do you ever shoot 720p or is it always 1080 and why?
- Thread starter robfilms
- Start date
With the AVCHD codec being such a small files size - 24mbps, there is really no reason to shoot 720p. 720p is 50% less resolution than 1080p, so that is a HUGE difference. Even if the final out is 720p, it's still nice to have 1080p just to do some re-cropping in post if needed.
So yeah... in this day and age of really cheap hard drive space and small AVCHD files sizes, there is no reason to shoot 720p. You just have way more flexibility is post with 1080p, and that is worth it's weight in gold.
So yeah... in this day and age of really cheap hard drive space and small AVCHD files sizes, there is no reason to shoot 720p. You just have way more flexibility is post with 1080p, and that is worth it's weight in gold.
The only time I ever shoot 720p is on cameras which do not have a method of shooting 60p (or more) at 1080p. Occasional I will use 720p for that purpose solely for slow-motion.
Even if the content is going to have final delivery in 720 I would rather shoot the best I can and downscale at the end, this is good because even though your client might want 720p you will have nice 1080 versions for your demo reel!
Even if the content is going to have final delivery in 720 I would rather shoot the best I can and downscale at the end, this is good because even though your client might want 720p you will have nice 1080 versions for your demo reel!
MattDavis
Well-known member
With my EX1s, I've traditionally shot 720p25 - the 35mbits seemed to be better distributed on 720p - the 1080p seemed grittier and more liable to mess in areas of fast movement or with (ahem) enthusiastic handheld work.
When asked for DVD and HD, I'd shoot 720p50 - it makes for lovely DVDs, better than DVCAM from a DSR570 in my opinion, almost 'Digibeta'. You get much better downscale, no aliasing and really good motion from 720p50. 720p25 also made filmic DVDs, and could be cross converted to NTSC as 25 for 24 with a bit of audio work.
Since getting the FS100 and using the FS700, I've stuck pretty much to 1080p, not quite sure if that's a conscious decision though. I've been a bit disappointed with its chromakey performance (lack of detail) and am waiting to do a full-on test with a colleague, where I'll try 720p.
I'd agree that, with the FS100, the best 720p comes from 1080p - which I think is all about scrunching up the detail (and the overlarge 4:2:0 colour info).
When asked for DVD and HD, I'd shoot 720p50 - it makes for lovely DVDs, better than DVCAM from a DSR570 in my opinion, almost 'Digibeta'. You get much better downscale, no aliasing and really good motion from 720p50. 720p25 also made filmic DVDs, and could be cross converted to NTSC as 25 for 24 with a bit of audio work.
Since getting the FS100 and using the FS700, I've stuck pretty much to 1080p, not quite sure if that's a conscious decision though. I've been a bit disappointed with its chromakey performance (lack of detail) and am waiting to do a full-on test with a colleague, where I'll try 720p.
I'd agree that, with the FS100, the best 720p comes from 1080p - which I think is all about scrunching up the detail (and the overlarge 4:2:0 colour info).
Bruce Watson
Veteran
Always 1080p. Why? Easier to have a consistent workflow. For example, I do a lot of motion lower thirds work. If I do it in 720p, all the dimensions change. Been there, done that, lots o' work for hardly any gain. What I do instead is to do all the editing, color correction, still photographs, lower thirds, etc. in 1080p, then downrez as needed at the end of the workflow. Most of my output is in DVDs. But on rare occasions, I get clients who like the DVDs so much they want blu-rays. So, I give 'em blu-rays -- which I don't have to uprez (and so meets their expectations), since the original is 1080p.
The thing is, not too many clients have the iron will to spec out a project all the way to delivery and never change their minds after seeing the footage. I'd rather under promise and over perform for them -- I like repeat customers!
Nirv
Carbonite Member
I shoot 1080p and haven't yet found the Sony AVCHD wanting nor any need to buy an external recorder.
1080p50 has been great for optical flow slo-mo and if shot carefully to avoid overlapping motions can really push the lower FS700 frame rates which is good enough for a lot of people.
I believe the initial design target for h264 was to match MPEG2 quality at half the bit rate which is it certainly does. When mpeg2 breaks down the image does go obviously grainy whereas AVCHD tends to just lose resolution but as they eye/brain doesn't see resolution in moving objects so it tends to look better for longer. I haven't felt the need to drop down to 720p to take the stress off the encoder as shooting 25p means moving the camera with more care than 50i days.
Keying is always going to be a challenge but the old DV trick of blurring the Cr and Cb channels and using Y information with a hold out matte or variations on the theme reasonable keys can be achieved. There are plenty of techniques an experienced compositor can do to make a good fist of a h264 key which tends to be beyond the scope of editors and NLE tools. Heavily compressed 420 video is just not the right tool for keying whispy blonde hair though.
1080p50 has been great for optical flow slo-mo and if shot carefully to avoid overlapping motions can really push the lower FS700 frame rates which is good enough for a lot of people.
I believe the initial design target for h264 was to match MPEG2 quality at half the bit rate which is it certainly does. When mpeg2 breaks down the image does go obviously grainy whereas AVCHD tends to just lose resolution but as they eye/brain doesn't see resolution in moving objects so it tends to look better for longer. I haven't felt the need to drop down to 720p to take the stress off the encoder as shooting 25p means moving the camera with more care than 50i days.
Keying is always going to be a challenge but the old DV trick of blurring the Cr and Cb channels and using Y information with a hold out matte or variations on the theme reasonable keys can be achieved. There are plenty of techniques an experienced compositor can do to make a good fist of a h264 key which tends to be beyond the scope of editors and NLE tools. Heavily compressed 420 video is just not the right tool for keying whispy blonde hair though.