Shoot at 24p or convert to 24p in post?

[Ki Rin]

Hi, I'm sorry if this is a really noob question, but I've been wondering about this for some time.. and have not found a good answer via google. 

Is there any aesthetic difference between shooting 24p in camera, compared to shooting at a higher frame rate (like 60p) and dropping it into a 24p timeline in premiere? 

I mean, I know the 60p file gives more flexibility with slowing down footage, but just in terms of the filmic 24p look is there a difference? 

I have been shooting always in 24p because I don't like the look of the higher frame rates, but it would be good to have the added flexibility of the higher frame rate if I can still achieve the same look easily. 

Thanks for helping me with this
 

 

[Tim Sewell]

You will lose motion blur by shooting at a higher frame rate. Shooting at 24p gives a shutter speed of 1/48 (if you're using the 180 rule, which I assume you are), which gives the level of motion blur we subliminally associate with cinema. If you shoot, say at 60p, you'd be using a higher shutter speed by necessity, so the motion blur would be affected.

[DBounce]

4 hours ago, Tim Sewell said:

You will lose motion blur by shooting at a higher frame rate. Shooting at 24p gives a shutter speed of 1/48 (if you're using the 180 rule, which I assume you are), which gives the level of motion blur we subliminally associate with cinema. If you shoot, say at 60p, you'd be using a higher shutter speed by necessity, so the motion blur would be affected.

To my eyes slow-mo tends to look cinematic by default. But if the OP is speaking about dropping frames to convert to 24p... then yes,  I believe you are correct that motion blur will look at bit off. 

[Rinad Amir]

Noob question : but you can add motion blur right? Aftereffect pre

[Tim Sewell]

30 minutes ago, Rinad Amir said:

Noob question : but you can add motion blur right? Aftereffect pre

Won't look as organic - how could it?

[elgabogomez]

One way to check if hfps looks good to you converted to 24 is watching one of the hobbit movies on bluray... If they look natural to you then you might feel ok with what you can get in post.

[tupp]

If your input frame rate is not a multiple of the output frame rate (or vice versa), then you might need to blend some of the input frames for the output to seem smooth.  Frame blending can involve a meshing of interlaced fields from adjacent frames (as done in typical pull-downs) or involve a digital blending of adjacent progressive frames.  A touch of motion blur can be added digitally if needed.

 

I don't do much post work, but I would guess that rendering time is the biggest drawback of digital frame blending and of adding motion blur.  An interlaced pull-down/pull-up uses fewer resources than some digital frame blending processes.  Of course, if you are making a simple conversion in which your input frame rate is a multiple of the output frame rate (e.g., 48fps -> 24fps), you are simply dropping unneeded frames, and very little computer power is needed.

 

There must be examples of various frame rate conversions and digital motion blur on YouTube, Vimeo, and DailyMotion, etc.

 

At any rate (pun unintended), it is probably best/easiest to capture in the frame rate that you will be outputting.

[Ki Rin]

Thanks for the replies guys. I will stick to 24p unless I specifically want to do slow motion then I guess.