Canon HV40/Sony FX1 for music video. (slo mo thoughts)
by Michael Brodner
on
Sep 29, 2009 at 3:32:45 pm
I'm shooting a music video that will incorporate some slow motion but also some really jittery hand held type stuff. I own a Sony FX1 and also the Canon HV40. I want to somehow use both cameras if possible.
Would it be more beneficial to shoot the entire video in 60i on the canon so as to get the nicest possible slo mo and then convert everything over to 24p? Or should I shoot in 24f and then just use the FX1 for shots that I know will be in slo mo?
converting 60i footage over to 24p, will that essentially make it "look" like 24p in the end? I want to avoid the home video look at all costs but I realize shooting in 60i will give the best results for slo mo.
Re: Canon HV40/Sony FX1 for music video. (slo mo thoughts) by Todd Terry on Sep 29, 2009 at 3:42:32 pm
If you shoot the to-be-slow-mo'ed stuff at 60i you can basically slow-mo it to 40% and intercut it fairly successfully with regular-motion 24p footage.
Keep in mind that for stuff that you intend to slow, not only should you shoot it 60i, but you should shoot it with a higher-than-normal shutter speed. Something in the 1/120th of a second range would be about right. Otherwise you will get too much motion blur which will look very non-filmic.
I would try if at all possible to shoot only what you intend to slow at 60i, and shoot all the regular-motion stuff at 24p. You can mix-n-match, but you'll get much better results if you don't.
T2
__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
Re: Canon HV40/Sony FX1 for music video. (slo mo thoughts) by Michael Brodner on Sep 29, 2009 at 3:58:08 pm
Thanks for the speedy response Todd.
Is it going to pose an issue switching from HDV to 24f on the Canon on the same tape? Let's say I want to film a group of people walking in 24f. Then, switch over to the HDV setting and do the same take again, but in that mode.
I'm guessing it'll only be an issue once I go to capture this stuff right?
Re: Canon HV40/Sony FX1 for music video. (slo mo thoughts) by Todd Terry on Sep 29, 2009 at 4:06:55 pm
Well while a purist would tell you that you probably shouldn't switch things on the same tape... there's really no problem with doing so.
I usually use the Canon XLH1 body... and have been known to change shutter speeds and framerates at will on the same tape, without ever having any problems. Heck, we sometimes also switch from SD to HDV on the same tape. It's not really an issue... just give yourself plenty of lead-out and lead-in on the shots, especially when you make a change. I'll usually let the camera run for an extra 10 seconds or so at the end of a shot if I know I'm going to make some drastic setting change (such as swapping in or out of SD mode) so there is plenty of pad on the tape. Just changing frame rates or shutter speeds though shouldn't be an issue at all.
T2
__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
Re: Canon HV40/Sony FX1 for music video. (slo mo thoughts) by Michael Brodner on Sep 29, 2009 at 4:17:32 pm
Interesting. Ok cool. So what are your thoughts on the FX? Should I even bother using it? I'll certainly have it on set with me. I actually bought the Canon as a backup for weddings in case the Sony crapped the bed, but now I am finding out more and more that the Canon is actually the better camera in many ways.
Re: Canon HV40/Sony FX1 for music video. (slo mo thoughts) by Todd Terry on Sep 29, 2009 at 4:22:28 pm
[Michael Brodner]"So what are your thoughts on the FX?"
Sorry, I don't really have any. I have never used either of those cameras. For the last couple of years we have shot almost exclusively with the Canon XLH1. Prior to that we shot either 35mm film or DVcam video with the bigger Sony DSR series cameras.
I do have a little Canon HV20 that we bought just for fun and as a crashcam. I have to say that it's pretty stunning as far as the picture that it outputs. Unfortunately there is no full manual mode (you have to learn to "trick it" into manual) and manual focusing is a gigantic pain in the rear... but for a sub-$1000 camera it is amazing.
Maybe others more familiar with your particular cameras can chime in...
T2
__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
