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how long is a second?
I’m having some issues in post that I suspect I cant do much about but I don’t really understand it.
We shot some athletics on the HPX500. the race was recorded as a single clip and the duration of the clips does not even come close to matching the duration of the race. The stopwatch stopped at 03:50:63 sec but the duration of my clip from gun to crossing the line is 03.54.50 sec.
Shot PAL 720/50p, editing on PAL 720/50p
The cameras were shot iso without any genlock or sync and I wasn’t expecting accuracy to 100th of a second but a 4 second discrepancy seems very high, shouldn’t a second be a second? Anyone else experience something similar? How could I avoid this in the future?
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11 Replies
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Are you timing from when the stop watch started to when it stopped? Or the entire clip duration? Because I am sure you started rolling before the camera started, and a bit after it stopped.
Shane
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In your case, 50 frames
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I wouldn’t get too concerned about this, over 3 minutes you’re bound to see some timecode drifting between two completely unconnected clock sources. Unless someone is watching your video with a timecode reader display on screen they will never know the difference.
Noah
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Maybe — but a 1.7% time difference? I think there’s something else going on. Don’t know what. Anyone? Buehler? Anyone?
-jeff
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Yeah I’m surprised it’s not much more to be honest. As someone who works with timecode smart slates and sync boxes there’s really nothing shocking at all that two unconnected devices count seconds completely differently. That’s reality folks. A second is not the same to every electronic device…
Noah
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Does the HPX500 have the Pre-Record function? If so, and that was on, that would explain the additional recorded time.
Chris Cardno
Visual Edge Productions
Bethesda, MDChris Cardno
Visual Edge Productions
Bethesda, MD -
I think he is timing from the time the start gun goes off, to the time the runner breaks the ribbon at the end of the run, and not the duration of the clip. The question I would ask is the stopwatch just in a guys hand and he is starting and stopping it? If so could he not be late on the start and early on the finishes? Or is this timing gear that is set up big track events?
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Is your time code drop frame or non-drop?
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There is no drop frame capable in PAL recordings. Even if the option is toggled it has no effect. Besides the time offset would be more like 7.8 seconds difference.
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Thanks for the responses, been away on a job and wasn’t able to check the forums.
Yeah, the timing gear was pro track timing, I cut the clip at the gun going off and winner crossing the line so its as close to the official timing duration as I could get it.
This is PAL so yeah, no drop frame issues.
I’m glad to hear its not me who thinks the drift is excessive.
I’m wondering whether its a problem/limitation with the HPX500, unfortunately the other cameras buttoned on and off so I have no other continuous clips.
Anyone willing to put their HPX500 against the clock and see if it drifts by as much?
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