HVX - 2fps - Las Vegas Strip
 

I don't see a lot of talk on DVInfo about the other variable frame rates in the HVX (for those who don't know, we've unlocked some hidden frame rates and have basically tripled the number of frame rates the camera can support). My favorite of these is 2 frames per second for the hyper-speed effect.

For fun I strapped the HVX200 on the roof of my vehicle and went barrelling down the freeway and then down the Las Vegas Strip.

I set the camera in the special two-frames-per-second mode with the shutter at 350 degrees to get some nice high-speed blur effects. At one point I had to adjust exposure, because the strip hotels were super-bright; it wasn't all that easy; had to hop out of the truck while stopped at a stoplight and clamber up on the roof to spin the iris wheel... must have looked a bit curious to all the other drivers. :)

http://hvx200.moctel.com/Users/Barry...Strip-2fps.mov


Right-click and save-as...

That's pretty damn cool. Good musical choice too. :)

HEY!!!!! That was a m a i z i n g .........

Kick ass Barry....


Was that secured to your roof via the stickypod?

OK, so how did you unlock these additional frame rates? Did you get a Beta firmware update at NAB or did you find some magical "easter-egg" key combination?

Are there also hidden shutter speeds? I would like to see slow shutter down to 1/4 sec.

No, I used the CineSaddle and strapped it down quite securely. It did drift just a little (you can see the roof of the car enter the lower left edge of the frame). Next time I'll have to strap it down tighter. I've used the cinesaddle for many car shots and always been very pleased with it, but this is the first time I've gone 70+ mph with it, so it's understandable that it might need to be strapped down a little tighter.

No firmware updates -- more like the easter egg.

Every HVX ever manufactured has those additional frame rates available, waiting to be tapped into. The total frame rates available are:

2,3,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20,22,23,24,26,27,28,30, 32,34,36,38,40,42,44,46,48,50,52,54,56,58, and 60 frames per second.

The thing is, Panasonic only had time and resources to certify and verify so many frame rates to make their shipping date. These other frame rates are, therefore, not certified. If you want to use them, you do so at your own risk. I don't know what ill effects they may cause; the only thing I've noticed is that I've had three "P2 Micon Error" messages come up when using some of these frame rates, so presumably that comes from them being untested.

I would also expect that as Panasonic has more time to certify and test them and verify that they're solid, then as time goes on they could release firmware updates that "unlock" more of these frame rates and make them officially available in the menus.

So: if you're comfortable with making your camera perform outside of its certified/warranteed parameters, you can access these frame rates, but you have to accept any risk that comes from doing so. If you're not comfortable stepping outside the certified/warranteed parameters, read no further!

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Here's the procedure:

1) Get a scene file text file on an SD card, usually by going into menu 8, CARD FUNCTIONS, and saving scene files to your SD card.

2) Open the scene file text file in the PRIVATE\MEIGROUP\PAVCN\SBG\P2SD directory, called SCENE1.TXT (or scene2.txt, scene3.txt, or scene4.txt) using a text editor like Windows Notepad

3) Look for the next-to-last item in the scene file. Here's what a sample scene file text file looks like:
00005000: 8 ; DETAIL LEVEL: 0
00005001: 8 ; V DETAIL LEVEL: 0
00005002: 8 ; DETAIL CORING : 0
00005003: 8 ; CHROMA LEVEL: 0
00005004: 8 ; CHROMA PHASE: 0
00005005: 8 ; COLOR TEMP: 0
00005006: 16 ; MASTER PED: 0
00005007: 8 ; A.IRIS LEVEL: 0
00005008: 1 ; NEWS GAMMA: OFF
00005009: 0 ; GAMMA : HD NORM
0000500A: 0 ; KNEE: AUTO
0000500B: 0 ; MATRIX: NORM
0000500C: 1 ; SKIN TONE DTL : OFF
0000500D: 0 ; V DETAIL FREQ : THIN
0000500E: 0 ; OPERATION TYPE: VIDEO CAM
0000500F: 0 ; FRAME RATE: DEFAULT
00005010: BE026801 ; SYNCRO SCAN :

That next-to-last item is:
0000500F: 0 ; FRAME RATE: DEFAULT

You can ignore everything after the semicolon; the semicolon indicates that it's a "comment" and will have no bearing on anything else (so, in this example, the part that says "; FRAME RATE: DEFAULT " is useless, it affects nothing, it's just there for human-readable description).

So the relevant part is:
0000500F: 0

The only thing you would want to change is that last number (in this case, "0"). To get different frame rates, use one of the following numbers:

0 = DEFAULT
1 = 2fps
2 = 3fps
3 =4fps
4 = 6fps
5 = 8fps
6 = 10fps
7 = 12fps
8 = 14fps
9 = 16fps
10 = 18fps
11 = 20fps
12 = 22fps
13 = 23fps
14 = 24fps
16 = 26fps
17 = 27fps
18 = 28fps
19 = 30fps
20 = 32fps
21 = 34fps
22 = 36fps
23 = 38fps
24 = 40fps
25 = 42fps
26 = 44fps
27 = 46fps
28 = 48fps
29 = 50fps
30 = 52fps
32 = 54fps
33 = 56fps
34 = 58fps
35 = 60fps
36+ = repeat of sequence from 50fps to 60fps

So, for example, if you wanted to get a frame rate of 2 FPS, your modified line would look like this:
0000500F: 1 ; FRAME RATE: DEFAULT

And if you wanted 44 fps, it would look like this:
0000500F: 26 ; FRAME RATE: DEFAULT

(don't try higher than 35; I tried 36 and it set it to 50fps, 37 set it to 52, so I think it just repeats 50-60 for all fields set higher than 36)

4) Save your modified text file back onto your SD card

5) Put the SD card back in the camera, go to CARD FUNCTIONS, and read the scene files into the camera.

Now, when you go to the appropriate scene file, you'll see the new frame rate there. But be aware, the only way to assign these "nonstandard" frame rates is through the SD card. If you use the menu to try to change the frame rate, you'll lose it -- it'll immediately jump to 60, and then only allow the normal rates to be selected. You'd have to re-load the scene file from the SD card in order to re-establish your "nonstandard" frame rate.

Don't know. Perhaps. I've gotten 1/2 second shutter speeds by setting it into 2fps mode and setting the shutter to 350 degrees, so if you set it to 4fps at 350 degrees, that would give you 1/4 sec.

But as far as a shutter speed in the menu saying "1/4", nobody's figured out how to do that yet, if it's even possible.

Probably not. After all, this is Los Vegas we're talking about. Heck, they probably thought you were doing some location shots for CSI. ;-)

-gb-

WOW... that looks absolutely amazing.. im very impressed with the low light performance of the unit as well... i didnt see much noize and what i could see is acceptable for my needs as a producer.. BUT...

from all the nigglies and the way the HVX has been progressing so far, im still considering waiting for an updated firmware or even better, an updated unit.. it really wouldnt surprise me if the next HVX is native MP4, as the 100a is considerably improved over the 100.. so this sort of trend "update behaviour" from panasonic is well known and proven, but of course MP4 on a HVX is a big speculation which i dont want to go into.
For what i do though, HD is not a necessity but these in cam facilities would be perfect for what i do...

its a tough one, but i think im going to wait until the quirks of the unit are ironed out and/or the firmware is tweaked a bit..

Pretty neat, Barry! Reminds me of NAB. What time was that? About midnight?

Nice work Barry. That was the most fun I've had stuck in traffic on the strip. :)

Barry, I don't want to speed up motion, just get the slow shutter effect that is so popular with the Sony cameras. Speed still remains normal. Clients ask for it.
I wonder if you could take the effect you're using. Say at 4fps or 8fps then in post slow the shot down to stretch it out to normal speed?

On your frame rate lists Barry there is a glaring omission of 15 : 25fps - does it not exist or is it blocked for any technical or political reason do you know? Is there a similar omission with the PAL camera?

No problem, just shoot 720p mode instead of 720pN mode. It'll give you the exact effect you're looking for, at realtime playback, and with the added bonus of recording sound too.

That was shot at about 9:30 p.m.

Don't know the exact answer to that. When I put in "15", it comes up saying 24fps, same as when I put in 14. Is it truly 24? Is it 25 just named 24? I don't know.

But this I do know: if it was 25, it probably would not be PAL-compatible 25. The crystal in the HVX is designed to generate NTSC-compatible frequencies, which means 23.976, 29.970, or 59.94 frames per second. The PAL camera delivers 25.000 and 50.000. And the frame rates are not the same between the two cameras even when they're named the same. For example, on the PAL camera, 12 fps actually runs at 12.500. But on the NTSC unit, 12 fps is 12.260. Dividing the crystal clock by various frequencies results in different actual frame rates, and it does make a difference.

So even if it said 25, it wouldn't be "real" 25 because the unit doesn't have a PAL-compatible crystal.

As to whether the 50Hz/PAL camera can use "14: 24" or not, I thought somebody on the other forum said it did. But if it does, I would be flabbergasted if it was 23.976 actual frames per second, instead I'd bet it'd be something like 24.21 or some other approximate rate, just like all the other frame rates are.

Any idea when the bandwidth will be back to allow d/l'ing?

Thanks, Mark

Wow -- that went fast! Unfortunately that server will have to wait until June 1 to come back on-line. I'll try to move the clip to a different server to get it viewable again...

EDIT: okay, it's back on line, at:
http://hvx200.moctel.com/Users/Barry...Strip-2fps.mov

I can't edit the first message, so Chris or other wranglers: could you please edit the first message to point at this clip?

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Done..!

At lower framerates more light hits the chip for every frame, so the noise can average out much more.

Finally got a chance to see the clip.

Pretty cool!

I recall doing something similar as a senior in high school in a friend's car with a Beaulieu movie camera running at 2 FPS. Didn't look anything like this, tho. We didn't have such extravagant lighting where I lived.

Barry... While in Las Vegas at NAB I saw what looked like a news car with an industrial video camera attached to the hood with a suction-cup setup, pulling a u-turn near the Stardust. That would have been useful for this task.

I understand that :) even running slower shutters on the DVX100 makes a huge difference to noise.. as for the HVX, someone else posted a night shoot out on the town which was only @24fps that too was remarkably clean

Inspiring stuff ...
 

Thanks Barry! That was way cool and it's exciting to see even more possibilities! Makes me want to go shoot!

By the way, I was going to print all of that out but I figured it'll all be in the book, right? ;o)

Nice driving Barry---you appear to have the skills of a NYC Cab driver!

Im speachless... I like it.

Barry:
Thanks for uncovering (and publicizing) one of the features we've all been lusting after!!!

May be the question has no sense...but. Is there anyway for to shot at 80 or 100 fps....a firmgrade upgrade by example? or there is a hardware limitation for that....Just to ask....and lookin' for an extreme slomo....One more: What is the best way for to get a god B&W?....In post? or directly from the camera? Any tips about?

Thanks

F

60fps is the maximum rate.

As for black & white, you can't get b&w in-camera, you'd have to do that effect in post.

Mildly off-topic, but it does make you wonder why they didn't give us a -3 or -6dB menu option on the gain, like pro cameras. In daylight we're always having to slap the ND into place....and I see noise all the time, not just in the blacks. The lack of a negative gain is really odd to me, since it would make the camera look soooooooo much better.

Barry thanks so much for posting this awhile back. I was able to finally mess around with this for some personal work I'm doing. I am curious though, why doesnt this work in 480i or 1080i? Or does it and im doing something wrong? I looked on this thread to see if you explain this, but didn't see why. Maybe I missed it? Thanks again for the post..

Variable frame rates are only possible in the 720p mode, but there are a few variable frame rates you can simulate in 1080. You could get 2fps in 1080, for example, by shooting in 1080/30p and using the intervalometer to choose an interval time of 16F. However, it won't look anything like this "streaking" footage because you'd have a maximum shutter speed of 1/30th of a second, whereas in the 720p mode you can get 350 degrees at 2 fps, for a shutter duration of 1/2 second.

Thanks Barry, too bad it doesnt work in 1080!

All this talk and no way to see the clip... any chance of a current link or of someone sending it to me??

Please fix the link, I am excited to see the footage!

Barry did not shoot these, but this is 2fps of Vegas from Evin Grant:

http://www.motionzonehd.com/product....8&cat=0&page=1

Another 2 fps HVX clip

http://www.motionzonehd.com/product....0&cat=0&page=4

For comparision: These were shot on DSLR:

http://www.motionzonehd.com/product....cat=253&page=3

http://www.motionzonehd.com/product....2&cat=0&page=1

http://www.motionzonehd.com/product....5&cat=0&page=2

Out of curiousity, what is the difference between the 2fps hack and Interval recording at 2fps?

Mainly the ability to get the 1/2 second shutter speed.

Barry, any chance of getting a new link for us newbs?