Mixing footage question at DVinfo.net

Mike Leah · February 20th, 2013, 04:14 PM

Supposed to shoot a few scenes next month for a feature I've been planning for a while. The gh2 will be the main camera but some of the scenes I want to use a canon for. How often do you guys interchange cameras for certain scenes/shoots etc.

Larry Becker · February 21st, 2013, 02:26 PM

I've mixed GH3 and G5 footage with my Canon XF 300 in Premiere Pro CS6 with good results. Try to keep the fps and bit rate similar if you can...

What are you editing in?

Larry

Alan Halfhill · February 24th, 2013, 04:49 PM

i shoot with the GH3 and GH2 all the time. GH3 in mov and GH2 in AVCHD. I am using FCPX with no problems at all. All cameras set to 30p.

William Hohauser · February 24th, 2013, 08:07 PM

Technically, there should be no limitations. Frame rate is important as you don't want to mix 30p onto a 24p timeline and if you are shooting a feature, I assume that 24p is the frame rate.

Understanding the attributes of the two cameras (which you seem to do) is important when "mixing" footage. Different scenes should not be a problem as there is no frame of reference for the viewer to compare the cameras within the scene. For example, choosing the Canon to shoot an indoor scene to take advantage of the warmer image tone is a sensible choice if one has the option. Otherwise one would have to play with the GH2 settings or adjust in post. It almost exactly like a cinematographer choosing a different film stock for certain scenes.

If I were to mix two different cameras in a single scene, my objective would be to alter in post, or by in-camera parameter adjustments before filming, one of the cameras to match the other as best as possible. I have mixed the GH2 with JVC HD and HM cameras with little post adjustment needed but I also made sure the shots were different to reduce comparative details that might give away that different cameras were used.

Larry Becker · February 25th, 2013, 11:35 AM

That's a good point that I forgot to make - when I've mixed footage (I guess that term doesn't work so well for digital - maybe gigage? - Hmm - I digress, sorry) from different cameras, it usually is a different perspective on the subject or different angle, or footage illustrating a point that the speaker is making in an interview. If I do a decent job of setting up the shots in-camera, it looks fine. People don't seem to notice the difference.

Larry

February 20th, 2013, 04:14 PM	#1
Mike Leah Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: east coast Posts: 91	Mixing footage question Supposed to shoot a few scenes next month for a feature I've been planning for a while. The gh2 will be the main camera but some of the scenes I want to use a canon for. How often do you guys interchange cameras for certain scenes/shoots etc.

February 21st, 2013, 02:26 PM	#2
Larry Becker Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 78	Re: Mixing footage question I've mixed GH3 and G5 footage with my Canon XF 300 in Premiere Pro CS6 with good results. Try to keep the fps and bit rate similar if you can... What are you editing in? Larry

February 24th, 2013, 04:49 PM	#3
Alan Halfhill Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Sequim, WA Posts: 127	Re: Mixing footage question i shoot with the GH3 and GH2 all the time. GH3 in mov and GH2 in AVCHD. I am using FCPX with no problems at all. All cameras set to 30p. __________________ Alan FrugalFilmmakers.com

February 24th, 2013, 08:07 PM	#4
William Hohauser Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 2,650	Re: Mixing footage question Technically, there should be no limitations. Frame rate is important as you don't want to mix 30p onto a 24p timeline and if you are shooting a feature, I assume that 24p is the frame rate. Understanding the attributes of the two cameras (which you seem to do) is important when "mixing" footage. Different scenes should not be a problem as there is no frame of reference for the viewer to compare the cameras within the scene. For example, choosing the Canon to shoot an indoor scene to take advantage of the warmer image tone is a sensible choice if one has the option. Otherwise one would have to play with the GH2 settings or adjust in post. It almost exactly like a cinematographer choosing a different film stock for certain scenes. If I were to mix two different cameras in a single scene, my objective would be to alter in post, or by in-camera parameter adjustments before filming, one of the cameras to match the other as best as possible. I have mixed the GH2 with JVC HD and HM cameras with little post adjustment needed but I also made sure the shots were different to reduce comparative details that might give away that different cameras were used. __________________ William Hohauser - New York City Producer/Edit/Camera/Animation

February 25th, 2013, 11:35 AM	#5
Larry Becker Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 78	Re: Mixing footage question-different shots That's a good point that I forgot to make - when I've mixed footage (I guess that term doesn't work so well for digital - maybe gigage? - Hmm - I digress, sorry) from different cameras, it usually is a different perspective on the subject or different angle, or footage illustrating a point that the speaker is making in an interview. If I do a decent job of setting up the shots in-camera, it looks fine. People don't seem to notice the difference. Larry