Wondering if there is any advantage at all using the HPX500 to capture 1080 24pA footage rather than 720p? Is there an actual noticeable quality difference? I can't really tell the difference with my naked eye, and being that the camera already uses pixel shift, is 1080 just a waste of time? I have always just shot with HVX200 and HPX500 in 720p 24N which is great... but I just thought I'd ask as I'd never really thought about exploring the 1080 vs 720 issue b4.
HPX500 1080 vs 720
- Thread starter morgster
- Start date
You get more resolution in 1080. Remember, the camera shoots at 1080 and scales down to record in 720 (and SD).
Yes, definitely. Shoot the highest possible quality the camera affords, unless you need to use variable frame rates. You can always scale down, but scaling back up will be unsatisfactory.
since we're on the topic... when bringing the 1080 24pA footage into Final Cut Pro using the 2:3:3:2 pulldown... does the data rate differ from DVCPRO HD over 60i (30p or 24p)? In other words does shooting in 24pA save space on my drives after I've done the transfer to FCP? I know that 1080i footage is approx 1 gb per minute... would 24pA be less?
I don't use FCP, but FCP may strip the extra fields when it converts the MXFs to Quicktimes during import, in which case, the files would take up less space, yes.
Then again, it might not; it does with DV, giving you space savings, but this process isn't the same. You probably want to ask this question in the FCP section.
Then again, it might not; it does with DV, giving you space savings, but this process isn't the same. You probably want to ask this question in the FCP section.
"Better" in terms of what? They should be exactly the same picture except the 1080 is 1) higher-resolution and 2) more efficiently compressed.
Barry_Green
Moderator
1080p is always sharper than 720 on an HVX or HPX500. If you were comparing 1080/60i vs. 720/60p, then yes it's possible the 720 would have been sharper.
But assuming you're talking progressive to progressive (1080/24p vs. 720/24p) 1080 will always be better, especially when you take into account actually recording the footage (viewing the live HD-SDI output doesn't take into account the prefiltering the DVCPRO-HD codec does).
But assuming you're talking progressive to progressive (1080/24p vs. 720/24p) 1080 will always be better, especially when you take into account actually recording the footage (viewing the live HD-SDI output doesn't take into account the prefiltering the DVCPRO-HD codec does).
JonathanLB
Carbonite Member
Not really. 1080i isn't really higher resolution than 720p, it's essentially the same thing only most people who use the HVX200 agree that 720p just looks much smoother and nicer than 1080i. I won't shoot anything 1080i, I think it looks bad to have interlacing. It's a lousy way to fake better resolution. Now 1080p on the HPX500 I would imagine would be much better than 720p, because it's "true HD" or whatever you want to say. It's "full HD," hard to say what the favorite phrase for that is now days with 2540p on the market.
I haven't met anyone yet who prefers 1080i on the HVX200 to 720p.
Barry_Green
Moderator
Well, you've certainly met plenty of us who prefer 1080p over 720p on the HVX200.
1080i? Have no use for that, interlacing is outdated and evil, but 1080p is just plain better across the board (1080/24p, 1080/30p).
1080i? Have no use for that, interlacing is outdated and evil, but 1080p is just plain better across the board (1080/24p, 1080/30p).
I didn't say "1080i"; I said 1080. I wasn't clear, and that's my fault, but my post referred to everything being the same between the two formats -- e.g., 1080/24p vs. 720/24p. 1080/24p is noticeably higher-res than 720/24p, and the other, more intangible qualities between the two are the same when all the same settings (scene file, etc.) are used.
I shoot everything on the HPX at 1080p generally, though there are exceptions I wont go into detail on. Clearly 1080p is higher res than 720.
JonathanLB
Carbonite Member
Of course 1080p is better, haha, that's like $20 is more than $10.
I was just talking about shooting at 1080i on the HVX200 versus 720p, and that most DPs I've talked to seem to prefer 720p. But the HPX500 being able to shoot at 1080p is a huge advantage. I'd love to shoot with the HPX500, see what it's like, but probably won't do that just because we're happy with our HVX200s until the RED Ones come, then not much use for acquiring at 1080p if we can do 4K and just downconvert to 1080p or 2k, whatever.Of course 1080p is better, haha, that's like $20 is more than $10.
Hmm... Do you know the HVX you own CAN shoot 1080p?
Gundorf Dunderklumpen
Well-known member
How does the HVX and HPX shoot 1080p? I thought you could only shoot 1080i 24p then remove pulldown. Is that what you mean by 1080p? I have not seen an option to shoot 1080p 24p with either camera....
Exactly. The HVX and HPX do shoot 1080p. Why is it called 1080i 24/25p? Because its embedded on the I stream. It fills the I cadence with progressive full frame pictures, basically fooling the 50i/60i to believe its transporting a full 50i/60i stream, but in fact is transporting a full 25p/24p stream.
The 200 and the 500 have all the same shooting modes. The 200 shoots 1080p in exactly the same way as the 500.
Which is exactly the same way the DVX100 shoots and records 480p -- it's read progressively at the imager and then recorded in an interlaced stream.
Which is exactly the same way the DVX100 shoots and records 480p -- it's read progressively at the imager and then recorded in an interlaced stream.