24p: Pan Movement vs. Subject Movement at DVinfo.net

Nathan Shane · June 20th, 2007, 11:44 PM

Okay, I can read all the online articles saying you can't pan the camera quickly when set for 24p mode, but my question is this: Is there a technical (or visual) difference in how the camera captures footage when it's pan movement vs. subject movement?

In other words, in 24p why should there be any difference between the world moving past a stationary camera and a moving camera moving past a stationary world?

Jason Pierce · June 21st, 2007, 06:00 AM

24p has the same issues as a film camera when panning. Namely, the human eye fills in the gaps between each frame. When you pan quickly, the gaps become more apparent to the eye, and therefore somewhat sickening.
You can pan as fast as you want if you are following a moving object through the frame - because the object will not be "panning" relative to the camera.
Try a couple tests.
Pan at different speeds with no moving object.
Then have someone walk across the frame and follow them at different speeds.
When you watch the footage, you should be able to tell when at what speeds you can safely pan in a "static" world.
When you watch the moving person with the pan, watch the background and you'll see that the background is just as hard to watch with a moving object as without - only that you tend to ignore it with the moving object.

Hope that makes sense. It's early.

Jason

Nathan Shane · June 21st, 2007, 06:57 AM

Hey Jason, great reply. I actually followed and understood everything you said on a technical level, which are the kind of answers I like. It all makes much more technical sense now. So you're right, it sounds like I need to do some serious experimentation with the timing of panning w/without moving subjects.

June 20th, 2007, 11:44 PM	#1
Nathan Shane Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Addison, Texas Posts: 178	24p: Pan Movement vs. Subject Movement Okay, I can read all the online articles saying you can't pan the camera quickly when set for 24p mode, but my question is this: Is there a technical (or visual) difference in how the camera captures footage when it's pan movement vs. subject movement? In other words, in 24p why should there be any difference between the world moving past a stationary camera and a moving camera moving past a stationary world?

June 21st, 2007, 06:00 AM	#2
Jason Pierce New Boot Join Date: May 2007 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 23	panning 24p has the same issues as a film camera when panning. Namely, the human eye fills in the gaps between each frame. When you pan quickly, the gaps become more apparent to the eye, and therefore somewhat sickening. You can pan as fast as you want if you are following a moving object through the frame - because the object will not be "panning" relative to the camera. Try a couple tests. Pan at different speeds with no moving object. Then have someone walk across the frame and follow them at different speeds. When you watch the footage, you should be able to tell when at what speeds you can safely pan in a "static" world. When you watch the moving person with the pan, watch the background and you'll see that the background is just as hard to watch with a moving object as without - only that you tend to ignore it with the moving object. Hope that makes sense. It's early. Jason

June 21st, 2007, 06:57 AM	#3
Nathan Shane Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Addison, Texas Posts: 178	Hey Jason, great reply. I actually followed and understood everything you said on a technical level, which are the kind of answers I like. It all makes much more technical sense now. So you're right, it sounds like I need to do some serious experimentation with the timing of panning w/without moving subjects.