[Brad Downing]

your question is a good one.
I checked this when I bought it.
50i is what it shoots. It ALWAYS shoots 50i.
The difference is that it shoots the same image twice (or just holds the shutter open longer for PF25, then prints the same image on two frames).
Who the heck knows….. It may even shoot two images, and try to make a better single image out of it, like it does for the steady cam under the photo options.
the PF25 is converted to 50i in the camera, so all the playback speeds look the same.
the 50i is better for quick actions, as it has less motion blur, but the PF25 is much better in Low Light. I use the PF25.
I shoot with a tripod, in a dark room during lectures, and need the image to be clear.
There is less grain in the PF25, and you can zoom in much closer on details in Premier, without too much loss in image quality.