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Fps
Hi all.
This should go in the general inquiries, but I cant find that forum. So I’ll post here ☺
This is hopefully a simple question, I hope.
First off, I’m in the UK, so 25fps for me, though I do prefer the look of 24fps.
I have recorded my footage at 50fps, so I can do slow mo when suitable. I dont want to have to keep changing my setting when recording an event, so thought it best to just keep it at 50fps. Is that the right practice?
When I take the all the files into the software, what should I set the timeline to? Natively the timeline is set to 50fps, and the footage runs smoothly and ‘normal’.
If I set the timeline to 25fps, the clip double in length and play at half speed. This is expected.
My main question, and I know it sounds dumb, should I have the timeline at 25fps or 50fps? And if I need to have it at 25fps, can I get the clip to run at ‘normal’ speed (dropping every other frame)?
Thank you in advance for any help.
Owen
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5 Replies
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My main question, and I know it sounds dumb, should I have the timeline at 25fps or 50fps? And if I need to have it at 25fps, can I get the clip to run at ‘normal’ speed (dropping every other frame)?
It depends on what/who you deliver to. If final playback is at 25 it is best to edit at 25fps.
Actually you’re footage length should not get twice as long when you drop it in a 25fps timeline. Only if you want the slowmotion effect you should choose speed “normal”, which in this case is the same as 2x.
The problem is that sometimes the Timeline(Project) speed is automatically adjusted to the first clips framerate. You can get around that by throwing in a 25fps clip first or a some generator like a color bar. Than place one or more 50fps clips in the timeline and than again delete the color bar.
The thing about recording in 50 fps for 25 fps usage is you have to take care with you shutter time/angle. Most people use 1/50th second shutter time, or 180 degree for most 25fps footage. Shorter shutter times may stutter. So you can run 50 fps, but I’d advice to make you’re shutter time as long as possible. Or only shoot 50fps when you need it.
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I shoot a lot of sports and use 1080 p 60 fps. I drop it straight into a new timeline and FCPX plays it and the outcome is normal motion. Often I like to use slow motion and at 50% it looks great and much better than starting with 30 FPS. If it is output to the web, I let compressor set it up for 1080p and it sends it out at 60p (59.94 to be precise). Youtube does whatever it wants and it looks fine. Obviously, this is not for network TV.
My question why when the final is 30 fps (or in the case above 25 fps) would it be an advantage in X to convert from 60 fps to 30 at the beginning (or from 50 to 25)?
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If the viewer will see the film in 25/30 fps than it is helpfull to edit in 25/30, because you know better what the footage will look like to the viewer. 25/30 may stutter with quick pans and movement, but it can also give a more filmic/cinematic feel.
However I believe Youtube retains 50/60 fps framerate for some years.
John
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Thank you for all your help. Really appreciated.
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