interview in UK, footage needs to be NTSC

[Michael Slowe]

If your footage is purely for use in North America why would you choose to shoot it in PAL? Most professional cameras today will shoot both PAL and NTSC.

Michael Slowe

[Don Greening]

[Eric Jamison] “will I answer my own post by suggesting i shoot everything at PAL standards and just convert the footage to NTSC when I return?”

You have chosen wisely. The reason for shooting PAL in a PAL country is because the electrical system is 50Hz unlike North America which is 60Hz. If you shoot NTSC with PAL lighting you’re going to get rolling shutter artifacts big time because of the difference in how the alternating current in the lighting pulses. You can’t see the pulsing just by looking at a light because it alternates too fast but it’ll be very noticeable in your shots. If you’re sure you’re never going to do your shoot with artificial lighting then you’d be safe to shoot NTSC. But only if you’re sure. Our sun just happens to be frame rate agnostic 🙂 The alternative is to shoot 24p (23.98) because the alternating 50Hz is way less noticeable in the shots.

– Don

Don Greening
A Vancouver Video Production Company
Reeltime Videoworks
http://www.reeltimevideoworks.com

[Michael Slowe]

Sorry Eric, I forgot about the difference with European lighting. As Don says, God’s light is rate agnostic!

Michael Slowe

[Robin Probyn]

Guys this is total nonsense .. 🙂

You can shoot PAL in NTSC countries,I have for over 20yrs and NTSC in PAL counties .. just change your shutter speed for artificial lighting.. 1/50th PAL 1/60th NTSC.. .. you will have a problem with tungsten lights if your bulbs are 110V.. but wisely you are renting locally..

Eric you dont have to use only natural light.. you can shoot 24p or 30p and use 1/50th shutter.. watch out for sodium lights on weird cycles as you would in your own country.. tungsten lights are fine as are kinoflo,s and any new HMI,s..if for some odd reason you will shoot your interview in a florescent light supermarket use 1/50th shutter to get of flicker ..

[Eric Jamison]

Michael, Don and Robin,

Thanks very much for your input in this situation – i would have replied sooner, but just figured out how to navigate this site so i can find my own posts lol

I guess i failed to ask a few technical questions to the local vendor, ie. type of lights being shipped – but i suppose its too late for that.

Ill have some time to play around with the camera in the morning – ill be sure to put these suggestions to the test.

if all else fails, ill be applying for a job at FedEx haha.

[Robin Probyn]

Hi Eric

All new camera,s can be set for PAL flavors or NTSC.. in system/op menu..thats your choice.. shutter is usually an actual switch located on the camera body under the lens usually. You may have to activate certain shutter options in a shutter menu in camera.
I would also speak to your editor they should have a good idea on what format they want the footage.

Re lights.. I would request Kinoflo Diva 400.. maybe 2.. for ease of use,and small footprint .. or some LED panel lights.. (not cheap ones as they can be green!)

The rental company should help you with camera set up.. if you shoot NTSC mode florescent lights,TV screens etc will flicker without 1/50th shutter.. tungsten lights won’t anyway you shoot..

good luck