Need to learn about shutter speed

Tom Hardwick · September 14th, 2009, 01:44 AM

So slow Simon? It's just that in still photography terms 1/180th isn't considered fast at all. I must freeze the DVD when some of the shrapnel flies and see what I think.

Simon Wyndham · September 14th, 2009, 01:56 AM

Apparently in some scenes they did some frame doubling. But for the most part it was a 45 degree shutter.

When I have used a similar effect myself in action sequences to make it more frantic I have often used 1/180th. 1/500th is too fast I feel and takes the effect overboard IMHO.

Nathan Hudson · September 14th, 2009, 11:27 AM

Shot wakeboarding footage all this weekend. I used 1/120 Shutter speed. Generally I use the basic rule of 1/48 for 24p and 1/60 for 30p. I love a filmic look and for the most part I achieve most of what i want for that look through picture profiles and the use of depth of field. Wakeboarding however, looks really good at 1/120 shutter speed making everything pop a little more. I really haven't messed with a lot of shutter speeds because I am generally comfortable with those couple of settings. I would love to see an in depth explanation tutorial video on the shutter settings on the EX1&3 because some of the settings still have me confused as to their Actual intended purpose.

I generally don't use 60i. Still scratching my head on usefulness other than direct to broadcast. However, I could only see shooting it that way if it was either live or had minimal time till airtime. If your running your footage through editing and you got time, then why not shoot in progressive and output your results however you want after your edit? Maybe, others here can share some other uses for 60i.

I am pretty sure that on 60i the setting would need to be 1/60. The '60' in 60i refers to fields and not frames. If we took the full frames produced out of 60i it represents 30 fps therefore that would make your shutter speed 1/60th. To understand fields think of it this way: In the US to get one frame on screen, every other line is scanned, and this is known as a field. After that, another scan is done that fills in the missing lines or "the OTHER 'every other line' " LOL. It's probably drawn simpler than typed. Just mesh your fingers together. think of the fingers on one hand as a field and then the fingers on the other hand is the other field. To get the picture, or frame, you need both fields. I know I was confused when I first got into all this. I would rather 60i to be called 30i, as in, 30fps interlaced. It just seems more consistent when discussing FRAME RATES. I've never seen a camera that says FIELD RATES. LOL! The 60 generally throws people off at first.

Ok, I could go into PAL but not sure if this already book-long post needs to be any bigger..plus, I don't ever use PAL....if someone across the pond feels like explaining then go for it.

Steve Pond · September 14th, 2009, 11:44 AM

Yes Colin, it's a little daunting. Having a backgroud in still photography, the concepts of aperture, basic shutter speed, gain and focal length are easy enough to understand, but the association of frame rate and the referring to shutter speed in terms of degrees and how that effects your result are somewhat confusing. I can't imagine how much my head would be spinning if I were more "green." ;-) I've learned a lot in just a few days from you guys, so thanks to all that are making it easier for me to get up to speed.

Kevin Spahr · September 15th, 2009, 07:54 AM

I don't care for the look of interlaced video but one thing to keep in mind is that an interlaced setting will increase the camera sensitivity by a fair amount - a couple stops if i remember correctly.

Piotr Wozniacki · September 15th, 2009, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Spahr

I don't care for the look of interlaced video but one thing to keep in mind is that an interlaced setting will increase the camera sensitivity by a fair amount - a couple stops if i remember correctly.

Just one full stop, and can easily be matched in progressive by switching the shutter off.

September 14th, 2009, 11:27 AM	#18
Nathan Hudson Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 55	Shot wakeboarding footage all this weekend. I used 1/120 Shutter speed. Generally I use the basic rule of 1/48 for 24p and 1/60 for 30p. I love a filmic look and for the most part I achieve most of what i want for that look through picture profiles and the use of depth of field. Wakeboarding however, looks really good at 1/120 shutter speed making everything pop a little more. I really haven't messed with a lot of shutter speeds because I am generally comfortable with those couple of settings. I would love to see an in depth explanation tutorial video on the shutter settings on the EX1&3 because some of the settings still have me confused as to their Actual intended purpose. I generally don't use 60i. Still scratching my head on usefulness other than direct to broadcast. However, I could only see shooting it that way if it was either live or had minimal time till airtime. If your running your footage through editing and you got time, then why not shoot in progressive and output your results however you want after your edit? Maybe, others here can share some other uses for 60i. I am pretty sure that on 60i the setting would need to be 1/60. The '60' in 60i refers to fields and not frames. If we took the full frames produced out of 60i it represents 30 fps therefore that would make your shutter speed 1/60th. To understand fields think of it this way: In the US to get one frame on screen, every other line is scanned, and this is known as a field. After that, another scan is done that fills in the missing lines or "the OTHER 'every other line' " LOL. It's probably drawn simpler than typed. Just mesh your fingers together. think of the fingers on one hand as a field and then the fingers on the other hand is the other field. To get the picture, or frame, you need both fields. I know I was confused when I first got into all this. I would rather 60i to be called 30i, as in, 30fps interlaced. It just seems more consistent when discussing FRAME RATES. I've never seen a camera that says FIELD RATES. LOL! The 60 generally throws people off at first. Ok, I could go into PAL but not sure if this already book-long post needs to be any bigger..plus, I don't ever use PAL....if someone across the pond feels like explaining then go for it. Last edited by Nathan Hudson; September 14th, 2009 at 12:11 PM.

September 14th, 2009, 01:44 AM	#16
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	So slow Simon? It's just that in still photography terms 1/180th isn't considered fast at all. I must freeze the DVD when some of the shrapnel flies and see what I think.

September 14th, 2009, 01:56 AM	#17
Simon Wyndham Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Malvern UK Posts: 1,931	Apparently in some scenes they did some frame doubling. But for the most part it was a 45 degree shutter. When I have used a similar effect myself in action sequences to make it more frantic I have often used 1/180th. 1/500th is too fast I feel and takes the effect overboard IMHO.

September 14th, 2009, 11:44 AM	#19
Steve Pond Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Newport Beach, CA Posts: 44	Yes Colin, it's a little daunting. Having a backgroud in still photography, the concepts of aperture, basic shutter speed, gain and focal length are easy enough to understand, but the association of frame rate and the referring to shutter speed in terms of degrees and how that effects your result are somewhat confusing. I can't imagine how much my head would be spinning if I were more "green." ;-) I've learned a lot in just a few days from you guys, so thanks to all that are making it easier for me to get up to speed.

September 15th, 2009, 07:54 AM	#20
Kevin Spahr Major Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Carlisle, PA Posts: 451	I don't care for the look of interlaced video but one thing to keep in mind is that an interlaced setting will increase the camera sensitivity by a fair amount - a couple stops if i remember correctly.