1/48th to 1/24th - is it worth it?
 

The pathway of least resistance : Why bother setting up another light if you can gain a half stop simply and immediately by adjusting the shutter angle to 1/24th.

Is this contrary to 24p motion?
Is this discernible to the average viewer?

Thanks.
-C

In 24p mode you are already getting some motion blur ( which looks like film at 1/48th shutter speed.) When you drop down to 1/24 you are basically turning the shutter off because it matches your frame rate. Thus you will get much more motion blur than you want. For static shots this may be ok but for any movement it will be very noticeable over the 1/48th shutter speed stuff you shot. I suggest not ever going below 1/48th in 24p and bring in more light. Otherwise things become too dreamlike in a way(too much motion blur). Maybe that's the look your going for?

I stick with 1/48th but have been asking since some of the smaller canon avchd cameras lock the shutter at 24th in cine mode now, unlike the older hv20 did at 48th I am not a fan of the extra blur it captures in anything but an effect shot.

In limited run-n-gun circumstances I'll always opt for 1/24th for a better exposed image. Regardless of blur, if people cannot see the subject, the shoot is moot.

-C

true, but then if its all blurry it may not be easy to watch and perhaps gain would have been the better option. A noisy shot that is lit and sharp is still more appealing than a blurry one. But if adding a little light would help the situation that can solve all three issues at once.

"In limited run-n-gun circumstances I'll always opt for 1/24th"

I second that. Beats going crazy with the gain. Doing it for dramatic stuff though is just plain lazy.

Well....look at it this way....from what I understand...Michael Mann let's the camera drop down to 1/24 shutter at times. If it's good enough for him.....I don't see why it can't be good enough for you...but I guess it all depends on the shot.

But then again film cameras have adjustable shutter angles which allow you to shoot at 1/24th. With dv you are stuck....

I'm not quite sure I understand...my HV20 (like other DV cams) can shoot at 1/24th shutter speed...as a matter of fact even slower (something film cams can't do) to use as an effect. Depending on which mode I am shooting in, I have control over this.

Now whether that screams video or not....it is often used as a dreamy like effect. I've seen film do the same type of effects (in post production however).

Edit: By the way....1/24th shutter speed is not possible with film cameras.

"but I guess it all depends on the shot."

Well, yeah. If I was shooting a night scene I'd probably use 1/24th. It would just be too hard (and expensive) to properly light.

I would not use 24p in any 'run and gun' situation. You need to have controlled motion of both subject and camera to avoid smear at 1/24 or judder at 1/48.