For the average footage, which is better quality ?
25f or 50i ?

Regards

It depends on how you plan to deliver your video.

...and what you are shooting, and what you want the finished product to "look" like.

Hi, Jayson
I suppose you have the PAL version, as me. I always use 50i, in this camera XH A1, and the HV30, then if I have to do some corrections, I can do it perfectly in Sony Vegas Video 8 Pro.
But, of course, you can do the same in any other pro software as Premiere or Final Cut.
I apply the cinelook mode in post process, and I can put the amount I desire.

Regards

I have purchased vegas and looking into fcp.
I will switch back too 50i.
How do i change to cinelook ?

I shoot everything 24F (in NTSCland) because I like the look and all my stuff ends up on the web or DVD or both, and I don't have any interlace artifacts when I export progressive footage.

I shoot 25F all the time, works perfect with Vegas.
You have to be carefull shooting 25F, for fast motion 50i is better.
I like the look from 25F and i don't have to de-interlace my footage. When there's a dark reception i can turn down the shutterspeed to 1/25th before adding g(r)ain.

Jayson.
I use the broadcast colors plugin. In the Sony Vegas Video 8 is located in the effects palette.

Jayson

In the NTSC version of the user manual for the HV30, on page 102 (a similar statement applies to PAL) it says ...

Video shot with the HDV24, HDV(PF24) or HDV30 standard will be recorded on the tape as 60i (or 50i in the case of PAL)

So, regardless of how you choose to shoot, the video is stored on the tape is exactly the same way. Presumably the electronics retrieves it from tape differently.

Eddy

I made a lot of tests at 25f and 50i.
25f seems to compress better (less compression artifacts and noise)
I suppose that it handles the 25f better because you have HALF the MOTION information, and the SAME pixel count information. In other words you have less data to fit in 25Mb/s.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

I always shoot 25f, but may go 50i if I need to shoot some slo-mo time-remapping shots.

25f for me except for ice skating then definately 50i due to the fast motion