Frame Mode Questions
 

Hey gang,

I've been doing some test shots to compare video shot using frame mode and video shot interlaced.

I only see the difference on my computer. And sometimes it's a negative difference. If I shoot something with a lot of movement frame mode seems to get blurry sometimes.

On the television I can't tell a difference.. unless I'm in frame mode and there's a lot of movement. Kids running, that sort of movement.

So my question is, when would frame mode be a good option for shooting video? I'm not knocking it, just trying to figure out what people use it for and when.

Second, should I see a difference on a regular television? Maybe my television is too old or cheap because I just don't see the difference. I know televisions are interlaced. That's probably why frame mode isn't doing anything.

Thanks!

Charlie

Re: Frame Mode Questions
 

"I only see the difference on my computer. And sometimes it's a negative difference. If I shoot something with a lot of movement frame mode seems to get blurry sometimes.

On the television I can't tell a difference.. unless I'm in frame mode and there's a lot of movement. Kids running, that sort of movement."

A television is where you -should- see a difference, as that medium is what video, and particularly "frame mode", is targeted towards. The view on a computer monitor is largely immaterial unless that's your planned primary venue.

"So my question is, when would frame mode be a good option for shooting video? I'm not knocking it, just trying to figure out what people use it for and when."
Use of frame mode (progressive scan) is largely a matter of aesthetic preference for most people. Fast motion will seem jittery because both scan fields are being recorded simultaneously. So there's less visual blurring that interlaced recording introduces.

We have hundreds of threads on frame mode so a Search will keep you entertained for quite a while.

Re: Re: Frame Mode Questions
 

And something more:

you LOSE resolution in frame mode with gl2!

I couldn't see too much of a difference on my TV either Ken. The
difference is mainly in the motion signatures as you already found
Charlie. At what shutter speed where you shooting? I would not
advise you to go under 1/60th unless it is for that effect. Because
it will strobe more indeed.

Personally I loved the way it looked and how it was a tad softer
due to the resolution loss. But I guess that is personal.

Which mode is best for you depend on what you are trying to do
with it. If you are making a fictional dramatic piece most people
tend to agree that frame mode helps in this regard (gives it a
slightly more filmic look). However if you do home videos for the
family or broadcast stuff then I would stick with interlaced.

Frame Mode footage exhibited on LCD screens
 

I have done a series of portraits shot in frame mode that will now be exhibited on LCD screens. In looking at the footage on these screens for the first time I am seeing that the edges are jagged and over all I am not happy with the look. Is there any way of dealing with this footage so these interlace issues look better or is the only choice (to get a decent picture) to view them on conventional TV monitors...

Help, please!

David what resolution are the LCD screens in question set at?

I edit with 2 LCD and preview / playback on 1 LCD TV of which all are fairly small (17" and 15") however I don't see what you're seeing. I'm wondering if this is a resolution or input issue?

I am using an LG Flatron RU-20LA61 LCD TV. It's 20".

I am going through the S-Video input so I don't know that a resolution can be set, can it? I assumed it would be automatic, but maybe not?

Think your problem could be the limited resolution of the LCD you have used. From what I gather it only has a resoltion of 640 x 480. This may be ok if your images are that otherwise the electronics can generate steps that are not there due to sizing changes. Can only suggest you try it on another better definition monitor.

David...

LCD's generally produce a sharper looking image than standard crt televisions...so it is possible that this is what you are seeing...you may be able to turn the sharpness down on the monitor, or your next step would be to decrease the sharpness of your footage...either in camera or by adjusting the sharpness, or adding some blur in your NLE.

The Gl2's default sharpness runs a little high for my taste...typically I have it turned down a couple of notches...As always, its best to test for your intended output so that your settings match (or work with) the intended output device.

Hi,

Also remember that a flat LCD screen is basically built from small-squares. A LCD screen is bult with ONE screensize in mind, a big screeen like 20" I'd is made for showing 1280x1024 or more like 1420x1280. All other sizes you try to show on the screen will be quantized thus producing a "ugly" picture... this is one of the the main reasons going DVI-I instead of analogue when you hook up a LCD screen to the computer.

More info on lcd/flats:

http://graphics.tomshardware.com/display/19990624/tft1-06.html

Best regards,

Lazze

Do Frame Mode and OIS degrade resolution?
 

Is it true that Frame mode and/or Opitical Image Stabliliztion operate at the expense of image resolution?

TIA

OIS: No.

Frame mode: to a degree.

Do a Search "frame mode" as this is a well-trodden subject here. Hundreds of threads and posts on it.

GL2 frame movie mode
 

I just TRIED to read an article at videosystems.com about progressive scanning and I'm not sure that I got the jist of it. I'm pretty sure I understand 24P, but I'm not sure that I know how the GL2's frame movie mode works.

First, here's my interpretation of the rather confusing explaination in the article that I just read. Since an NTSC camcorder can only store 240 lines per frame and CCD's have 480 lines, what happens when you use frame movie mode on a camera like the GL2 is: The camera takes every two sensor rows and combines them into one NTSC line. To reduce flicker in NTSC lines, they slightly overlap part of the RGB signal from line 1 with line 2 and so on. These 240 NTSC lines are then written to the 480 lines in field 1 and field 2.

If anyone has a clearer explaination, I'd love to hear it. Here's the article that I'm referring to: http://videosystems.com/images/archive/209vsshexp.pdf

The article says that using frame movie reduces vertical resolution to about 320 lines. I think I've also heard that 30P is much more difficult to convert to 24P than 60i.

Both are hard to convert to 24p, however 60i will probably look
better indeed.

May I be so bold to ask why you care about the resolution (loss)?

Canon's frame mode has been discussed often and there once
was a great article explaining it in great detail on the internet,
but has since been removed unforunately.

Exact resolution "loss" is not really known, and may very well
vary depending on scene content etc. as well. I believe the
general consensus was that the loss is somewhere inbetween
25 - 50% range.

Personally I don't really care. It looks good enough for me or it
doesn't. I could care less how many actualy pixels I have left...

Rob is right, the resolution loss is hardly noticable. It's only a little softer (you can see it in close-ups if you look very careful) but I heard deinterlacing in post also gives you resolution loss, so, if you don't want much work afterwards, just go for the Frame Mode.

Offcourse if you want to keep your options open, shoot in 60i and look then what you want to do.

Good luck.