Does anyone use 24p to shoot weddings?
 

Hi,

I'm currently deciding to get the new Sony XDCAM EX1 or the Sony VR-Z7 (HDV which will be released around February).

I'm just wondering, what formats do people usually shoot in, and does anyone use the 24p or 24i frame rate? I'm not really sure but I'm pretty sure this is also referred to as CineAlta so would this be useful for wedding videos?

Apologies if this has been asked elsewhere.

Thanks,
Matt

I found myself to be shooting in 25p(pal) most of the time. Especially during dinner reception where it is quite dark, and I don't do fast zoom or pan, therefore I always prefer 25p to 50i. I know I'll be rendering in 25p anyway.

Kenny

I'd like to know what formats are being used by the folks here, who shoot weddings with the Canon XH-A1 (or G1 and H1).

I only shoot in 24P mode with my DVX100. In fact, a shot that I inadvertently shoot in 60i looked very awkward once it was edited in with the rest of my footage.

I shoot in either 24p or 30p. I like to use 30p for slow-mo shots where possible. I personally like the look of progressive much more than interlace. I also shoot with a DVX100A.

I shoot 60i because I have no choice. My next cams will be 24p though. I really like that look.

24p
 

24p is definitely the way to go. Most of the time, unless our clients ask for something different, that is what we shoot with our DVX100as.

OK, I'll step out of line and say I shoot 16:9 50i on my PAL Z1. I want my wedding films to be as s m o o t h as possible, and I don't want any 'film look' to come in the way of that reality.

Hi Tom,

How do you rate the Sony Z1 as i'm thinking on upgrading to one from my Sony Dcr Vx2100.

How well does it perform in low light situtations?

Regards
Wayne

Thanks for your comments. It seems there are a few shooting in 24p.

I have only ever shot in PAL 25 frames and noticed on the new EX1 the CineAlta setting. If its good for the movies I thought maybe it would be great for weddings. But I guess I will have to play around with it to make sure I'm happy with the setting before I go for one or the other frame rates.

Cheers,
Matt

Wayne, a lot of folk took the VX1200 to Z1 footpath - me too. How do I rate the Z1? It is just m-i-l-e-s better than the VX ergonomically, a real delight to use with its top screen in the right place, the iris control wheel so beautifully damped, the assign buttons, focus assist, black stretch, XLR inputs, 16:9, HDV - I could go on and on.

Of course nothing will match your VX in the gloom as the 576 chips have far bigger pixels than any same-sized 1080 chips. But the Z1's gain-up mode is clever, trading grain for sharpness, so gain up is very uesable. You'll just love the Z1 as thousands of others do. But we're on the verge of the Z7 and EX1, so it might be best to hold on a mo.

tom.

What about NTSC and PAL when using 24p?
 

Now that I think about it....I will be shooting in PAL as I live in Australia When looking on the specs for the EX1...the 24p setting seems to be only available under NTSC and 25p is available under PAL.

Is it possible to shoot in 24p NTSC and then still export it to a PAL audience?

Also, the EX1 exports 1080/50i, 25p for PAL. Is this still a good setting for HD? Sorry for the probably obvious question, however I'm new to the HD thing.

Cheers,

1080/25p is indeed good for PAL, as all the modern flat screen HD TVs display in this format anyway.

Cheers Tom. So even if its 50i? I thought progressive was better than interlaced?

Yeah, I'm going to have to get me one of those HD TVs when I get the EX.

Progressive was invented back 65 years ago as a means of getting full res (ha!) pictures transmitted using two half-res fields with the very little bandwidth available to broadcasters. CRTs simply aped this to show pictures correctly.

Cinema has always been progressive, so now we've got it with video we might as well use it. It's a toss-up. 50i for more fps (sort of) or the higher res 25p that's a bit more stuttery.

tom.