know that motion blur has nothing to do with the amount of time between two separate exposures, and everything to do with the shutter speed of theindividual exposures. Makes no difference if you want to call it photography or videography. In other words, you can shoot in 24fps with a high shutter speed and have perfectly crisp individual frames... it'll just give the footage a zombie movie aesthetic.

[fguidry]

Well I didn't get into 180 degree shutter, but are you saying that shooting 60p can give the same motion cadence as 24p if the proper shutter speed it chosen?

Fran

[Chilly Brioschi]

Well I didn't get into 180 degree shutter, but are you saying that shooting 60p can give the same motion cadence as 24p if the proper shutter speed it chosen?

Fran

http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/quick-tip-how-does-shutter-speed-affect-video--photo-12092

[Slavitch91]

I cannot help you for points 1 and 3 because I do not own the NEX-VG30 (I wish I did).

But point 2 is more a general question.

24 images per second is generally fine for most of applications. If you need to slow down the movements, then use 60 images, the movement will be slowed down by a factor of 0.4. But it makes bigger files and it is more computational demanding.

Then comes interlaced vs progressive. I would say avoid shooting interlaced. It creates weird transitions in most of conditions. Theoretically interlaced shots would be better for moving subject, but I feel like progressive shots with low aperture speed is still nicer. 60p is what you get when you pay more than the price of an entry-level camcorder or dslr.