30p or 60i for Slow Motion? at DVinfo.net

Bryan Aycock · July 23rd, 2006, 07:42 PM

If I'll be slowing footage down, what will look better? 30p or 60i? Specifically, I'll be filming archery--the arrows in flight. Wouldn't you think that since an arrow is so vertically thin that 60i would loose the arrow in some of the fields?

Brian Farris · July 23rd, 2006, 08:22 PM

I think it would be easier for your NLE to do slow motion with 60i, since it would have more frames to work with and will be able to blend it better, however I'm not sure that's the case when it converts it to DV/29.95FPS

Christopher Lefchik · July 24th, 2006, 01:35 PM

Technically, both 30p and 60i have the same number of frames per second, thirty. However, since 60i contains two discrete fields in one frame, there is twice as much motion information recorded as opposed to 30p. So yes, it is likely you could get superior slow motion with 60i.

As for "losing" the arrow when recording in 60i, that depends on how thin it is and how wide you are shooting. I rather doubt it myself, but if possible it would probably be a good idea if you could shoot some tests before hand.

July 23rd, 2006, 07:42 PM	#1
Bryan Aycock Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hammond, LA Posts: 84	30p or 60i for Slow Motion? If I'll be slowing footage down, what will look better? 30p or 60i? Specifically, I'll be filming archery--the arrows in flight. Wouldn't you think that since an arrow is so vertically thin that 60i would loose the arrow in some of the fields? Last edited by Bryan Aycock; July 24th, 2006 at 04:52 PM.

July 23rd, 2006, 08:22 PM	#2
Brian Farris Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hattiesburg, MS Posts: 99	I think it would be easier for your NLE to do slow motion with 60i, since it would have more frames to work with and will be able to blend it better, however I'm not sure that's the case when it converts it to DV/29.95FPS __________________ Videography Blog - http://www.video.thirdprong.com/blog/

July 24th, 2006, 01:35 PM	#3
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	Technically, both 30p and 60i have the same number of frames per second, thirty. However, since 60i contains two discrete fields in one frame, there is twice as much motion information recorded as opposed to 30p. So yes, it is likely you could get superior slow motion with 60i. As for "losing" the arrow when recording in 60i, that depends on how thin it is and how wide you are shooting. I rather doubt it myself, but if possible it would probably be a good idea if you could shoot some tests before hand. Last edited by Christopher Lefchik; July 24th, 2006 at 08:31 PM.