Format Choice for Car Race
 

I'm shooting a corporate project in a few weeks based on a car race (Rolex 24 at Daytona--the company is sponsoring a car and has some of its workers on the pit crew).

Final destination is Blu-ray, to be shown in house on a large 1080p display. Do I shoot 1080/30 or 720/60? I want more of a filmed documentary than TV sports look, so leaning towards 1080 to avoid resizing. I'll be sure to get a few shots of the racing cars at 720/60 to have options though.

P2 space is not an issue. Thanks for any suggestions.

Rob

If you are going for the resolution then 1080/30, use 720/30 with over/undercrank to express actions.
Blu-ray plays back 720 format well, too. I would say go with 720 unless you are playing back on really large screen like over 200inch or something.
My 720 clips plays back on 120 inch screen fine.

Another thing is to shoot 720/60 all the time, then use slowmotion in the post.
If you keep the shutter speed like 1/120 then the slowmotion would look great, but the draw back is that the regular speed, you would loose motion blur and motions might look choppy.

I would try to get a partner then have one person follow the event with 720/30p exclusively, then another shooting frame rate effects shots with overcrank setting.

This is my concept from shooting mountainbike & BMX events.

Thanks Kaku. The screen will not be anything near that big--maybe 60". Slow motion is not a concern--may get a few in camera shots. The resolution and sharpness is what I'm concerned about.

So you're saying that there will be no noticeable difference in that regard on a 60" 1080p screen between 720p footage on a 720p Blu-ray and 1080/1080?

Rob,

In case of HVX and HPX, I don't see much differences in 1080 and 720.
I use Adobe Encore CS3 to burn Blu-ray discs on Mac from what I shoot from HVX and HPX, 720 works fine with up to 120" screen that I have in the studio.

But if you want highest possible resolution then you can go with 1080 but me and Steev from Holyzoo discussed about this and agreed that 720 makes most sense with HVX and HPX.

If you do shoot with 720, I won't uprez to 1080 on Bluray. I would stay with 720 and let Bluray player or the panel handle the enlarging.