OT - vericam versus f900 - dumb question?

Hey all --

This is OT and exposing my lack of knowledge about cameras.

I have a project here which was shot using the F900 (1080/24p). We have an outfit planning to shoot some 2nd unit using the Panasonic Vericam. The 1st Unit DP is telling me that the Vericam does not shoot natively 1080/24p and that we would have to up-convert (or cross-convert), possibly requiring Alchemist conversion as well to compensate for the speed change -- and therefore, we may suffer a loss in image quality.

A very little bit of research via Google tells me this is true, but I am waiting to hear back from the 2nd Unit DP to confirm. My three questions for the community are:

a) Does this situation seem true?

b) If this is a picture which relies on technical quality, re conversions etc, is this a situation to avoid? In other words, we are saving money this way, but will we be compromising the picture's technical integrity enough to not go forward?

c) If we cannot avoid it, I suggested upconverting the 2nd Unit footage before any editing began, so we would not have any problems in online. Is this a good course of action? (I think yes, but I thought I'd ask)

thanks all -- and sorry if this seems dumb.
Karl

Hi Karl

You may be best to shoot DVCproHD 1080i50 and blend fields in post then convert the 25fps footage to 24fps (slow by 4%).

However certain versions of the Varicam cameras will not shoot 1080i

1080 DVCproHD is 1440x1080i50 the same as HDCAM

or

1280x1080i60

Varicam is only 960x720p (Anamorphic) at 60 progressive frames per second and it uses a pull down to capture variable frame rate on a 60p video. All of which can be captured into FCP including 24p.

So you have 2 options:

1 use the varicam and shoot 24p but have lower resolution

or

Shoot on a DVCproHD camera that can do 1080i50 and convert it to "psuedo progressive" by blending the fields then converting it to 24p this way your detail will most closely match the 1440x1080 resolution of HDCAM.

There are downsides to both but in my opinion the latter would be best if you don't need to do variable speed in camera.


An excellent free set of plugins for FCP one of which is Blend Fields is from Mattias Sandström - get these even if you don't use them for this project: [www.mattias.nu]

Varicam does shoot 720p24. To get that into a 1080p24 format is quite easy. You just put the 720p24 into your FCP 1080p24 timeline and scale up the video. Make sure high quality scaling is on, and there you are. There's no speed change, so no standards converter is needed.

Graeme



[www.nattress.com] - Plugins for FCP-X

The Kona 3 card I have been editing with does real time scaling of 720 24P to 1080 and it looks amazingly good. IMHO. 1080 is a waste for most applications unless you are going to a film out or projecting the image.

On televison, 720P looks amazing, 1080 is just wasting bandwidth as far as I am concerned. Based upon our tests here, using D5, HDCAM, P2, DVCProHD all shown on broadcast HD monitors as well as 52" Pioneer Elite plasma, almost nobody can tell the difference by sight, you have to measure or even tell someone that they are looking at 1080.

Best,

Dan

*Commentators VO*

"Graeme Nattress there...

...showing he's not all about 'show me da money' but just the understanding and the love!"

"Back to the studio..."





For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

Ben, you really don't know how much your comment means to me. That is so much appreciated, it really is.

Graeme



[www.nattress.com] - Plugins for FCP-X

I second that, Ben.

So tell me, Graeme, does your software do everything, or is this application spoken of here a stand alone application? From what I've read about your plugin, it appears that your plugin does a lot of things -- is this right?

I'm going to visit your website...

My software does an awful lot, but I don't think you need it here - just standard FCP tools.

Graeme



[www.nattress.com] - Plugins for FCP-X

Thanks guys!!!