Hello,

Some people have been asking about sample footage from the XL2 in 24PA mode so I took my camcorder out to the park and filmed a few nature scenes. I just wanted to say the footage looks amazing. Also, I encoded the video in WMV so I hope you mac users can play this file although I'm not entirely sure. Enjoy!

PS. The file is approx 50 megs so just right click and DL it.

Also to clarify, the footage is played back at 24p (23.97), not 24pa (29.97).

www.andrewoh.net/videos/nature.wmv

Thanks for sharing your work. It still looks very nice even though encoded at a lower rez. I'm curious about the settings you chose: 400x300 with 1.2 PAR, 336KB/sec...any particular reason for them?

I have a question about shooting in progressive. When I tried some shots recently on 25P (with my Pal XL-2) I found that the pans were jerky when viewed on a normal television. Can this stuttering be eliminated in a NLE system? Is it true that the image quality is better when shot in progressive? Thanks!

Hey Pete,

I had to downrez because the full rez file was just too big. 400 x 300 with 1.2 seemed like a good size for viewing.


Hey Shekar,

The stuttering cannot be elimiated in the NLE because it's the frame rate that actually makes it looks like it's stuttering. The interlaced footage will look just as nice as the P footage because it utilizes the same CCDs. Progressive would definitely look better if you were doing a film out but I'm guessing that's not going to be the case. If you're using it for nature shots, it's probably better you don't shoot 25p but that's what I think. Good luck!

Progressive isn't an option on the cam though right? That's done in post. Is stuttering only noticable on panning shots. Still shots/slow moving is ok?

Hi;

This "stuttering" has been happening since the dawn of cinema! The only reason you don't often notice it on projected film is because DOP's are (usually) careful to avoid it with fluid movement, also make sure youre shutter speed is 48th (50th Pal) thus simulating film properly and causing enough motion blur to make it flow like film does.....
Kevin, progressive is most certainly an option.

Olly

Thanks Rachael. I wasn't sure if progressive was an option on the PAL cam. I'm working on a short film so I should go with progressive like Andrew suggest. Thanks for the tips.

Andrew,

Your footage is beautiful.
I like your choice of The Mission as the background music.

You might want to check and make sure the image stabilizer is turned off. If it's on during a pan it will cause the image to be very jumpy because it tries to "correct" the motion of the tripod head.

Nico, thank you for the kind words. Isn't the Mission soundtrack the best?

Eric, the IS was turned off. Shutter speed was at 48. The 24p panning is still a little jittery though. Maybe I should try SS 24.

<<<-- Originally posted by Pete Bauer : Thanks for sharing your work. It still looks very nice even though encoded at a lower rez. I'm curious about the settings you chose: 400x300 with 1.2 PAR, 336KB/sec...any particular reason for them? -->>>

Hey Pete,
Man, I feel so dumb. I didn't realize what you meant and I know you were trying to figure out some sort of method in my foolishness in encoding with 1.2 apect ratio. Thanks for asking in such a polite way. The fact is, I didn't know what I was doing. 16:9 is really new for me so thanks for the help Pete. I get it now :D

Andrew,

Yes - The Mission is wonderful for nature footage - but the ultimate would have been cuts from Beethoven's 6th Symphony - The Pastoral. I am planning to do something similar with that as background music.

Very nice! I was looking for this kind of footage to evaluate how well XL2 handles color. Thank you!