From XDCAM EX-1 to what?

[Noah Kadner]

ha- too many questions for me. But in general from a ProRes HQ master at 720p50 you can then derive all of your other formats at their best possible looks. I create my Youtube and H.264 QuickTime web videos and my SD DVDs starting from an HD ProRes HQ master and it looks great. Each format you mentioned has its own special formula for the best look- worth researching on Google to find out more.

Noah

My FCP Blog. Unlock the secrets of the DVX100, HVX200 and Apple Color and Win a Free Letus Extreme.
Now featuring the Sony EX1 Guidebook, DVD Studio Pro and Sound for Film and TV.
https://www.callboxlive.com

[Helge Krabye]

Thanks for taking time to respond, Noah! Yes, searching for the best solutions is what I need to do… If there was a database of experience that we could pick solutions from, that would have been something. I will hopefully share my conclusions if/when I found the best answers to my own questions.

One basic question that you might be able to help me with, Noah, is this: When the source is 720p50 (50 fps), is there anything I should know before converting to a different format? I mean, is 50 fps to fast for most computers, and will I get a better result if I convert to 30 fps or 25 fps? I love how 50 fps look with progressive scan – the movements are excellent. I see a lot of video, like commercials on tv that were shot as progressive but converted to interlaced, and they don’t look good on the tv. – I hope I can get better results as long as I stay in the progressive domain, and I can do that when sharing my videos on the web, right?

XDCAM-EX1
MacPro 2×2,8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
FinalCutPro6
MetaSynth, ArtMaticPro, ArtMaticVoyager
My music: https://homelessballoon.com

[Noah Kadner]

It’s 25p isn’t it?

Noah

My FCP Blog. Unlock the secrets of the DVX100, HVX200 and Apple Color and Win a Free Letus Extreme.
Now featuring the Sony EX1 Guidebook, DVD Studio Pro and Sound for Film and TV.
https://www.callboxlive.com

[Steve Connor]

I have to say I’m not sure you’re right about 720 50P becoming the standard in Europe. UK is certainly 1080 and the BBC are now saying no 720 production at all.

Steve Connor
Adrenalin Television

Have you tried “Search Posts”? Enlightenment may be there.

[Helge Krabye]

In many European countries, the switch from analog to digital distribution has proved that there is not enough bandwidth to support all interests. Therefore – that’s my impressions from discussions and documents also distributed by EBU (the European Broadcasting Union where most countries are members) – they have suggested that we use 720p (1280×720 progressive) as the standard for distributing digital television. – Of course, most countries will record in a higher resolution. In Norway (where I live), we really don’t want to use interlaced video, so 1080i is not an option. Recording and editing in 1080p is fine, and we will then downconvert to 720p before transmitting the signal via cable and through air.

I choose to record in 720p50 rather than 720p25 or 1080p25 on my EX-1, because I see much better qualtiy on movements. Interlaced, digital video is a big joke, I think, and most professionals seem to agree.

XDCAM-EX1
MacPro 2×2,8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
FinalCutPro6
MetaSynth, ArtMaticPro, ArtMaticVoyager
My music: https://homelessballoon.com

[Steve Connor]

[Helge Krabye] “Interlaced, digital video is a big joke, I think, and most professionals seem to agree.
“

Well I’m a professional and I’d rather have higher resolution interlace than lower resolution progressive. Of course I’d rather have 1080 50P but it’s not going to happen in broadcast just yet. The BBC agree with me and in terms of quality the BBC are a benchmark for the rest of the world. What the EBU are saying and what actual Broadcasters are doing is very different.

Steve Connor
Adrenalin Television

Have you tried “Search Posts”? Enlightenment may be there.

[Helge Krabye]

When you have 1080 interlaced, the vertical resolution is lower than 720 progressive, because the interlaced signal is split into 2 x half the image. So it’s a myth that interlaced 1080 is better than 720p, isn’t it? Another problem with interlaced is that fast movements will never look good, simply because the object has time to move between the first and second set of lines. This is what I have been told, and I have seen demonstrations that prove it. – There is one advantage with 1080 though, and that is the added resolution horizontally (1920 dots pr. line vs. 1280 on 720p). This is an advantage in some cases, but personally, I prefer the advantage that 50 fps gives for sports and fast movements. This is from wikipedia:

“In the USA, 720p is used by ABC, Fox Broadcasting Company and ESPN because the smoother image is desirable for fast-action sports telecasts, whereas 1080i is used by CBS, NBC, HBO, Showtime and Discovery HD due to the crisper picture particularly in non-moving shots.”

XDCAM-EX1
MacPro 2×2,8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
FinalCutPro6
MetaSynth, ArtMaticPro, ArtMaticVoyager
My music: https://homelessballoon.com

[Steve Connor]

Don’t agree with any of that I’m afraid, having worked with extensively with HD for the last 3 years my personal experience leads me to believe that 1080i does NOT have problems with fast movement. I’ve done many tests with fast movement shots (aircraft flying at speeds up to 300 miles per hour) in 1080i and 720 50P and I don’t see hardly any difference in the way motion works – what I do see is the increased resolution that 1080 offers. I know the theories but I trust my eyes more than theories.

You can see some of our fast moving 1080 footage here https://www.vimeo.com/1387717

Steve Connor
Adrenalin Television

Have you tried “Search Posts”? Enlightenment may be there.

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[Helge Krabye]

OK, I respect you for your work and experience with HD, and since I’m a beginner, I will not argue. I just refer to other articles and discussions. – Maybe other user on this list want to share their view?

Helge

XDCAM-EX1
MacPro 2×2,8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
FinalCutPro6
MetaSynth, ArtMaticPro, ArtMaticVoyager
My music: https://homelessballoon.com

[Steve Wargo]

[Steve Connor] “You can see some of our fast moving 1080 footage”

Ok, Mr Connor, I now have “shooter envy”. Fantastic stuff!! Please give us some details on what it was shot with, cameras, lenses, frame rates, and all the other goodies.

This past friday, I had the opportunity to fly in one of only two remaining Ford TriMotors. https://www.valleairport.com/ Upon landing, I was shooting the left landing gear (EX-1) and we had 50 feet (15m) from the tire to the desert. It was a hard gravel runway. We crossed a road and the tires left the runway as the plane rose about a foot or so. When it touched down again, the plane went a bit left and the tire was in the desert. The pilot corrected right and the wing tip dipped halfway to the ground and my pucker factor rose a few degrees. However, the plane fishtailed a bit this way and that way and it all straightened.

Afterward, I asked the pilot if he was at all nervous and he said “Nervous about what?”

I’ll post that footage on Vimeo early this week.

Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!

Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD .