Slow Motion at DVinfo.net

ronluc8667 · January 14th, 2002, 02:16 PM

Which mode on the XL1s will show better results for slow motion? I'm looking the the smoothest motion.

Normal or Frame?

Also, I'm using Vegas Video 3.0 for slowing down the footage I capture on my XL1s. Is there a standard ratio for slow motion? In Vegas Video 3.0, I can change the properties of a clip from 1.0 to 0.5. I guess this means play at half speed, and the results seem to look nice. I just want to know if there is a standard ratio I should stick to.

Thanks,
Ron

Barry Goyette · January 17th, 2002, 08:13 PM

My experience with both the gl1 and xl1 is that you get dynamite looking slo-mo when you use the movie mode. In FCP it appears that it uses the 60 fields to give you a 30FPS rate when you slow it down to 50%. In frame mode the rate becomes 15fps, and thus looks a little jumpy. If you want to use frame mode on the xl1, I would recommend a shutter speed set at a 30th/sec. This will give you a slight blur that will smooth out the jumpiness somewhat.

I've not used the software you described, so I don't know if this info will necessarily apply to your setup.

Chris Hurd · January 18th, 2002, 12:05 AM

On the PC side of editing, Canopus has a free utility called Speed Controller that works with their NLE's. It's very impressive, very smooth, beautiful. Combined with Frame Movie mode on a Canon camcorder, it gives you my favorite kind of slow-motion... "Peckinpah Style!"

Bruce Findleton · February 18th, 2002, 08:19 PM

I'm using the Matrox 2500 RT setup with Premiere and the GL-1. Anyone have experience with that software and slow motion? I haven't tried it yet but according to Adobe it sounds like there is a whole lot of interpolating going on. I'm rather fond of the smooth Pekinpah approach also. Since the GL-1 only goes down to 1/60 I'm hoping there is something I can do in post to keep it as crisp as possible.

Thanks,

Bruce

Joe Redifer · February 18th, 2002, 09:13 PM

How do you get slow motion out of Final Cut Pro? I can't figure that part out. What I usually do is stretch the video in Videoshop and then save it as a DV movie.

To get smooth slo-mo, try this:

-Record your video in Frame Mode

-Stretch your video so it plays twice as slow, basically 15 frames per second.

-Import video into FCP.

-Lay down video on video track of timeline.

-(Here's the important step) go back to the same video in the BIN and change it's in and out points so that it starts 1 frame earlier and ends 1 frame earlier than before.

-Create new video track in timeline.

-Drag new slow motion video onto Video 2 exactly above the first one you dragged so they are exactly right on top of eachother, only 1 frame off because of the in and out points that you changed.

-Take the top layer of video and set it's opacity to 50%

-Render (if necessary)

You now have what "appears" to be much smoother slow motion since the frame is actually changing every 1/30 of a second instead of 1/15th. Watch it frame by frame to see what I mean.

Ken Tanaka · February 18th, 2002, 09:31 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Joe Redifer : How do you get slow motion out of Final Cut Pro? I can't figure that part out. -->>>

Joe,

What I normally do is drop the clip into the timeline then Ctrl-Click on it. This presents a submenu featuring an item called "Speed". Click on that and all else will become self-evident. It works very well! Note, of course, that the clip will expand/contract accordingly, so you might find it handy to first "drop" the clip into V2 (or higher) arrive at the new length and then drop it down into V1 if appropriate for your sequence.

Joe Redifer · February 18th, 2002, 09:43 PM

I must have a super special version of Final Cut Pro because mine does not have that. What version of FCP are you using? Mine is FCP 2.0. Check out this URL:

http://207.168.10.82/fcp2.jpg

Ken Tanaka · February 18th, 2002, 10:41 PM

Joe,
Hmmm... I am using FCP3. But the "speed" adjustment was in FCP2, too. Apparently not with the Ctrl-Click method. Try Command-J, the keyboard shortcut for the speed adjustment.

Joe Redifer · February 19th, 2002, 03:13 AM

Gotcha. It works. Not so sure I like the "blend mode" though. It seems to make certain motions super jittery at certain slow speeds. But helpful nonetheless! Thanks.

David Slingerland · February 26th, 2002, 04:26 PM

yes i have the same problem, when the slowmotion is lets say 1% then it becomes jittery. what to do ? is there anyway around this? (material shot at normal shutterspeed and moviemode)
thanks

January 14th, 2002, 02:16 PM	#1
ronluc8667 Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Colorado Posts: 31	Slow Motion Which mode on the XL1s will show better results for slow motion? I'm looking the the smoothest motion. Normal or Frame? Also, I'm using Vegas Video 3.0 for slowing down the footage I capture on my XL1s. Is there a standard ratio for slow motion? In Vegas Video 3.0, I can change the properties of a clip from 1.0 to 0.5. I guess this means play at half speed, and the results seem to look nice. I just want to know if there is a standard ratio I should stick to. Thanks, Ron

January 17th, 2002, 08:13 PM	#2
Barry Goyette Trustee Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: San Luis Obispo CA Posts: 1,195	I'd use movie mode My experience with both the gl1 and xl1 is that you get dynamite looking slo-mo when you use the movie mode. In FCP it appears that it uses the 60 fields to give you a 30FPS rate when you slow it down to 50%. In frame mode the rate becomes 15fps, and thus looks a little jumpy. If you want to use frame mode on the xl1, I would recommend a shutter speed set at a 30th/sec. This will give you a slight blur that will smooth out the jumpiness somewhat. I've not used the software you described, so I don't know if this info will necessarily apply to your setup.

January 18th, 2002, 12:05 AM	#3
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	On the PC side of editing, Canopus has a free utility called Speed Controller that works with their NLE's. It's very impressive, very smooth, beautiful. Combined with Frame Movie mode on a Canon camcorder, it gives you my favorite kind of slow-motion... "Peckinpah Style!" __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

February 18th, 2002, 09:31 PM	#6
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	<<<-- Originally posted by Joe Redifer : How do you get slow motion out of Final Cut Pro? I can't figure that part out. -->>> Joe, What I normally do is drop the clip into the timeline then Ctrl-Click on it. This presents a submenu featuring an item called "Speed". Click on that and all else will become self-evident. It works very well! Note, of course, that the clip will expand/contract accordingly, so you might find it handy to first "drop" the clip into V2 (or higher) arrive at the new length and then drop it down into V1 if appropriate for your sequence. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

February 18th, 2002, 10:41 PM	#8
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Joe, Hmmm... I am using FCP3. But the "speed" adjustment was in FCP2, too. Apparently not with the Ctrl-Click method. Try Command-J, the keyboard shortcut for the speed adjustment. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

February 18th, 2002, 08:19 PM	#4
Bruce Findleton Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Lafayette, CA Posts: 42	I'm using the Matrox 2500 RT setup with Premiere and the GL-1. Anyone have experience with that software and slow motion? I haven't tried it yet but according to Adobe it sounds like there is a whole lot of interpolating going on. I'm rather fond of the smooth Pekinpah approach also. Since the GL-1 only goes down to 1/60 I'm hoping there is something I can do in post to keep it as crisp as possible. Thanks, Bruce

February 18th, 2002, 09:13 PM	#5
Joe Redifer Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 290	How do you get slow motion out of Final Cut Pro? I can't figure that part out. What I usually do is stretch the video in Videoshop and then save it as a DV movie. To get smooth slo-mo, try this: -Record your video in Frame Mode -Stretch your video so it plays twice as slow, basically 15 frames per second. -Import video into FCP. -Lay down video on video track of timeline. -(Here's the important step) go back to the same video in the BIN and change it's in and out points so that it starts 1 frame earlier and ends 1 frame earlier than before. -Create new video track in timeline. -Drag new slow motion video onto Video 2 exactly above the first one you dragged so they are exactly right on top of eachother, only 1 frame off because of the in and out points that you changed. -Take the top layer of video and set it's opacity to 50% -Render (if necessary) You now have what "appears" to be much smoother slow motion since the frame is actually changing every 1/30 of a second instead of 1/15th. Watch it frame by frame to see what I mean.

February 18th, 2002, 09:43 PM	#7
Joe Redifer Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 290	I must have a super special version of Final Cut Pro because mine does not have that. What version of FCP are you using? Mine is FCP 2.0. Check out this URL: http://207.168.10.82/fcp2.jpg

February 19th, 2002, 03:13 AM	#9
Joe Redifer Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 290	Gotcha. It works. Not so sure I like the "blend mode" though. It seems to make certain motions super jittery at certain slow speeds. But helpful nonetheless! Thanks.

February 26th, 2002, 04:26 PM	#10
David Slingerland Major Player Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Soest ,Holland Posts: 307	slow motion yes i have the same problem, when the slowmotion is lets say 1% then it becomes jittery. what to do ? is there anyway around this? (material shot at normal shutterspeed and moviemode) thanks