Getting started with T2i

A

abeas

Well-known member
I have been asked by a friend to create a trailer for his future full length. He has purchased two T2i cameras, an EF50mm 1.2L, and an EF 70-300mm 4-5.6L IS lenses. This will be my first time using a D-SLR as well as doing something 24fps. Using my HMC150 and 40, I was never happy with the results I got at 24fps, even when panning slowly. Seems like people always blurred more than I cared for when walking across the frame, but I digress.
I am wondering some general rules of thumb. We will have about 6 55watt Flo Lights to light with, so I would assume like gain on my video cameras, I want to try and use the lowest ISO as possible? Also, with the dial to change the scene settings/priorities, which one do people use the most. I obviously want to set my shutter to 1/48, so is this TV setting the best way to go? I don't think I want portrait mode, AV, Macro (unless maybe for the few shots on the desk items) and definitely won't be using the green square full auto setting. I am going to have a few weeks to play with the camera and lenses and realize I can learn and test a lot of this myself, however was just looking for some starting ground and opinions. Thanks.
 
Manual movie mode. 1/60th shutter (it's close enough to 1/48th and will give you less flickering under lights than 1/50th. Keep ISO as low as you can - try to keep to ISO800 & under (I go up to 3200 for events/doco but would never do this if I had the option of adding lights instead). Also, try to avoid f/1.2 on the 50mm. The DOF is just too shallow for most shots.
 
Will shooting at 1/60th verses 1/48th at 24fps introduce more strobing? I ask because I have had bad results at 24fps in the past, and will not have any fancy tools to make super smooth moves. Tripods, and a Zaza slider. I know to avoid fast pans and horizontal movement, but that's about it.
 
Very few people, if any, would be able to tell the difference between 1/60th and 1/48th regarding motion blur.

You should at the very least try to get your hands on a tripod. These cameras are not designed to be handheld and with a 50mm as your widest lens you'll be lucky to get any usbale footage at all without some kind of support. I never shoot anything longer than about 20mm handheld without any form of support.
 
abeas said:
Will shooting at 1/60th verses 1/48th at 24fps introduce more strobing? I ask because I have had bad results at 24fps in the past, and will not have any fancy tools to make super smooth moves. Tripods, and a Zaza slider. I know to avoid fast pans and horizontal movement, but that's about it.
Click to expand...

You don't have 1/48th on these DSLRs, that shutter speed was purely the result of having a 180 degree "cutout" on a rotating disk shutter in the early film days. You seem to be one of the people who can "see" the 24fps "flicker" (some can't) and modern projection equipment in theatres actually projects each frame twice to avoid this (it gives some folks headaches). So what we see in the movies is actually a projected 48fps.

Back to your question: 1/60th is close enough to 1/48th to show enough motion blur, but not fast enough to cause "strobing" and it will help avoid "flickering" or "banding" that can occur with artificial lighting if your shutter speed is not a "multiple" of the power line frequency.

In "plain English" 1/60th is a good match for most US power at 60Hz. If you film in Europe where the line frequency is 50Hz you will be better off using 1/50th if artificial lighting is used.

Higher shutter speeds may be needed but should be a multiple of the line frequency (1/120th and 1/100th should be OK in NTSC and PAL areas respectively) but whether higher shutter speeds will exhibit "strobing" will depend on the amount and rate of motion in the scene.

Hope this helps somewhat.
 
Thanks a lot guys. I appreciate the info, good stuff. Any other tips for shooting at 24fps since I can, as Bruce said "see the flicker."
 
Off subject, but it's nice to see someone else from Pittsburgh on here :cheesy:

Good luck with your video ventures
 
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