GH4 24fps for architectural documentary footage?

[jnorman34]

I have been shooting documentary footage of architectural subject matter at 1080/60p, but will begin shooting in 4K when I receive my GH4. I like the idea of shooting the new footage with the [C4K] 4096x2160 format, but it is only available at 24fps. most of my shots are relatively static, with slow pans, tilts,slides, etc. but there are moving autos and people in many shots, and some footage comes from the camera mounted on my car as I drive through certain settings, which I don't want weird looking due to slow frame rates.

will I be okay with 24fps for my work, or should I stick with regular UHD at 30-60fps for this type of material?
thanks.

 

[Phil_D]

Hi

You will need a slow shutter speed, around 1/50th of a second when there is movement, this allows movement to blur in each frame and bridges the gap across the slow frame rate of 24fps and avoids the illusion of movement breaking down in our minds eye, which is when we see judder. It is a video camera but you will need to shoot like film in 4K. To get the slow shutter speed you will need a selection of ND filters to reduce the amount of light. The irony is that any movement loses resolution as it is blurring in each frame, so you have 4K with blurry action. It also loses the ability to take a still from any action shots in 4K, unless you don't mind the motion blurring.

4K 24fps (or 30fps) is really for creative shooting and legacy support, and makes these first batch of 4K cameras not ready for everyone.

On the plus side, capturing 60fps 1080P at 100Mbs/sec or 200Mbs/sec All_Intra should get some really good footage.

The UHD broadcasting specification makes no mention of 30fps support, and is really expecting 4K to be delivered at 60fps minimum, with 24fps and 25fps included for legacy reasons, and 120fps eventually. These first wave of cameras are not quite up there yet, they are really using standard HD LSIs overclocked to do what they can with 4K, and it will not be until we get new silicon designs coming through that we will get 4K upto 60fps and beyond.

Still everything has to start from somewhere, and for those that are creating film type productions, they are excellent for the job.

Regards

Phil

 

[thorn]

I think it's something you're just going to have to test when you get the camera. When I've shot home interiors, I found 24 to be a bit too jerky with slow pans. I don't think 4K @ 24fps will be in better in that regard.