TC display on Panasonic 1400
by Bradley Kents
on
Sep 28, 2008 at 1:09:59 pm
We're digitizing DVCPRO HD footage from a Panasonic 1400 to Final Cut Pro via FireWire. FCP timecode expresses the framerate of the footage as 60fps -- so at a frame before 10 minutes, the TC in FCP reads: 00095959. But the display on the Panasonic 1400 shows 00095929. Hmmm. Actually, we suspect this is correct but just making sure. Is it that the 1400 doesn't display TC up to 60fps ... just 30?
Re: TC display on Panasonic 1400 by john sharaf on Sep 28, 2008 at 4:36:12 pm
Bradley,
There are only 30 frames per second in video, but there are 60 fields. When you shoot 60p on the Varicam you can play it back for slowmotion or create 30 frames of 2 fields each. The difference from 60i is that the two fields are temporally different and in fact tend to show a smoother motion than the two half frames in interlace.
Re: TC display on Panasonic 1400 by Jeremy Garchow on Oct 1, 2008 at 3:31:53 am
Unfortunately, the 60p spec conforms to 29.97 SMPTE tc.
You change this in FCP by changing the tc rate to 30 (from 60) in the browser. You will notice 2 frames of video per frame number (just like the tc on a deck). If you use a Kona card, the tc rate usually gets set 'properly' and if you have an ioHD you will notice (with the latest drivers) that depending on what frame you are parked within the frame number, you will get an asterik or not on the ioHD display. Why 60 frame tc was not part of the spec is silly, but I guess we will be dragging the 30 frame legacy for a while to come.